NY Times
By Ginger Thompson and Sarah Cohen
April 6, 2014
With the Obama administration deporting illegal immigrants at a record pace, the president has said the government is going after “criminals, gang bangers, people who are hurting the community, not after students, not after folks who are here just because they’re trying to figure out how to feed their families.”
But a New York Times analysis of internal government records shows that since President Obama took office, two-thirds of the nearly two million deportation cases involve people who had committed minor infractions, including traffic violations, or had no criminal record at all. Twenty percent — or about 394,000 — of the cases involved people convicted of serious crimes, including drug-related offenses, the records show. Read more.
The MexicoBlog of the CIP Americas Program monitors and analyzes international press on Mexico with a focus on the US-backed War on Drugs in Mexico and the struggle in Mexico to strengthen the rule of law, justice and protection of human rights. Relevant political developments in both countries are also covered.
Apr 2, 2014
At Vatican, Obama's Immigration Hypocrisy Shines Through (La Jornada, Mexico)
La Jornada – Original Article (Spanish)
In the meeting last week at the Vatican between U.S. President Barack Obama and Pope Francis, the two heads of state addressed the issue of our northern neighbor's immigration policy, issuing a call to "eradicate the trafficking of human beings around the world," to work so that "international and humanitarian law is respected within conflict zones," and to seek "negotiated solutions."
Bearing in mind the upsurge in persecutions of undocumented immigrants and the consequent violations of human rights during Obama’s terms in office, such declarations constitute an act of hypocrisy on his part. It must be remembered that the current U.S. president has not only shown a reluctance to abandon his country's traditional policies of persecution and violations of human rights regarding immigration, but he has continuously intensified them. Proof of this is the fact that his government has deported more than two million undocumented immigrants, nearly 140,000 this year alone, the highest figure on record, behind which are so many untold stories of personal and family suffering. Read more.
Translated By Acosta-Florizul Perez for WorldMeetUs
April 1, 2014In the meeting last week at the Vatican between U.S. President Barack Obama and Pope Francis, the two heads of state addressed the issue of our northern neighbor's immigration policy, issuing a call to "eradicate the trafficking of human beings around the world," to work so that "international and humanitarian law is respected within conflict zones," and to seek "negotiated solutions."
Bearing in mind the upsurge in persecutions of undocumented immigrants and the consequent violations of human rights during Obama’s terms in office, such declarations constitute an act of hypocrisy on his part. It must be remembered that the current U.S. president has not only shown a reluctance to abandon his country's traditional policies of persecution and violations of human rights regarding immigration, but he has continuously intensified them. Proof of this is the fact that his government has deported more than two million undocumented immigrants, nearly 140,000 this year alone, the highest figure on record, behind which are so many untold stories of personal and family suffering. Read more.
Feb 27, 2014
El Chapo's Capture Will Help Restore Mexico's Reputation (Milenio, Mexico)*
*This article, translated by our friends at WorldMeetsUs, views the capture in a positive light as a blow against impunity. Curiously, at the same time the author notes that 'unleashing violence' is a probably outcome of the capture. Again, we have different opinions based on different perspectives--the most positive tend to emphasize the improvement in the image of the Peña Nieto government--breaking the commonly held ideas that the government favored the Sinaloa Cartel and that the PRI would negotiate with cartels. The more negative perspective, like ours, fear for the repercussions in public safety and likely ineffectiveness in terms of eliminating organized crime activity.
Milenio
Translated by WorldMeetsUs
February 25, 2014
It must be said: The capture of El Chapo Guzman is an undeniable achievement of Enrique Peña Nieto's government. It is a success no matter how one looks at it. It was a success for the armed forces, for the way the information is handled, and in terms of the operational effectiveness and perseverance in achieving a single goal: to stop and imprison the most wanted drug trafficker in the world.
Independent of the undeniable and justifiable satisfaction that the government feels, Mexicans, too, must be satisfied with the government's performance in this regard. The capture of the legendary narco is a down payment in the fight against crime and impunity.
The operation to arrest him reflects well on the professionalism of specialized corps of the Marines and Army. No longer need we imagine surgical operations as an element of quirky movies or the capabilities of forces in other countries. In Mexico there are institutions that function properly, and the successes of operations against crime, whether government run or not, should give us all some peace of mind and boost our sense of confidence.
Milenio
Translated by WorldMeetsUs
February 25, 2014
Independent of the undeniable and justifiable satisfaction that the government feels, Mexicans, too, must be satisfied with the government's performance in this regard. The capture of the legendary narco is a down payment in the fight against crime and impunity.
The operation to arrest him reflects well on the professionalism of specialized corps of the Marines and Army. No longer need we imagine surgical operations as an element of quirky movies or the capabilities of forces in other countries. In Mexico there are institutions that function properly, and the successes of operations against crime, whether government run or not, should give us all some peace of mind and boost our sense of confidence.
Feb 25, 2014
Capture of El Chapo: Like a Drop of Water in Rain (La Jornada, Mexico)
February 25, 2014
Translated by WorldMeets
In December 2013 , the Attorney General's Office released a list of 69 of the 122 capos most wanted for drug trafficking who were arrested or killed during President Enrique Peña Nieto's administration. This was a follow up on previous arrest priorities implemented under the administration of Felipe Calderón, the success of who's security strategy was measured based on the number of criminal detainees, and without connection to the nation's prevailing insecurity.
On February 21, during a presentation on governance and the rule of law as a strategy for development at the 2014 National Industrial Convention, Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said that of the 122 criminal ringleaders, 74 have been detained.
Now, with the arrest of Joaquin Guzman Loera, alias El Chapo, the number of captured organized crime leaders has reached 75. However, it wasn't only the Mexican authorities that targeted El Chapo. The drug trafficker was one of the U.S. government's most wanted criminals, with the Obama Administration offering a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture. Read more.
Feb 23, 2014
The Capture of El Chapo Guzman
The press and Mexican government announced that yesterday at 6:40 in the morning, Mexican security forces captured the nation's most wanted drug lord.
Led by the Mexican Navy, agents and troops moved in on a beach condominium in the resort city of Mazatlan at 4 AM. The bloodless siege yielded the leader of the Sinaloa cartel and 13 other individuals said to be related to cartel operations, according to Mexican Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam, from a Navy hangar.
Oddly, the first news came not from the Mexican government or media, but from the US agency Associated Press, shortly before 10 AM. The Mexican government waited hours, until El Chapo had reportedly been transported to Mexico City, before going public. El Chapo is now being held in the high-security prison of Altiplano, in Mexico State.
Also oddly, President Enrique Peña Nieto did not appear publicly to announce the capture, nor did he appear the rest of the day. Some seven hours after the arrest -- he tweeted:
At the time of this writing (8:00 AM Sunday) the Office of the Presidency still has not issued a statement or posted on its web page.
This is a big change from the past, when major arrests were paraded through the media and heralded as turning points in the endless drug war. Why so low-key this time, precisely when it regards the most wanted figure of all? The Sinaloa Cartel that El Chapo leads is recognized as being by far the largest and most powerful in the country, and according to some experts, the world. We may see an increase in the hype after Peña Nieto returns from his week-end break.
Scenarios all add up to more drug war
A number of scenarios open up now, none of which imply an end to drug war violence or trafficking. They are:
1. "The hydra effect"
In Greek mythology the hydra, a sea serpent, grew three heads for every one cut off. The Sinaloa Cartel has been reorganizing and no one beleives it hasn't prepared for this day. It is probable that a successor has already been chosen and trained in taking the reins of the organization.
2. "Inside or Outside, sigue siendo el rey"
It's important to recall that the cartel did not fall apart the first time El Chapo was in prison and in fact business went on as usual. It is common for drug lords to dispense from prison. The exploits of El Chapo while locked up--sumptuous parties, privileges, expensive foods and drugs, sex, etc.--are legendary. We could see a replay of a simulated "punishment" that at once justifies the drug war and takes the heat off what has frequently been characterized as the favored cartel.
3. "Manufactured fracture"
The end result of the bust could be a fracturing of the Sinaloa Cartel, such as happened before with the Gulf Cartel and La Familia. Some security strategists favor this result because it theoretically reduces the threat to the State as the groups are broken into smaller entities as happened in Colombia. However, based on previous experience in Mexico this is the worst scenario in terms of the impact on public safety and violence. Moreover, the brutality and lack of centralized control often common among the splinter groups ends up being more of a threat. My take is that this will not happen, at least not in the short term, to the Sinaloa Cartel.
4. "Confirming disaster"
The take-down of El Chapo would help to increase Congressional support for the drug war in Mexico, giving both Peña Nieto and Obama wide berth to spend more on the militarist model at a time when it is severely questioned. By confirming this model--widely regarded as failed despite headline busts--the violence will increase, more taxpayer dollars will be diverted from social needs to war, and war contractors and the DEA will reap increased income and support. As everyone celebrates the capture of a powerful and ruthless drug lord, this would actually be very bad news for both Mexico and the United States.
The scenario I have not included is that this capture will destroy the power of the Sinaloa Cartel, reduce violence and restore law and order in Mexico. Unfortunately, that scenario is more than unlikely.
Trying Times
The "most wanted man in the world", according to the TV meme, is just as wanted in custody as he was when he was at large. The head of the DEA in Chicago has announced he wants El Chapo tried there. There are multiple extradition requests out for El Chapo in the United States. The US was closely involved in his capture and had offered a $5 million dollar reward for information leading to his capture. The Mexican Attorney General recognized the use of U.S. intelligence in the arrest. So far there are no confirmed reports of U.S. agents at the scene.
Meanwhile the Mexicans want to see him tried in that country as a face-saving measure. The concern, of course, is that he will "escape" (an act usually involved collusion by authorities at some level) as he did in 2001.
Reactions
The response of the Mexican press has been a celebration of the capture as a military police operation but skepticism regarding the long-term impact. News media has been combing Twitter and past articles for details regarding the bust and bios of El Chapo's colorful life. Corridos, the typical Mexican ballad, have already been written and posted on youtube.
La Jornada used a headline CAYO (He fell!) and noted on its front page that the the U.S. broke the story. They ran a companion piece with views on why the capture will not end drug war violence.
El Universal emphasized that not a single shot was fired and noted in a related article that El Mayo Zambada, el Chapo's close associate in the cartel, is expected to be his successor.
As the week begins, more stories on the government's response, investigations into the U.S. role, what will happen with a trial and/or extradition, and any indications of the response of the Sinaloa Cartel will continue to fill the pages and air waves for days. Few people appear to feel relief or a sense of greater safety, and in many places, residents fear destabilization of the situation following the arrest. One businessman in Sinaloa was quoted in the New York Times as saying "It's bad news for Mazatlán. He (Guzmán) was keeping the peace."
Why now?
El Chapo has managed to escape many times in the past. If one believes that both governments often knew where he was and that he was allowed to operate freely for many years, as I do, that question is why now? Why capture him at this particular time?
There are many possible answers to that question, and the question is intimately related to what will happen next.
I'm going to give myself some time to think more about it and watch this play out before tackling the question of timing and the behind-the-scenes political motivations-- beyond tallying a big win for the drug war.
These undoubtedly exist, but it's important to gather more evidence and perspectives before speculating.
Led by the Mexican Navy, agents and troops moved in on a beach condominium in the resort city of Mazatlan at 4 AM. The bloodless siege yielded the leader of the Sinaloa cartel and 13 other individuals said to be related to cartel operations, according to Mexican Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam, from a Navy hangar.
Oddly, the first news came not from the Mexican government or media, but from the US agency Associated Press, shortly before 10 AM. The Mexican government waited hours, until El Chapo had reportedly been transported to Mexico City, before going public. El Chapo is now being held in the high-security prison of Altiplano, in Mexico State.
Also oddly, President Enrique Peña Nieto did not appear publicly to announce the capture, nor did he appear the rest of the day. Some seven hours after the arrest -- he tweeted:
I salute the labor of Mexico's security institutions, in achieving the arrest of Joaquín Guzmán Loera in Mazatlán.La Jornada reports that a press conference planned at the Sec. of Government for 11:15 was cancelled half an hour before. The reason is generally assumed to be that the government wanted to absolutely confirm identity to avoid an error like in June of 2012, when the supposed son of Guzman, Alfredo, was captured and it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.
At the time of this writing (8:00 AM Sunday) the Office of the Presidency still has not issued a statement or posted on its web page.
This is a big change from the past, when major arrests were paraded through the media and heralded as turning points in the endless drug war. Why so low-key this time, precisely when it regards the most wanted figure of all? The Sinaloa Cartel that El Chapo leads is recognized as being by far the largest and most powerful in the country, and according to some experts, the world. We may see an increase in the hype after Peña Nieto returns from his week-end break.
Scenarios all add up to more drug war
A number of scenarios open up now, none of which imply an end to drug war violence or trafficking. They are:
1. "The hydra effect"
In Greek mythology the hydra, a sea serpent, grew three heads for every one cut off. The Sinaloa Cartel has been reorganizing and no one beleives it hasn't prepared for this day. It is probable that a successor has already been chosen and trained in taking the reins of the organization.
2. "Inside or Outside, sigue siendo el rey"
It's important to recall that the cartel did not fall apart the first time El Chapo was in prison and in fact business went on as usual. It is common for drug lords to dispense from prison. The exploits of El Chapo while locked up--sumptuous parties, privileges, expensive foods and drugs, sex, etc.--are legendary. We could see a replay of a simulated "punishment" that at once justifies the drug war and takes the heat off what has frequently been characterized as the favored cartel.
3. "Manufactured fracture"
The end result of the bust could be a fracturing of the Sinaloa Cartel, such as happened before with the Gulf Cartel and La Familia. Some security strategists favor this result because it theoretically reduces the threat to the State as the groups are broken into smaller entities as happened in Colombia. However, based on previous experience in Mexico this is the worst scenario in terms of the impact on public safety and violence. Moreover, the brutality and lack of centralized control often common among the splinter groups ends up being more of a threat. My take is that this will not happen, at least not in the short term, to the Sinaloa Cartel.
4. "Confirming disaster"
The take-down of El Chapo would help to increase Congressional support for the drug war in Mexico, giving both Peña Nieto and Obama wide berth to spend more on the militarist model at a time when it is severely questioned. By confirming this model--widely regarded as failed despite headline busts--the violence will increase, more taxpayer dollars will be diverted from social needs to war, and war contractors and the DEA will reap increased income and support. As everyone celebrates the capture of a powerful and ruthless drug lord, this would actually be very bad news for both Mexico and the United States.
The scenario I have not included is that this capture will destroy the power of the Sinaloa Cartel, reduce violence and restore law and order in Mexico. Unfortunately, that scenario is more than unlikely.
Trying Times
The "most wanted man in the world", according to the TV meme, is just as wanted in custody as he was when he was at large. The head of the DEA in Chicago has announced he wants El Chapo tried there. There are multiple extradition requests out for El Chapo in the United States. The US was closely involved in his capture and had offered a $5 million dollar reward for information leading to his capture. The Mexican Attorney General recognized the use of U.S. intelligence in the arrest. So far there are no confirmed reports of U.S. agents at the scene.
Meanwhile the Mexicans want to see him tried in that country as a face-saving measure. The concern, of course, is that he will "escape" (an act usually involved collusion by authorities at some level) as he did in 2001.
Reactions
The response of the Mexican press has been a celebration of the capture as a military police operation but skepticism regarding the long-term impact. News media has been combing Twitter and past articles for details regarding the bust and bios of El Chapo's colorful life. Corridos, the typical Mexican ballad, have already been written and posted on youtube.
La Jornada used a headline CAYO (He fell!) and noted on its front page that the the U.S. broke the story. They ran a companion piece with views on why the capture will not end drug war violence.
El Universal emphasized that not a single shot was fired and noted in a related article that El Mayo Zambada, el Chapo's close associate in the cartel, is expected to be his successor.
As the week begins, more stories on the government's response, investigations into the U.S. role, what will happen with a trial and/or extradition, and any indications of the response of the Sinaloa Cartel will continue to fill the pages and air waves for days. Few people appear to feel relief or a sense of greater safety, and in many places, residents fear destabilization of the situation following the arrest. One businessman in Sinaloa was quoted in the New York Times as saying "It's bad news for Mazatlán. He (Guzmán) was keeping the peace."
Why now?
El Chapo has managed to escape many times in the past. If one believes that both governments often knew where he was and that he was allowed to operate freely for many years, as I do, that question is why now? Why capture him at this particular time?
There are many possible answers to that question, and the question is intimately related to what will happen next.
I'm going to give myself some time to think more about it and watch this play out before tackling the question of timing and the behind-the-scenes political motivations-- beyond tallying a big win for the drug war.
These undoubtedly exist, but it's important to gather more evidence and perspectives before speculating.
Feb 20, 2014
Event TODAY in New York City: The Drug War-Policing and US Militarism at Home and Abroad
The CIP Americas Program is proud to be a co-sponsor of this event, which brings together the repressive nature of the the U.S. drug war within its borders and in countries like here in Mexico. I hope readers in the New York City area will attend and tell us about it. There is also a livestream for those outside the area (see below).
The U.S. Drug War has fueled mass incarceration and discriminatory policing practices in the U.S. as well as violence and militarization throughout Latin America. This panel will bring together organizers and scholars on both sides of the border to talk about the domestic and international impacts of the Drug War and their strategies to resist this racist, ineffective, and devastating “war.”
What: The Drug War: Policing and U.S. Militarism at Home and Abroad
Where: Unitarian Church of All Souls, New York, NY
When: Thursday, February 20th at 6:30 pm (EST)
RSVP at: http://bit.ly/1bp7DsQ
Watch the Livestream:
http://new.livestream.com/
Featuring: Alfredo Carrasquillo, VOCAL-NY Civil Rights Organizer; David Vivar, scholar on US drug war in Latin America and activist in the Honduran resistance movement. Moderated by Moderated by Jaisal Noor, host and producer for The Real News Network. Introduction by Vincent Warren, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights.
Co-sponsored by: VOCAL-NY, Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña (OFRANEH), Drug Policy Alliance, NY Harm Reduction, Latino Justice PRLDEF, SOA Watch, Justice Committee, Center for NuLeadership, Sisters of Mercy-Institute Justice Team, Make the Road-NY, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Picture the Homeless, War Resisters League, CIP Americas Program
The U.S. Drug War has fueled mass incarceration and discriminatory policing practices in the U.S. as well as violence and militarization throughout Latin America. This panel will bring together organizers and scholars on both sides of the border to talk about the domestic and international impacts of the Drug War and their strategies to resist this racist, ineffective, and devastating “war.”
What: The Drug War: Policing and U.S. Militarism at Home and Abroad
Where: Unitarian Church of All Souls, New York, NY
When: Thursday, February 20th at 6:30 pm (EST)
RSVP at: http://bit.ly/1bp7DsQ
Watch the Livestream:
http://new.livestream.com/
Featuring: Alfredo Carrasquillo, VOCAL-NY Civil Rights Organizer; David Vivar, scholar on US drug war in Latin America and activist in the Honduran resistance movement. Moderated by Moderated by Jaisal Noor, host and producer for The Real News Network. Introduction by Vincent Warren, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights.
Co-sponsored by: VOCAL-NY, Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña (OFRANEH), Drug Policy Alliance, NY Harm Reduction, Latino Justice PRLDEF, SOA Watch, Justice Committee, Center for NuLeadership, Sisters of Mercy-Institute Justice Team, Make the Road-NY, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Picture the Homeless, War Resisters League, CIP Americas Program
Feb 6, 2014
Senate approves civil proceedings to prosecute soldiers who took part in 'dirty war'
Original Americas Program Translation
February 6, 2014
The
Senate unanimously approved the withdrawal of the reservation made by the
Mexican government to the Inter-American Convention on Forced Disappearance of
Persons, whereupon the civil courts now may try the military officials
involved in the disappearances of persons during the dirty war.
The ruling approved by
all parliamentary groups recognized that "the alleged perpetrators of the
acts constituting the crime of forced disappearance of persons may be tried
only by the competent jurisdictions of ordinary law in each state, excluding
any special tribunals, in particular military.
"The acts
constituting forced disappearance shall not be considered as committed in the
performance of military duties."
"No privileges,
immunities or special exemptions will be administered in such proceedings
without consideration of the provisions included in the Convention on
Diplomatic Relations.”
The ruling emphasizes
that this decision by the Mexican government to withdraw its 2002 reservation to
the convention" is according to the verdict issued by the Inter-American
Court of Human Rights (Coidh) on the case Radilla Pacheco (who was disappeared
by military in the state of Guerrero during the so-called dirty war) against
the United States of Mexico.
It emphasizes that
"the ruling decided that the reservation made by Mexico does not meet the
first requirement in Article XIX of the Convention, consequently it should be
considered invalid. In this sense, it is clear that the application of military
jurisdiction in the case, for which the state extended the jurisdiction of
military courts to facts that are not strictly related to military discipline
or legal interests of the military realm, is contrary the provision included in
Article IX of the Treaty of reference, to which Mexico is clearly obligated.
"
The ruling states that
"considering the acts of enforced disappearance as an inhumane violation
the rule of law, as well as the human dignity and human rights of individuals
and not delimited to particular regions or political systems, it is an urgent task of the Sate to fight to
eradicate it, not as a political, military or religious cause that justifies
overlooking the situation.”
Translated by Nidia
Bautista
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