OAXACA, MEXICO, May 18 — Just before May Day, Felipe Calderon’s reactionary Mexican government unleashed a nation-wide media campaign  about the swine flu epidemic, generating a somber atmosphere and severe anxiety among the population. It appears the government has exaggerated the effects of this disease to divert attention away from the financial crisis and the bosses’ fascist measures to overcome it, which are deepening attacks on workers’ living conditions.

About 10,000 education workers from Section 22 of the Oaxaca teachers’ union and activists from organizations comprising APPO (Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca) marched on May Day. They defied the government and overcame its pandemic panic.

A group of 100 members and friends of PLP including farm workers from La Merced del  Portrero marched wearing shirts saying: “We fight for a better world against wage slavery.” In the five-kilometer (three-mile) march  our group stood out with our militant chanting of our revolutionary  communist slogans, despite the teachers’ union leadership pushing for a silent march wearing masks covering their mouths.

Slogans resounded through the city’s streets: “The crisis of the system has no solution, the only solution is revolution!”; “Fight, win, workers to power!”; “The flu, capitalism, the bosses — the same garbage!”; “Advance, Advance, Communism will triumph!”

Slogans on our banners and signs stood out: “The virus...and worst pandemic in the world is Capitalism — destroy it with Communist Revolution!”; and  “Workers’ Struggles have no Borders!” The 5,000 leaflets and 300 CHALLENGES we distributed were well-received by the marchers and the public who watched.

Afterwards we had a very warm intense discussion, recognizing strengths and weaknesses in this experience. We could have been better organized, and didn’t explain the demands of the farm workers, among others. But our most important strength was our commitment to continue advancing the political work of PLP.