No Problems

A column of dancers follow the band in Saturday's pre-Guelaguetza parade.

*UPDATE posted below

It appears the first day of the Guelaguetza occurred without incident today. By midday I hadn't heard of any trouble, and by this evening it seems the biggest challenge was a heavy squall in the afternoon. The festivities are wrapping up at the Cerro del Fortin as I write this (I can hear the fireworks), and, if I understand my Spanish correctly--which is not to be taken for granted--the participants will march down from the amphitheater on the mountain and through the Centro Historico district in a grand procession of music and dancing.

Several people mentioned to me today that government employees were required to attend the festivities and bring 4 people with them. The Guelaguetza was broadcast live on television, and the idea was to fill the stands for the cameras. I take it as fact that the first part is true, that government workers are required to attend, though I have no idea if they were really required to bring guests with them. From what I saw on tv, and from brief glimpses of the upper tiers from vantage points in town today, the stands were mostly full.

One acquaintance, a law student and Spanish teacher, took today's calm as proof that the teachers only wanted money. "It means the leaders of APPO [he lumps APPO and the teachers together] got paid. That's all they wanted. That's all they care about. "

I'll wait for tomorrow's news to hear more. In the meantime, all is quiet here, though I suspect nothing is resolved.

UPDATE: I've just encountered this online. Not entirely sure what to make of it, though it's straightforward enough. Apparently, two police officers were taken hostage after a clash with protesters and released a short time later. I'll post more as soon as I learn anything. (Dammit I've got to learn more Spanish faster.)