- Title: Police clash with Mexicans protesting gas price hikes
- Date: 9th January 2017
- Summary: ROSARITO, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO (JANUARY 7, 2017) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** RIOT POLICE IN FORMATION, HOLDING UP SHIELDS PROTESTERS THROWING ROCKS AT POLICE POLICE PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM ROCKS WITH SHIELDS PROTESTERS THROWING ROCKS POLICE DETAINING PROTESTER VARIOUS OF POLICE RUNNING AFTER PROTESTERS FEDERAL POLICE VEHICLE DRIVING UP WITH OFFICERS POLICE DETAINING PROTESTER DETAINEE GETTING INTO POLICE VEHICLE POLICE VEHICLE WITH DETAINEES DRIVING DOWN STREET RIOT POLICE WALKING DOWN STREET, WITH DOGS POLICE IN VEHICLES GOING DOWN STREET VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS YELLING AT POLICE VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS FACING OFF WITH POLICE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING: "We Mexicans are our fatherland. We are not a bunch of corrupt senators nor is Mexico the president, Pena Nieto, who is not doing his duty as president. That is not Mexico. We are Mexico, those of us who live and are here, struggling." VARIOUS OF POLICE DETAINING PROTESTERS 17, POLICE WALKING FORWARD RIOT POLICE CARRYING SHIELDS THROWING FIRECRACKERS AT PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FEDERAL POLICE COMMISSIONER, PEDRO HERNANDEZ, SAYING: "The entire country is a priority. Right now, we needed to re-establish the gasoline supply of the people of Baja California and it is for them that we mounted this operation. I reiterate: the operation continues and we need to go to another meeting to wrap up the last details." TANKER WITH GASOLINE LEAVING DISTRIBUTION CENTER GUARDED BY POLICE VEHICLE
- Embargoed: 24th January 2017 00:48
- Keywords: gasolinazo clashes protest Enrique Pena Nieto gasoline prices
- Location: ROSARITO, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
- City: ROSARITO, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015Y7ZK8Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Clashes broke out in the Mexican state of Baja California on Saturday (January 7), as police dispersed a crowd of angry Mexicans who had cut off access to a gasoline distributor since Monday.
The activists were protesting gas price hikes after the government raised gasoline costs by 14 to 20 percent earlier this month, fueling outrage among Mexicans already facing rising inflation and adding to a long list of headaches besetting President Enrique Pena Nieto.
Protests and looting have broken out across the country.
In Rosarito, near the border town of Tijuana, protesters have blocked the gasoline distribution center since Monday (January 2), leaving gas stations empty.
On Saturday (January 7), local, state and federal police launched a major operation to clear the blockade and re-open the business.
Protesters threw rocks at riot police who fired tear gas into the crowd and detained dozens of activists.
"We Mexicans are our fatherland. We are not a bunch of corrupt senators nor is Mexico the president, Pena Nieto, who is not doing his duty as president. That is not Mexico. We are Mexico, those of us who live and are here, struggling," said an angry protester, as others told the police they should be working for them, not for the government.
Federal police commissioner Pedro Hernandez said the police work for all Mexicans, and the people of Baja California need to have their fuel re-established.
"The entire country is a priority. Right now, we needed to re-establish the gasoline supply of the people of Baja California, and it is for them that we mounted this operation. I reiterate: the operation continues and we need to go to another meeting to wrap up the last details," he said.
At least seven police officers were injured in the clashes which lasted from shortly before noon (2000 GMT) past 10 (0600 GMT) at night.
By midnight, gasoline tankers were again refilling at the station and, guarded by police and security vehicles, en route to refill area service stations.
The national gasoline price hike, which took effect on January 1, is part of a gradual, year-long price liberalization the Pena Nieto administration has promised to implement this year.
Over the weekend, protests were organized in the states of Sonora, Chiapas, Guerrero, Jalisco, Tabasco and Puebla. Mexican authorities reported on Friday that over 1,500 people had been arrested since the protests began. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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