Thread: Police Chief of Cancun Mexico Assassinated by Cartels?

I just heard on Lou Dobbs that the police chief in Cancun Mexico has been assassinated by the Cartels. Can anyone find an article on this for us?

W

Senior Mexican police officer shot dead in Cancun
27 Jun 2006 20:25:59 GMT
Source: Reuters
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MEXICO CITY, June 27 (Reuters) - Gunmen killed a senior police officer in the Mexican resort of Cancun on Monday night, blowing his head open in the latest grisly assassination to hit the country.

Police officials in Cancun said local police chief of staff Wilfrido Flores, 56, and his bodyguard were shot dead in their car in a busy avenue in the Caribbean resort, one of Mexico's biggest tourist pulls, just before midnight.

However they played down links to a spate of similar killings in cities like Acapulco and Tijuana in a brutal war among drugs cartels and security forces.

"They were fired at half an hour after leaving the office. We don't know how many or who they were. (Flores) had 15 bullet wounds, mainly in his head and neck. A lot of his face was destroyed," said police spokesman Oscar Meza.

"It surprised us. We can't see a motive. He works in an office planning public security. He's not on operations and has nothing to do with investigating drug cartels," he said.

Last weekend alone, kidnappers killed four policemen in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero -- gagging and shooting three and beheading another -- and seven civilian murders were reported.

Last week, police in Tijuana said they had found the severed heads of three police officers and a fourth man.

Drug violence and attacks on police have risen in the run-up to the July 2 election, which has leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and conservative Felipe Calderon in a close race for the presidency.

"Of course, they are not creating any problem for the election," President Vicente Fox's spokesman Ruben Aguilar said.

The violence flared up after Fox launched a war on drug cartels early last year.

Police killings are rarer in Cancun, although the resort has seen a handful of gory civilian murders in recent months. Flores was a former army colonel

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N27117472.htm

Thanks Scuba.

We need to consider doing our own travel warning telling people not to travel to Mexico. We need to get this into the colleges as well.

W

Thanks for the info: I'll get it out to my news media.

Found this:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_t ... _2812.html

SPRING BREAK IN MEXICO – “Know Before You Go!”

Over 100,000 American teenagers and young adults travel to resort areas throughout Mexico over Spring Break each year. While the vast majority enjoy their vacations without incident, several may die, hundreds will be arrested and still more will make mistakes that could affect them for the rest of their lives. Using some common sense will help travelers avoid these unpleasant and dangerous situations.

Mexican Law
While traveling in Mexico, American citizens are subject to Mexican law. An arrest or accident in Mexico can result in a difficult legal or medical situation, sometimes at great expense to the traveler. Mexican law can impose harsh penalties for violations that would be considered minor in the United States, and U.S. citizenship in no way exempts one from full prosecution under the Mexican criminal justice system. If U.S. citizens find themselves in legal trouble, they should contact the closest U.S. Consular Agency, U.S. Consulate, or the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. (see Contact Information below). U.S. consular officials in Mexico can visit detained American citizens in prison, provide information about the Mexican legal system, and furnish a list of Mexican attorneys, among other assistance. U.S. Consular officials cannot arrange for Mexican officials to release arrested American citizens.


Alcohol and Drugs
Excessive alcohol consumption and unruly behavior can lead to serious problems with Mexican authorities. Alcohol is involved in the vast majority of arrests, accidents, violent crimes, rapes, and deaths suffered by American students on Spring Break. Disturbing the peace, lewd or indecent behavior, littering, driving under the influence, drinking on the street or on public transportation, using public transportation without payment, or making obscene or insulting remarks are all considered criminal activities by Mexican authorities. The importation, purchase, possession or use of drugs can incur severe penalties, including imprisonment without bail for up to a year before a case is tried, and imprisonment of several years following a conviction. All individuals 16 years of age or older are tried as adults.


Safety and Security
Standards of security, safety and supervision may not reach the levels expected in the United States. This has contributed to the deaths of U.S. citizens in automobile accidents, after falls from balconies or into open ditches, by drowning in the ocean as well as in hotel pools, and in water-sports mishaps, among others.


Warning flags on beaches should be taken seriously. If black or red flags are up, do not enter the water. Do not swim in pools or at beaches without lifeguards. Do not dive into unknown bodies of water, because hidden rocks or shallow depths can cause serious injury or death. If you choose to swim, always exercise extreme caution.

Firearms and Knives
It is best not to carry even a pocketknife into Mexico as this can result in a weapons charge if a knife is found on a traveler who is arrested for separate offense. Visitors driving across the border should ensure that their vehicles contain no firearms. Mexico imposes harsh penalties for bringing so much as one bullet across its borders.

Visitors should exercise caution when renting vehicles, including jet skis and mopeds. Many are in poor condition, and many are uninsured or under-insured. Read rental contracts carefully, and make sure your own insurance will cover you in the event of an accident, if the rental company's insurance is not clearly adequate. Drivers of any vehicle, including jet skis and mopeds, should exercise extreme caution and ask the rental agency about local laws and procedures.

Operators of any vehicle that causes damage to other vehicles or injuries to other people may be arrested and held in custody until full payment is made, either in cash or through insurance.


Know Before You Go

The following cities and areas are some of traditional destinations in Mexico for travelers on Spring Break. While other resort areas may not be as well known for this type of travel, the advice contained here still applies:


Cancun and Cozumel: Both areas are still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Wilma in October 2005. Many hotels are conducting full renovations and will not re-open until after Spring Break season. Other hotels are not operating at full capacity or with full amenities. Beachfront areas have not fully recovered. Contact your travel operator or hotel prior to your travel to learn more about what to expect on your visit.

Cancun is a fairly large city, approaching 500,000 inhabitants, with increasing reports of crime. Crimes against the person, such as rape, commonly but not exclusively occur at night or in the early morning hours, and often involve alcohol and the discotheque environment. Therefore, it is important for travelers to be aware of their surroundings and to take general precautions. To protect against property crimes, valuables should be left in a safe place or not brought at all. If you are a victim of a crime, immediately notify the U.S. Consular Agency in Cancun or the U.S. Consulate in Merida at the telephone numbers provided below.

If you rent a moped or other vehicle in Cancun, it is advisable to purchase third-party insurance, as the insurance offered on some credit cards will not cover you in Mexico. Should you have an accident or cause damage to the moped, you may be required to pay the full amount of any repairs, in cash, as determined by the rental agency, or face arrest.
In Cancun, there is often a very strong undertow along the beach from the Hyatt Regency all the way south to the Sol y Mar. Several drownings and near-drownings have been reported on the east coast of Cozumel, particularly in the Playa San Martin-Chen Rio area.

Acapulco: Drug-related violence has increased in Acapulco recently. Although this violence is not targeted at foreign residents or tourists, U.S. citizens in these areas should be vigilant in their personal safety.

Avoid swimming outside the bay area. Several American citizens have died while swimming in rough surf at the Revolcadero Beach near Acapulco.

Use only the licensed and regulated "sitio" (SEE-tee-oh) taxis, and avoid the "pirate" taxis that cruise Acapulco's streets looking for fares. Some of the pirate taxi drivers are, in fact, criminals in search of victims; users of these taxis have been robbed, kidnapped or raped. Hotels, clubs and restaurants will summon a sitio taxi upon request.


Cabo San Lucas: Beaches on the Pacific side of the Baja California Peninsula at Cabo San Lucas are dangerous due to rip tides and rogue waves; hazardous beaches in this area are clearly marked in English and Spanish.

The Department of State has received reports of equipment rental operators using local colleagues to form a “mob” to intimidate customers into paying exorbitant amounts for damage to rented equipment.

Matamoros/South Padre Island: The Mexican border cities of Matamoros and Nuevo Progresso are located 30 to 45 minutes south of the major Spring Break destination of South Padre Island, Texas. Travelers to the Mexican border should be especially aware of safety and security concerns due to increased violence in recent months between rival drug trafficking gangs competing for control of narcotics smuggling routes. While it is unlikely that American visitors would get caught up in this violence, travelers should exercise common-sense precautions such as visiting only the well-traveled business and tourism areas of border towns during daylight and early-evening hours.


Tijuana: Tijuana has one of the busiest land border crossings in the world. The beach towns of Rosarito and Ensenada also attract a large number of tourists. Drinking alcoholic beverages excessively on a public street is prohibited.

Tijuana boasts a large number of pharmacies; to buy any controlled medication, a prescription from a Mexican doctor is needed. Possession of controlled medications without a Mexican doctor's prescription is a serious crime and can lead to arrest. The prescription must have a seal and serial number. Under no other circumstances should an individual purchase prescription medicines.

Oaxaca: There have been a number of drownings along the beaches of the southern coast of Oaxaca, namely Zipolite Beach. Professional lifeguard training has contributed to the dramatic drop in fatalities, but swimmers are advised that mild currents can quickly become treacherous, even for accomplished swimmers.

Nogales/Sonora: Puerto Peñasco, a.k.a. “Rocky Point,” is located in northern Sonora, 60 miles from the U.S. border, and is accessible by car. The majority of accidents that occur at this Spring Break destination are caused by individuals driving under the influence of alcohol. Travelers should exercise particular caution on unpaved roads, especially in beach areas.

Additional Information: Travelers going to Mexico over Spring Break should refer to the Department of State’s Consular Information Sheet for Mexico and the publications Tips for Student Travelers and Help for American Victims of Crime Overseas.

Contact Information: In case of a serious emergency, travelers should immediately contact the closest U.S. Consular Agency, U.S. Consulate, or the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Contact information can be found in the Consular Information Sheet for Mexico. You may also contact the Embassy by e-mail at: ccs@usembassy.net.mx. The Embassy's Internet address is: http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/.

Ok, notified my media connections! I suggested that maybe American vacationers should be aware of the increased violence recently in Mexico.

Also, that maybe a nice vacation at someplace in the USA might be a better choice!

added to homepage

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=N ... e&sid=1321

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/ ... index.html

ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) -- Authorities on Friday found two human heads in front of a state government office in the Mexican resort of Acapulco, a day after a similar grisly discovery was made outside the main entrance to City Hall.

The heads were accompanied by a note that read, "One more message, dirtbags, so that you learn to respect." They were dumped in front of the Guerrero state Finance Department where the heads of two decapitated police officers were left in April with a similar note that warned, "So that you learn to respect."

Four drug traffickers were killed during a shootout with law enforcement outside the office earlier this year.

Authorities were trying to determine if the heads found Friday belonged to two decapitated bodies also discovered Friday dumped in a vacant lot on the edge of Acapulco, near the small beach community of Pie de La Cuesta.

Neither the heads nor the bodies have been identified.

On Thursday, police found the head of former Mexican solider, Hugo Carpio Garcia, by the main entrance to City Hall with a similar note signed by "Z," which authorities said was an attempt to link the death to Las Zetas, a group of former elite Mexican soldiers who now work for the Gulf drug cartel.

Earlier this month, a severed human head washed up on the beach in the heart of Acapulco's tourist zone.

Acapulco, located 180 miles (290 kilometers) southwest of Mexico City, has been shaken this year by more than a dozen high-profile gun slayings as well as several grenade attacks on police stations.

Federal investigators link the violence to a turf war between drug gangs in northern Mexico for lucrative smuggling routes into the United States.