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WORLD NEWSSaturday 6 June 2015

Mexican elections marred by pre-balloting violence

MARK STEVENSON 2010 to 2012, when the vio- sailants tossed an explosive State and Federal police in riot gear chase students of the Rural
Associated Press lence appeared to come device at the offices of the Normal School of Ayotzinapa after they tried to reach the city of
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Vio- largely came from drug conservative National Ac- Chilpancingo to protest near the town of Tixtla, Mexico.
lence threatened Mexico’s cartels, radical movements tion Party, damaging the
mid-term weekend elec- now appear to pose the windows. (AP Photo/Alejandrino Gonzalez)
tions as radical teachers greatest threat. There have been tense
on Friday attacked the of- Radical teachers on Friday moments in recent days
fices of political parties, burned or attacked the of- as army and police forces
marched in protest and fices of five political parties faced off with protesters in-
vowed to block the voting. in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capi- tent on breaking into elec-
The Sunday elections for tal of the southern state of toral offices to burn ballots,
Congress, governorships Chiapas. as they have done in re-
and mayorships have al- They broke into the offices, cent days.
ready claimed the lives ransacked the contents — “I think this is the worst
of three candidates, one computers, paperwork and (election violence) in a lot
would-be candidate, and furniture — and burned it in of ways,” said Jesus Silva-
at least a dozen campaign the street. Herzog Marquez of the
workers or activists. In the southern state of Monterrey Technological
But unlike the years from Guerrero, unidentified as- University. “We didn’t have

this level of violence even burned ballots and blocked
in 1994, when we had elec- gasoline distribution facili-
tions at the same time as ties. Their leaders told local
the Zapatista guerrilla con- media they would block
flict.” elections, even if they got
The teachers have issued the pay hikes.
wildly ambitious demands, “They are using pressure,
including 100 percent pay not to get any demand
hikes and the end of a met, but rather to block the
constitutionally-mandated elections, that is their goal,”
teacher evaluation system. said Raul Benitez, a security
In the colonial city of Oax- expert at Mexico’s National
aca, radical teachers have Autonomous University.q

Colombia: Young daughter of
security official is kidnapped

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) when a group of men en-
— Colombian authorities tered the vehicle. He de-
are offering $40,000 for clined to say whether the
help finding the kidnapped kidnappers had contacted
daughter of a high-profile the family.
security official. “We’re doing everything
The 11-year-old girl was we can to bring her home,”
kidnapped Thursday after- he said.
noon in the northern city President Juan Manual San-
of Cucuta, on the border tos said police are working
with Venezuela. Her father, their hardest to find the girl
Diego Mora, is the direc- and have been in constant
tor of Colombia’s National contact with the family.
Protection Unit, which is in “It is the fervent wish of all
charge of protecting high- Colombians that this girl’s
profile public figures, in- life be respected,” he said.
cluding ministers and mem- “It’s a terrible event.”
bers of congress. Interior Minister Juan Fer-
National police director Ro- nando Cristo has traveled
dolfo Palomino announced to Cucuta, and is implor-
the reward Friday. He said ing that there be no more
the girl had been in a car kidnappings.q
with her driver Thursday