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Mexico Drug War Update

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #666)
Consequences of Prohibition
Drug War Issues

by Bernd Debusmann, Jr.

Mexican drug trafficking organizations make billions each year smuggling drugs into the United States, profiting enormously from the prohibitionist drug policies of the US government. Since Mexican president Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006 and called the armed forces into the fight against the so-called cartels, prohibition-related violence has killed more than 30,000 people, including more than 13,000 last year. The increasing militarization of the drug war and the arrest of dozens of high-profile drug traffickers have failed to stem the flow of drugs -- or the violence -- whatsoever. The Merida initiative, which provides $1.4 billion over three years for the US to assist the Mexican government with training, equipment and intelligence, has so far failed to make a difference. Here are a few of the latest developments in Mexico's drug war:

Thursday,  January 6

In Ciudad Juarez, ten people were murdered across the city. At least two houses were burned down by heavily armed gunmen, including at least one in which they shot and killed a victim just before. In another incident, three people were shot dead.

In the nearby town of Guadalupe, at least one person was executed and several houses were burned down. The town has been without any sort of law enforcement or firefighters since the last police officer was kidnapped in December. She remains missing.

Friday,  January 7

In Coahuila, the body of the missing Zaragoza mayor was found in neighboring Nuevo Leon. Mayor Saul Vera Ribera had been missing since Wednesday after taking a trip to the state capitol of Saltillo. He had apparently been shot in the head.

Saturday, January 8

In Acapulco, 15 decapitated bodies were found on a sidewalk outside a shopping center. Two of the victims were 17 years old. A note left with the bodies suggests they were killed by members of the Sinaloa Cartel led by "El Chapo" Guzman. Handwritten posters left at the scene suggested that those killed had been extortionists in the employ of another cartel.

In another part of the city, six bodies were found stuffed in a taxicab. At least two other people were killed in separate incidents in the city. Additionally, ten people were kidnapped from a nightclub, three of whom were found dead the next day.

In Mexico City, four men were killed in a drive-by shooting. It is unclear whether this incident is related to narcotics trafficking.

In Ciudad Juarez, at least ten people were killed. In one incident, police found three bound and gagged men executed in a vehicle near the highway. In another incident, two men were gunned down by gunmen wielding assault rifles.

Monday, January 10

In the Monterrey suburb of Guadalupe, the local police department ordered its officers to remain in their stations. A similar order was issued by the Transit Police. This comes in the wake of violence on Friday which claimed the lives of four police officers and wounded three others. Police in the neighboring towns of San Nicolas, Apodaca and San Pedro are continuing patrols, but only in heavily armed convoys.

In Nuevo Leon, a well-known Zeta commander was killed after being stabbed over 20 times in prison. Gabriel Ayala Romero was well-known for his involvement in distributing pirated goods, as well as drug trafficking and violence. He had been in prison since being captured by the army in June 2009.

Tuesday, January 11

In Ciudad Juarez, it was revealed that the body of a woman found a few days previously was that of poet and social activist Susana Chavez. Susana had been outspoken in calling for justice in the countless unexplained femicides that have occurred in the city. Three men are in custody for the murder.

Total Body Count for the Year: 136

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

joebanana (not verified)

We have our own criminal cartel, we call it government. The government that has the blood of all those killed, all over it's criminal hands. F the US government, some of those guy's from Mexico are needed here, to take care of our corrupt leaders.

Thu, 01/13/2011 - 2:43pm Permalink
expat53 (not verified)

In reply to by joebanana (not verified)

You are one sick puppy.  Somebody has been feeding you bad Kool-Aid.  Our government has its faults, but is not even close to the corrupt mess they have down here in MX, where I live part of the year.

Thu, 01/13/2011 - 9:40pm Permalink
Robert Walker (not verified)

The various wars throughout the world not only makes money for the One Worlders, it helps bring about the lessening of the world's population.  Depopulation is a popular subject among those who are misnamed the elite.  They are not the elite, they are the scum of the world. 

Bill Gates is working hard to depopulate the world.  Prince Charles said if there is reincarnation, he wants to come back as a deadly virus so that he can kill lots of human beings. 

According to a video put out by Alex Jones, the governments of the world killed more than 150,000,000 people in the 20th century. 

Peace and Love,

Robert Walker

Thu, 01/13/2011 - 8:26pm Permalink
mike 911-911 truth (not verified)

No he is right USA IS RUN BY NAZIS our government has been brainwashing us the americian people since elsinhower puppet days.  HITLER AS WELL NEVER DIED OUR GOVERMENT HID HIM UNTIL HIS DEATH. but elsinhower he allow them to do so by allowing the Bushes sr. and jr. to set up the black project back n 1939 and the CIA the worlds biggest murderer and cartels. we have been lie too from the start and are being rob on a hourly basics by the world bankers whom as well set up a monopoly game with the federal reserve against the american people facts!!!  do the research before you talk someone down the truth. its people like yourself that got us into this fxxk mess blind as fxxk and what kills me they are bold as hell doing it in front of the world to see their consperacy. and deceit to conquer us from the start wake up. morons. before it is to late .

Sat, 01/22/2011 - 9:21pm Permalink

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