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Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

One of the interesting things about Mexico City (or one of its headaches) is the number of marches that happen here. Every gripe or celebration makes it to the capital.

Reforma Ave is the most popular march route, with marches ending either in the Zocalo at one end, or at Los Pinos (presidential residence) at the other.

Of late, there have been marches by Zapatistas...

Students protesting crackdowns in San Salvador Atenco...

The war in Iraq...

Endless 'happy' marhces supporting Pan, or AMLO, or the Mexican soccer team...

But today I saw the strangest one yet. Hari Krishnas marching through...sorry, no pic of that. I wasn't expecting it.

Oh, here's one, but not from Mexico City. The ones here were happier-looking than this guy.

MO39 · Posted: Sat May 13, 2006 11:26 pm Post subject:

Hi Guy,

It was nice to see a bird's eye view of El Angel - I really do miss hanging out in my former DF neighborhood and catching a glimpse of this loveliest of monuments from the roof of my building while hanging out my laundry to dry. It was not nice to see those burnt-out (or should I say burnt-up?) cars - did the protesting students do the burning? What kind of crack-down were they protesting?

MO

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

MO39 · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 5:58 pm Post subject:

Wow, Guy, disturbing photos. I'm guessing that you didn't take them. They certainly don't do anything to help the Mexican tourist industry. Where in the DF is San Salvador Atenco located?

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

San Salvador Atenco is in the State of Mexico and not DF. It's about 23 km away, to the north I think.

Nice photos...wish I could claim credit. Atenco is not a touristy place to begin with anyway. I don't know very much about it, but I've heard it has a long history of political unrest, going back to Emiliano Zapata. The land there was given to them under some agrarian reform and it will not be taken away easily.

MO39 · Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 8:23 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the information, Guy. I admire good documentary photography partly because it's one area of the craft that I am not skilled in and often requires the kind of physical courage I don't have. It's heartening to learn that there is at least one agrarian community in Mexico hasn't been sold out by its leaders to the highest bidder.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

That is my favorite type of photography...I only wish I had more opportunity to get out and shoot. For now, I leave it to my brother-in-law to take the pics while I write it up. Not for Atenco though...

One almost has to have a dark desire for disaster to come along, just for the right series of photos. Twisted Evil

When is the next scheduled disaster for Mexico? A July 2nd AMLO landslide victory?

Speaking of which, the latest rally on Reforma was for PAN candidates Dimitrio Sodi and 'Phil" Calderon. Funny how all those PAN candidates look like golf buddies.

delacosta · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Posts: 325 Location: zipolte beach

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Perhaps from our foreign point of view...but, people round here merely see things as normal. Happens every six years ahead of elections, I'm being told. I don't watch much TV at all...prefer to talk to the electorate. It sounds like you've been influenced by the media though. Wink

The pattern, as far as I can see is this.

PRD benefits by stirring up the working class against the ruling class. It worked well in Guerrero state elections almost 2 years ago.

PAN stirs up the middle and upper class playing on economic fears.

PRI hands out pigs, money, and tshirts to buy off everyone else.

It's all for naught anyway as power has shifted from the presidency to congress. Will be another 6 years of not much going on.

MELEE · Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 2:05 pm Post subject:

AMLO was in town on Friday, I'll risk saying, I really like the guy.

Anyone out there a currency guru? Any speculations on what might happen with the peso? The July election coincides with me recieving a bundle of money and I'm a little nervous Confused

.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

This morning's news from Mexico City showed teachers camped out in the Zocalo in some sort of protest. (Or are they still celebrating Teachers Day? Smile

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Anyone heard of the on again off again protests by Veracruzano farmers in Mexico City?

Can't remember the name of this protest...Alliance of 400 pueblos or something. Quite a sight when hundreds of naked people, men and women, ring the Angel of Independence in protest.

samizinha · Joined: 12 May 2005 Posts: 174 Location: Vacalandia

Hey MELEE,
I was actually going to post a topic on elections and the Peso before I read your response. A couple of people have suggested that I take some of my Mexican savings and transfer them to my Canadian account, in case the Peso devalues. Any other perspectives on this? I�m staying quite a bit longer after elections, so I could ride it out or transfer some money anyway...