Okay, things are starting to happen according to the El Universal web site, so I'm going to post a quick, "unedited" translation (I actually "edit" my own translations carefully by checking reference sources) of an article on the El Universal web site at:
http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/365716.html
It is entitled "Presidency Trusts the GDF Will Remove Blockades"
Here is the quick translated text of the main article itself:
The Presidency of the Republic entrusted to the Federal District Government (GDF) that they will unblock the avenues where they find the encampments of the symptathizers of the presidencial candidate of For the Good of All Coalition [Lopez Obrador], located in the Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, from the Petroleum Fountain out to Juarez Avenue and about the vicinity of the Zocalo capital square. The GDF will know to group together the rights of protest with the rights of third parties, [presidential] spokesman Ruben Aguilar said.
"We are confident that the authorities of Mexico City, who are responsible for public security in the city, will make a worthy effort and repect the law which implies two things, according to the same logic of the Presidency: That the unrestricted right to protest is itself respected, at the same time that the rights of third parties are guaranteed, one of which, is the fundamental freedom of transit," Aguilar said in a morning press conference, as reproduced on [the radio news program] Formato 21
Aguilar said that only in the case that the GDF asks for it, can the Federal Preventive Police (PFP) be empowered to intervene to disactivate the blockage of the vicinity.
Before I mention more, let me say that the Federal District Government (GDF) is run by the PRD, so Vicente Fox is telling the PRD to police itself here. If the GDF refuses, it will be a major escalation. No word on a response from the GDF, but you can imagine the political calculations that are running through everyone's heads right now in Mexico City. The response is what we're looking for here.
The PRD is being accused by PAN and several major news media organizations in Mexico of "kidnapping" the Mexico City. They have responded that it is not a "kidnapping," but a "Mega Stand Up" (literal translation of "
Megaplantón").
Okay, and as I just checked the site again (this is going very fast folks) I now see that the
GDF will seek to open the Paseo de la Reforma avenue and -- forgive me I don't have time to translate it all -- that the protestor's rights will be secured. The article says that the communications media in Mexico City is calling on the GDF "to enforce the law" and to open the main thoroughfares (this might imply that they are accusing the GDF of collusion with the protest) and there's a big list of everyone who's anyone in the GDF present at a morning press conference on all this. The head of the GDF, Alejandro Encinas, makes the interesting statement that the Electoral Tribunal "must exercise its faculties fully 'and give to all Mexicans the result of the election'." That seems to imply that the result is not yet known, which I take to be a subtle endorsement of the reasons for the protest. I do see a little tension between the presidency and the GDF in all this.
That's all for now, I'll be back later everyone. Gotta get back to work.
Thanks ever so much for what you're doing.
Selfless efforts like yours are one of the reasons why FReepers are among the best informed people on the planet.