Peaceful Protesters Meet a Militarized State in '68

Examining Mexico City’s 1968 protestsJason Minter

Today an estimated 22 million people make up the Mexico City met-ropolitan area—the largest in the western world. In the last decade, Mexico City officials have favored strong progressive policy includ-ing legalizing abortion, euthanasia, same sex marriage, and no-fault divorce. It’s gross domestic product of $390 billion USD make Mexico City the eight richest city in the world, comparable only to cities on par with Paris, New York, and London. Mexico’s center of politics, cul-ture, education and financial power is respected the around the world, but where did it come from?

The city was originally founded in 1325 by Aztecs traveling in route from modern day Texas. These native people were instructed by their greatest god to build a city where they find an eagle standing on a cactus eating a snake. They witnessed this phenomenon on an island of Lake Texcoco, and began to build. The Aztecs erected a glori-

ous city called Tenochtitlan which, in the 1500’s, greatly impressed colonial Spaniards. However, in 1521 these same Spaniards sieged and destroyed the great city. Three years later the Spanish rebuilt Tenochti-tlan to their own image, renaming it Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico City). Even then, Mexico City was the political and financial center of the Spanish colonial empire.

With reliable access to the Atlantic and Pacific trade streams Mexico City found economic success as a growing colonial city. Roads, schools, transportation and communications systems became modern-ized and robust in the 18th century. Beautiful buildings and luxurious

homes were erected expressing Mexico’s wealth. This wealth however, grew only in the hands of fair skinned descendants of Spanish conquis-tadors, while darker skinned Mexicans were herded into increasingly subservient roles. Here, the unseen masses suffered poverty.

In the 20th century Mexico City’s population and urban area began to expand at an alarming rate. It’s population grew from 500,000 in 1900, to the 22 million residing in the metropolitan area today. This rapid growth has been indicated as leading to political uncertainty and environmental degradation.

The 60s are known especially for explosive growth in Mexico City during this period their first sky-scraper is erected, massive stadiums are built for the Olympics, the 3ed largest metro system in the world is opened, and the population more than doubles.

Villagers desperate to escape from poverty crowd into city limits, creating slums on the fringe. The massive increase could not be managed by the government and services diminished.

It would have been difficult for any government to tackle the conditions found on the outskirts of the city, however it became unreasonable to the people when $150 million was invested into Olympic preparations ($7.5 billion when adjusted for inflation). In response people began to organize and demonstrate their disapproval of governmental decisions. This unrest set the stage for the 1968 protests.

National Strike CouncilDemocratic representatives of 70 universities gathered to create the NSC. This group organized almost every demonstration against the Ordaz administration.

VS.

President, Díaz OrdazThe current presidential representative of the PRI a autocratic political party who at any cost had held power continuously in Mexico since the revolution in 1910.

VS.

University network (thick stroke, no fill) overlaid upon police and mili-tary post network (fine stroke with hatch lines) in Mexico City.

July 2379 Days until Olympics

Riot squad or granados brutalize a small group of demonstrators at Vocational school #5. One account goes as far as to say “the granade-ros said that the authorities gave the men in the riot squad thirty pesos (eleven dollars) for every student they clubbed and hauled off to jail.”

In response the NSC gains supporters and formalizes its goals:

1.Repeal of Articles 145 and 145b of the Penal Code (which sanctioned imprisonment of anyone attending meetings of three or more people, deemed to threaten public order).2.The abolition of granaderos (the tactical police corps).3.Freedom for political prisoners.4.The dismissal of the chief of police and his deputy.5.The identification of officials responsible for the bloodshed from previous government repressions (July and August meetings).

August 1 71 days until Olympics

50,000 students march University city and Coyoacan neighborhoods.

The peaceful event proves to the general public that contrary to media coverage, they are not gangsters. Instead they are socially conscious students. Citizens fighting for the rights of “all workers, farmers, teachers, students, and the general public.”

This humanization of the students angered Ordaz

September 2318 days until Olympics

Ordaz orders army to occupy UNAM campus. Students are randomly beaten and arrested.

September 2417 days until Olympics

Army attempts to occupy the Polytechnic University as well, but are met with students prepared to fight. The battle wages for 17 hours. Captured students were round up into entry lobbies, some shot at random-creating an enclave of fear.

“Today I have seen bloodier fights, unequal battles: Both sides are armed... but what a difference in the weapons, handguns caliber 22 against military rifles M-1, bazookas against Molotov bombs.” -Justo Igor, Physician

“The situation will be under complete control very shortly”. -Echeverria, head of Federal Security (September 27, 1968)

Despite all the local unrest in proceeding months, the 1968 Olympics opens and proceeds without interruption. The 68’

games are known for political controversy in their own right.

But, at what cost are this peaceful games bought?

October 2 196811 days before

Reports circulate that some among the thousands of students congregated at Tlateoloco opened fire on observing police. Mayhem ensued as police returned fire in self defence. 20-25 dead.

CIA reports declassified in 2002 tell a different story of what happened October 2 1968 in Tlateloco square.

10,000 students had gathered into the square for peaceful protest shout-ing, ¡No queremos olimpiadas, queremos revolución! (“We don’t want Olympics, we want revolution!” 5,000 soldiers and 200 tankettes sur-rounded the students, weapons drawn.

During the demonstrations a secret government group, called the Olym-pic Brigade (created to protect the Olympics), stationed in an adjacent hotel was ordered to assassinate General Jose Hernadez Toledo. Upon his arrival in the square, the brigade opened fire upon his party. Toledo was wounded.

Confusion ensued and what followed can only be described as a mas-sacre. Students in the center of the plaza ran in every direction while being fired upon. CIA reports that day estimate 200 were killed.