“Closed for violation of municipal regulations,” read the notices pinned to the rugs in the shop that Orlando López rents from the state government of Oaxaca in southern Mexico.

Mr López, though, is ignoring the order. He says it was issued because he refused to attend a march called last week to show support for Ulises Ruiz, the embattled governor of Oaxaca and prominent member of the Institutional Revolutionary party (PRI).