Post election day in Oaxaca

According to Mexican newspaper 77.10 percent abstained from voting, Oaxaca state newspaper Noticias claimed those who abstained was 70 percent, a record result of distrust in all Mexican political parties.

The parties receiving the lowest results were President Felipe Calderon's PAN and Lopez Obrador's PRD. But Oaxaca City remained under the control of PRI as the mayoral position went to Ulises Ruiz pal Bulmaro Rito Salinas, keeping PRI firmly in control of the troubled city.

This seems to have been the soft option for Ruiz, as an all out win for PRI, considering those who abstained, would surely have seen yet another uprising and civil unrest with people protesting to denounce yet another fraudulent election. But the coalition state induced a mild sedative to an already painful situation.

Oaxaca City, according to one observer, saw up to 1000 people protest peacefully in the Zocalo opposite a line of riot police. All was peaceful. In Tehuantepec rigorous protest continued through Election Day. Photographs in La Jornada and Noticias showed people in the streets burning newspapers and possibly ballot cards.

Here in Oaxaca City over the last two days police movements have been heavy, but not the uniforms we saw in those rotten days of October and November 2006. This time most large police groups, usually in black and white jeep convoys of six to 12 vehicles, were the dark blue of the federal police, although many have been armed with large Heckler and Koch assault rifles.

These convoys have not been close to the Zocalo, but further out in the surrounding areas. The closest I spotted yesterday evening, about 6pm, were some eight blocks from the Zocalo.

In fact the police presence in the Zocalo has been very low key, only odd groups of five to ten officers in plain grey uniforms. Most cops only seem to be wielding handguns, but I did spot one last night around midnight with a CAR-15 assault rifle.

But as it is in the middle of tourist season - the Zocalo being filled with travellers, tourists, bongo players, fire dancers and pale skinned, scruffy hippy dancers - that would explain the low key, head down, policy.

The only warning received at this end so far is that, despite Ruiz no longer being officially in power, his goons, both male and female, are, and he will be feeling bold again.