Although initially it was reported that the papers of the trucking company and the (Australian) explosives company were in order, later it was announced that the truck did not have the requisite permit to transport hazardous material. Also, the required escort vehicles were not being used. Coincidentally, the explosion came at about the same time as the dispute in the United States over Mexican trucks being allowed on American highways.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Mexican Explosions and Their After Effects

By Allan Wall

A series of explosions in Mexico, on September 9th and September 10th, has raised pertinent questions about Mexican safety and security that still have not been answered.

The explosion on September 9th was in the northern state of Coahuila, where a tractor-trailer bearing ammonium nitrate (the fertilizer/explosive that Timothy McVeigh utilized in the Oklahoma City bombings) collided with another vehicle. The ensuing fire caused explosions that killed 28 onlookers and wounded hundreds.

Although initially it was reported that the papers of the trucking company and the (Australian) explosives company were in order, later it was announced that the truck did not have the requisite permit to transport hazardous material. Also, the required escort vehicles were not being used. Coincidentally, the explosion came at about the same time as the dispute in the United States over Mexican trucks being allowed on American highways.

The explosions on the 10th, though, were not accidental.

In the state of Veracruz, bombs were detonated on 12 natural gas pipelines (and one gasoline pipeline). The EPR (Popular Revolutionary Army) is claiming responsibility, and threatening to carry out more attacks unless two of their comrades, who disappeared in May in Oaxaca, are released. Meanwhile, the government denies it has the two men in custody.

The EPR is a Marxist guerrilla group formed in the mid-1990s in the state of Guerrero, which killed dozens of Mexican police and soldiers in the latter part of that decade, carried out Mexico City bank bombings in 2001, and took part in the 2006 Oaxaca unrest.

In July of 2007, the EPR set off explosives in pipelines in Guanajuato and Queretaro, shutting down PEMEX operations there. In August, they bombed a bank and a Sears store (Sears in Mexico being the property of Carlos Slim, Mexico’s — and the world’s — richest man.

These latest attacks prove the sophisticated operational ability of the EPR, demonstrating the group’s tactical and technical proficiency. The strategic placement and installation of the bombs also raises suspicion that they had inside help, from within PEMEX or the petroleum workers’ union.

The attacks’ success has also raised other questions, about Mexican intelligence and security.

Were Mexican intelligence officials unprepared? It has been reported that Guillermo Valdes, chief of CISEN (the Mexican CIA) is a Calderon crony who has no idea what he’s doing.

On the other hand, there is a lot of pipeline in Mexico — about 30,000 miles of it.

Another question is, who is really in charge of guarding oil installations? The Mexican military guards state energy facilities, but with the military deployed throughout the country fighting drug cartels it may not have as many men available to guard pipelines.

Nobody was injured in the Veracruz explosions, but the Mexican economy certainly was and that hurts Mexicans. The disruption of gas and oil supplies affected thousands of businesses, with many forced to close or at least reduce — their operations. Just days ago losses were estimated at US$200 million and they must be higher now.

As a result of the explosions, 60% of Mexico’s steel production was stopped, and some automobile plants were “crippled.â€