Federal police in Mexico clashed with teachers mounting a roadblock in protest of President Peña Nieto’s visit to Oaxaca on Thursday, dispersing the crowds with tear gas.
The head of state landed in the Ixtepec airbase in his private jet around 1 p.m. local time, to open a controversial, foreign-owned, new wind farm.
But before the event began, police were unable to get rid of the teachers who had gathered to create the blockade.
The educators dug their heels in to declare Peña Nieto persona non grata, in spite of being threatened with pay cuts and even dismissals for leaving classrooms unattended.
Enfrentamiento entre profesores de @SECCIONXXII y la @PoliciaFedMx en el #Istmo por visita de @EPN. @julioastillero pic.twitter.com/yhiUhJXDE4
— Acierta Comunica (@AciertaComunica) 3 de marzo de 2016
"Professors from Section 22 face off against Mexican Federal Police"
Magistral leader Ruben Nuñez Ginez and Political Commission of Section 22 headed the protest, on the grounds that the presidential visit was a provocation.
Two barriers of police were sent to contain the protesters and the Armed Marines of Mexico flew overhead to intimidate them.
Bloqueado el entronque de la súper y carretera transistmica a la altura de la Ventosa por @Seccion22Cencos #Oaxaca pic.twitter.com/S3avjQWb5o
— Joselito Luna Aquino (@joselito_luna) March 3, 2016
"The connection between the national and regional highways blocked at the level of the Ventosa by @Seccion22Cencos"
This is the second time that Peña Nieto has visited Section 22.
Peña Nieto is still due to open the wind park owned by Italian company Enel Green Power, which has 34 wind turbines, that aims to generate 390 GWh each year.