As a preamble to the economic boycott and walkout planned for May 1, more than 100 residents marched from San Luis to Gadsden, Arizona on Saturday, in a journey that took over two hours.

The marchers were summoned by farm worker Carmen Gonzáles and joined by local politicians, leaders of civic organizations, housewives, and students. Local police units accompanied the march.

The five-mile walk was marked by chanting, the waving of American and Mexican flags, and showing placards of opposing Senator Sensenbrener’s proposal to criminalize undocumented immigrants, and those who help them.

Emma Torres, advisor at the Institute of Mexicans Living Abroad (IME) and director of Farm Workers Without Borders, stated that a committee had recently been formed to plan the May 1 event. Around 30 people formed the committee in order to convoke a boycott of commercial goods and services and a walkout of jobs and schools.

The purpose of the committee, said Torres, is for the Untied States to feel the weight of the contribution of immigrants because, “a lot of people deny the contribution that we make as legal or illegal immigrants, and they don’t want to see that we have so much power in the economy.”

Torres called Saturday’s march “a rehearsal to raise awareness because it has been a long time since this community has looked to organizing, and I think the almost 200 people in the march were very excited to keep working.”

Everardo Martínez of Arizona Western College, who’s also an advisor for the Institute of Mexicans Living Abroad (IME), indicated that the march on May 1 would begin at 7:00 a.m. at the Yuma Convention Center. From there the contingent will march to the municipal government buildings, and the march will end in Yuma’s historical central plaza.

Martínez asked that students who want to participate not go to school. “It’s better if they don’t go because if they do and then they leave, the school is responsible for their safety. We recommend that parents not send their children to school, and take them with them to march.”

He also said that there is no place in this protest for insulting the opposition. The march is based on the philosophy of non-violent protest, respect, and individual rights, without, as Martínez said, “forgetting the injustices that motivate us.”

High school students have been leaders of the first marches in this area of Arizona, and they will be able to attend the May 1 march without any repercussions other than spending one Saturday in school, assured Tim Foist, Yuma school superintendent.

Foist said that some students are still on vacation, and those that should be in school will be able to make up the missed day. He emphasized that students should understand that it is their choice to go to school that morning and that all actions have a consequence, in this case, making up the lost time. He said he feels proud of the students who are becoming politically involved through these protests.

“I feel great for these students who had the interest in starting a protest,” he said. “I wasn’t in agreement with how they did it, but I believe that the high school students of today will be the ones who one day will solve the immigration problem.”

Hugo René Oliva, of the Yuma Mexican Consulate, gave his opinion that if the boycott is successful, it will have a strong impact on the U.S. economy. “It will show their economic contribution,” he said.

Oliva stated that according to official data, Mexican immigrants sent more than $20billion to their families in 2005, and spent around $100 billion in the United States.

“The United States is a country where freedom of expression is respected, and establishing a policy of not buying anything and not working will send a message from the organizers about the issue they are protesting,” Oliva said. “It’s time to try to get the United States and Mexico to establish norms for organized, safe immigration with respect for human rights and people’s labor rights.”

In San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, across the Mexican border, the social activist and ex-Congress member with the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) Petra Santos announced that she will join the demonstration, together with those who defend their rights on this side of the border.

Santos added that PRD activists and union organizations will undertake a flyer campaign with drivers that cross the border on May 1, asking them not to spend money in the United States that day. She stated that Labor Day (May 1) is a good time to show the impact that immigrants and Mexican tourists have on the economy of U.S. cities, many of which survive on the sales tax charged for articles bought. Santos assured that this will be a peaceful activity and the border will not be blocked or closed.