Jan 31

Along the Border – Immeasurable fear overrules reality

By PMC Fear Factor, The Border View Comments

MATAMOROS — Violence in this border city, residents say, is often left unreported by authorities yet exaggerated when caught on tape by the media, making it difficult to measure.

But if there is some certainty in the muddle of misinformation, many say it is this: Fear is ravaging the public perception of Matamoros. People no longer cross as frequently into the Mexican border city as they did in the past, and its retail businesses and restaurants are hurting.

“It is not to say that there have not been dangerous incidents, but we can say the same for this side of the border,” said Susan Ritter, an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Texas-Brownsville/Texas Southmost College. “These things (crimes and violent acts) get reported on and repeated and exaggerated, and on and on they go until everybody thinks it is gospel.”

Regardless of the case and regardless of where it occurs, Ritter says, “Generally, the fear is larger than the crime.”
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Apr 20

Mexican’s at the gates – The “Reconquista” is underway – Chula’s Fronteras

By PMC General Comments Off

La RecorridaThe anticipated “reconquista” of the US southern border with Mexico has begun as more than 8,000 mounted horsemen rode for the border from Hidalgo Coahuila led by the governors of the States of Nuevo Leon, Coahuila and Tamaulipas.

The irrational fears and pronostication of the right wing extremists are becoming a reality. They are at our borders en masse!

Guess that got your attention. In reality, the annual recorrida began this weekend as the Governors of the three border states along with more than 8,000 riders made the tek on horseback from points in the three states. This marks the beginning of the 2008 Northern States Governors Conference.

The subject of the conference this year is ecology and the reforestation and reintroduction of fauna and flora to the land along the border, cleaning and maintaining the landscape and new drainage projects along the Rio Bravo.

Among the issues on the agenda for the 2008 conference are

  • In Agricultural Development: prepare a proposal for border states to deal with the Strategic Plan to Reduce the Risk of importing livestock From Mexico, infected with TB.
  • Giving continuity to programs to control ticks and manage resources for modernization, productivity and competitiveness of the agriculture sector
  • In the area of Energy, approved the decision to embark on energy reforms and seek to participate in the debate as producers and consumers of oil and its derivatives. In other words, Energy Conservation.
  • In Education, it was announced the efforts strengthen programs in English and School Safety; exchanging plans and curricula, and the signing of an agreement on coordination in the fields of education and health.
  • In Health: strengthen the fight against dengue and tuberculosis; create a regional committee to reduce maternal death and sign an agreement for the cross-check of the Social Protection System in Health

An ambitious agenda but doable as the governors of these three border states have always been able to work together for the most part.

And the “reconquista”? Forget about it. That only exists in the minds of a few lunatics north of the border.

But what a grand sight it was to see 8000 mounted riders all at once.


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May 19

Feds get tough; Officers, army set up checkpoints throughout city

By P.M. Corn Border News, Narco Wars Comments Off

NUEVO LAREDO — In a much-needed show of force, agents with the Agencia Federal de Investigaciones (AFI, similar to the FBI) and federal highway police set up a checkpoint Friday on the Bulevar Ribereño for vehicles headed to the Juárez-Lincoln International Bridge.Every vehicle was stopped and searched.
It was a welcome sight for many Nuevo Laredoans as well as city and state leaders, a day after there was a report of a gun battle Thursday that left one man dead in Los Torres subdivision. The body was removed before police could arrive.

Tamaulipas Gov. Eugenio Hernández Flores, in Monterrey to inaugurate Casa Tamaulipas, said Friday the efforts of federal police and the Mexican Army are welcome and should bring peace to Mexico.

“The federal agents and the Army are fighting organized crime and are giving no quarter,” the governor said. “There are orders from the President of México, Felipe Calderón, not to yield a single centimeter.”

Hernández Flores said he stands in solidarity with Calderón’s action because he is fulfilling his commitment to the people.

Officials said the checkpoints will be seen throughout the city, as agents and soldiers verify whether drivers have legal possession of their vehicles, whether they are carrying illegal arms or drugs, and checking IDs to look for outstanding federal warrants.

The latest group of agents arrived from Mexico City on Wednesday and promptly set up a checkpoint on Bulevar Luis Donaldo Colosio, at the entrance of the Fundadores-Infonavit neighborhood in the south part of the city.

One of the officers said they weren’t authorized to talk to the media about their operation, saying that the federal attorney general’s office or someone from federal police headquarters in Mexico City would be releasing a statement. None, however, was forthcoming Friday.

For his part, Infonavit resident Fabian García, who was one of the drivers stopped at that checkpoint, said he was pleased that the federal authorities are finally taking on its responsibility to protect people along the border.

Many drivers were surprised when they came up on the checkpoint and found themselves directed to wait in line as agents conducted the generally routine inspections. As officers searched the vehicles, others stood with arms at the ready, stern and alert.

The high level of precautions match the level of aggression exhibited by organized crime lords as they seek to frighten law enforcement.

The most recent attack occurred in Hermosillo, in the state of Sonora, where armed commandos attacked police officers in a brutal five-hour exchange of gunfire, ending with the deaths of 15 attackers and five officers.

In the state of Nuevo León, police officers, commanders and high-ranking law enforcement officials have been assassinated. In Nuevo Laredo, law officers also have been the victims of brutal attacks.

The show of force around Nuevo Laredo is promoting confidence among the residents, who have seen at least eight executions, including the one Thursday, in recent days.

Another woman who passed inspection at one of the checkpoints said that at least the federal officers are seen in public, patrolling and staffing checkpoints, which helps dissuade those who would commit a crime.

Meanwhile, in the Monterrey metropolitan area, the bodies of three more men were found at about 7 a.m. Friday. That brings the total number of homicides attributed to organized crime to 64 so far this year.

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