July 14th: International day of action against the electoral fraud in Mexico

Friday July 14th was the international day of action against electoral fraud in Mexico. Here we publish some reports from pickets organised around the globe, from Britain to Austria, Germany to Denmark and Spain to the United States, Canada, Pakistan and Argentina.

London, United Kingdom

A number of activists from Hands Off Venezuela, the Bolivia Solidarity Campaign and Socialist Appeal gathered today outside the Mexican embassy in London to protest against electoral fraud in Mexico and asking for a full recount. We were there for an hour and handed a letter to Press Attaché Cynthia Prida Bravo. She said she was banned from commenting "since the electoral process is independent from the government and run by the well-respected Instituto Federal Electoral". The only thing she could say is that things were following "their normal legal procedures". The letter of protest was signed by Jeremy Corbyn MP, who has also presented an Early Day Motion in Parliament on the same subject, and also by Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the NUJ, together with a number of other activists.

Germany 

Activists of the union of services "ver.di", Hands off Venezuela, Der Funke and the youth organisation of the Left Party [‘solid] organised a day of action in Frankfurt and Berlin as part of the international solidarity campaign against the electoral fraud in Mexico. We handed over a note of protest to the ambassador in Berlin and the consul in Frankfurt. The latter promised to take up the question and explained that the IFE would take a final decision in September.

Here is the text of the protest letter:

No to electoral fraud in Mexico!

In the last days we have heard of "irregularities" in the course of the presidential elections in Mexico on 2 July. According to all the information we have we share your impression that this is a broadly organised electoral fraud with the aim of preventing the election of the PRD candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Certain forces within Mexico and internationally obviously are terrified by the idea that these elections could be the starting point of a political turn against the interests of big business. Already in the pre-election period there was an increase in state repression against social protest movements. Lopez Obrador and the PRD obviously represent the hopes of millions of youth and workers for a better future. But the oligarchy, which can be sure of the support of US-imperialism, is not prepared to allow such a political experiment to happen. 

 We welcome the magnificent protests against the fraud like the mass demo on 8 July at the Zocolo square. Mass mobilisations like this are the only weapon we have in the defence of our democratic rights. 

In Germany we will try to support your efforts in the spirit of international solidarity and the democratic traditions of the workers' movement. We will inform our comrades and the public about the developments in Mexico and we will do everything we can to build enough pressure that in the end the will of the voters on the 2nd of July will be stronger than the interests of the oligarchy.

Denmark

Picket at the Mexican Embassy in Copenhagen

Today a picket was arranged by the Danish section of the International Marxist Tendency, Socialistisk Standpunkt, at the Mexican embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark. The aim of the picket was to show our support to the Mexican working class and its struggle against the fraud of the right-wing reactionaries who will not listen to the voice of the Mexican masses. At the picket the comrades carried a banner stating: "Workers of all countries Unite!" After the picket a letter of protest was handed over to the ambassador. The letter was signed by 25 trade union and youth activists and made clear that none of the attacks against democracy would go unnoticed and that, if not corrected, we will regard as our duty to notify the broadest layers of the Danish labour and youth movement of all the inconsistencies that have occurred during the presidential election.

  Apart from organising the picket, the Danish Marxists distributed several hundred leaflets explaining the situation of our Mexican working class brothers and sisters. We have also created a special section about the struggle of the Mexican masses on our Danish website, which is kept up to date on the current situation in Mexico and which is continuously collecting signatures to support the struggle of the Mexican masses.

The Danish comrades from Socialistisk Standpunkt salute the tremendous work of our comrades of Militante in Mexico. Forward to victory!

Austria

Der Funke, together with the Mexico Platform and "Kommunistische Initiative" went to the Mexican embassy in Vienna and handed over a letter of protest. The action was supported by the Young Socialists.

Here is a message from Ludwig Dvorak, president of the Socialist Youth of Austria:

No to electoral fraud in Mexico!

In the last days we have heard of "irregularities" in the course of the presidential elections in Mexico on 2 July. According to all the information we have we share your impression that this is a broadly organised electoral fraud with the aim to prevent the election of the PRD candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Certain forces within Mexico and internationally obviously are terrified by the idea that these elections could be the starting point of a political turn against the interests of big business. Already in the pre-election period there was an increase in state repression against social protest movements. Lopez Obrador and the PRD represent obviously the hopes of millions of youth and workers for a better future. But the oligarchy, which can be sure of the support of US-imperialism, is not prepared to allow such a political experiment to happen. From their point of view Mexico must not become a second Venezuela.

We welcome the magnificent protests against the fraud like the mass demo on 8 July at the Zocolo square. Mass mobilisations like this are the only weapon we have in the defence of our democratic rights. Also the Austrian history is rich of examples how the struggle for democratic rights can be successful. More than 100 years ago the Austrian labour movement fought successfully for the right to vote by organising mass demos and calling for a general strike. The labour movement in fact was the only social and political force that defended in an unbroken way the ideals of democracy.

In Austria we will try to support your efforts in the spirit of international solidarity and the democratic traditions of the workers movement. We will inform our comrades and the public about the developments in Mexico and we will do everything we can to build enough pressure so that in the end the will of the voters on 2 July will be stronger than the interests of the oligarchy and the imperialists.

The political developments in Latin America are a big inspiration for all of us. We are sure that the youth and the working class of Mexico will play an important role in the struggle for a democratic world without exploitation and oppression starting from this movement against the electoral fraud.

Your struggle is our struggle!

Ludwig Dvorak
President of the Socialist Youth of Austria 

United States 

San Pablo, Minnesota

At 11:30 am on Friday, July 14, some 20-25 people gathered at the Mexican Consulate in St. Paul, MN in solidarity with the international appeal of Militante in Mexico. El Militante Sin Fronteras organized this picket to protest the electoral fraud being perpetrated in Mexico and to support the massive rallies taking place this weekend. 

Chanting slogans such as "No al Fraude!" and "Voto por voto! Casilla por Casilla!" - a call to count every vote - the protesters received many honks of support from passing drivers - despite some dirty looks from obvious supporters of the PAN.  The orderly picket continued until the Consulate called the police, at which time, the crowd dispersed without incident.

Those who participated felt it was an excellent event, especially given the short notice. 

All eyes are on Mexico as the masses converge on the zocalo and take to the streets to demand that 2006 not be a repeat of the great fraud of 1988. We await with great anticipation the next steps of the Mexican working class, and congratulate the comrades of Militante for their excellent work in helping to build a network of neighborhood committees to defend the vote.  We also thank them for their international call for pickets at Mexican embassies and consulates - many at the St. Paul picket commented that they were excited to be part of something truly international. 

No al fraude electoral en Mexico!  Por la Huelga General para defender el voto! 

San Francisco 

Two militants of the Workers International League intervened at a demonstration in protest of the vote fraud in Mexico that has kept Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador from rightfully assuming the Presidency. The demonstration was held in front of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) 24th and Mission Street station in San Francisco's mainly Latino Mission District. The hastily called demonstration attracted about 50 individuals and several organizations including the San Francisco supporters of the FMLN (Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional of El Salvador) and the ANSWER Coalition. The WIL comrades passed out hundreds of Spanish-language fliers discussing the need for a general strike in Mexico for a recount. In addition Socialist Appeal was offered for sale. The fliers were rapidly distributed by the two English-speaking comrades, which was a testament to the interest sparked by the voter fraud in Mexico in the largely working class Hispanic community center.

Canada

Vancouver

On Friday, July 14 a dozen people gathered to picket the Mexican Consulate in downtown Vancouver.  The picket was organized by activists from Hands Off Venezuela in protest of the massive election fraud that has taken place in Mexico.  They carried signs saying slogans like “Recount Now!” and “Obrador: Mexico’s President, Calderon: Nobody’s President”.  The picket lasted for about an hour.  Many people stopped to talk about the situation, curious about what was happening.  We hope our modest action has helped send a message to the powers that be in Mexico; the people will not be silenced.

Toronto

The Canadian Hands Off Venezuela campaign helped to organize a successful picket of the Mexican consulate in downtown Toronto on Friday afternoon, as part of an international day of action against the electoral fraud in Mexico.   HOV was joined by some local activists who are currently involved in raising awareness of the Mexican state's repression in Atenco.  Together, the picketers passed out a couple of hundred leaflets informing people of the fraud being committed by the Mexican bosses, in conjunction with foreign imperialism.  Picketers carried placards that read "Election recount now" and "Harper: Hands off Mexico", referring to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's premature recognition of Felipe Calderón's fraudulent victory in the Mexican election.   The picket was organized on the steps leading into the building housing the Mexican consultate - right in the centre of Toronto's financial district and the heart of Canadian imperialism.  Within minutes of being set up, security personnel exited the building and told the picketers to disperse.  The Mexican consulate was apparantly not pleased that we were at the front entrance informing passersby about the electoral fraud.  The security personnel attempted to threaten us by telling us that we were not even allowed on the sidewalk (public property) and that if we persisted, they would contact the police.   Apparantly the Mexican state is not content with subverting democracy in Mexico alone - now they wish to subvert democracy in Canada, as well! 

Lahore, Pakistan

The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC) and the Unemployed Youth Movement (BNT) organized a protest last Friday in Laxmi Chowk Lahore against the electoral fraud in the presidential elections of Mexico. The youth and the trade union activists participated in this protest and strongly condemned the fraudulent elections held on July 2, 2006.

The agitators wanted to hold the protest in front of the Lahore Press Club but due to the implementation of section 144 after the suicide attacks in Karachi, they were forced to withdraw their protest. The agitators then gathered in Laxmi Chowk and held the protest there.

The national organizer of the PTUDC, Ilyas Amin, in his address condemned the fraudulent nature of these elections results and said that the imperialist forces and the capitalist class of Mexico want to stop the red storm sweeping through Latin America from reaching Mexico through these elections but the will of the workers cannot be stopped in this way. He said that the workers will come out onto the streets and will decide their fate themselves. He said that the mass mobilizations have started in Mexico and these will lead to another red storm in Latin America.

Comrade Zohaib, organizer of the BNT in Lahore also addressed the agitators and said that we support the workers of Mexico in this cause and demand that these false election results be cancelled and a fair re-count of all votes be held in front of the representatives of all parties. He said that Lopez Obrador has sufficient evidence of fraud in the elections. He made an appeal to all the youth and students to unite against the oppressive measures of the Mexican ruling class and to support the cause of the workers of Mexico. Because the slogan of the workers is "An injury to one, is an injury to all."

This is the text of a petition the PTUDC is collecting signatures for now: 

Petition 

We totally reject the 02 July Presidential elections in Mexico. We believe that this was a condemnable attempt of Mexican capitalists and the state to steal the election and subvert the will of the Mexican masses at the behest of the US imperialists. We demand a recount of the vote under the workers' commission and representatives of all parties that contested the elections.

We firmly believe that PRD candidate Lopez Obrador won the election by a wide margin. For some months due to the threat of the defeat the Mexican bourgeois state apparatus and the media were manipulating the so called opinion polls and trying to give the impression that the contest was "neck and neck". We condemn this fraud and fully support the Mexican workers and masses in their quest and struggle to reverse the result. Their fight for the emancipation is our fight. An injury to one is an injury to all. This struggle can only be won through a socialist revolution in Mexico. But this Mexican revolution will be the beginning of socialist revolution not just in Latin America but across the world.

The workers of the world unite!

We have nothing to lose but our chains!

And we have a world to win.

PTUDC(Pakistan Trade Union Defense Campaign)

Madrid, Spain

Last Friday, June 14^th, the Marxist tendency El Militante, Spanish section of the International Marxist Tendency, and the Spanish Students’ Union (Sindicato de Estudiantes) organised a picket in front of the Mexican embassy in Madrid to denounce the fraud in the Mexican elections and demand that the electoral victory of the PRD be recognised. The Mexican oligarchy and US imperialism are mortally afraid of a victory of López Obrador. They are aware that the Mexican masses are tired of decades of attacks on their living standards and look with hope to the revolutionary processes that are sweeping though the whole of Latin America. Mexico has started to move in the direction of socialist revolution and the vast majority of the people are willing to fight for their living conditions.

At the picket were some thirty comrades present who chanted for an hour slogans against fraud and in solidarity with the Mexican workers. They also read out a statement supporting the victory of the PRD and against fraud. The comrades attempted to hand in the manifesto to the embassy, but they were refused. It was the first time the Marxist tendency El Militante and the Sindicato de Estudiantes organised a solidarity picket with Mexican workers. We are aware that a victory  of the workers in Mexico will affect the whole world.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

(report in Spanish) 

Esta tarde una delegación de compañeros estuvo en la Embajada de México en Buenos Aires, representando a las siguientes organizaciones y organismos: Corriente Socialista El Militante, Fundación Federico Engels, Campaña Manos Fuera de Venezuela, Asamblea Popular del Barrio de San Telmo, Colectivo Poder Autónomo, y Movimiento de Documentalistas; así como a diversos activistas obreros del Movimiento Intersindical Clasista y del Encuentro Sindical de Base de Buenos Aires, Gran Buenos Aires, La Plata y Rosario que también adhirieron a la declaración de repudio al fraude electoral que hemos difundido públicamente y en Internet.

El objetivo de nuestra visita era entregar a la embajadora mexicana en Argentina, María Cristina de la Garza, esta declaración para que tuviera conocimiento directo del rechazo de nuestras organizaciones y de muchos activistas obreros y populares argentinos al fraude electoral descarado perpetrado contra el pueblo pobre mexicano.

Consideramos un éxito rotundo esta iniciativa porque conseguimos ser recibidos por la propia embajadora, que se presentó acompañada del Secretario de la Embajada. En nuestra entrevista con la embajadora le reiteramos nuestro pleno convencimiento de la existencia del fraude electoral y la exigencia de un nuevo conteo general de los votos, urna por una y casilla por casilla, con todas las garantías democráticas y la presencia constatada en cada mesa electoral de fiscales del PRD y otras organizaciones populares.

La señora embajadora nos firmó de su puño y letra una copia de dicha declaración dando fe de la recepción de la misma y, en sus propias palabras, se comprometió a enviar a la Presidencia de la República de México y a las autoridades del Instituto Federal Electoral (IFE), la declaración que le fue entregada.