MEXICO-ELECTION/PROTEST In area where 43 teaching college students disappeared, residents protest mid-term elections

Record ID: 150638

  • Title: MEXICO-ELECTION/PROTEST In area where 43 teaching college students disappeared, residents protest mid-term elections
  • Date: 8th June 2015
  • Summary: TIXTLA, GUERRERO, MEXICO (JUNE 7, 2015) (REUTERS) AREA RESIDENTS PROTESTING AGAINST MEMBERS OF COMMUNITY POLICE FOR IMPEDING ELECTION GROUPS OF COMMUNITY POLICE WATCHING PROTEST RESIDENTS BREAKING CHAINS ON DOOR OF COMMUNITY POLICE OFFICE MILITARY HELICOPTER FLYING OVERHEAD RESIDENTS PROTESTING AGAINST COMMUNITY POLICE WIDE OF PROTEST RESIDENTS THROWING COMMUNITY POLICE OU
  • Embargoed: 23rd June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA56WRFAD5Q5BNK3MLNCYHCWUIK
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Unrest marred Mexican midterm elections in the area where 43 teaching college students were apparently massacred last September, as activists blocked access to voting stations on Sunday (June 7).
    In the restive state of Guerrero, protesters set ballot papers on fire and blocked citizens from reaching voting stations in the town of Tixtla.
    Protesters demanding the return of the missing students have sought to disrupt the elections.
    Masked activists carrying sticks and closed off streets so residents couldn't vote.
    Residents cut the chains to the local community police office in the hopes of restarting the voting process.
    According to local news, 14 ballot boxes were taken and some set alight on the streets. Electoral officials later annulled the vote in the municipality.
    This man said that the annulment was a victory.
    "Well, for us as a people, it's a victory that elections didn't take place in Tixtla. Maybe the elections took place in most municipalities but at least in Tixtla, it's a historic victory, that, even though it's a small municipality, we were able to prevent them from setting up ballot boxes," said one unidentified man.
    On Sunday, Mexicans were set to decide nine state governorships and more than 1,000 state and municipal posts.
    But the run up to election day has been married by violence. At least seven candidates and nine campaign officials were murdered in campaigning.
    Thousands of soldiers, police officers and international observers have been deployed to ensure a smooth vote.
    Many residents in Tixtla were disappointed that they were not able to vote.
    "It turns out that they didn't let us vote. They were burning all the electoral paperwork. We fully intended to elect our governors, really, and they won't let us. It's a minority group that's not letting us vote," said Pedro Rodriguez.
    Despite widespread discontent and President Enrique Pena Nieto's falling approval rating, his centrist Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) is expected to hold onto its thin majority it has with allies in the lower house.
    The president has been criticized over the apparent massacre of the students by a drug gang working with local police. Then he faced accusations of corruption following revelations that he, his wife and his finance minister had bought houses from government contractors.
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