A Timeline of Recent Events in Oaxaca

May 22--Teachers went on strike for salary increase and better school facilities which is an annual event in Oaxaca. Governors in the past have negotiated and agreed to a deal. But the current governor refused to negotiate and used intimidation tactics to try to force the teachers back to work.
June 14--The governor authorized the state police to forcefully remove the teachers from the central square of the capital with tear gas bombs and riot gear.
July 2--Presidential election in Mexico in which Felipe Calderon, the right wing candidate, was declared the winner (three days later) by less than one half a percent. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the left wing candidate, who was runner up declared massive fraud and his supporters staged their own demonstrations in the central square of Mexico city until Sep. 16.
Aug. 1--The People's Assembly of Oaxacan Peoples (APPO) is convened in Oaxaca city because of the intimidation tactics of the governor of the state resulting in numerous human rights abuses and claims to be a parallel state govt. They are calling for the resignation of the "official" governor. They also align themselves with the teachers in their struggle.
Sep. 16--Lopez Obrador convenes a Democratic National Convention in the central square where they draft a new constitution and he is named president of Mexico by the participants. He will "take office" on Nov. 20. The "official" winner takes office on Dec. 1. The APPO says: "Si Ulises no se va, Calderon no pasara!" "If Ulises (the current governor) doesn't leave then Calderon will not take office!"
Oct. 27--A wave of para-military violence spreads across the Oaxacan capital region resulting in three deaths and numerous wounded. The president of Mexico uses this violence has an excuse to send the national troops in to "restore order." They successfully remove the demonstrators from the central square.
Oct. 30--A massive march takes place to protest the incursion of federal troops.
Nov. 2--The federal troops attempt to remove the demonstrators (mostly university students) from the university campus where they retreated to and from where they broadcast their own radio station. The demonstrators successfully turn back the federal troops from taking over the "autonomous" campus.
Nov. 3-4--Another wave of para-military violence rages across the city with drive by shootings killing or seriously wounding five more demonstrators.
Nov.5--Another mega-march renewing the demands of the APPO.
Nov. 6--A teachers march in the capital aligning themselves with the APPO while teachers in other regions of the state return to work. Early this morning 8 bombs were discovered in Mexico City after 6 of them exploded destroying parts of the buildings housing the national HQ of the PRI political party, the federal election commision and two banks. Later in the day five armed guerrilla groups in Oaxaca claimed responsibility for the presence of federal troops in Oaxaca.
...to be continued...