We have already noted the deep denial about the reality of sectarian civil war in Iraq which pervades both the pro-war right and the anti-war left. Finally, we are beginning to see the limits of willful self-delusion in the painfully obvious face of unrelenting massacre. Patrick Cockburn, writing for the UK's Independent July 19, sees not only a civil war already well underway, but a the approach of a genocidal threshold...

From La Jornada, July 18, translation via Chiapas95:

Government prevents Subcomandante Marcos' radio appearance

by Hermann Bellinghausen

Subcomandante Marcos' appearance on the airwaves of Radio 620 this Monday was prevented "by the pressures of the Mexican Presidency, the Secretariat of the Interior, the Senate, and those gentlemen from the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE), who consider themselves referees", denounced the conductors of 'Politica de Banqueta' during the last broadcast of the program. The show hosts as well as numerous in-calling listeners and a protest in front of the radio station, condemned this "act of censorship", which was also considered an "attack" against the liberty of expression.

From La Jornada, July 17, translation via Chiapas95:

Torture and harassment of political prisoners in El Amate prison denounced

by Hermann Bellinghausen

Civil organizations in Chiapas denounced the torture and harassment of "political prisoners" in the prison El Amate, in Cintalapa, on the initiative of the prison director, Armando Fabricio Maldonado Gomez, as well as physical aggressions against the relatives and friends of the prisoners constituting the group The Voice of El Amate and adhering to the Other Campaign.

From the LA Times, July 18:

Masked gunmen kill 42 in attack at Shiite market in Mahmoudiya

BAGHDAD -- Masked gunmen wielding rocket launchers and grenades swarmed a predominantly Shiite market in a town south of the capital Monday morning, firing at terrified men, women and children on the streets.

From La Jornada, July 15, translation via Chiapas95:

In a large and violent operation - according to witnesses - the police of Yucatan arrested last Thursday in the community of Caucel more than 40 Maya ejidatarios [communal farmers], who were protesting peacefully against construction works imposed by the government of the PANista [governor] Patricio Patron Laviada in communities next to Merida, among them an airport - still in progress - in Hunucma, whose inhabitants have reiterated that they will not allow the dispossession of their land.

With the Middle East spinning out of control, few are taking note of how close the USA's southern neighbor is to a social explosion. From the LA Times, July 17 (via Chiapas95), with annotation and corrections added, buzz-words in bold (at risk of being obvious):

MEXICO CITY -- Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador led a massive protest march to Mexico City's central square Sunday and called for peaceful civil resistance to press his demand for a full recount in the presidential election he narrowly lost to a conservative rival. [Why is the LAT taking it for granted that in fact lost?]

Hardly even making the headlines anymore. Meanwhile, the level of violence there is worse than at any time since the US invasion of 2001. This headline notes the suicide attack on a government target, but little information is given about the mass abduction (by whom exactly? what "gunmen"?) of villagers in Khost. From Reuters, July 17:

Suicide bomber hits Afghan government compound

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan - A suicide bomber killed a justice department chief in the southern Afghan province of Helmand on Monday and gunmen kidnapped 40 villagers near the Pakistani border, officials said.

Another heroic blow by the Iraqi "insurgents"... against Shi'ite civilians. From AP, July 17:

Iraqi oil official kidnapped; 26 die in bombing

BAGHDAD - A suicide bomber detonated explosives yesterday inside a cafe packed with Shias in northern Iraq, killing 26 people and injuring 22, an Iraqi general said. And gunmen seized a top Oil Ministry official, the second major kidnapping in as many days.