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Thursday, January 26, 2023

Tapachula, Chiapas: Central American Gangs Spread Terror In Southern Mexico

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

With threatening phone calls, burned passenger vans and at least three drivers shot to death, street gangs most closely associated with Central America are imposing their style of terror-based extortion on public transport drivers in southern Mexico.

Organized crime organizations, including rival gangs Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18, have long been present in the Mexico-Guatemala border zone, but Mexican authorities say their numbers have increased over the past year as El Salvador has cracked down on gang members and their criminal activities.

Drivers of passenger vans and cabs, on whom people depend for transportation in Chiapas, a largely rural state, say they live in fear for their livelihoods or their lives. They have reacted in alarm, staging temporary work stoppages to get the attention of the authorities. The owner of a transport company in Tapachula has begun to move around accompanied by bodyguards.

Some admit that they have made payments to the extortionists, after seeing what has happened to those who have not.

"If we don't do anything we are going to be a small Salvador," said a drivers' leader in the town of Huixtla, where a driver was shot by two men on a motorcycle last February. The man requested anonymity for fear of gang reprisals.

Several drivers in Huixtla showed vouchers to The Associated Press documenting the payments, dated up to a year ago.

In general, the extortion begins with someone getting into the vehicle and handing a cell phone to the driver, sometimes while pointing a gun to the driver's head. Drivers are instructed to hand the phone to the owner of the vehicle, van or cab, establishing a direct line of communication.

Then the threats begin.

Callers demonstrate to the owners that they already know who they are, where they live, their routines and their livelihoods, according to recordings reviewed by the AP. With distinctly Central American accents, Salvadoran slang and vulgarities, they initially ask for $50 and then $50 a month for each van or cab, explained a representative of the drivers in Tapachula, who also requested anonymity out of fear.

The most recent attack occurred on Monday, when an unidentified man fired shots at the local transport terminal in Cacahoatán. No one was injured, but the bullets hit a parked van, causing drivers to suspend their service. The attacker fled with another man on a motorcycle. Days earlier, a van was set on fire in the same municipality.

Local authorities formed a special anti-gang task force and stationed police at public transport stations. The Mexican army last month deployed 350 additional soldiers in communities along the border with Guatemala.

"The intention is to support the civilian population's call to decrease homicides linked to organized crime and the level of violence that has been on the rise in recent days," said Angel Banda Lozoya, commander of the local army regiment.

But drivers still feel exposed, as they make frequent stops on long rural routes, so the army cannot easily eliminate a threat that arrives unseen through threatening calls and messages.

Chiapas' state prosecutor for migration issues, Jose Mateo Martinez, says El Salvador's crackdown on organized crime explains the increased activity of these gangs in Mexico. "People come to hide from this, but leaders also come to establish themselves, to create a criminal group here," he explained.

In March 2022, El Salvador suspended some constitutional rights in response to an outbreak of violence. The state of emergency has continued ever since, despite widespread criticism from human rights organizations, with more than 60,000 people detained on suspicion of gang links.

Enforcement has been less forceful among El Salvador's neighbors: from 2018 through November 2022, Mexico arrested and deported 97 Salvadorans allegedly linked to gangs, most in the last two years, according to the Mexican state prosecutor's office in Chiapas. Neighboring Guatemala deported 90 alleged Salvadoran gang members last year, reported National Civil Police spokesman Edwin Monroy.

Gangs are transnational in nature, with tens of thousands of members in the United States, Central America and Mexico. El Salvador's dominant street gangs formed in Los Angeles among immigrant communities that had fled armed conflict in the 1980s.

After being deported, they found fertile ground for more violence, committed crimes in one country and then hid in another, and blended into the daily flow of migrants across borders.

These gangs have long operated along Mexico's borders, sometimes providing street-level support to Mexico's powerful drug cartels, or running their own criminal organizations in the trafficking of drugs, arms and migrants.

Some Mexican cartels extort businesses in other parts of the country, but another Tapachula transport leader, who requested anonymity because he feared reprisals, insisted that these extortionists are Central Americans, not members of Mexican cartels.

Extorting public transport has been a key line of their income in El Salvador. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said in August that extortion in that sector had fallen dramatically. His transport minister estimated that companies had stopped paying some $50 million to the gangs.

Other authorities have announced some successes: in August, Mexican police dismantled a gang cell that sold drugs and robbed bar patrons in Tapachula. One of the five people captured had an outstanding arrest warrant in El Salvador and was deported.

In November, Mexican authorities arrested and deported to El Salvador an alleged Barrio 18 gang leader suspected of murdering six people in San Salvador in 2020. Salvadoran authorities said he had fled to Mexico with his family and other gang members to avoid capture under El Salvador's special emergency powers.

On January 3, Guatemala captured and deported a Salvadoran gang member who had multiple warrants for his arrest on charges ranging from aggravated homicide to terrorism.

But people who depend on transportation in southern Mexico remain dissatisfied. There is a police vehicle parked daily at the public transport station in Tapachula where vans constantly arrive and depart, but their drivers continue to feel vulnerable.

Two of the driver murders occurred northwest of Tapachula, near the Pacific coast. In September, a man got out of a van on the route between Tonalá and Arriaga and shot the driver. At the end of October, a driver was shot in Mapastepec by two men on a motorcycle, not far from the local terminal

___

Associated Press writers Moises Castillo in Tapachula, Chiapas; Marcos Aleman in San Salvador; and Sonia Perez D. in Guatemala City contributed to this report.




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44 comments:

  1. Leching off innocent humble people are scrotum challenged parasites known as CYMOTHOA EXIGUA that enters its host mouth then replaces the victim’s tongue with its own body to survive.

    Real Absolute Mobs need to rid of these vermin first by yanking them by the scruff of the neck and forcing them into controlled environments where they relearn proper social behavior and forced education.

    Canadian girl💋

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    Replies
    1. Well said Señora Canadá

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    2. Well of course now the gangs of El Salvador are leaving to, extort in Mexico. Seems a lot of criminals from different countries, are finding that crime does pay, since arrests are minimal.

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  2. “Some Mexican cartels extort?” Really? Everybody knows that’s bullshit! All of them extort plain and simple. The glorified romantic myth that any cartel is this group that only traffics drugs to the gringos and helps their communities is utter bullshit! Only a fucking purposely blind cartel punk fan would believe that bullshit! Any and every possible crime no matter how deviant or disgusting is the cartels bread and butter!

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  3. These pos run away from their homes and neighborhoods, leaving everything behind out of fear. They run scared like little girls, even dress up was women so they don't get caught. Then they enter a country that isn't there own and right away they want to act like tough guys and killers. The chicken sh¡t mfs. If they're so tuff why dis they run away deom their own homes instead of staying and trying to defend it. They even left everything they own. They aint fooling nobody. Everyone knows they're cowards at heart. They are even doing this from the shadows in Mexico. They should be arrested and beaten silly till they sh¡t and piss themselves for a week minimum then deported

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    Replies
    1. Sounds like how the USA feels about Mexico

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    2. Please don't speak for me 8:00 am. Blanket responses are just arrogant and naive.

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  4. https://www.lapolaka.com/index.php/categories/pro-vida/la-polaka/ciudad-juarez/cadena-de-oracion-por-jauregui
    Se los dije have mucho. Pinche Linea estupida traiciono a los Aztecas y ahora le va a salir el tiro por la culata. Todo por querer ser todo PRM en Juarez.

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    Replies
    1. Pues los aztecas tambien son una bola de marranos

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    2. 7:13 La Linea se quiso adueñar de la feria y control de los Aztecas. Los Aztecas estan controlados desde las carceles de EE.UU. Los Aztecas hacian lo que La Linea les decia. Estos cuates no se voltearon.
      Mexicles ya trabajaban para Sinaloa antes y ahora que La Linea los demos crecer se querian hacer dueños de todo Juarez y Chihuahua tambien. Porke son PRM dicen.

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    3. @8:34 pues eso no importa todos ellos incluyendo los chapos son una Bola de violadores rateros extorcionadores cobardes y muerto de hambre

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    4. 9:05 La Linea fue la causa de las mas de 500 mujeres muertas en Juarez. Era trafico de organos y estos cuates La Linea eran policias que trabajaban para el cartel de Juarez. Por eso nunca detenian ningun de los de asesinos de estas mujeres y nunca lo haran.
      Haci que toda PRM en Juarez son unos marranos.

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    5. Linea from jimenez ojinaga chihuahua sierra they seem more chill with the population but in juarez its a different story

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    6. 10:08 que no fue en el tiempo de Amado Carrillo? Que por cierto era Sinaloence

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    7. 7:15 Afirma. La Linea eran policias corruptos que trabajaban para el cartel de Juarez en los tiempos de Amado Carrillo. Por eso de salian con las suyas matando a mujeres inocentes y nunca atrapaban a responsables. Pues eran ellos mismos causando esto.
      Ahora La Linea no son policias solamente si no que puro sicario a sueldo y pues se concideran todavia cartel de Juarez.
      Pero como dice 9:05 tambien los Chapos son violadores y mata inocentes. En Juarez hacian esto para calendar la plaza y echarle la culpa a el cartel de Juarez.
      Pero tambien violan a chamacas jovenes porke a los jefes de Sinaloa siempre les an gustado chavitas.
      Ay esta el 701 de cincuenton con una modelo de belleza de 18 y o hasta menos cuando la conocio.

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    8. 10:06 segun dicen por ahi que desde que la vio de 15 añitos le puso el ojo y desde entonces lla la andava "conquistando" imaginate que pinche mente tan distorcionada para querer con una niña de 15 años? A pero es el heroe de muchos pendejos

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  5. https://www.lapolaka.com/index.php/categories/pro-vida/la-polaka/ciudad-juarez/cadena-de-oracion-por-jauregui
    In Northern Mexico you don't need South American gangs to spread terror.
    All you need is PRM. Pura Raza Mexicana

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Some of these governments need to grow some huevotes like El Gran Huevon Bukele

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    2. Too bad grampa has small ones, he won't grow any, because they might give him Plata o Plomo.

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  6. Gracias al obrador por dejarlo ps entrar a los cerotes

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  7. Mr. Sol, I hope this question doesn't come off as stupid but do they extort $50 USD or $50 MEX? I'm strongly assuming the former, but I just want to be sure. Thank you for putting an end to the "Snitchaloa VS Michoachango" nonsense. It diluted the comments and showed me how stupid some people can be. BB is a part of my morning routine. Thank you for your contribution.

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    Replies
    1. Good morning Mr. Prendido, thank God it's Friday!

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    2. Hell yeah it's the Friday! Enjoy your weekend guys. There ain't shit else for us to do but be happy and enjoy our lives.

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  8. If this was in Europe even tho the guy was a multiple killer he couldn't be deported because it would infringe his human rights not to mention some cry's of racism because they would start shouting im just a poor immigrant.Immigration nowadays is classed as racist if you object

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  9. Mexico is the USA's neighbour from hell and now Guatemala is Mexico's neighbour from hell.

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    Replies
    1. Ironic or Karmic or Ironic Karma?

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    2. @ 8:25am I was just thinking the same thing . The working people of this area are probably very angry wishing their border was secured. Extortion of a working person is just a huge slap in the face .

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    3. Or vise versa USA is the neighbour from hell

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  10. Una patada en el culo e a esos indocumentados

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    1. Eso de no tener papeles no significa nada compa. Hay muchísima gente que existe a toda madre sin esa mamada.

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    2. @sol prendido hasta entre perros hay razas ! Hay de migrantes a migrantes,aunque les arda el fundillo el mexicano cuando va de migrante al gabacho se pone a trabajar y no exigen nada a nadie hasta flores venden en la calle no como los del centro y sur america

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    3. Si una patada en culo a todos los indocumentados en USA tambien de donde sean. Quedense en su pais alv.

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    4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    5. 10:35 ahi de todo en todos lados, no menosprecios a ningun pais

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  11. Mexicans don’t like Central Americans

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  12. gather them and drop them in the ocean as bait. there is no rehab for them

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  13. Heading North and knocking on our door.

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  14. Pinches cerotes se pasan de verga

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  15. Veo muchos comentaeios mamones diciendo que en mexico no queremos a los centroamerican y que se regresen de donde vinieron y la verga, todos los putos que dicen eso es por ignorantes, igualito piensan los gabachis de nosotros (solo los gabachos ignorantes) los que tienen miedo de lo que no conosen y se les entiende a los gabachos que nunca an convivido con paisanos de color carton como yo, pero ustedes pinches paisas no mamen! Los Centro y Suda Americanos son los mismo que nosotros los mexicanos, eso so que quede bien claro, si eres delincuente y vas a otro pais a hacer tus puercadas mereces que te pongan una putisa de menos por mamon!

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  16. And just like that all the racists pieces of shit got taken the fuck out. 😆

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  17. Gracias al pendejo de AMLO con sus la frontera sur abierta

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  18. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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