By Julie Cowles

Pastel colored colonial buildings, centuries-old churches drenched in history, vendors selling freshly sliced mangos, indigenous women hawking brightly colored shawls, the sounds of the accordion players that line the streets… My senses are flooded each morning as I walk to the children’s center where I have worked as a volunteer each morning for the past 7 weeks. For me as a visiting foreigner, the beauty of Oaxaca has not been buried under the conflict that currently exists here.

by Jen Lawhorne 

Oaxaca police have been taking aggressive action against teachers and supporters who've taken over media and government buildings in Oaxaca city in an ongoing campaign to oust state governer Ulises Ruis. Here we have video of police firing shots in Oaxaca (both links are the same video): 1 "NOQUENO" [youtube] , 2 [Chiapas Indymedia]

The first thing you may notice is we're no longer the Chiapas Peace House Project, but CASA. Our mission hasn't changed; we just needed a broader name as we begin work in Oaxaca. Read the full announcement here. 

It's been an eventful time in Mexico. While we await the arrival of volunteers and our two coordinators, we rely on our alumnus Jen Lawhorne in Mexico City for two of this month's articles: a news piece with video of aggressive police actions in Oaxaca City, as well as an analysis on the AMLO Protests in Mexico.

by Jen Lawhorne 

Sunday in Mexico City, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador rejected a high Mexico court’s resolution for a partial recount of votes from the presidential election and announced that civil resistance will continue until demands for a full recount are met. 

The Chiapas Peace House Project now has a new name: Colectivos de Apoyo, Solidaridad y Acción, or CASA for short. In English, our name translates to Collectives for Support, Solidarity and Action.