News from Mexico: Calderon coming to the states and electrical workers violently attacked by state forces

summarized and translated from La Jornada to see the original article please visit here: http://www.jornada.unam.mx/ultimas/2010/03/18/viajara-calderon-a-washington-en-mayo-para-reunirse-con-obama Meeting between Calderon and Obama announced for May 19-20 in Washington D.C. Notimex March 18, 2009 Mexico City- President Felipe Calderon will travel to Washington on May 19 and 20 for an official visit in where he will hold high-level talks with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama about common interests such as cooperation against international crime. The U.S. and Mexican mandatories will speak about border infrastructure, open trade, working against international organized crime and the environment. They will also discuss the challenges that face the Mexican community in the U.S. and a wide range of regional and international topics. Calderon indicated that the meeting will be a way to decisively follow-up the dialogue that was initiated between both leaders since their first meeting in January 2009; days before Obama's inauguration to deepen their strategic relationship with more shared responsibility on both sides. A press release stated that Mr. Calderon will carry out a work agenda with various political actors from the U.S.: opinion makers and in particular the other powers of government, especially the Congress. The release explained that these meeting aim to strengthen a new age of bilateral cooperation. During this visit, the U.S. President will offer a State Dinner to Calderon. ------------------------------ *Federal Police Attack Five More Electricians' Blockades, One Electrician Shot<http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/federal-police-attack-five-more.html> http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/federal-police-attack-five-more.html by Kristin Bricker The Mexican Electrical Workers Union (SME) reports that this morning federal police violently attacked five blockades outside Luz y Fuerza del Centro (LyFC) buildings in Mexico State in what appear to be coordinated actions. The attacks left multiple electricians wounded and detained. One electrician is the in hospital with a gunshot wound. The blockades outside former LyFC buildings are part of the SME's national strike<http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/national-strike-begins-in-mexico-police.html>, which it declared on March 16, the day its collective bargaining contract expired. In October, President Felipe Calderon unilaterally fired 44,000 LyFC workers at gunpoint and shut down the state-owned electric company. This morning's attacks began in Ecatepec county. The SME reports that 100 federal police arrived at the blockade outside the substation there and, without a word, attacked the striking workers. SME member Alejandro Lopez Perez was "gravely wounded" in the attack and remains hospitalized. As in Juandho<http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/update-on-state-of-siege-in-juandho.html>, Hidalgo, the federal police are using the LyFC complex to detain and torture workers. During the attack, police took SME member Luis Vald?s and LyFC retiree Ra?l Villase?or inside the LyFC building. The SME reports that the two men have been "severely beaten" and remain detained. Likewise, federal police attacked the blockade outside the electrical substation in Toluca. Police detained five SME members and supporters, including the daughter of a former LyFC worker. Ten people were seriously injured, including Juan Ceballos Flores, who was hospitalized with a bullet wound. This morning police also attacked blockades in Vertiz, Indios Verdes, and another LyFC building in Ecatepec. Today, SME Secretary General Martin Esparza announced that the federal Secretary of the Interior, Fernando G?mez Mont, has agreed to sit down with SME leadership tomorrow for new negotiations. The SME does not hold out much hope for successful negotiations, but say it will bargain in good faith. Pending the negotiations, Esparza has requested that members maintain their protest encampments outside their former workplaces, but that they unblock the entrances so that police and contractors and freely enter and leave. *-- Kristin Bricker

<p>summarized and translated from La Jornada<br /> to see the original article please visit here:</p> <p><a href="http://www.jornada.unam.mx/ultimas/2010/03/18/viajara-calderon-a-washington-en-mayo-para-reunirse-con-obama">http://www.jornada.unam.mx/ultimas/2010/03/18/viajara-calderon-a-washing...</a></p> <p>Meeting between Calderon and Obama announced for May 19-20 in Washington D.C.</p> <p>Notimex March 18, 2009</p> <p>Mexico City- President Felipe Calderon will travel to Washington on May 19<br /> and 20 for an official visit in where he will hold high-level talks with<br /> his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama about common interests such as<br /> cooperation against international crime.</p> <p>The U.S. and Mexican mandatories will speak about border infrastructure,<br /> open trade, working against international organized crime and the<br /> environment.</p> <p>They will also discuss the challenges that face the Mexican community in<br /> the U.S. and a wide range of regional and international topics. Calderon<br /> indicated that the meeting will be a way to decisively follow-up the<br /> dialogue that was initiated between both leaders since their first meeting<br /> in January 2009; days before Obama's inauguration to deepen their<br /> strategic relationship with more shared responsibility on both sides.</p> <p>A press release stated that Mr. Calderon will carry out a work agenda with<br /> various political actors from the U.S.: opinion makers and in particular<br /> the other powers of government, especially the Congress.</p> <p>The release explained that these meeting aim to strengthen a new age of<br /> bilateral cooperation. During this visit, the U.S. President will offer a<br /> State Dinner to Calderon.</p> <p>------------------------------</p> <p>*Federal Police Attack Five More Electricians' Blockades, One Electrician<br /> Shot&lt;<a href="http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/federal-police-attack-five-more.html&gt;">http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/federal-police-attack-five-...</a></p> <p><a href="http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/federal-police-attack-five-more.html">http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/federal-police-attack-five-...</a></p> <p>by Kristin Bricker</p> <p>The Mexican Electrical Workers Union (SME) reports that this morning federal<br /> police violently attacked five blockades outside Luz y Fuerza del Centro<br /> (LyFC) buildings in Mexico State in what appear to be coordinated actions.<br /> The attacks left multiple electricians wounded and detained. One<br /> electrician is the in hospital with a gunshot wound.</p> <p>The blockades outside former LyFC buildings are part of the SME's national<br /> strike&lt;<a href="http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/national-strike-begins-in-mexico-police.html&gt;">http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/national-strike-begins-in-m...</a>,<br /> which it declared on March 16, the day its collective bargaining contract<br /> expired. In October, President Felipe Calderon unilaterally fired 44,000<br /> LyFC workers at gunpoint and shut down the state-owned electric company.</p> <p>This morning's attacks began in Ecatepec county. The SME reports that 100<br /> federal police arrived at the blockade outside the substation there and,<br /> without a word, attacked the striking workers. SME member Alejandro Lopez<br /> Perez was "gravely wounded" in the attack and remains hospitalized. As in<br /> Juandho&lt;<a href="http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/update-on-state-of-siege-in-juandho.html&gt;">http://mywordismyweapon.blogspot.com/2010/03/update-on-state-of-siege-in...</a>,<br /> Hidalgo, the federal police are using the LyFC complex to detain and torture<br /> workers. During the attack, police took SME member Luis Vald?s and LyFC<br /> retiree Ra?l Villase?or inside the LyFC building. The SME reports that the<br /> two men have been "severely beaten" and remain detained.</p> <p>Likewise, federal police attacked the blockade outside the electrical<br /> substation in Toluca. Police detained five SME members and supporters,<br /> including the daughter of a former LyFC worker. Ten people were seriously<br /> injured, including Juan Ceballos Flores, who was hospitalized with a bullet<br /> wound.</p> <p>This morning police also attacked blockades in Vertiz, Indios Verdes, and<br /> another LyFC building in Ecatepec.</p> <p>Today, SME Secretary General Martin Esparza announced that the federal<br /> Secretary of the Interior, Fernando G?mez Mont, has agreed to sit down with<br /> SME leadership tomorrow for new negotiations. The SME does not hold out<br /> much hope for successful negotiations, but say it will bargain in good<br /> faith. Pending the negotiations, Esparza has requested that members<br /> maintain their protest encampments outside their former workplaces, but that<br /> they unblock the entrances so that police and contractors and freely enter<br /> and leave.<br /> *--<br /> Kristin Bricker</p>