Morena Mayor Organized Armed Group Which Shot at CNTE Teachers in Oaxaca

ByJorge A. Pérez Alfonso

This article by Jorge A. Pérez Alfonso originally appeared in the May 27, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left wing daily newspaper.

Esaú López Quero

Tlacolula de Matamoros, Oaxaca. Residents of the municipality of San Pablo Villa de Mitla, led by their mayor, Esaú López Quero, a member of the Morena party, attacked the blockade that teachers from Section 22 of the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE), from the Sierra, Isthmus and Tlacolula regions, were maintaining on Federal Highway 190 Oaxaca-Isthmus; the local branch reports at least 10 teachers being held.

Teachers from the Matías Romero area explained that the Morena party mayor arrived at the blockade, demanding its removal. After a dialogue, the teachers agreed to move to the side of the road and allow free passage; they only asked for time to do so. However, the mayor’s companions, who were carrying high-caliber weapons, began to shoot.

This caused panic, and their companions began to destroy the mentors’ vehicles. Subsequently, the teachers decided to retreat to the Tanivet agency, near the penitentiary of the same name, where they maintain a blockade and are burning tires.

Morena Mayor Esaú López Quero’s armed gang kidnapped up to 10 teachers, mostly women, after firing on the teachers, according to CNTE S 22 Huajuapan who acquired this photo from aghast residents of the village.

Oaxaca State Government Responds

[At approximately 2pm, Oaxaca’s state government released this communique on the assault against teachers. – ed]