martes, 14 de febrero de 2012

In Mexico the first 60 minutes after a kidnapping are the most crucial. Read this article and plan ahead.

REPORTING FROM MEXICO

John Reed
reportingfrommexico.blogspot.com

I have learned in life that the most important time frame in every crises is the first hour after an emergency. The post 60-minutes determines how a situation will unfold. The statement that I have just made was confirmed in the life of a person whose family member was recently kidnapped here in Mexico.

Organized crime was behind the kidnapping of JAVIER (not the real name of the person).  The kidnappers bulldozed into his house while his family was present and dragged him into a vehicle.  This was not your standard Mexican kidnapping as most kidnapping in this country occur while you are on the move and out of your surroundings. The fact that the kidnappers bulldozed into his house makes this a different situation all together.

His family was completely in shock knowing that they could not trust the local authorities. Fear totally gripped the family and here is where the first 60 most precious minutes after the kidnapping were lost in indecision.

The reason organized crime in Mexico is strong is because it is ORGANIZED while the general population is not. Cool heads must prevail in a moment such as this and controlling personal emotions are the order of the day.  

For those reading this article, I would ask you to write an operational procedure on what you would do if something like this happened to your family. Does your family know what to do if you yourself were kidnapped?

Like the saying goes, "A bad plan is always better than not having a plan."

And if any Zeta is reading this article, do not even try to locate my ISP; do you not think I would voice out my opinion without having a plan?

Please.




miércoles, 8 de febrero de 2012

U.S. State Department Advisory for Tamaulipas, Coachuila, Durango and Nuevo Leon in Mexico

REPORTING FROM MEXICO

By Jared Taylor (The Monitor)
The U.S. State Department maintained a cautious tenor on traveling to Mexico’s border region in a new travel warning that discourages travel to cities south of the Rio Grande.
Published Wednesday, the warning advises U.S. citizens against taking non-essential trips to Tamaulipas, noting carjacking attempts and the January 2011 slaying of Monte Alto missionary Nancy Davis, who died at a McAllen hospital after suspected carjackers shot her in the head.
The State Department claims that “no highway routes through Tamaulipas are considered safe,” emphasizing routes between Matamoros and Tampico as hotspots for carjackings and other crimes.
Similar cautions are placed against travel in Nuevo León and Coahuila states in Northeast Mexico, which along with Tamaulipas are hotbeds of drug cartel activity.
The State Department cited homicide figures from the Mexican government that showed 47,515 people killed in narco-violence between late 2006 and through the first nine months of 2011, with nearly 13,000 homicides through Sept. 30, 2011, alone.
As with past travel warnings, the State Department warned about Mexican border cities, which have seen prolonged battles between the cartels that control lucrative drug smuggling routes into the United States. Many battles between cartel members and authorities have featured grenades and other improvised explosive devices, sometimes leaving bystanders injured or dead, officials said.
“Gun battles have occurred in broad daylight on streets and in other public venues, such as restaurants and clubs,” the warning states. “During some of these incidents, U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area.”
The warning does not specify the number of incidents in which U.S. citizens have been trapped, but a 2009 gun battle broke out in Nuevo Progreso that left dozens of Winter Texans fleeing for cover as shooters exchanged gunfire along the tourist spot’s main strip. No injuries to U.S. citizens were reported in that incident and no similar episodes of violence have been reported since.
The State Department noted the number of U.S. citizens slain in Mexico has risen from 35 in 2007 to 120 in 2011.
U.S. officials warned against carjackings that have occurred day and night on both free and toll (cuota) highways in Mexico, especially along the border, with criminals targeting newer and larger vehicles.
The travel warning published Wednesday replaces a similar advisory issued in April 2011.
The State Department’s more cautionary advisories have garnered skepticism and dismay from merchants and officials along the Tamaulipas border, who have claimed tourism business has been scared away.
The chamber of commerce in Matamoros raised eyebrows among officials in the Rio Grande Valley in August 2011, when it issued its own travel warning that advised Mexican visitors to be aware of possible extortions or cartel violence when visiting U.S. border towns. 
U.S. government employees continue to face travel restrictions and curfews because of the heightened security risks in Mexico.
In Tamaulipas, U.S. government workers are prohibited from traveling on highways outside Matamoros, Reynosa and Nuevo Laredo. The government has also imposed a midnight to 6 a.m. curfew, with employees prohibited from frequenting casinos and strip clubs in Tamaulipas.
The new warning casts a dark taint on border areas, but says Mexico City and most tourist areas remain safe, as well as the states in the Yucatan Peninsula and far south of the country. 
--
Jared Taylor covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at jtaylor@themonitor.com and (956) 683-4439.

viernes, 3 de febrero de 2012

My Outrage at the killings of two elderly American missionaries in Nuevo Leon, Mexico

REPORTING FROM MEXICO

John Reed
reportingfrommexico.blogspot.com

Americans are dying in the war on drugs. Nothing new, right? I was not referring to Americans dying in the United States, they are dying in Mexico. John and Wanda Casias were not tourists, they were not vacationers or winter birds seeking retirement. The Casias were two elderly missionaries attempting to make a difference in the northern state of Nuevo Leon where they were found strangled in their homes.  John Casias was found dead with an electrical cord wrapped around his neck.


I am not a missionary, but I am an American living in Mexico who is making a difference in the community where I have been living close to a decade.  No one has forced us to live in Mexico, we do so on our own accord. We acknowledge that back home, whether New York, Los Angeles or Chicago, violence is everywhere and death could come from anywhere.  However John was 76 years old and his wife Wanda was 67 years old.

They were senior citizens!

These were not "collateral damage" deaths in a drug war, they were a direct consequence of it. Surely one of the drug cartels or organized crime simply could not deal with the message of change that they preached. A message where Jesus Christ forgives sins and transforms lives. A message that God wants a better life for all of us, a life of cleanliness, purity and holiness.

The deaths of John and Wanda Casias were not murders, they were better than that - they are martyrs.  One thing history teaches us is that when one martyr is killed 10 others spring up to take their place. It happened at the Coliseum in Rome during the Roman persecution and it is happening all over the world now.

John and Wanda knew for whom they were dying, I pity the hell bound thugs that killed these missionaries for they have never held convictions like the Casias.

Organized crime thought that by killing the Casias they would kill what they had in their heart.  You cannot kill Jesus because he resurrected from the death and surely he will be waiting for the murderers of John and Wanda Casias.

That day is called JUDGEMENT DAY. I pray that the killers find grace and mercy prior to that day.

lunes, 30 de enero de 2012

Mexican General Manuel de Jesus Aviña allegedly executed civilians in Ojigana, Chihuahua

REPORTING FROM MEXICO

John Reed
reportingfrommexico.blogspot.com

I wish this were not so, but I am committed to reporting what is happening here in Mexico regardless of my own personal convictions or opinions.  It is not a secret that I support the Mexican Army's war on the drug cartels.  In my opinion, if it were not for the military, this country would be completely under drug cartel and organized crime control.  Even among the Mexican population, the Mexican Army's popularity is only surpassed by the Mexican Navy, which has a higher approval rate. However, there was bound to be a rotten apple somewhere high up in the Mexican military.

His name is General Manuel de Jesus Aviña and he was in command of the military base in Ojinaga, Chihuahua, which is a border city with Presidio, Texas, during 2008 and 2009. During this time frame, it is alleged that General Aviña committed over 50 human rights violations from torture, killings, and framing of innocent people.  It was also reported that General Aviña was on payroll as an informant to drug cartels.  Several other officers are reportedly implicated in this investigation.

The Mexican military has stated that there will be no cover-ups in its ranks and that corruption will not be tolerated in this war.  As for now numerous Mexican newspapers are reporting this investigation.
________________________________________________________________

 Agencia Reforma/México, DF

El General de Brigada Diplomado de Estado Mayor Manuel de Jesús Moreno Aviña cometió abusos de manera sistemática entre 2008 y 2009, cuando estuvo al frente de la guarnición militar de Ojinaga, Chihuahua, según sus propios subalternos.

En ese lapso, Moreno Aviña ordenó la ejecución de al menos siete civiles, de acuerdo con un expediente actualmente en manos de la Suprema Corte de Justicia.

De hecho, según declaraciones de oficiales y soldados, el mando militar lo mismo ordenaba ejecuciones que se quedaba ilegalmente con vehículos, recibía sobornos de narcotraficantes y hasta trabajaba con ex sicarios de La Línea como informantes.
También es señalado de permitir cateos sin orden judicial, sembrar armas a detenidos y decidir cuáles de éstos eran remitidos al Ministerio Público y a cuáles desaparecer.
Más de 50 declaraciones rendidas en la causa penal militar 1982/2009, del Juzgado de la Tercera Región Militar, en Mazatlán, detallan el modus operandi del General y sus asistentes cercanos: el teniente coronel José Julián Juárez y el mayor Alejandro Rodas Cobón.
En una carta enviada a REFORMA, la Sedena aseguró que 31 elementos implicados en los abusos de Ojinaga, incluido el General Moreno Aviña, siguen proceso en prisiones militares.
"La Sedena no tolera, de ninguna manera, no sólo actos contrarios a las leyes y reglamentos militares, sino especialmente las violaciones a los Derechos Humanos", se lee en el texto.
Siembran militares terror en Ojinaga
La llegada del General de Brigada Manuel de Jesús Moreno Aviña a la comandancia de la guarnición militar de la ciudad fronteriza en la primavera de 2008 implicó el inicio de un régimen en el que los uniformados actuaban como integrantes de bandas del crimen organizado Amarrado a un poste, con las manos esposadas, envuelto en una cobija corrugada blanca, empapado, José Heriberto Rojas Lemus, un joven de entre 20 y 25 años originario de Uruapan, Michoacán, murió la noche del 25 de julio de 2008, posiblemente de un paro cardiorrespiratorio, luego ser torturado con descargas eléctricas en una palapa de las instalaciones militares de la Tercera Compañía de Infantería No Encuadrada (CINE), en Ojinaga, Chihuahua.
Su cuerpo fue incinerado horas después con 60 litros de diesel por oficiales y soldados de la Tercera CINE en un rancho llamado "El Virulento", a unos 100 kilómetros de la carretera Ojinaga-Camargo, y sus cenizas esparcidas en un arroyo por los mismos oficiales y soldados. La tortura y ejecución extrajudicial del Rojas Lemus es sólo un episodio más de una serie de crímenes, violaciones a los derechos humanos y abusos cometidos por elementos de la Tercera CINE, entre abril de 2008 y agosto de 2009, cuando estaban bajo las órdenes del General de Brigada Diplomado de Estado Mayor Manuel de Jesús Moreno Aviña y del Teniente Coronel Diplomado de Estado Mayor José Julián Juárez Ramírez.
El General de Brigada Moreno Aviña estuvo presente en las instalaciones de la Tercera CINE en el momento en que se perpetró la tortura de Rojas Lemus y avaló la tortura de un número no determinado de civiles que eran detenidos arbitrariamente y llevados a las instalaciones de la Tercera CINE, de acuerdo con el testimonio de soldados y oficiales que declararon haber participado en hechos.
En su declaración ante el Ministerio Público Militar en la causa penal 1982/2009, registrada en la sentencia de amparo 151/2010 del Juzgado Décimo de Distrito de Mazatlán, Sinaloa, el Mayor de Infantería Alejandro Rodas Cobón, entonces segundo comandante de la Tercera CINE, asegura que el General de Brigada Moreno Aviña dio la orden de desparecer el cadáver del joven Rojas Lemus al Teniente de Infantería Jesús Omar Castillo.
La muerte del joven fue comprobada por el Capitán Primero Cirujano Dentista Luis Mario Victoria Ordaz y luego por el Capitán Primero Médico Cirujano Héctor Hernández Gutiérrez, quien escuchó su corazón, le tomó el pulso e intentó reanimarlo con masaje cardiaco. Cuando informó al Mayor Rodas Cobón que había que trasladarlo a un hospital, éste, asegura el médico en su declaración, se negó y contestó: "Está bien doctor, ahí le hace un certificado y le pone que murió por sobredosis".
Testimonios de oficiales y soldados de la Tercera CINE asentados en la sentencia de amparo 151/2010 coinciden en señalar que la llegada en abril de 2008 del General de Brigada DEM Manuel de Jesús Moreno Aviña a la comandancia de la Guarnición militar de Ojinaga, y la del Teniente Coronel DEM José Julián Juárez Ramírez a la jefatura de la Tercera CINE, fue el inicio de un régimen de terror, en el que se alentaron y cometieron detenciones y cateos ilegales, privaciones de la libertad, torturas, ejecuciones extrajudiciales, venta de droga, extorsiones, además de que regularmente se llevaban a cabo reuniones en las que se ingerían bebidas alcohólicas con presencia de prostitutas dentro de las mismas instalaciones militares.
Los uniformados implicados relatan también la tortura, ejecución e incineración de cadáveres de los civiles Esaú Samaniego Rey y Erick Valenzuela Campos.
Entre las víctimas de las ejecuciones ordenadas por el General Moreno Aviña y perpetradas por los sicarios identificados como "Sebos" y "Dany", estarían la secretaria de Ministerio Público federal en Ojinaga, Chihuahua, Patricia Gardea González, asesinada el 23 de julio de 2009, además del policía ministerial José Escárcega Meléndez, que vendía droga para Marco Rentería, líder de La Línea, del Policía Municipal Jorge Luis Olivas Carrasco, y otros civiles.
Los testimonios de soldados y oficiales revelan también que los mandos militares traficaban con la droga, cocaína y mariguana, asegurada a integrantes del crimen organizado y robaban vehículos, objetos y dinero decomisado a los delincuentes.
Además, los uniformados no reportaban al Ministerio Público armas, vehículos y dinero asegurado durante operativos contra el narcotráfico, el cual se lo repartían entre el propio General Moreno Aviña, el Teniente Coronel Diplomado de Estado Mayor José Julián Juárez Ramírez, comandante de la Tercera Compañía de Infantería No Encuadrada (CINE), el Mayor Alejandro Rodas Cobón, segundo comandante, y el Teniente de Infantería Arturo Huesca Isasi.
Así lo confiesan el propio Teniente Coronel Juárez Ramírez, el Mayor Rodas Cobón y el Teniente Huesca Isasi en sus declaraciones asentadas en la causa penal 1982/2009 y registradas en la sentencia de amparo 151/2010 de Juzgado Décimo de Distrito de Mazatlán, Sinaloa, promovido por 10 efectivos involucrados en los hechos, acusados del homicidio de tres civiles. El expediente se encuentra actualmente en manos de la Suprema Corte de Justicia, que lo revisará para definir si el caso se resuelve en el fuero civil o castrense.
Oficiales implicados en los hechos delincuenciales y elementos de tropa adscritos a la Tercera CINE señalan que el General de Brigada Moreno Aviña ordenaba directamente el robo de los objetos asegurados llevados a cabo en cateos ilegales en Ojinaga, Chihuahua, en el marco de las labores de combate a la delincuencia organizada.
El Sargento Segundo Hojalatero Automotriz Andrés Becerra Vargas afirma en su declaración ministerial del 20 de agosto de 2009 que cobró en al menos cuatro ocasiones cuotas de 30 mil pesos a un narcotraficante apodado "El Chiquilín" para permitirle vender cocaína en la localidad fronteriza, por órdenes del Teniente Coronel Juárez Ramírez.
El Sargento Segundo Becerra Asegura que el Teniente Coronel le ordenó trasladar costales de marihuana a un rancho propiedad de René Humberto Anaya, "El Chiquilín", a cambio de 19 mil dólares, y que él mismo entregó en las manos mil dólares al comandante como parte del pago por el estupefaciente.
También, señala en su declaración, el Teniente Coronel Juárez Ramírez vendió al presunto criminal 16 onzas de cocaína asegurada por el Ejército a un narcotraficante identificado como Sergio Aranda, "La Chiva Aranda", apenas cuatro días antes de que la Policía Militar interviniera en la Tercera CINE el 18 de agosto de 2009, a raíz de una denuncia anónima.
"Llegó 'El Chiquilín' en el vehículo tipo Tsuru y me preguntó 'traes mi encargo, que mandó el patrón' y se lo entregué, entonces lo abrió y en la tapa de la cajuela del vehículo Tsuru, abrió el portafolio y empezó a contar dieciséis paquetes de cocaína confeccionados en plástico transparente diciéndome 'efectivamente son las dieciséis onzas que me había comentado tu patrón', a lo que no le conteste nada y el civil me entregó dos rollos de dólares diciéndome "le entregas estos cuatro mil dólares a tu patrón, luego me comunico con él para darle el resto del dinero de esta venta de cocaína", declara el Sargento Segundo Becerra Vargas.
Los negocios con "El Chiquilín", tanto de venta de droga asegurada como para permitirle traficar en Ojinaga eran avalados por el General de Brigada Moreno Aviña, afirma en su declaración el Sargento Segundo Becerra Vargas.
Decide Corte sobre militares
La Suprema Corte de Justicia ha recibido al menos nueve solicitudes de tribunales para definir en qué fuero deben ser juzgados militares por delitos contra civiles.
Uno de estos casos es el del General Manuel de Jesús Moreno Aviña, ex comandante de la guarnición militar de Ojinaga.
En relación con este caso, llegó a la Corte el proceso contra 10 soldados acusados de asesinar a tres civiles.
A raíz del criterio adoptado en el caso Radilla, víctima de desaparición forzada en 1974, es previsible que se ordene enviar el juicio al fuero civil.

jueves, 26 de enero de 2012

The ZETAS are now the largest drug cartel in Mexico, Chapo's Sinaloa Cartel is now in second place

REPORTING FROM MEXICO

John Reed
reportingfrommexico.blogspot.com

We woke up this morning to the unfortunate news that the "El Chapo Guzman" Sinaloa Cartel was no longer the largest cartel organization in Mexico - the Zetas are the new number #1.  In most countries you wake up to hear about political squabbling, the daily accident report or simply the weather.  In Mexico we went overnight from death to more death.

Mexicans could put up with the lesser of two evils, but now that the Zetas are the #1 criminal organization in Mexico, one can only imagine how this is all going to end up.

I got my information not from a Mexican newspaper, although they are buzzing with this news item, I read it off a newspaper in Argentina:


Makes you wonder if there is any worthy news in Argentina that they thought the drug war in Mexico was more pressing to cover.