University of Guadalajara (UdeG) Rector Ricardo Villanueva has called on students and faculty to stage “the largest march in the history of Jalisco” on Thursday, May 26.
The focus of the “megamarcha” will be the state government’s decision to withhold 140 million pesos in funding for the construction of the university’s planned Museum of Environmental Sciences.
Villanueva called the government’s refusal to release the money, “arbitrary ... the greatest outrage in the university’s history.” He added: “There are many governors who have not wanted to give us money and we have had to go out into the streets to get it, but this is the first time a governor has taken [funds] away,” said the rector.
Villanueva said the creation of a Museum of Environmental Sciences has never been more important, given today’s challenge of combatting climate change.
Unions representing students and university employees said they would support the march, which is expected to conclude at the official Guadalajara residence of Governor Enrique Alfaro, the Casa Jalisco, at the intersection of Avenida Lopez Mateos and Manuel Acuña.
Over the past six months, around 90 small demonstrations have been held outside the Casa Jalisco by students from different UdeG high school and university campuses.
Javier Armenta, president of the Federation of University Students (FEU), said he anticipated a turnout of around 100,000 people for next Thursday’s march.