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Thursday, January 2, 2014

CORRUPTION: Not Just Governors, Small Town Mayors Can Retire To The Good Life Too

By DD for Borderland Beat
San Antonio Home of Ramos Arizpe Mayor Ramon Rodriquez Oceguara
In November I ran across a story in a Mexican newspaper, Sin Embargo, about the mayor of a small town in Coahuila purchasing a “retreat” home” in San Antonio, Texas that is about 24,000 sq.ft, and has five bedrooms  and the same number of bathrooms, plus a pool with spa included and space for three cars in the garage. The one-story house also features a game room, bar, studio and jacuzzi and other amenities.

 The records show that he paid nearly $11,000,000 pesos ($850,000 USD) for the mansion while earning $24,500 pesos ($2,200 USD) a month as Mayor of Ramos Arizpe, a small city of about 48,000 close to Saltillo. 


The home is located in the subdivision 'The Pinnacle', one of the most exclusive residential areas of San Antonio..
At the time I read the story I thought it was an interesting example of how a even a small time politician in Mexico can become rich and live the good life after he leaves office.  

But when compared to the hundreds of million dollars missing from state treasuries where governors such as Humberto Morira,  Thomas Yarrington, Mario Ernesto Villanueva Madrid, Andre Granier and others held office,  I thought that the suspected corruption of Mayor Ramón Rodríguez Oceguera was too small time to merit a story on Borderland Beat.   

Accordingly I just filed it away in my research files

None of the Governors who are suspected of corruption and robbing the treasuries of their states have been convicted of those charges.  Some of them are not even the subject of an investigation.  One of the Governors who has been linked to corruption in the press is on a short list for an Ambassadorial appointment.  Mayor Ramon Rodríguez Oceguera has not been charged or convicted of a crime either.

I recently read a statement by a political observer in Mexico who made a plea to elected officials…”when you steal from your city or state, please steal only half of what others have stolen.  You will still get millions to make your life comfortable, and there will be enough left in the treasury to operated your entity after you leave”


Remembering that plea, when I read a story in el Diario de Coahila about what happened in Ramos Arizipe when Mayor Rodrequez left office, I decided to publish this story. 

The start-up for the new municipal administration headed by Ricardo Aguirre Ramos Arizpe, could be one of the roughest of the municipalities of Coahuila, since the last administration staff literally ransacked municipal facilities, taking computer equipment, furniture, telephones and all official stationery.

The previous administration (Mayor Rodriquez) evidently didn’t heed the advice to leave enough for the city to operate when they were looting the city.

MISSING 60% OF VEHICLES

In Proceedings of the handover, a shortfall of at least 50 vehicles, out of a total of 80, which means it has not been able to verify the whereabouts of 60% of the vehicle fleet of the City was documented.
60 % of these type vehicles were missing.  What was left would not run
The city  has serious mechanical failure, up to 90%, leaving the town almost without units to start with the primary services such as lighting, paving, parks and gardens, and other areas core of the village.

ARMORED SUV Missing

In Proceedings of the handover, also failed to justify an armored van type Grand Cherokee 2010 model, which should have been submitted with the vehicle fleet, but the unit whose value in round 200,000 pesos also disappeared.

This truck is not assigned to the mayor of Ramos Arizpe, which was purchased with municipal funds, but later bought by the mayor for his personal use but no paperwork to document the sale was included ,

Radio Equipment Missing


Perhaps one of the greatest irregularities, is the lack of at least 40 radio equipment type Matra, which were purchased for the Municipal Police with resources from the federal government through the Subsemun.

Each radio has a value of approximately 40 thousand pesos which can be added to the missing of all township security cameras, as currently in the municipal 066 emergency system there is only one security camera.  Nearly 30 they were active at some point in the administration.

The Social Communication, also has serious gaps in electronic equipment such as cameras, video recorders, and other devices including laptops, phones, fax machines, among other missing which in turn was acquired for media monitoring communication.

In the offices of the Municipal DIF four computers, of the 15 that were registered, are still there.  They even took the mini-split air conditioners from the offices..

The list of missing items seems endless, but among the strongest irregularities are missing files in all areas of public administration, including files from the Municipal Treasury which did not submit a single document in the process of handover

So even a small town corrupt politician can have a good retirement, he just has to steal more.


67 comments:

  1. Nice story DD. The whole situation seems goofy. How does a goofball like that get such a nice estate? I bet he was a goof when he was in office.

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  2. Great article. Original. On point. Full of information.

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  3. He should be investigated by the IRS here and kicked out. The IRS investigates every other middle class SBA owner. We dont need thieving cockroaches living here.

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  4. Replies
    1. Con Rason el junior se compro un corvette.

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  5. THIS IS NOT RELATED BUT THERE ARE REPORTS (NON OFFICIAL) THAT CHINO ANTRAX HAS BEEN CAPTURED ANYONE KNOW

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  6. corruption starts at the top. If Mexico had a department of Justice with teeth, they would of been able to follow up with all this corruption starting with governors and members of mexican congress, the message would trickle down. but since Mexico has no shame, they say a poor politican is a stupid politician.

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  7. Italian narco busted in cartagena http://m.infonews.com/infonews/notas/117206.php

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  8. @chivis can u confirm if its true about chino antrax being caught in holland???

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  9. The price you stated for that house is way off. 24,000 square feet for $885,000 is only about $34 a square foot. You can't build a plywood dog house for $34 a sq. ft. A house like that costs $350 to $450 a sq. ft. or more. Which puts the house at 10 or 11 Million. Check your numbers.

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    Replies
    1. My cousin and his friend who is a maestro and I can build you a mansion for $30/sq.ft. We can pick up some vatos from in front of the Home Depot if we need help. LOL.

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    2. When Donald trump gets involved,he pays 10 000.00 US dollars of his partners money per square foot,of which he steals 99% of the money.
      Mexican politicians pay ten times as much, steal all the money and nothing gets done...

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  10. Capturing en holanda all chino an

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  11. Thank you to everyone for sending me the chino antrax story especially "Sam" for the link

    I have heard for 2 days but could not find a story until today,

    . Riodoce is the only source reporting it, but that is a pretty good source.
    http://riodoce.mx/narcotrafico-2/detienen-en-holanda-el-chino-antrax-sicario-del-cartel-de-sinaloa

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  12. Credit to Mr g to the onza for Chino anthrax capture in Amsterdam

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  13. A fellow on forum said that chino anthrax would be next after MP

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  14. at least created jobs in san antonio

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  15. Mendigas ratas sinverguenzas no se van a llevar ni los zapatos cuando se los lleve Satanas....a pudrirse al infierno....junto con Puneta-Nieto, Culeron, el joto de Fox, etc etc

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    Replies
    1. I have been telling for a while that corrupt government officials are much much worse than the narcs and their sicarios,while not one of them deserve any forgiveness,there is even worse,the businessmen behind the whole rigmarole,the bigger the worse,start with carlos slimmy and the Hank rohn brothers...

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  16. I was thinking they need to capture that fuck, dumb shit probably was wearing his nike id's with A hidden rf chip to track his flamboyant ass

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  17. Dude, houses in san antonio dont cost that much, you heard of the housing bubble that burst right, well whos to say that his cousin isnt a rotten real estate developer that got him in?

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  18. @1:51 & 2:13 PM. Thanks for your kind comments. Glad you enjoyed it. I wonder how much of this goes on in small towns all over Mexico.

    @8:11PM I took the numbers straight from the Sin Embargo story, but I agree with you that they are doubtfully accurate. I think they probably took the square footage of the lot (though it was given in Sq. Meters). from the tax rolls. That would make the lot a little over a half acre, which probably would be about right. The article did say the houses in that subdivision started at half a mil and went up to a million. It was assessed on the tax rolls at something like $750,000.

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  19. As far as chino goes, i think we should have some meat by the end of the weekend, I dont know what the dutch due process is but watch the twitter accts of the people who would be on twitter for some chatter

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  20. Not only do these thieves steal from their coffers, they make millions in bribes, issuing fake birth and death certificates , fixing traffic fines, eliminating crime charges and the list goes on and on. In Mexico, "MONEY TALKS AND BULLSHIT WALKS." And guess what, most of the government officials involved in theft cases are PRI related.

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  21. No worries el chino is in sinaloa con la banda. Para eso son los verdes

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  22. it doesnt matter the dam square feet dollars..just understand that bb is only trying to point out about a poor town mayor in mexico with a huge house in san Antonio, tx, it dont matter how much dollars per square ft..damm u guys..just understand the point.

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    1. Everything matters,the house will have to be sold and the money and the mayor returned to Mexico for a trial,

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    2. 11:02 it matters enough,if the ex-mayor spent more that the state budget for ten years,his ass needs to esplain where the money came from,or we the rotten asses will explain it for him,obviously.
      What has drug trafficking narco related big money to do with unexplainable personal enrichment? Everything,and welcome to papa,said uncle Sam...

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  23. Chino Antrax: Only the RioDoce story reports about a capture, Dutch papers have reported nothing nor has any other mexico papers. If nothing breaks tomorrow that will be 3 days so it would be doubtful. RioDoce is a respectable source which is why I keep checking....but it looks like it is false information.

    tomorrow we should know one way or the other...

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    1. Chivis debate has that article w a link to a site of a Amsterdam website, it's in dutch language but I can only understand that a Mexican national was captured and his 33 years old check it out

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    2. Chivis do debate has a link to a Amsterdam website where they say a Mexican national was captured in the airport and that he's 33 years old, that's all I understood since it's in Dutch language , check it out

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    3. Chivas excellent on keeping us updated.

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  24. It only talks about a 33 year old Mexican, internationally know for drug smuggling arrested while boarding by order of the us government..

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  25. It only says 33 year old Mexican national known for international drug smuggling arrested while boarding by orders of us government. .

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  26. Id check reuters more, there was an article that mentioned they lived like playboys but it was also concurrent with some guys getting nabbed, plus I dont know if holland has extradition agreements, or, they could do things differently, they are usually quieter about things in europe

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  27. Que paso porque estan cayendo los 3 mandos?

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  28. The biggest problem Mexico has is exactly what this article is about: the looting, plundering, and pillaging of the federal, state, municipal funds by the politicians/functionaries,/authorities. Irregardless of the party in power, if the robbery of govt. coffers didn't occur in Mexico, Mexicans would have created a paradise by now. They would have money to spend on infrastructure; they would have money to lend out while collecting interest on it; they would'nt have the massive debt we have due to military spending. As far as where Arizpe Mayor Rodriguez accumulated his wealth, I'm sure Bert Moreira and Lazca threw money his way apart from money he took from his municipality; furthermore, I'am sure some of the govt. properties can be found in the homes of the public servants.

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  29. In all honesty. Chino Antrax is no one important in the game. He has a passport andcomes to the U.S frequently. Cmon now you guys think hhe's actually WANTED? ...its all fame from corridos. Whoever doesn't see that then I'm sorry to inform you that a lot of corridos are written by their own friends. Yes he has money. Yes he's somehow involved with money laundering and stuff like that. But is he this big shot cold blooded killer that fights soldiers all the time? NO!

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  30. Create jobs in San Antonio, thaks for building your house in SA

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  31. These are the real criminals, they're fucking us up in the ass and we let this shit happen, politicians should be executed first, purge the fucking system from it's core an then deal with them dope pushers and "sicarios", what Mexico needs is a nationalist leader, someone who really loves his country and someone who is willing to die for it.
    There's a lot of brave countrymen who are willing to fight for it, I include myself in it, we're sick of all this garbage, we need to start by murdering every corrupt son of a whore.

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  32. There is not a 24000 square foot home in Bexar county. The inacuracy probably has to do with impervious cover: patios, drives, porches and pools. The rest of the numbers, like the value and bedrooms, work out. Nonetheless, the mayor smells like graft.

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  33. Hopeless. Hopeless mexico, kick this fuck outta my country, go back to the hell hole you created

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  34. What is the matter with these Mexicans,are any of these so-called leaders decent,it happens all over the world,but it seems it is every single one of these elected reps ?

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  35. They shouldn't be allowed to rape Mexico,and go and take all that investment money out of Mexico to live in the US,fuck them off,investigate them,but then again,there is corruption in allowing him to behave like this on both sides.
    Invest all that money in Mexico,you are"proud"Mexicans as you always like to harp on about ? Why go the US ?

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    Replies
    1. Pendejos get brainwashed into putting their money in foreign banks,when they get fingered or killed,they never see the money again,their assets do not go back to Mexico either,ask Bertie boy,Salinas de gortari,or la chucky,no money and no assets back,but estupidos never learn...

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  36. My daughter lives in a two million dollar home in Utah. It is probably about the same footage including the garage. It dwarfs this house. It also has two levels. This house is nice, and the price sounds about right.Even at the price it is amazing he was able to buy it on his income. It is amazing how many of these scumbags and presidents of Mexico get the heck out of Mexico once their terms are up, and they have raped the people, and the system as much as they could.

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    1. 8:39 and your daughter is?

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    2. 4:32am She's someone you don't know. Stop hating on the man's daughter!

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  37. everyone can scream and kick all they want but as long as the Mexican people remain indifferent and keep choosing to live on their knees at the mercy of the PRI and the cartels there is not much anyone else can do for them,so the stealing,pillaging,murdering and extortions will continue...

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  38. ANTRAX:

    Actually I did check the Dutch paper it is printed in pared and is
    nieuws.nl

    but I could not find the story if you did and have a specific link PLEASE send to me. or if you are just saying that is what is reported in Mexican papers I checked already.

    I know those who sent me the story are frustrated as you have sent me info for days. That is why I kept posting comments that I was working on it.

    May I am too cautious, but I like two independent CREDIBLE sources before posting a story like this. and there is not two. There is RioDoce which I find very credible...and there are reprints of the RioDoce story. that's it so far. No Proceso, no Jornada no nothing. (I know grammar police double negative)

    So I waited. I don't have a problem with Tijuano posted it especially since the title is a disclaimer, but for me I want to be a little more sure.

    as for serafin. ummm....I doubt it. It is way too early for him to be singing. the process has to progress to a point that it is deemed necessary. You don't give up the goods unless your back is up against the wall.

    secondly, why give info thru one son and not the other? I use logic.

    IMO I don't think Serifin will be convicted. Unless something big is revealed.

    Paz
    Chivis

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    Replies
    1. Relish the thought against the wall...
      Chivaaa! I'm dying here!!!

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  39. have it...it was from yesterday...also his instagram from yesterday.

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  40. to all the primadonna wanna be drug traffickers, keep posting your shit on social media and using smart phones...

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  41. Several of you have posted comments saying all elected officials in Mx. are corrupt. That is not true. There are some good honest people in office, although they may be the exception. In my city about the same size as Ramos Arizpe, the outgoing Mayor left a city debt smaller than when he took office. Streets were paved, complete new water lines installed throughout the city and a lot of other accomplishments.

    However all too often the prayer of the candidate is "God, just grant one one thing in this life.help me get elected so I can steal enough money to provide me and my family a good life for the rest of our lives.". Just plain old greed.

    Some are corrupted by the cartel threat of "plata o plomo" - silver or lead. Do what we want or we will kill you and your family.

    I have wondered when the Mx people will say "basta" - enough. when they will have been pushed too far. I don't know the answer to that, but what I think is lacking for the Mex. people to stand up and rebel against the crime and corruption is a leader. An uprising without a leader is not going to accomplish much.

    Maybe a leader will emerge from the self-defense movement taking place now. Dr. Mireles seems like he could be such a leader as he gains more and more prominence and recognition.

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  42. DD@2:12 como que,what,an honest mayor,in Mexico? We are going to kill that bastard,for high treason,now all the people are going to "expect" more honesty,and that don't works...
    By the way fuck the grametrica

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  43. I implore BB warriors to contact every news service and law enforcement agency in the san antonio area and bring a spotlight down on this vermin.

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    1. San Antonio has its own cases of political corruption that go unpunished. The downtown business assoc. and city council enrich each other at taxpayer expense. Whistleblowers face criminal trespass warnings by the mayor and city atty. SAPD, and the DA also have scandals that get swept under the carpet. Ex-Mayor Rodriguez should fit right in

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  44. U.S. politicians at all levels "STEAL" from the U.S. coffers all the time. Intentionally paying ridiculous amounts of money for overpriced goods and services is a common practice. Military contracts are the biggest culprits. Remember the $800 hammers? the $15,000 toilet seats?, etc, etc. It is all a scam everywhere in the world. ALL politicians are corrupt in someway and somehow....EL QUE ES POLITICO, ES RATA!!!

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  45. !2 years ago, The PRI lost the government to PAN. Throughout the state of Nayarit, the PRI took everything of value. Not even a desk or a chair was left. The institutional theft of funds and property was created during the last days of the PRI control. Punta Mita, a beautiful peninsula near Puerta Vallarta. All of the best beach land was taken from the local ejido (communal land grants) people and given to PRI connected supporters. Let me give you an example of the value of the land stolen from the Mexican people: The Four Season Hotel chain, has a "5" star resort at Punta Mita. A private golf course, each bungalow has it's own swimming pool, and President Obama stayed there during an economic meeting. The ejido people were screwed again and again.

    One of the few options that poor people have is migrate to the U.S.A. We are Mexico's pressure valve. Without this pressure valve of the best and angriest migrating, a revolution would have broken out already. The generations of insults, and crime against the people would have led to a bloody civil war. The PRI and its elite supporters know this.. This is why going by bus or plane to the border of the U.S. costs less than going back to their home states. The PRI encourages migration to the U.S.

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    Replies
    1. I surfed punta de mita prior to the land grab by the developers who subsequently shut the whole place down and kicked out the local inhabitants. Such a beautiful place prior to the hotel and now only reserved for the rich or those with a boat to motor in.

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  46. I saw a lot of Mexicans spending a lot of money for the holidays in San Marcos, Texas, Outlets. This scene happens yearly.

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    1. 6:54 I bet those Mexicans had a lot of trouble jumping the fence back to Mexico when loaded with all that MADE IN CHINA American loot,they could do like the Americans and buy it in Mexico,where pirated from America, Chinese goods are better and cheaper...

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  47. Why do they go North where things are very expensive compared to Mexico?
    Hate to say it but that kind of money along with yearly property taxes is absurd. Why did this person not buy a hacienda in Mexico or Guatemala or even Spain . Why go to a very expensive place to live ? Does not make sense.

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  48. To 10:06 AM

    Check out Google Map (Satellite). There are giant mansions owned by super wealthy Mexicans and oil princes (I think Punta Mita is were Gaddafi's son was arrested). The best beaches that was opened to generations of local Mexicans and travelers, are now surrounded with razor wire or have the new Berlin wall and warning signs.

    This is part of the long history of corruption and theft that is Mexico. I don't blame the average, honest Mexican. I put almost all the blame on that den of Ratas. the PRI.

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  49. @ 6:54 and 4;45AM

    News flash! Not all Mexicans are shoeless poor. And they don't "Jump the fence back to Mexico". Most drive back loaded with durable goods. Sales taxes in the Mexican states that border the U.S. went up. From 10% to 16% as of january 1, 2014

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  50. 2:44 we are not hating on that fine rich lady,but just wondering,if she is as pretty as she seems to be rich,she must be worth meeting,how about a photo?

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  51. 11:17 ESB,isn't it ironic that you can't get the irony?
    in mexico you can buy everyting american,which is most all chinese made,while in mexico it is pirated goods,and cheaper,also you don't have to jump the fence back to mexico,but you are risking that some halcon or his boss steal your loot to give to the poor for christmas.
    nother point is that nobody on BB badmouths the poor mexicans,but that the rich get rich through crime,and the suffering of the mexican people, caused by the sicarios,the narcs,the government,the international investors that use terrorism and public corruption to conquer and take back the former banana republics,their unending quest to privately own the land and the slaves THAT IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS IN LATIN AMERICA,and to round it, all over the world...GLOBALLY ROUND...
    ESB, let's stop counting the dead,and noting the little crimes or the grammatical misfirings of us, the rabble,that is the domain of editors, who can't usually write anything original and can't think of anything to say...
    by the way are you a boy or a girl? age,school,profesional?
    i hope you are not ann coulter...

    ReplyDelete

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