Revisiting the 2010 El Mayo interview by Proceso

Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat from Proceso by Julio Scherer García

This interview took place in 2010, El Mayo is now 70 years old. Since his name is prominent  in the El Chapo case I thought a revisit may be due;

Ismael Zambada Garcia, aka "EL Mayo", one of the most wanted drug lords in the world, was interviewed at an undisclosed location, somewhere in the Sinaloa's hills, by the founder of the Mexican magazine, Proceso, Julio Scherer. 

This is an extract of the interview, and a picture in which the face of the drug lord can be seen for the very first time since the 70's. (He's the one with the baseball cap, below the R letter stands for Reporter, and the M, stands for Mayo)

R-I asked the Capo about Vicente "Vicentillo"

M- He is my son, the first of five, I call him "mijo". He is also my compadre.

R- Zambada continued with his personal account:

M- I got my wife, five women, 15 grandsons and one great-grand son. They, the six of them (the women), are here, at the ranch, daughters of the bush, just like me. the bush is my home, my family, my protection, my land, the water I drink. The land is always good, the sky, is not.

R- I don't understand.

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Court approves sale of marijuana seeds in pharmacies

Translated by El Profe for Borderland Beat from Milenio

Decriminalization of marijuana

The Second Chamber granted amparo for 3 people in order to obtain the seeds to cultivate and consume their own marijuana for recreational purposes; it is a "wake-up call" for Congress to legislate on the issue. 

  

by Rubén Mosso

The Second Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation opened the door for three citizens to legally acquire, for only one occasion, before the Cofepris [Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk], marijuana seeds in drugstores or in an establishment destined for the production of authorized medicines with derivatives of cannabis. 


Eduardo Medina Mora, president of the Second Chamber said that this ruling is a "wake-up call" for the Congress of the Union to legislate on the issue. 


"The sentences we issue in this Supreme Court must have a practical effect and be obviously deferential to reality ... I believe that the issue of behaviors that are prohibited in the General Law of Health regarding marijuana, should not be addressed from an exclusive or basic personal liberties point of view, but from a perspective of public policy.

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“El Licenciado” extradited to the U.S., Mexico says he is potentially key witness against El Chapo

Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat

Once the most trusted person to El Chapo, Dámaso López aka “El Licenciado”, has been extradited to the United States,  just in time for the September trial of Joaquín Guzmán, aka El Chapo.  Dámaso López  was airlifted to the U.S. out of Juarez.

The relationship began when Damaso Lopez assisted Chapo in his prison break, from Puente Grande Prison in Jalisco.  Lopez was the chief of security at the prison, and helped Chapo set up a network of corruption during his incarceration. 

Then in 2001, according to Mexican authorities, he planned for and allowed the capo to escape.  

It has been speculated that talks have been in the works for months and a deal was agreed upon between the U.S. and Damaso, as well as his son, Damaso Lopez-Serrano, aka “Mini Lic,”who gave himself up to the U.S. in 2017. It appears talks began in depth in  2017.  An interpreter was requested at that time and an indictment was initiated in  December, 2017.

Damaso's lost a power struggle war with Chapo’s sons and Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, which placed his son in danger of being killed and ultimately he gave himself up.  Reportedly, Damaso was aided by El Mencho in the clash.  The rupture between the Lopez and the Guzman occurred after the kidnapping of the Chapo’s sons in a restaurant in Puerto Vallarta at the hands of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación aka CJNG  in August 2016.  

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San Diego: The desperate upper class drug smugglers

San Diego/Tijuana: The desperate upper class drug smugglers

It happens every day, every hour, across Mexico, but especially in Tijuana, a transit point for millions of dollars worth of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.  Over drinks, over dinner, over a sipped beer or slammed shot, maybe the odd line of cocaine in an upscale bar, an arrangement is made. Over coffee, or lunch, in an office, or a ranch outside the city, the back of a casino, tired overworked waitresses, lingering cigarette smoke, the bleary drone of slot machines and jackpots, promotions and massive flat screens, an offer is presented.

The arrangement comes from a friend, comes from a friend of a girlfriend, a generous offer to sometimes desperate men, the desperation concealed by their job titles and upmarket houses, former glory days.  These types are targeted by brokers, by sort of a feelers, men and women who lure them into their service, for sex, money, a chance for redemption in financial prosperity.

Eduardo Sais Peinado

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G.U. Leader in Iguala case is acquitted on additional charges because of "torture"

Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat  Material from El Diario and El Universal

Most if not all of  GU arrested in the Iguala case have been acquitted of charges pertaining to the case.  Casarrubias has been acquitted in those charges and now has only has charges of organized crime pending.

A federal judge acquitted Sidronio "N" [Sidronio Casarrubias], identified as the alleged leader of "Guerreros Unidos," of the crime of possession,  of  weapons that are for the exclusive use of the Army because his statements were obtained through torture.

Despite the acquittal, he will not be released because another criminal proceeding for organized crime is still pending. The Second District Judge of Federal Criminal Proceedings in the State of Mexico took into account that the arrest of Sidronio "N" was illegal and that the first interrogations, in which he described the events that culminated with the disappearance of the 43 Ayotzinapa normalistas, do not have probative value because it is possible that the Attorney General's Office obtained them with torture.

"Sidronio 'N' or Santiago 'N' is acquitted of the crime of carrying firearms for the exclusive use of the Army, Navy or Air Force," the judge ruled.

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Brothers-in-law of 'El Mencho' took advantage of closeness to the boss to do business

Translated by El Profe for Borderland Beat from Milenio

The Arnulfo and Ulises Jovani González Valencia brothers, alleged financial operators of the criminal group of Los Cuinis, were charged. 

by Rubén Mosso

A federal judge charged the Arnulfo and Ulises Jovani González Valencia brothers, alleged financial operators of the Los Cuinis criminal group, brothers-in-law of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel. 

Manelich Castilla, commissioner of the Federal Police, confirmed the capture of the brothers which transpired on June 26, in the Park Virreyes residential development in Zapopan, as well as in the municipality of Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Jalisco. 

The commissioner said that Arnulfo González, who was arrested in Zapopan, established his operations centers in Bolivia in 2016, where he formed a financial structure dedicated to money laundering through the purchase and sale of real estate.

“He also served as a liaison with cocaine suppliers in countries of South America, a drug that was sent to Mexico for distribution to some states and to be sent to the United States," he said.

Manelich assured that Arnulfo used apocryphal identifications so as not to be detected by the authorities; He recalled that the OFAC of the Treasury Department added him to the "black list" of asset launderers. 

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Chihuahua: Voting in Mexico, with an AK-47 in tow

Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat

A man armed with a cuerno de chivo (AK47) casting a vote in a Chihuahua voting booth

The "Together we will make history" coalition, led by Morena, swept the candidacies in the municipality of Juarez and the majority of municipalities in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, with the exception of the capital and mountain communities (Sierra Tarahumara), which went to PAN and PRI. These towns are reportedly controlled by narcos (drug traffickers).

The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) won only  21 municipalities, including Balleza and also in Batopilas, Cusihuiriachi, Chínipas, Guachochi, Guadalupe and Calvo, Huejotitán, Mahuarichi, Ocampo, Matachí.

Readers will recognize those Chihuahua municipalities as some of the most violent in the cartel war.

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Mexico’s Ninis: World Bank Report Shows Numbers Skyrocket

Translated by Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: Universal

June 4, 2018

Full 42 Page WB Report Here: Mx Dropouts

The World Bank identified that in Mexico the "very persistent" problem of young people who neither study nor work (ninis), ie school dropouts has grown , which "may be linked to organized crime and violence , which increases the risks for young people and the society as a whole ".

In its report by Miguel Szekely Pardo: Ninis in Latin America, 20 million young people in search of opportunities , the international organization describes that in Mexico that problem is presented by three factors: "An increase in the proportion of ninis men, the lack of job opportunities for young people and an increase in the illegal market that made organized crime demand more workers. "

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Redacted material revealed, a peek at governments evidence that El Chapo was never Sinaloa Cartel leader

Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat

Government evidence indicates who was/is leader of Sinaloa Cartel

Borderland Beat followers:

Some of you are upset I removed a document from my post titled "Government has evidence indicating El Chapo was not top leader of SinaloaCartel".  The document, which is a letter of reply, includes redacted material, essentially naming 9 pieces of evidence from 41  in the hands of the government.  The government disclosed as having this evidence, without producing additional context with respect to the potentially exculpatory evidence, indicating El Chapo was not the top leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, and never had been. This is one of the charges against him.   Only now, two months before trial, that the defense was made aware that such evidence existed.

There appears to have been a malfunction with the government website, possibly in the process of uploading the document on to the website, whereas the redacted information could be compromised.

This was revealed to me, by a BB follower, who determined how to expose the reacted material, that is under the text, and blackened out in a court filing. Although it is not the entire list of material the government has, it gives a glimpse into what is claimed.

When the error was discovered, the document was then prohibited in accessing by  the public.  I decided at that time to remove the document  from my BB post and my Scribd page, along with the revealed information the BB follower had posted on comments.

However, after thinking about it for a day, I have proceeded with this post I had in draft and share it with readers,  revealing the 9 points of evidence disclosed.

It begins from 1999, which at the time the government determined there was no premier leader governing but rather leaderless allied groups. From 2002 that perception changes.  

On the following page.....

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Tecalitlan, Jalisco: PRI Municipal President Assassinated

Translated by Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: SinEmbargo

Armed subjects assassinated the PRIista of Tecalitlan Jalisco, Victor Jose Guadalupe Diaz Contreras.

The Attorney General of the State of Jalisco (FGE) confirmed the murder of the mayor of Tecalitlán , Víctor Díaz. With this, there have been 10 mayors and former mayors killed in Jalisco since 2004 .

July 2, 2018 
Extra Material from: Udgtv and Rice Univ.

The Municipal President of Tecalitlán, Jalisco, Víctor José Guadalupe Díaz Contreras, was murdered on Monday by armed individuals. According to the first reports, the aggression was reported around 12:00 in the Colonia Emiliano Zapata. Diaz Contreras died instantly.

The PRI mayor traveled in a vehicle with another official and a Civil Registry officer when an armed  commando opened fire on them with heavy weapons, AK47 bullet casings were found at the scene.

The Jalisco State Prosecutor's Office reported that it began with the corresponding investigations to find those responsible for the death of the PRI Mayor:

"The FGE is already carrying out the corresponding investigations to find those responsible for the murder of the Mayor of Tecalitlán, Víctor Díaz, as well as the assault on two other individuals, one an officer of the Civil Registry who accompanied him, who already receives medical attention, he was transported to Ciudad Guzman."

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Mexico's New President's agenda includes amnesty for drug growers, kingpins

op-ed by Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat

Trump speaks with AMLO:

Trump reveals this morning he spoke to AMLO saying "we had a good conversation about a half hour long”.  They spoke about border security, NAFTA, trade and the possibility of a separate trade treaty between Mexico and United States.  Trump said he had a conversation with AMLO during one of his previous campaigns, at which time Trump told him, “someday you will be the president of Mexico”. . Something that AMLO remembers.  Trump thinks they will have a good relationship but says “we will see.” 

Mexico’s new president "AMLO" views that are radically different that the past:

*It is not the problem or responsibility of Mexico to help the United States fight its “Drug War” 

*Amnesty for drug kingpins and growers of marijuana and opium poppy plants 

*Greatly reduce Mexico’s military in the fight against cartels 

 *AMLO’s suggestion regarding the U.S. border; he  says the United States should send its military to guard its borders.

*Open Borders:   He is in support of “Open Borders” and has no interest in helping the United States in its “illegal immigrant” problem

Mexico has a new president, at the end of its bloodiest campaign in history with over 130 murdered candidates. [22 of Mexico's 31 states have seen a political assassination since campaigning began in September. According to according to Etellekt, a crisis management group]

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Elections in Puebla turn violent: four bodies found, armed groups steal boxes and beat an official

Translated by El Profe for Borderland Beat from Periodico Central

                      

Seven voting areas were vandalized in the capital in San Aparicio, Loma Bella, Bosques de San Sebastián, Barranca Honda, San Francisco Totimehuacán, Aquiles Serdán and Rancho Colorado.

By Magarely Hernández / Karen Meza

As of 2:30 p.m., the elections in Puebla that so far had passed calmly turned violent. Seven voting areas were vandalized in the capital by armed hooded men and the bodies of four people were found in the municipality of Cuautlancingo, near the Mexico-Puebla highway.

The first report was that of the San Aparicio auxiliary board booth, where 10 hooded men arrived and when the president of the voting area confronted them he was beaten. The vandals took a packet of ballots, so the officials decided to suspend the votes of those who had last names from A to C.

The second report was in the Barranca Honda neighborhood, in the booth area located at Technical School 98, where it was reported that five subjects entered and burst into the voting booths.

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Irregularities in the 2018 election, minute by minute

Translated by El Profe for Borderland Beat from Regeneracion

                        

Murders, removal, vote buying;  Irregularities of the election in Mexico, 2018

By Gabriel RC

Fepade Report, 13 hours
After 1:00 pm, the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for the Attention of Electoral Crimes, reported that 74 complaints had been received at the national level for various irregularities and 6 arrests had been made. Its owner, Hector Diaz Santana, said that the majority of complaints are for the purchase of votes and the withdrawal of voter credentials and acts of violence; especially in the State of Mexico, Veracruz, Chiapas and Oaxaca.

Special Election Booths
As in all elections, the lack of ballots in special election voting booths has provoked anger and mobilization in various points of the republic, as detailed below, included a sit-in in front of the offices of the INE in the peripheral area of Mexico City. The protests were repeated in Jalisco, Oaxaca, Guanajuato, Yucatan. The INE in the voice of Counselor Ciro Murayama, clarified that by law the special election boxes only have 750 ballots.

Installing boxes is NOT the same as opening boxes
Although Lorenzo Córdoba announced that only four boxes throughout the country were not installed. However, there were disagreements throughout the country due to delays in the opening of polling places for voters.
Such is the case of the polling place where Andrés Manuel López voted

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Chilchota, Michoacán: civilians enter voting booths, burn ballots

 Translated by El Profe for Borderland Beat from Sin Embargo

                       

Mexico City, July 1 (SinEmbargo) .- Inhabitants of Chilchota, Michoacán, entered voting booths, seized electoral materials and set them on fire.

According to information from local media, a group of men entered the 0381 voting area, located at the José María Morelos y Pavón Elementary School, took the material and ended up burning it in public view. After the ballots were incinerated, the demonstrators said it had been a symbolic action.

Another square, in the municipality of Michoacán, went the same way. Officials from another booth (the third) have been held against their will.

Ramón Hernández Reyes, president of the Electoral Institute of Michoacán, confirmed that the materials in the booths were seized.

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José Chan Dzib: Crime Reporter Shot to Death in Q.Roo

Translated by Yaqui for Borderland Beat from:  NoticierosTelevisa

                       Veteran Crime Reporter Shot Dead: Journalist Jośe Guadalupe Chan Dzib
June 30, 2018
Additional info from TeleSur

Journalist José Guadalupe Chan Dzib was shot dead Friday night in the Mayan town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto , the Quintana Roo Attorney General's Office said. The first reports from the forensic unit determined that the cause of death was bullet wounds.

Chan Dzib was approached in the Feliube Carrillo Puerto nightclub by an unknown gunman who, without exchanging any words, shot the journalist four times. The attacker fled the scene and those who witnessed the murder were unable to say if he was alone.

The attack occurred at approximately 11p.m. local time, the Prosecutors Office said, without releasing any additional information.

According to another local journalist, Pedro Canche, Chan Dzib worked closely with police as a crime reporter with Playa News and belonged to the third generation of the Quintana Roo Police School. He also contributed to several print media outlets.

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