Activists block government buildings, continue hunger strike to oust Mexican governor

By Rebeca Romero
ASSOCIATED PRESS
1:40 p.m. October 17, 2006

OAXACA, Mexico – Leftist activists blockaded government offices across the southern state of Oaxaca on Tuesday to pressure federal senators to remove the state's embattled governor.

A Senate committee was meeting in Mexico City discussing whether to send a bill to remove Gov. Ulises Ruiz, on the grounds that he has lost control of his state.

Tuesday's blockades were carried out by hundreds of activists from the Oaxaca People's Assembly, a mix of trade unionists and leftists. The assembly accuses Gov. Ulises Ruiz of rigging the 2004 election to win office and sending groups of thugs against opponents.

More than 2,000 of the assembly's members have blocked Oaxaca's colonial state capital for months, building barricades, burning buses and taking over radio stations. The police have effectively been run out of town.

Some Oaxaca activists have camped out in Mexico City to support their demands and on Monday about 20 of them began a hunger strike.

The senate is divided along party lines over the issue.