Mexico's death cult protests shrine destruction

200 worshippers of the 'Sante Muerte'(Death Saint) marched against the government today against what they saw as religious perscution. However the religion is popular with drug traffickers and soliders often see shrines to the saint on raids. Practioners though believe the saint protects them from a violent death.  Officials have denied claims that they are targetting sante Muerte, but in the past month 30 shrines to the saint(which  consist of marble structures and the sketal figure) have been destroyed.  Protestors carried portable shrines and signs proclaiming their faith to the belief. 

Obviously the government's attempts to crack down on drug violence have become to use more desperate measures creating  negative feedback in an already dissatisfied population. Unforunately there has not even been a positive side to this perscution against 'cultists'. This weakens an already frail sense of legitmacy for the government, which in its struggle for the country is acting against the wishes of some of the population. This suggests to me that the Mexican goverment is willing to sacrifice civil liberites if it means that they can keep a hold on the country.

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Mexican Drug Cartel Training Camp in Guatemala

On March 27, Guatemalan military force found out about a secret camp that was training drug cartel forces.  Reports had come in about certain activities that were going on in a Ranch in Quiche.  As the police arrived, 2 commanders of the Zetas of the Gulf Cartel from Mexica, and 37 recruits ran away leaving behind more than 500 grenades, rifles, and 100's of rounds of ammunition.  This is linked to the ongoing drug wars taking control of Mexico.  More than 6200 people were killed last year due to drug violence in Mexico.  The Zetas appealed to young recruits by promising them jobs, and training.  In such a bad economic climate this was like the promise of free money which is feuling the drug cartels.  Among other things at the ranch, an illegal airstrip was found alongside obstacle courses and shooting ranges.  The Zetas themselves were in the news recently as a bus attacks happened in Guatemala city to distract attention away from the border where illegal weapons trafficking was going on.  This portrays the amount of strength that the drug cartels have recieved especially due to the global economic recession and the announced drug war by Calderon.  "'They wanted to recruit young men. They offered training in the use of certain weapons and said they had jobs,' Blanco said."

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Eat more of this chocolate.

In response to domestic drug violence catalyzed by a military crackdown on hostile drug cartels south of the border, Obama took the most logical action: a crackdown along the border and increased cooperation in hunting down and killing narco-traffickers. In all fairness, the package is fairly comprehensive, with measures aimed at preventing arms sales, preventing movement across the border by smugglers, and a more comprehensive approach to security that may stem the tide of attacks that claimed 7000 last year. Obama took a leading role in cooperating with his equivalent head of state, phellipe Calderon, in attempting to adress the situation amidst fears of state failure.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/21/AR2009032102247.html

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Mexico condemns US 'corruption'

President Calderon has blamed the US 'corruption' for the problems of Mexico. As the US is a huge consumer of drugs, and the authorities do nothing to stop. Calderon has been attempting to step up the anti-drug cartel plan, but he feels the US has failed to assist by stopping the high number of guns from crossing the border. However he feels that recent talks with President Obama have been fruitful.
I think it says a lot about how much Calderon needs our help that he is throwing insults at us, desperate to stop all the death.
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Spring Break: Beer and Bombs

Spring Break is approaching, and many college students, as have students of the past, are booking flights and reservations for Mexico.  However, as every previous post can testify, Mexico is in no way the safest place to be right now.  The University of Arizona in Tuscon is urging about 37000 students to stay out of Mexico, yet without a legal, or otherwise official, obligation, there is nothing really to stop the millions of wild teens from flocking to beaches around Cancun, Acapulco, and elsewhere.  Certain observers, such as Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora, assert that "nine out of 10 people who have been killed in this fight are attributable to organized crime," and that any travelers should be able to avoid trouble by "behaving."  Ultimately, they are screwed.

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Tourism being the biggest example, the economies of America and Mexico are closely intertwined.  The industry created by the Spring Break rush is enormous, and arguably the most profitable week out of the year (ignoring whatever damage or trouble those damn kids get into).  The fact that recent escalations in violence might interfere with the industry, shows the enormous and pervasive effect the violence has not only in the political spectrum, but in the economic as well.  As we have observed in class, nothing does more to stabilize an oppressive regime, or oust a perfectly good one, than the economic conditions of the country in question.

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Can Obama and Holder save Mexico?

President Calderon has been on a crusade to stop the drug trafficking industry taking over and rotting the entirety of Mexican life, economy, and bureacracy.  With the entirety of the global economy on a drastic turn towards Hell (yes, Hell) America and many other nations have not had the time or the resources to deal with "The Mexican Problem".  However a lot of overwhelming evidence has come to prove that it is not specifically the Mexican Problem as it has many roots in the United States (see below). Signs are showing that now the Obama administration, specifcally Attorney General Eric Holder, is turning towards the problem due south.  Holder has promised that he will enforce the ban on importation of assault weapons.  These same imported assault weapons are then turned and resold to associates of the Mexican drug cartels. The weapons are primarily bought through this method because of the severe laws and regulations enforced in buying weapons in Mexico.  In the past week the Obama administration has focused a lot of work in the rounding up 755 of suspected Sinaloa drug cartel members, alongside $59 million in drug money.  Thus, the Obama administration does seem to be putting forth effort and thought on the very likely possibility of a finite Mexico.  Congress also has put $10 million in the economic stimulus package to "Project GunRunner" which is a crackdown on US weapons trafficking.  Somehow the word trafficking keeps popping up.  This is showing the relation of different nations in the midst of a changing global world, and economy.  It is showing the positive effects of globalization as it battles the negative effects.  Time will tell which side, positive or negative, will eventually overcome the other. "Calderón applauded Holder's announcement as 'the first time ... in many years that the American government is starting to show more commitment.'"

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All signs point to the United States

It appears the drug wars in Mexico, and their violent nature, could hold root in the United States. With the United States' large demand for drugs from our Southern Neighbour, and the fact that they are considered crimes instead of public health problems, this creates a large "underground" trading networks which are the infrastructure of the modern cartel. In addition, the increasing use of Assault Weapons imported from the United States is a direct result of Congress not renewing a ban on the same weapons. It is interesting to see how various public policy choices of nations decide the fate of those around them.

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Still Alive

Last week left us with a grim outlook on Mexico's future: utter collapse of economic and civil domains, leaving the country in ruins with no hope of resuscitation. But is it true? Do the drug wars and economic downfall indicate a ruined core, or are they just problems that any country has to deal with? Turns out, Mexico is nowhere close to losing control of territory, collapsing public services, or governmental failure. Thus, a new proposal to end the drug wars: legalize drugs. While this may seem like a radical alternative, it makes sense: without the need for incarcerations and (incredibly violent) underground drug cartels, they can become establishments that pump money into the failing economy.

"But "failed state" is the sort of shorthand that Washington has a way of turning into its own reality, the facts be damned. The Mexican government isn't on the verge of losing physical control of its territory, stopping public services or collapsing. But it is under tremendous pressure and has only nominal control in some places, including border cities such as Tijuana, near San Diego, and Juarez, which sits cheek-by-jowl with El Paso. Army troops patrol the streets, but the police, courts, journalists and citizenry are cowed by the less-visible but more-ruthless drug cartels."

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The End

With the subsequent collapse of the world economy, the new US President, stimulus package, and Gaza, the troubles in Mexico havn't gained much world attention.  About a week ago, drug gangs broke into police radio frequencies and sent death threats to officers which they promptly carried out.  They name the officer and then the officer shows up a couple of hours later with a bullet in his or her head.  On Thursday, LA Times ran a map showing that there were 7337 drug related murders in the past two years.  Now with the President Calderon’s call to an all out war on drugs, the death toll has topped even the count in Iraq.  Many people are now questioning whether or not Mexico will even be able to finish the war on drugs before it collapses.  This is following the news of the bond issue happening just a couple days ago.  Nobody is even willing to buy the governments bonds after they were put up for “sale”.  With their economy melting, drug cartels abounding, 45,000 troops killing, Mexico’s future looks…scary.  The violence of the drug cartels have even come across the border with five men in Alabama tortured and killed over a drug debt of $400,000.  350 kidnappings have occurred in the past two years.  Soon enough, we may not be studying Mexico as a “Developing Democratic Nation” anymore.  "So far it hasn't turned up on President Obama's radar. But a collapsing Mexico off the southern U.S. border can't be ignored forever."

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Drugs

The Mexican government in early 2006 decided to crack down on drug trafficking by sending thousands of troops around the country. In response, the city of monterrey has launched protests, as some soldiers are believed to be shooting civilians. However, onlookers believe this is an attempt by drug cartels to lash back at the government, as the original demonstrations were started by members, and the demonstrations were fed by money and school supplies being distributed. Gangs were taking direct action against the authorities, killing the officer responsible for investigating them. This is part of a larger wave of violence, with 6000 dead last year and this number expected to rise. The riots reflect a larger pattern of mexican instability, with regional movements decreasing governmental confidence and opening possibilities for failure and violent state civilian relations.

By the way, this is located right below the story on mexico city breaking the worlds kissing barrier.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gHWLUm1UtoG95H7QyRg_-GiMC4HQD96B1H280

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Surprise!!

Mexican drug violence is on the rise from a high last year of 6000. As drugs are shipped north, the United States trafficks arms and money south of the border, providing funds and power to cartels. A recent clash as a cartel attempted to take over the small town of Villa Amuhalda, the government was forced to intervene. 21 were killed in the fighting, and two tons of marijuana were seized. The drug trade amounts to a total of 14 billion a year, with corrupt ties to local government and increased crimerates. Kidnappings and shootouts frighten the populace into submission and prevent true engagement with the regime. 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/11/eveningnews/main4794054.shtml

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Drugs, Murder, and Pueblo Mágico

With President Felipe Caldron taking a harsher stance against drug cartels and police corruption, violence between traffickers and the Mexican military is occurring more and more frequently. The breakdown of many of the larger cartels throughout Mexico has led to the increase in the activity of smaller gangs especially in areas of small crime.  In response to the increase in violence, tourism, one of Mexico’s largest and most profitable industries, has significantly dropped with people fearing the "oh my god it's happening next door" type of criminal activity.  Writer Maribeth Mellin summed it up by saying, “I just think that your chances of being an innocent bystander or witnessing something bad are higher now.” 

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The chemical components just got a lot more organic...

Santiago Meza Lopez was arrested for literally dissolving 300 bodies into chemicals. Mexican drug wars drive this particular industry.  The 300 bodies (or lack thereof) were once rivals of a Mexican drug trafficking gang lead by kingpin Teodoro Garcia Simental.  The drug wars are over drug trafficking routes through Tijuana.  In a statement, Meza bluntly said that when he was "disposing of" the bodies he felt "nothing".  It was just a job for him.  He was payed $600 a week to get rid of 300 bodies.  The question I pose to you is this: was it because of impoverishment that people do such things, or is it simply for the pure pursuit of money? Would this job be regarded as democratic since Meza didn't murder anybody, and he has the freedom to a contract?  At what point can the government curtail this freedom to a contract, especially in a society as problematic and poverty-ridden as Mexico is today.  Would it be worse to eliminate his opportunity to work in such an impoverished nation?

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