The governor is accused of rigging the 2004 election to win office and organizing bands of thugs to attack dissidents. At least eight people have died in the conflict, mostly protesters shot by police or armed gangs. The embassies of the United States, Canada, Britain, France and Germany all have issued advisories warning their citizens to avoid traveling to the region.
Missionaries Cindy Hoover and Jo Ellen Reaves were driving north toward Puebla around 1 p.m. today (CST) – federal police had secured the highway leading north out of Oaxaca Wednesday evening. Short-term missionary Laura Rodriguez left Oaxaca by airplane at noon today – the last flight to leave before the airport was officially closed.
Leah Sander, daughter of Covenant missionaries Gary and Mary Lou Sander, has been studying in Oaxaca in a program with the University of California-Davis. She had already left Oaxaca with the study group two days ago and is reported safe.
“Jo Ellen and I had to quickly leave today as the ongoing civil unrest rapidly escalated and started to envelop our neighborhood,” Hoover writes in an email to friends. “We are thankful to have been able to drive out (the road had been barricaded until yesterday evening) as that made it possible to bring my dog with me.
“As we were leaving, there were several fires going on in the outskirts of our neighborhood, unknown young men with masks roaming in our neighborhood with clubs, rocks, and Molotov cocktails, and riot police marching down the walkway on the edge of our neighborhood,” Hoover continues. “Helicopters were circling low over our houses. It was obvious we needed to leave quickly. We really didn’t expect this type of rapid escalation.
“I’m having a hard time processing all of this right now, but please pray for peace and safety for those who couldn’t leave,” Hoover asks. “But most important, pray that there will be a voice for reconciliation and peace.”
To read an earlier story, please see Covenant Missionaries.
