News Digest

Masked protesters block Mexico airport over alleged student massacre

Protesters angry at the alleged massacre of 43 Mexican students clashed with police and besieged Acapulco’s airport for hours Monday over a scandal shaking President Enrique Pena Nieto’s administration. Thousands of people marched to the Pacific resort town’s international airport, with parents of the students leading the demonstration along with comrades from the 43 young men’s teacher-training college in the southern state of Guerrero. The rally followed violent protests that erupted over the weekend after authorities said gang hitmen confessed to murdering the 43 students and incinerating their bodies in September after corrupt local police handed the men over.

We want the government to do everything possible as soon as possible to find the boys alive, because they are deceiving us.

Carlos Ivan, father of one of the missing students

As Mexican president Pena Nieto faces public anger over his decision to travel to Beijing for the APEC summit, a new controversy erupted over his wife’s purchase of a mansion from a Mexican firm that was part of a Chinese-led consortium that won a $3.7 billion bullet train contract. Nieto had abruptly cancelled last week. News website Aristegui Noticias reported that First Lady Angelica Rivera bought the Mexico City home, valued at $7 million, in January 2012. A presidential spokesperson said, however, that Rivera, a former soap opera star, bought the home with her own money and that the news report did not influence Nieto’s decision to revoke the train contract.