Weekly Report - 21 October 2003

The indigenous peoples of Veracruz of the Movimiento de los 400 Pueblos have hit upon a novel way of pressing their demand for the fulfilment of a government promise. The menfolk have been marching through the streets of Mexico city and mounting watch in front of congress — in the nude. This has attracted a fair number of onlookers over the past month, but no action on their demand for lands that they had been promised during the government of President Carlos Salinas de Gortari (1988-94).

In an attempt to spur the authorities into action, the womenfolk of the movement joined the protest last week, slipping past the security guards and racing through the corridors of congress — also in the nude. They have at least succeeded in attracting the support of women politicians who were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the granting of the vote to women.