Nahuatzen, Michoacán - Hundreds of normalistas [students in Normal Schools, or Teacher Colleges] are entrenched in the Purhépecha community of Tirícuaro in the municipality of Nahuatzen, which has no more than 2,500 inhabitants. They insist that they be guaranteed delivery of 1,300 teaching positions for graduates of the eight teacher training schools, before they'll release five state police members who have been held since May 5. In response, Acting Governor Jesús Reyna García reiterated that there will be no automatic positions.
At a press conference, Rena García said, "We are open to dialogue," but he also warned that the law will be applied to those "who have violated the rule of law", referring to the normalistas who have also seized some fifty vehicles owned by companies like Coca Cola , Pepsi, Gamesa and Aga, plus two dozen buses.
Shortly after noon, a meeting of parents was held--supporters of the normalistas--outside the auditorium in Nahuatzen. There were about 300 parents:
Shortly after noon, a meeting of parents was held--supporters of the normalistas--outside the auditorium in Nahuatzen. There were about 300 parents:
"This is not about a student movement but a social conflict, because it is not possible to deny the positions to graduates of the normal schools when there is a squandering of public resources for current and former officials," declared the representative of Arantepacua.
Another adult who heads the parents' movement declared that forty-two communities in the four Purhépecha regions [in Northwest Michoacán] are supporting the young people.
"We are not going to give up until the government signs a commitment on behalf of generating positions for the current normalistas and for those who follow. There is little for the children of the indigenous.
"Whoever changed the law did so from an office, but he should come here to see how our forests are being depleted. Although they [government officials] promote conservation programs, they do not know that the people do not have enough to live on, because agriculture provides barely half of our food. There are no sources of employment, and they want to take what little we get."
Most of the parents are women; in fact, the proceedings in the assembly are conducted in Puréhpecha. They said they are now supporting the young people, but their disagreement will be permanent, because indigenous peoples are sinking into poverty.
"We demand a fair and decent treatment; we do not endorse the reforms that threaten the work of the teachers, because they are our children."
Leaders of the normalistas claimed that the state government has threatened them, because now if they do not give up their attitude and return the vehicles and release the police, [the state government] will not issue a call for freshman to enroll in the Normal Schools.
"The state government is also threatening community authorities that [state] support of anti-poverty programs will be withdrawn if we support the normalistas."