Bombings In Mexico City

A coalition of various guerrilla groups has set off three bombs (so far) in Mexico City. Nobody was injured (so far) but several other devices were defused before they could explode.

A coalition of resistance groups claimed responsibility, but officials said it still wasn't clear who carried out the blasts.

The explosions shortly after midnight damaged an auditorium at the headquarters of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, a branch of Canadian-owned Scotiabank, the Federal Electoral Tribunal, and businesses and residences near the court.

Police deactivated two other bombs, one at a second Scotiabank near the court and another outside a Sanborns restaurant, a chain owned by billionaire Carlos Slim, near the PRI headquarters, said Mexico City Public Safety Secretary Joel Ortega.

Authorities said the deactivated bomb at the Scotiabank was inside a box labeled "Bomb-Danger."

Ortega said emergency officials received an anonymous call warning that bombs were about to be detonated.

Five leftist resistance groups said they carried out the blasts in support of a monthslong protest movement in the conflict-torn southern state of Oaxaca.

"We take full responsibility for these actions," the groups said in a statement e-mailed to the news media, which included the name of each group.

Mark in Mexico has much more about the groups involved and a history of bombings in Mexico as well.

Three weeks ago, a loose confederation of guerrilla groups in the state of Guerrero (Acapulco) conducted a clandestine news conference. Several dailies, including Reforma, were invited. The guerrilla groups announced that, if there was a military incursion into Oaxaca or if there was any police action taken by the federal government against APPO, the guerrillas threatened to strike.

Now, according to Reforma, the guerrilla groups have announced, via the internet, that they were in fact responsible for yesterday's 3 bombings in Mexico City. The following 5 guerrilla organizations have claimed joint responsibility for the blasts:
Movimiento Revolucionario Lucio Cabañas Barrientos
Tendencia Democrática Revolucionaria Ejército del Pueblo
Organización Insurgente 1 de Mayo
Brigada de Ajusticiamiento 2 de diciembre
Brigadas Populares de Liberación

They claim they will continue with "political and military" actions so long as Oaxaca's Governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz remains in office and the PFP remains in Oaxaca.