Church Steps in on Side of Oaxaca People
Leaders of the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO) were granted protection Thursday, requested from the Catholic hierarchy due to the real threats against them.

Wilfredo Mayaren, legal representative of the Oaxaca archdiocese, said the decision to grant shelter to the APPO leaders is because they are facing “State terrorism and schizophrenic persecution.” He said there are people who believe that they will solve the problem by arresting or eliminating people, and the Church, faced with that situation, must accomplish one of its main missions, which is to help and protect those whose lives are really in danger.

Mayren suggested a dialogue with the movement leaders some time today to ask them to make sensible efforts to find a negotiated solution to the conflict.

He reiterated that the Church did see true danger, thus the archbishopric agreed to help them.

Flavio Sosa, Florentino Lopez, and Zemen Bravo demanded protection on Wednesday, due to threats saying they could be “physically eliminated” or arrested by the Ministerial Police or armed groups at the service of the local governor.

The APPO has supported a teachers´ strike and protest since June and demanded the ousting of Gov. Ulisis Ruiz for violence and repression.

They asked for protection to be able to continue leading the people´s movement from some church building.