Borderland Beat
A Forbes reporter "Looking Back at 2012: A Year of #Mexico #Drugwar Tweets"
this post is popping with information and great links- hashtags take you to the tweet, without # takes you to the full referenced article where the photos and graph were from......
Relative recognizes victim |
Nathaniel Parish Flannery
On a warm afternoon in Mexico City, I sat down in a
restaurant and reviewed my tweets about Mexico from 2012. I think that over the
course of the past year the dialogue about Mexico started to shift from the
“Under Siege” drugwar theme towards a conversation that focused on the paradox
of impressive economic activity taking place in the context of frightening
cartel violence.
Although grisly organized crime-related violence persists in
many parts of the country, in 2012 many media outlets started paying more
attention to the country’s strong underlying economic potential.
On January 3, 2012 I tweeted that Goldman Sachs Asset
Management Chairman Jim O’Neill said that as costs in China rise,
“ #Mexico might
be the big winner.” On January 20 I tweeted a link to this New York Times story and explained “There has been a definite shift
of violence away from the border and back to the interior states.”
In this article I wrote for The Global Post about Mexico’s #OCCUPY movement, I explained “The
violence, once mostly contained in the pressure cooker along Mexico’s northern
border, is now bursting out in an increasing number of cities and towns
throughout the country, even singeing the capital city. Violence is emerging as
a serious problem in cities from the agrarian state Michoacán to beach-side
vacation destinations like Acapulco and Veracruz.”
On February 2 I tweeted that “according to @CIDAC the top googled cities
in #Mexico for
insecurity are Torreon, Zacatecas, and #Acapulco.”
On February 6 I tweeted a link to my article
“Mexico’s Silicon Valley fends off cartel concerns.”
Mexican video game masters creating new game in "Silicon Valley" aka Guadalajara |
In the article,
I explained that Guadalajara Mexico is emerging as a high-tech IT service hub,
even in the context of rising cartel violence. I wrote:
Incidents like the case a few weeks ago where two dozen
headless bodies were dumped in the center of the city are part of the reason
why a Google search for “Guadalajara IT” turns up the auto-responses not only
of expected results like “Guadalajara IT jobs” and “Guadalajara IT industry,”
but also “Guadalajara is it safe.”
Guadalara, a city in a state dealing with rising levels
of inter-cartel violence, is home to IT operations run by HP, Dell, Intel, and
an ecosystem of smaller companies.
On February 9 I tweeted “I’m reading the latest travel
advisory to #Mexico:’Millions of US citizens safely visit Mexico,
150K cross border daily.’” I then tweeted that “U.S. Dept of State says #Mexico is
safe: just not Juarez, Durango, Nuevo Leon, Sinaloa, Tamualipas, Guerrero,
Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacan…”
On February 13, after attending an event at the Americas
Society in New York I tweeted “Tonight at @ascoa @ChrisSabatini said costs
in #China are
rising but for #Mexico to
benefit “security gains have to be deepened.”
On February 17 I tweeted a link to this photo by Dominic Bracco and explained “a couple is killed in #Juarez ‘A
single bullet entered the man’s skull & took all 3 lives.’”
Young couple executed in Juarez, she was pregnant |
On February 20 I tweeted a link to this interview with Council for Foreign Relations Mexico expert Shannon O’Neil
in which she explains “Mexico is a place that’s seen a huge escalation in
violence. Under President Felipe Calderon over the last five years, we’ve seen
almost 50,000 people killed in drug-related murders.
But at the same time,
Mexico’s economy has actually been doing quite well since the end of the global
recession. Mexico was the hardest hit in Latin America but it’s recovered quite
quickly, and in part it’s been due to a huge boom in manufacturing along the
border tied to U.S. companies and to U.S. consumers.”
On February 29, I tweeted an article I wrote for The Atlantic about artisan
tequila production in the hills of Jalisco, Mexico in which I explain that
“Overall, according to figures from Mexico’s secretary of economy, tequila
production has more than doubled since 1995. In 2011, Mexico exported more than
163 million liters of the agave-based alcohol, up from 64 million in 1995.”
On March 6 I tweeted “An analyst from @EurasiaGroup just told
me #Mexico is
‘a contradictory situation – economy is doing relatively well, but security =
problem.’”
On March 10 I tweeted a link to a “Good article in Spanish w/ graphics & maps on the recent cartel
attacks in Guadalajara,” the home of the expanding tech and tequila industries.
Also on March 10, I tweeted that “After gunmen burn 25 cars, police arrest cartel leaders in Guadalajara, find 30 machine guns
& also grenades.”
click on any photo to enlarge |
On March 16 I tweeted a link to this Harvard
Revista article and explained “w/ widespread violence it is easier for criminals
to engage in predatory activities.” On March 18, I tweeted a link to this New
York Times article and explained that “In 14 of #Mexico ’s
31 states, the chance of a crime’s leading to trial and sentencing = less than
1%.”
On April 3 I tweeted that “Last week, at least 280 people
were killed in #Mexico ’s
#drugwar”
and also explained that U.S. President Barack Obama said that as a good
neighbor, “We have a responsibility to make sure not only guns but also bulk
cash isn’t flowing into #Mexico.”
On May 3 I tweeted “I’m reading an article about how
un-manned drones helped seize 3150 kilos of pot on the #Texas #border.
Meanwhile, 60K are dead in#Mexico.” On May
13 I tweeted a link to this Los Angeles Times article
and explained “In the last 8 years, 130 U.S. #Border Patrol
agents have been arrested & 600 more are under investigation.”
Also on May
13, I tweeted a link to this New York Times article
which explains that “With 50,000 murders over the past six years linked to
Mexico’s drug war, the
amount of suffering faced by survivors cannot be overstated. But as they mourn
their lost loved ones, grieving Mexicans must also grapple with suspicion from
those who wonder if the victims were asking for trouble and if their relatives
might be outlaws, too.”
On May 14 I tweeted “18 mutilated bodies turned up in
abandoned vehicles along a highway near Guadalajara #Mexico.” On
June 3 I tweeted “w/less than 10% of the world´s population, countries in#LatAm experience
more than 30% of all homicides” and also shared a comment from Guatemala’s
president who said that when it comes to drugs, we should “stop following a
failed policy.”
That poor female was pregnant and had a big bump. But thats ok because Chapo did'nt do it directly so it makes it ok. Ohhhh I better call him "el señor" like a true suckass since I've never met him or will. This never happened until he started his bullshit war and fucked up Mexico. We can't even go over there without being affected somehow. Stop kissing peoples ass you'll never even get near much less see.
ReplyDeleteYou are a templario. That's is for sure but I can tell you guys that you guys have a 10 years of doing whatever you want after that you will be history that is for sure
DeleteNice post, it will take me a while to get through but the 2 links I read so far are very interesting.
ReplyDelete"relative recognizes victim" that is a heart wrenching picture,truly sadness me...i just imagine if that was one of my relatives,i be goin out on a suicide mission..yes i would join the cartel that my dead relative was involved in.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't up to you usual high standards here, Chivis.Yawn.
ReplyDeleteThat one and the young woman in the car, she was ready to have her baby.
ReplyDeleteThere was a hanging in Mty about a year ago, of a female called "the redhead", she was hung alive and naked from the waist up. she was taken from a prison vehicle transporting her to the hospital. She was very pretty and being female her photo and videos of her hanging were published everywhere.
She had a 11 year old son, and from what was said came from a good family with loving parents. That image always stuck with me because as a parent and grandparent I could not imagine how horrific that must have been for the parents and the little son, the image must have been embedded in their mind and invaded their sleep many times.
Whatever a person may have done or not done, I think of the family and shudder at the thought of having walked in their shoes.
Dude.. Get ur story straight b-4 u make a comment.. That redheaded chick was a Zeta.. Ur full of B. S
DeleteBuela, I hope you don't mind about me sharing your news article on my blog. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteChivis,have you got a link on the "redhead"i have seen story's of her but brief ones,like i know she got pinched by the authority's and while they were moving her an armed group "snatched" her from the authority's,but i dont know who she worked for and who the armed group was.....
ReplyDeleteHey Chivis,do you really believe those guys were really trying to snatch EL Pokemons body?
ReplyDelete"Im back from Mexico" forum.....truth is starting to circulate....the truth for once,proud of you forum people......its not the good guys(cds) versus the badguys(zetas)...there all scum,CDG too there all SCUM!!!!
ReplyDeletehere is Pellirojo [the redhead] story
ReplyDeletehttp://www.borderlandbeat.com/2010/12/la-pelliroja-found-dead-in-monterrey.html
regarding Pokémon, no I do not believe they were trying, it makes zero sense, the family would receive the body in a day anyway and bodies are rarely stolen, in lazca's scenario the word was the body was taken as a strategic move to confuse CDG an CDS.
@8:38...well I sure thought it was very interesting...not the article simply as presented and not the hash tag links to twitter but the links in the article were excellent covering a lot of ground, a lot of sadness but also sprinkled with some positives such as the economy and the Mexico version of silicon valley which is amazing.
I do realize this will not attract the readers looking for gore and war but to me this is the type of reporting that is quality and gives a true frame of reference to the time and events, and issues of Mexico.
I hope I don't offend you but it is those readers that gravitate to a higher standard of articles that are most likely those that will take that information and share it with others in an informative and complete way, so that those in the English speaking world will get an accurate sense of what exists in Mexico....Paz, Chivis
Anytime Tex.... :)
ReplyDeleteand Buggs is cool with it also..
I got married in Acapulco 25 years ago. In 2010 in Acapulco, a girlfriend of my wife who was @ our wedding died with her youngest son, while picking up her older boy from school. They were victims of crossfire between gunmen & soldiers. I think about her older boy often, since he had survived. My hate for the drug war & hypocrisy in the US government is wholly due to truly innocent lives being destroyed merely to further an agenda that has reconstituted slavery & serves the military industrial complex.
ReplyDeleteI lost my wife and son to the war against the cartels. They were in mexico visiting relatives. They both disappeared for 17 days and they were found dead. our truck was never found. My wife was tortured,raped,murdered. All for a fucking truck. And yet i still see my people supporting these bastards there are no good guys in these cartels.. Cds killed them. I know this for a fact. I just hope the good lord gives me the chance at payback. In mexico or here on u.s. Soil.
DeleteDeath to cds
My mom dad and my sister were in Zacatecas and I was worried because they never came back, the bodies were never found no info for 5 yrs i became a CDG member and avenge their death I've killed more than 100 and there's plenty more vengeance
Delete-Twister
There is something really weird about people quoting themselves.
ReplyDeleteIt's CHAOS I tell you, CHAOS! But the money is flowing, all in order, as expected, so everything is cool, nothing to see here!
ReplyDeleteThese criminals are not certified, card-carrying, badged "cartel members" commiting the violence, they are nothing but thugs supporting the upper management. Chapo and the upper management could care less about what the thugs are doing, as long as the money keeps flowing. And the money is flowing, it is rolling in very well. Remove management and all you have left are the thugs.
chivis...good work.
ReplyDelete@AmigoAnónimo
ReplyDelete"hate for the drug war & hypocrisy in the US government"
Hypocrisy exists in every government on this planet,some more than others.We know how much you all hate the USA,but Mexico has to fix herself.
fam just got back from Mexico, they said every gas station heading into Monterrey, NL, was a party...everyone celebrating and happily returning home. nothing bad to report
ReplyDeleteGood they're back. These past 5 days have been brutal. Check Mutimedios Monterrey, death rate is rising, Domene mentions these are clashes between rivals, but innocent people are caught in the crossfire.
DeleteThis evening on the news given by Arq. Benavides, 34 dead in 8 days. Not good...
Delete5:59/AM
ReplyDeletewho quoted what? such a random stupid comment
@6:36 No need to get ugly. Tweets. People tweet and walk around quoting their tweets.
ReplyDeleteChapo is a dumb a..ss its hes fault theres a war in mexico...and hes people have killed thousands of people, for all the nuthuggers that cheer him .all are ignorant.
ReplyDeleteSo mamon, since you don't like Chapo are you saying you want the pinche z's in charge?
DeleteAtte:
El Fantasma!
@5:33pm Bro,so sorry too hear......thats just pure evil,FK CDS and the rest of them filth cartels,how dare they do such things,lowlife filth they are!!!
ReplyDelete@5:33PM
ReplyDeleteHow horrible. Sinaloa?
I don't understand why some people will insist cds or cdg or whichever do not kill innocents, they all do.
period.
@12:11am He wants vengeance for his family,and you ask him if he wants the Pinche Z's too run the show.....what part of his story dont you understand..
ReplyDeleteMr O'niell is right in that Mexico would certainly benefit from rising costs in China however production will most certainly move to South America as many large companies (Sony, Apple, etc) simply do not trust manufacturing or moving goods thru Mexico due to corruption. Working in the intl trade industry I can tell you this from experience meeting with teams from these companies, Mexico is largely a no go eventhought it's right next door. So sad...
ReplyDeleteDude.. go back to school and learn to read English, I spoke of the family members not of those killed...
ReplyDeletethis website http://www.drugwar101.com/blog/drug-war-photo-of-the-day
ReplyDeletewow photos blew me away reminds me of how good BB used to be.
CHIVIS!!! WE NEED ARTICLES. FOOD FOR THOUGHT, I'M STARVING.
ReplyDeleteI know-I know! Sorry bout that, we are all pretty busy with life right now.....hang on there.....paz chivis
ReplyDeleteHeyyy chivis I have a question for you is it really true that cjng is no longer with sinaloa cartel because I wached el molca talking and I did not really believe it at all
DeleteMexico, How is that "No Death Penalty" working out for you?
ReplyDelete"Mexico, How is that "No Death Penalty" working out for you"
ReplyDeleteYou've said that about a million fuckin times?Why don't you get a tat on your ass with it?Do you think cartel shooters give two fucks about death?Death penalty gonna stop them runnin round with ARs isn't it
8:04 am .
ReplyDeleteI like the term no justice instead of no death penalty. The government executes many all the time. A lot of deserving bastards I am sure. I also belive (with long history of corruption) than many of the killings are murders hidden amoung all the shootouts.
The mexican government in a huge narco organization selling drugs all over the world. Its not just the ruthless gangs. Is it global ? Is Chapo just the hood ornamet on a large car ? Or is Chapo really the man ? Is Mexico such a weakling that they cant flex their muscle and go get una chaparito indio en la sierra de Sinaloa ?
Mexico , home of the largest city in the world harbors one of the most wanted men and cant pic him up. LOL
@1:24pm hahahahahaha u so right dude...like a broken fukn record hahahahahaha....
ReplyDelete@9:55 no one wanna go into the gay bar too get him is why.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDelete"Mexico, How is that "No Death Penalty" working out for you"
You've said that about a million fuckin times?Why don't you get a tat on your ass with it?Do you think cartel shooters give two fucks about death?Death penalty gonna stop them runnin round with ARs isn't it
January 9, 2013 1:24 PM
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Allowing a few characters of text to effect you in such a way is a sure sign of serious mental illness. Please for your sake and those around you seek professional help!
January 10, 2013 10:21 AM
ReplyDeleteEyyyyy.That's right my man,fruity loops are us.
And,,,im getting a tat just like yours.It was the bells you know,the bells,it was the big one that made me deaf.And you?You are a small bell?
for some reason chivis seems like shes hot...r u? may b cuz shes sounds smart...........randommmm
ReplyDelete