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© St. Petersburg Times, published July 14, 2002
SAN SALVADOR ATENCO, Mexico -- Farmers armed with machetes and homemade bombs took three more hostages Saturday, demanding talks with federal officials in the standoff over construction of a new airport for the Mexican capital.
The central government has sought to stay out of the conflict in which 15 people are being held by about 1,000 protesters. The protesters oppose the airport's construction and have barricaded themselves in a government building on the outskirts of the capital since Thursday.
The hostages were paraded in front of the crowd Saturday and said they were being treated well. But they said they feared for their lives if police tried to raid the town.
Some 750 officers in riot gear have surrounded the town of San Salvador Atenco or been stationed on nearby highways, where traffic has been at a standstill for days after protesters blocked roads with burned cars and stolen tractor-trailers.
The farmers have threatened to kill the hostages if police try to end the standoff. They have demanded the release of 15 protesters arrested during a previous confrontation. Three have been freed by prosecutors, but the others remained jailed.
Protesters said the three men they took hostage Saturday were state police officials posing as reporters with fake press credentials.
The protesters have refused to negotiate with state leaders, saying they want to talk to former Bishop Samuel Ruiz, who negotiated with the Zapatista rebels in southern Chiapas state. They also have demanded to speak with members of the federal government, or other human rights activists.
President Vicente Fox's government has largely stayed out of the clash, saying the construction of a $2.3-billion airport -- that will gobble up much of San Salvador Atenco and other nearby communities -- will continue as planned.
However, Interior Secretary Santiago Creel said Friday that federal officials would negotiate with any groups willing to reach an agreement. However, he said Fox would "act with a firm hand to avoid an increase of violence in the country."
The clash has put the country's three parties at odds. Fox has defended the airport project, while Mexico state Gov. Arturo Montiel of the opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party has tried to defuse the standoff and free the hostages, who include a deputy state prosecutor and several police officers.
Members of the Democratic Revolution Party, a strong opponent of the airport project, have been forced to deny accusations that they have orchestrated the standoff.
On Saturday, Democratic Revolution leader Rosario Robles called for a "human fence" around San Salvador Atenco, saying the residents must be protected.