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[Translations of articles from La Jornada of Mexico City and El Mostrador of Santiago, Chile, for May 12. See originals here and here.]

La Jornada

Thousands of youths reject privatization of education

By Enrique Gutiérrez

Santiago, May 12 – Some 25,000 Chilean students took to the streets of Santiago on Thursday and thousands more marched in other parts of the country to demand a strengthening of public higher education and rejection of privatization of education, and gave the rightist government of Sebastián Piñera until May 21 to repond to their demands.

After a peaceful beginning, the response of the police was to begin suddently to repress them with water cannons and tear gas, using the repressive measures of the ministry of the interior, which sparked encounters with the students that lasted for hours. (more…)

Students say they heard at least three shots

[Translation of an article from El Universal of Mexico City for October 30. See original article here.]

Federal police shot and injured a student after an exchange of insults with a group of university students who were marching and demonstrating for peace in front of the Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICB – Institute for Biomedical Sciences) of the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ – Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez).

Students report that at least three shots were heard. The event sparked panic among the youths, who rushed into the ICB, located between Hermanos Escobar and Plutarco Elías Calles Streets.

The UACJ repudiated the aggression, suspended classes and evacuated the premises as a precaution.

According to early reports, the students were holding a “Kaminata contra la Muerte” [“March against Death”] on their way to the Foro Internacional contra la Militarización y Violencia [International Forum against Militarization and Violence] being held at the ICB. On the way they came across federal agents and insults were exchanged until the dispute intensified and soon shots were heard. One of the bullets struck José Darío Álvarez Orrantia, a first-semester sociology student, who was reported to be in serious but stable condition after undergoing surgical intervention.

Accounts by students accuse agents of Unit 12428 of firing shots and drivers of other patrols of taking aim at the student as well, one of them carrying the number 20401. The federal police involved told their superiors that “a shot got away from” [“salió un tiro”] one of the policemen.

Police disperse students demonstrating against president’s visit

[Translation of an article from La Tercera of Santiago, Chile, for June 23. The Federación de Estudiantes de la Universidad de Chile, FECh, founded in 1906, is the oldest student organization in Chile. It has played a significant role in the political life of the country, participating in the changes brought about during the Allende government, for example, and opposing the Pinochet dictatorship.]

by Oriana Fernández

A student demonstration greeted President Sebastián Piñera during his visit to the central buildings of the University of Chile. In allusion to a process of privatization of education begun by Piñera, a group of students shouted harsh slogans against the head of state, arguing that the university “is not for sale.” (more…)

“Sultan of the North” pays the price for inequality and oligarchy

[Translation of an article from the March 28 La Jornada of Mexico City.]

by Sanjuana Martínez

During its three foundings, Monterrey survived the battle of the Indians, the batterings of the Inquisition and the rebellion of the natives, but never before in its recent history has it lived through an irregular urban war like that of the past few days. (more…)