La Jornada: Ernesto Martinez Elorriaga
Morelia, Michoacan - Members of the eight Michoacán normal schools [teachers colleges] blocked the Carapan-Paracho highway and seized ten more vehicles, with brings the total to 55 vehicles retained by students, as well as five policemen who have been held for six days in the auditorium in the Purepecha [indigenous] village of Turícuaro, in the municipality of Nahuatzen.
The protesters said they will not give up their fight to get automatic teaching positions for 1,300 graduates of the teacher training schools. This Sunday they were joined by about 250 villagers of Caltzontzín, in the municipality of Uruapan, who arrived aboard several buses.
One of the villagers said that 42 Purepecha communities support the students, including Chilchota, Urén, Copoco, Pamatácuaro, Nahuatzen, Paracho and Sebina. He said the indigenous communities will hold a meeting on Monday at noon in Turícuaro to organize, because of the threat that elements of the state and federal police will enter in order to recover the vehicles and free the police.
He added that access to the region remains under guard, and although it was rumored that the hostages would be released this Sunday, at press time there was no police presence in the Purepecha Highlands.
On the first of May, the students began their protests against the education reform and to demand automatic positions. Spanish original