Bloody violence in Reynosa (stay away, y'all!) (El Paso, Brownsville: spring break, taxis)

[teatime]

Not a good time to visit border cities, I guess.

Bloody Reynosa: At least five killed in street battle | reynosa, battle, street - Local - Brownsville Herald (http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/reynosa_94960___article.html/battle_street.html - broken link)

[awecelot]

This sort of thing is happening up and down the border on the Mexican side. I have read reports that some of the gangs have threatened to move the violence to the American side of the border if the USA aids Mexico in breaking the cartels up in any sort of way. It's a dicey situation, one that has no easy answer. Hopefully, the gang wars can be broken up soon and the border towns will once again be safe for everyone to live in, shop in, and visit.

[Huckleberry3911948]

Originally Posted by awecelot

This sort of thing is happening up and down the border on the Mexican side. I have read reports that some of the gangs have threatened to move the violence to the American side of the border if the USA aids Mexico in breaking the cartels up in any sort of way. It's a dicey situation, one that has no easy answer. Hopefully, the gang wars can be broken up soon and the border towns will once again be safe for everyone to live in, shop in, and visit.

i appreciate your positive comments and good wishes for the future.
but i fear the worst is yet ahead. my mexican friends inform me that law and order is getting very shaky. a soldier with an m16 should not have to wear a ski mask like the one i passed by yesterday at the crossing.

[teatime]

Spring Break is coming up, so folks need to be aware of what's going on down there. Awecelot, do you know why the Mexican people were blocking the bridges to protest Mexican troops on the border? Why on Earth wouldn't they WANT help with the problem, or are the Mexican troops corrupt?

[awecelot]

Originally Posted by teatime

Spring Break is coming up, so folks need to be aware of what's going on down there. Awecelot, do you know why the Mexican people were blocking the bridges to protest Mexican troops on the border? Why on Earth wouldn't they WANT help with the problem, or are the Mexican troops corrupt?

I have a friend whose family lives in Matamoros. He's said that there are a lot of Mexican troops that are corrupt.

However, my perception of why the Mexican people were blocking the bridges is because they are living in fear. They are afraid that if they don't protest, the cartels will come after them or their family (that sort of thing is happening...the cartels see it as "you are either with us or you are against us").

This quote from the article pretty much tells all:

One taxi driver said other taxistas were told by the cartels to demonstrate at the bridges or risk losing their cars or their ability to operate.

"Everything has a price," the driver said. "If the military left ... I wouldn't be happy, but the cartel would."

[tstone]

Originally Posted by awecelot

...the cartels see it as "you are either with us or you are against us").

Hmm, sounded like GWB, huh?

[texan55]

end the drug war, stop the violence?

[texan55]

here's a decent article from cnn

Drug violence spins Mexico toward 'civil war' - CNN.com


good quotes from the article

"Last week, the former presidents of Mexico, Colombia and Brazil called for the decriminalization of marijuana for personal use and a change in strategy on the war on drugs at a meeting in Brazil of the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy."

"
Pastor calls the problem in Mexico "even worse than Chicago during the Prohibition era" and said a solution similar to what ended that violence is needed now.
"What worked in the U.S. was not Eliot Ness," he said, referring to the federal agent famous for fighting gangsters in 1920s and '30s. "It was the repeal of Prohibition."

[crbcrbrgv]

Originally Posted by teatime

Not a good time to visit border cities, I guess.

Bloody Reynosa: At least five killed in street battle | reynosa, battle, street - Local - Brownsville Herald (http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/reynosa_94960___article.html/battle_street.html - broken link)

What would be truly frightening is if this were to happen in Nuevo Progreso. It would cripple the Valley's economy. I really think we will soon have no choice but to send troops on the Mexican side of the border.

[NOTAM]

my work email yesterday:

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

= = = = = = = = =
US-MEXICAN BORDER CROSSINGS CLOSED
= = = = = = = = =

This afternoon (17 February 2009) the US Customs and Border Protection
Offices located at the US-Mexican Border crossings in El Paso, Big Bend and
Edinburgh, Texas have closed due to violence across the border in Mexico.
Protesters clashing with Mexican Police have escalated at the border
crossings which has involved gunfire and explosions.

US Intelligence has reported the protests may have been staged by the drug
trafficking organizations (DTOs) to mask criminal activities along the
US-Mexican border.

Additional information states Mexican border officials have also closed
their side of the border. Personnel are requested to contact their
respective subordinate commands for situational awareness and force
protection measures.

This information has been provided by the Homeland Security Office of
Intelligence and Analysis and the FBI. As additional information becomes
available it will be posted.

Notice provided by John P. Hayes
US Army North (ARNORTH/Fifth Army)
Criminal Intelligence Specialist
Provost Marshal Office
Phone (210) 221-9730
Fax (210)221-0355
E-mail John.P.Hayes@conus.army.mil

# # # END # # #

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE