Clearing up the streets

A certain amount of normality has returned to Oaxaca. People are starting to wander further afield, shops are reopening, the language school is back open today. The streets are generally quiet and calm, although the traffic is completely insane (a number of the main routes into and out of town are still barricaded).

There is still a large group of people sitting around occupying the zocalo, but it’s no longer teachers killing time doing embroidery (surreal form of protest...) but the federal police chatting, smoking and idly watching the passers by. The riot police have ´retaken´ the centre of town and it’s now 'open' and 'peaceful' at least according to the president, although it’s not the most normal or peaceful of atmospheres for eating, drinking, shopping or sightseeing.

Some effort is being made to clean up the city streets - 5 months of rubbish, barricades, and burnt out vehicles. This is tying up the dustcarts and so the rubbish isn’t being collected elsewhere: piles of rotting rubbish are piling up, some are set on fire and become another form of barricade as the protest continues….

Early November, clearing up the streets