Mexico's Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that the Governor of Oaxaca was guilty by omission of la violación grave de garantías individuales during the unrest that shook the city of Oaxaca in 2006 and 2007. The justices voted 7-4 to hold Ulises Ruiz responsible for seriously violating Oaxacans' rights of access to justice, free expression, movement and social peace. President Fox and others at the federal level were exonerated.
The vote only serves as a recommendation to other prosecuting agencies and it appears that the only real punishment that will be delivered is the shame and political pressure it will place upon the governor during his remaining year in office. As Nancy Davies of Narco News put it, "This court decision comes as a boon to the anti-PRI political alliance for 2010. We await what benefits it might bring to the local struggle."
What began as a teachers' strike quickly transformed into a battle to topple the governor when protesters were brutally repressed by members of various police forces within the state as well as by paramilitary groups formed by off-duty cops and angry priista militantes. A substantial number of Oaxaquenos have disputed his election since the vote of August 2004, as I witnessed during my stay immediately following the election.
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