Thread: Mexico homicides jump 47 percent

May 23, 2008, 3:54PM
Mexico homicides jump 47 percent


By E. EDUARDO CASTILLO Associated Press Writer
© 2008 The Associated Press

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MEXICO CITY — Homicides related to organized crime jumped 47 percent in 2008, Mexico's attorney general said Friday in a rare confirmation of how bad violence has become.

Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora told Radio Formula that 1,378 people have been killed so far this year, compared with 940 in the same period last year.

The statistic reflected what many in Mexico already knew: Drug-related killings have soared in recent months.

But the details were the first official snapshot on the rise in killings. The Mexican government has been reluctant to release homicide statistics, leaving the public to rely on informal tallies by the news media.

Medina Mora broke that silence, saying 4,152 people have been killed since President Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006 and declared war on drug cartels that controlled entire regions of Mexico. About 450 of those were police, soldiers, prosecutors or investigators.

Medina Mora said many of the recent killings have been concentrated along the U.S. border, while homicides in the central part of the nation have subsided.

The government says the violence reflects drug gangs' desperation amid the nationwide crackdown, carried out by more than 20,000 soldiers and federal police.

"Evidently when they are cornered and weakened, they have to respond with violence," Medina Mora said.

Analysts say recent arrests have created a power vacuum and gangs are battling for valuable drug routes and territory.

One of the hardest hit cities is Ciudad Juarez, across from El Paso, Texas. A recent e-mail warning of a weekend bloodbath has alarmed many residents there.
Nobody seems to know who wrote the e-mail, which says gunmen will fire at malls, restaurants and other public places in "killings all over the city." But many people have forwarded it to friends.
Juarez Police Chief Roberto Orduna said the threats must be taken seriously and issued a news release Thursday assuring residents that police would be more vigilant.

More than 200 people have been killed so far this year in Juarez.



Associated Press writer Marina Montemayor contributed to this report from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.





http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5798833.html

we better get the money to them fast . Then More deaths = more Money .Yeah sounds like a plan Calderon or is it Bush ? Oh Well , it makes no difference does it ?

Medina Mora broke that silence, saying 4,152 people have been killed since President Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006 and declared war on drug cartels that controlled entire regions of Mexico. About 450 of those were police, soldiers, prosecutors or investigators.

Other factions may be responsible for some of the violence, not just the cartels. We really don't know what is going on in Mexico other than press releases. Mexico also has EPR (the Popular Revolutionary Army--A leftist rebel group responsible for bomb attacks on Mexican oil and gas pipelines), the Zapatista National Liberation Army and the Illegal loggers.

It is evident from this statement that Calderon's Mexican government is not in charge of all of Mexico......"declared war on drug cartels that controlled entire regions of Mexico".

It is evident from this statement that Calderon's Mexican government is not in charge of all of Mexico..

Yep, that's one thing that is certain. This is the sort of political instability that is characteristic of developing or under-developed countries. Do we really think they [the Mexican Government] are on par with us to engage in and honor important international treaties and agreements.... when they don't even control their own country? Think about it...

Despite the propaganda to the contrary, other than a shared stretch of land about 1900 miles long, we really share almost NOTHING with Mexico - it's not an opinion, it's a fact.

Language? No.
Economy? Not really.
Religion? Nope.
Climate? Nada.
Political History? (Spanish colonization, vs. our varied settling pattern) No.
Form of government? Not much similar.
Political Development? Very different.
Corruption vs. Rule of Law? Yeah, you know the answer to that one.

...See a pattern here?

Originally Posted by PhredE

It is evident from this statement that Calderon's Mexican government is not in charge of all of Mexico..

Yep, that's one thing that is certain. This is the sort of political instability that is characteristic of developing or under-developed countries. Do we really think they [the Mexican Government] are on par with us to engage in and honor important international treaties and agreements.... when they don't even control their own country? Think about it...

Despite the propaganda to the contrary, other than a shared stretch of land about 1900 miles long, we really share almost NOTHING with Mexico - it's not an opinion, it's a fact.

Language? No.
Economy? Not really.
Religion? Nope.
Climate? Nada.
Political History? (Spanish colonization, vs. our varied settling pattern) No.
Form of government? Not much similar.
Political Development? Very different.
Corruption vs. Rule of Law? Yeah, you know the answer to that one.

...See a pattern here?

Excellent PhredE!

Oil and water do not mix. It goes back generations and is the basis for formation of countries--a country was formed and united by people sharing commonalities.