MV Note: Following the Mexican Revolution, in order to provide education in rural areas, normal schools were established to educate generally indigenous youth as teachers who would return to their communities. They were guaranteed teaching positions upon graduation.Immediately, state government representatives began negotiations with the students to demand that police and all vehicles be released.
"We insist on the release of the police agents. Obviously, we don't want this to become more serious and involve the communities in these events and for the safety of our agents." said Secretary of Government Fernando Cano Ochoa.
MV Note: Cheran is an indigenous Purepecha community that last year, under the traditional "uses and customs" provisions of the Mexican Constitution, established self-government through a communal assembly and a community police force to protect themselves from organized criminal activity.The official said the policemen are in good shape and are in the auditorium of the indigenous Purépecha village of Turícuaro. "They are feeding and guarding them well. Today, very early, I was in contact with people very close to them and they are fine," Cano Ochoa reiterated.
However, the Secretary said that the government will not automatically grant 1,200 teaching positions demanded by the students.
"It isn´t that we don´t have the resources. What has happened is that the recently passed education reform prohibits it. It states that the positions will be awarded through an exam," Cano said.Spanish original