MEXICO: Hundreds of irate farmers armed with machetes and Molotov cocktails and holding about 10 hostages extended a protest for a fourth day against plans to build a new international airport outside Mexico City.
Men and women, weary but defiant, gathered yesterday in the the streets of San Salvador Atenco, about 30 km outside of Mexico City, prepared for a fight if hundreds of police ringing the town tried to enter to rescue the hostages.
Earlier federal and state authorities were meeting in the capital seeking a solution to end the four-day stand-off, an official from Mexico state said.
"The situation is calm, the army is in the area," he said.
The stand-off began on Thursday when farmers protesting against the expropriation of their land clashed with police and took seven people, including government officials, hostage in street battles that left 30 injured, three seriously.
Protesters are demanding the government annul a decree taking their land to build an international airport and free all 12 protesters still in detention as a prerequisite for the release of the hostages.
On Saturday protesters captured three men claiming to be reporters from a Mexico City daily and a fourth person, all said by the protesters to be government spies. Yet protest leader David Pajaro denied more hostages had been taken.
Local government and police officials were unable to confirm or deny the reports because farmers' trucks and trailers have blocked the roads leading into the town and only journalists and residents were allowed to enter.
Mexico state authorities on Saturday said no more protesters would be released and that legal action had begun against nine of the 12 remaining in detention. Authorities late on Friday freed three of the 15 arrested farmers.
The pro-business government of President Vicente Fox has ruled out any change to its plans to build the $2 billion, six-runway airport in the area.
Some radical protesters have threatened to kill hostages if their demands are not met.
The government has said it does not want to resolve the situation with force but both protesters and local officials accused each other of being unwilling to negotiate. - (Reuters)