Mexican workers defy ban, stage May Day demonstration

[Charlotte Kates <ckates@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

**Mexican workers defy ban, stage May Day demonstration**

(Reprinted from the May 11, 1996 issue of the People's
Weekly World. May be reprinted or reposted with PWW credit.
For subscription information see below)

By Jim Genova

Hundreds of thousands of Mexican workers marched through
Mexico City May 1 in defiance of a ban on May Day rallies
issued by the government-controlled Confederation of Labor
(CGT). It was the second consecutive year that Fidel
Velazquez Sanchez, 96-year-old CGT leader, threatened to
expel trade unionists who participated in May Day rallies.

"We want to show the president (Ernesto Zedillo) what is
really happening," said Jose Luis Ramos, a 26-year-old dairy
worker, at the May Day rally. "We don't see recovery
anywhere." Ramos countered government claims that a
depression which has cost the jobs of over 1 million Mexican
workers since the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) took effect two years ago had ended and "a slow
recovery" had begun.

According to police estimates, the march "flowed
continuously for four hours along 25 blocks" in the center
of the city. Over 40 government unions joined this year's
march, up from nine a year ago. It represented a growing
rebellion by rank and file workers against the official
trade union and its government sponsors.

Velazquez cited fears of clashes with police as the reason
for canceling the May Day rally. However, analysts suspect a
more pressing reason was fear of a paltry turn out at any
government-sponsored event -- something which would expose
the lack of support for the CGT among the nation's workers.

"We want justice, but we also want peace," said Aida
Moncada, a 38-year-old steelworker, in response to charges
that May Day organizers were bent on a violent
confrontation.

Evidence of growing working class anger was further
manifested at private ceremonies led by Zedillo. Even though
the 3,000 guests were hand-selected by the government and
the CGT, when Zedillo finished his address supporting
privatization and NAFTA workers either whistled in
disapproval or greeted the speech with stone silence.
##30##
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    Charlotte L. Kates     ckates@xxxxxxxxxxxx        Collingswood, NJ

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