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Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Mexico Drug War: Proposed Law of Internal Security Allows Military to Take Control

Posted by DD republished from Mexican Voices

Reforma: Denise Dresser* Translated by Ruby Izar-Shea

  
General Cienfuegos [Hundred Fires] just blackmailed the President of the Republic and Enrique Peña Nieto allowed himself to be blackmailed. A military command has just imposed itself over a civilian command and few people balked. Decades of tradition and constitutional practice that allowed Mexico to avoid militarization are now threatened by the empowered Army. It is persistent, obsessed with the power it has acquired and is going for more.
 

More power with the "Internal Security Law" initiative that seeks to give legal protection to what the military does illegally. With the proposal to suspend individual guarantees without controls, without transparency, without civil surveillance over the military. Generals that grow as civilians shrink. Soldiers increasingly present, in place of police officers less and less professionalized. Mexico heading for a state of exception in which the exception becomes the rule.
 
Because general "A Hundred Fires" threatens military mutiny if he doesn’t get the constitutional coverage he needs to remain on the streets. Because after years of war, 52,000 deployed soldiers, 84 regional operations to "reduce violence", the deployment of 75 security posts, 213,000 dead, a creepy lethality rate in which the army kills 8 people for every 1 wounded, 12,408 complaints to the CNDH [National Human Rights Commission] and the involvement of military commanders in Tlatlaya and Ayotzinapa, the general needs laws that cover up his wrong doings. Laws that protect him and other high commanders. Laws that prevent the Prosecutor General or the international community from demanding accountability one day. And since he knows that is possible, he announces that if he doesn't get them, he’ll return to the barracks, knowing the fear that inspires. He incites military disobedience to produce civil protection.


But what’s behind the demand to "regulate the use of force" is permission to apply it unconstitutionally. To give powers to the Army that it shouldn't have. To centralize power and weaken federalism after criticizing governors and municipal presidents for not exercising it properly. To militarize Mexico in a stealthy, cheating way. Peña Nieto himself admitted it by declaring that "the Army performs investigative functions and works as Attorney General." This is a voluntary assignment of civilian power to military power to fill the gaps the police and criminal justice system have not been able to fill. The gaps that should lead to the central question: Who should be in charge of the country's public security? The Army or the police?


The answer should not even be debated. The answer lies in the honesty, strength, regulation and professionalization of civilian authorities. From there, laws, resources, budget allocations, and constitutional reforms should begin. But in the last two administratioins, both Calderón and Peña Nieto have shown where their preferences are, where their commitments are. Not with those in blue, but rather with those in green. Not with the patrol cars, but rather with the tanks. The evidence is in the growth of the budget for the Army vis a vis the decrease in what the federal government destines to municipal and state police. The civilian authorities are destroying the possibility of police professionalization, creating a vicious circle: since there are no good police officers we need the Army, but as long as we use the Army we will never professionalize the police.

 
And Enrique Peña Nieto allows this because he is timorous, weak, because of his fear of losing power if the Army doesn't support him. Because of the fear he faces with so many homicides, so many disappeared, so many graves, and the international and historical judgment they will invite. To protect himself, he’s prepared to make unacceptable concessions to General Cienfuegos and his people. He’s willing to violate the Constitution and make legal what no civilian president has allowed because of the dangers involved. A situation from which there won’t be a return or will happen after many more are dead, disappeared, tortured or illegally executed. It’s endorsing - through Congress and its initiatives - a self-coup. Because instead of returning the Army to the barracks, the government is allowing the country to be held hostage.


 *Denise Dresser is a Mexican political analyst, writer, and university professor. After completing undergraduate work at The College of Mexico, she earned her Ph.D. in Politics at Princeton University. She is currently a faculty member in the Department of Political Science at the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM), where she teaches courses such as Comparative Politics, Political Economy and Contemporary Mexican Politics. She has taught at Georgetown University and the University of California. In December 2015, she was decorated as a Knight of the Legion of Honor by the French government.

33 comments:

  1. The Military don't want a part of the war, the general just quit in the previous report on BB.

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    1. He quit? I don't remember reading that.

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    2. When you read, "If you want us to go back to our bases, I'll be the 1st to raise both hands", From a General, that's quitting!

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    3. Good point 8:04, I didn't think of it that way.

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    4. el general cienpedos offered to go to his barracks, but it is an offer epn can accept "at his own risk", the police corporations will not be able to keep him in power, and the military may chose to kick him in the nuts themselves if epn accepts "the offer he can refuse"...

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  2. There is, unfortunately no international outcry about The violence and impunity in Mexico at all. Its still seen as fights between The cartels, but from bb and some mexican friends i knew its more everyone against The People.even The goverment is fighting against The People. Paplo escobar was killed cause The government decided to fight him....something i did not yet see in Mexico. The military is doing a mich netter job then local Police forces. Mexico needs a General change in goverment,Police and The people have to Change too. I belive most People knew who and where The bad Guys Are but as Long Police is paid by them nothing will Change so You Need The military.

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    1. tas pero bien guey, pendejo, the military are the ones doing allm the murdering in mexico, the mexicans need to have their own chosen police officers, with no federal police around, and even less generals looking for impunity, epn does not want to be responsible for the crimes against humanity of the mexican armed forces, that is all this is all about, who will be blamed?
      the military loves to claim they were under orders and that their military discipline owes blind obediency to their 'commander in chief", which of course is not a valid argument since the age of the nazis in court...

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  3. What has been said may well be true, but if the police had real powers they would have to arrest almost all the political elite in Mexico and as we know turkeys do not vote for christmas.
    The powers that be have Mexicans held in a downward spiral for years, sad but true.
    Make America Great (British) Again.
    Vive La Paz.

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    1. Funny so true ja ja mexico operates better under Marshal law

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    2. 6:37 the Marshall plan rebuilt europe, after WWII, AMERICAN GENERAL GEORGE MARSHALL was the author, he was a better general than Ike Eisenhower, but the president told hom NO, he could not go to war in europe, because he was needed in the US by FDR, american generals have always known government is better off in civilian hands, it applies to mexico too, even THE GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON who owned it did not accept to be emperor general of the US for life... --but you, a person who does not know the difference between 'Martial Law' and a 'Marshall Plan' had to come and propose this pendejada nomas por andar ahi de caliente.

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  4. I am not a fan of the military stepping in , but Mexico should have declared Marshall law already. The local police will always be ineffective as long as the local cartels keep threatening them and their families. Mexico should really be pushing the US the educate the US people on the impact of its consumption and possibly the idea of legalization.

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    1. 9:28 the US can not educate its own citizens properly,
      --the US education privatizers and private contractors can't do the job either, no matter how many billions and billions of dollars, and the mexican government can not educate the mexican kids either, no matter how many billions and billions of pesos they steal...and you want mexico to educate the US?

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    2. Yep, because all the US seems to be worried about is where in the hell a trans goes to the bathroom. And Mexico knows better than anybody the effects of this drug war.

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  5. National Commission on Human Rights today concludes the Mexican Army illegally fired on protesting AD's in coastal Michoacán in 2015:

    http://www.proceso.com.mx/468006/ejercito-disparo-contra-civiles-en-ostula-confirma-la-cndh

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  6. "Professionalism of civil authorities?" What professionalism? This is what happens when corruption does not allow for civil authorities to control the environment in which Mexico now lives in. This General is truly wanting to do right for the people, but the issue at hand is that dirty politicians do not want their "dirty lists of laundry" to come out to the open public.

    Tell me who messes with the Mexican military? At least we all know that they ARE corrupt, but there is a chain of coaand in place and the lowest private will not dare break the corruption rules that are set forth by their superiors.

    Any civilian authority will take a $20 bribe from any jackass and they'll even kill for that. People, if you don't like what you see, then stop complaining and bask yourselves... who's fault is it?

    "Lions for lambs."

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    1. 11:15 general cienpedos is corrupt since MEXICO68, he "truly" wants impunity for the crimes against humanity he and his muchachos have perpetrated since epn took over, and those he has done since he graduated the military college, cienpedos is also a graduate of the School of the Assassins, what he needs is a dragging of his ass in the mud like the puerco he is and a death by stoning to death, but first a degrading in front of all of his muchachos and to be drummed out of the military field to the rabble to pay for his dues, then the commander in chief epn and his courtesans, fecal, la neta, la fabis, la emilia, all the cophrady of the limp wrist, aka la Cofradia de la Mano Caida. they chose to be military, and corrupt murderers, they need to face the music

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  7. Los Zetas version 2.0 Reloaded

    Sounds like he is about to make another deserter hit squad

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  8. What the article states is spot on BUT it is formulated as if EPN was the problem. EPN and his policies has been made possible by certain vested interest groups (who have put this milk boy as their gallion fugure) which are in favor of militarization as opposed to democratization.

    We are seeing EXACTLY the same trend (albeit less blatantly obvious) also here in the US with militarized police killing certain groups with near impunity, secret laws, secret courts, secret judges, gag orders etc.

    All of this whilst drugs are cheaper, stronger and more plentifull in society than ever!

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  9. Mexico won't change until the Mexican people finally decide that all their dead family members are not worth the extra drug money. Until then, nothing will change.

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    1. That's a good 1 4:22.Even low level trafficking in Mexico would be more dangerous than north of the border.What's the difference though between the military and the police really?They all operate with impunity.If the military get much more power they could pull a coup easily.It actually might be a good thing for Mexico as the 'corruptos in politics' will fall and that's the only way it could happen to get them out of office.No other way!

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    2. the mexican people can do their own police work, and they will do it for free and a pedradas, the police and army will run to the US like the cubans of fulgencio batista, another corrupt mafia member the US supported because Havana Hilton was too precious to american mafia and pederasta tourism, among many other thingies...

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  10. Arriba la revolucion compas

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  11. Army are paid by cartels too. Who ever pays the army the most cash is going to be on top and not suffer any loses. There has been many generals killed after they retire. Most likely the opposing cartel that is bitter and wanted revenge. Real spit

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    1. So we both agree that the Mexican military is legally corrupt. So what is the solution? Revolution? Since the Mexican government can't seem to get anything done right? Inquiries of bonuses within the cabinet members are always a must despite the poverty of its citizens and the increase of violence in their states. Come on, jerk bags in government. It's time for change.

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  12. Mexico needs miltar rule

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  13. Military rule for Mexico only way

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    1. 6:11 & 6:15 you need a steel rule up your arses, pa que llenen de andar aqui de calientes con los pinchis militares mexicanos que han apoyado al pinchi gobierno y agarrado su parte del botin todo el tiempo...

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  14. Reality is military is bought too. With the tons of cash these cartels have , it's no Brainer that the Mexican military will provide the muscle and transportation for the chosen cartel. Wiping out rivals with impunity. Evidence has proven government officials are or were affiliated with some drug cartel to operate. Not rocket science. Mexico should impose the death penalty for the manufacture and distribution of narcotics . However should legalize cannabis . Truth is America is transforming its laws and policies from marijuana dispensaries.

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  15. Mexico anda cerrando refinerias y pozos petroleros, pero ahora quiere scales petrolio y dinero de las nalgas a todos los mexicanos, tengan carro o no tengan, pero eso no tiene nada que ver con la Reforma energetic ni con la privatization de pemex ni con los robos al erario ni con las Casas Blancas y los condos de epn y la pinche gabiota, sino todo lo contrario... pero usté hagase pendejo, y usté y usté tambien.

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  16. I think it's time for peace.

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  17. His credibility can be reviewed through the number of cases he has done and his success ratio. Divorce lawyer, divorce lawyers,

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