Sunday, December 4, 2011

Which Border

Border security to protect us from terrorists is a frequently cited reason for a 100 percent completely secure border. Is it odd that the argument ignores the border we share with Canada?
Canadians (and those posing as Canadians) are not even required to have a U.S. Visa. The Great Lakes are hardly guarded and as boats arrive every day, security is lax. Of course, Mexico does not require a Visa when we enter Mexico. The United States, in the interest of protecting our border, requires a Visa from Mexicans. That Visa is very hard and expensive to obtain.

Somehow we are magically protected should a terrorist try to enter the United States from Canada. Even though the office of Homeland Security was temporarily confused when they said that the 9-11 and other terrorists entered through Canada, we should not be concerned.

The truth about the border is that if we fear terrorists entering our country from a land border, than we would be foolish to not secure our entire border as best as we can.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

More on the Police Officer Killings

It took many visits, e-mails and phone calls, but many people report that the three officers were kidnapped in the very early morning hours of Monday by a cartel, handcuffed tortured and then killed. Rumors abound that they worked for a cartel and were killed by another cartel. HOWEVER, because nobody knows which cartel was paying them it seems likely that the people are assuming this to be the case. It does seem likely, but where is the proof?

What is more telling about the situation in Acuna are the many friends that refuse to even talk about these murders. Teachers, medical personnel and clergy continue working and my inquiries are met with shrugs. Families avoid discussing the murder of the officers and only tell me to leave Acuna and to be very careful.

Many of the teenagers talk about the cartels as being cool and effective. Many admire the cartels.

It is impossible to point to police officers, detectives or a courageous reporter as a role model. The worldwide scandals involving clergy in the Catholic Church makes it difficult to use priests as role-models. Much of the music and soap operas on TV praise the drug dealers and the cartels.

Everyone waits for more violent acts. Within a 30-day period we've seen a gun-battle between the military and a truckload of gangsters end in front of the Maria Braulia elementary school and three police officers kidnapped and murdered. Everyone waits to see what will happen next.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

3 Police Officers Killed in Acuna

Gunmen kidnapped and murdered three Acuna Police Officers on Monday morning. The three officers were in the same vehicle when kidnapped. Their bodies were found in a colonia.

Information is scarce. Reporters in Acuna, like most of Mexico, are cautious about stories involving the cartels. Their fear is well founded. Reporters in other areas of Mexico have been killed. However, the lack of reliable information is well beyond the media intimidation. For the past three years the people in Acuna fear talking about the cartels. Even close friends will only speak in whispers about the drug cartels. Rumors abound and are exaggerated. A single gunshot quickly becomes a story about a large gun-battle. It is difficult to assess the situation in Acuna.

The Mexican Marines established check points at every entrance to Acuna. They inspected vehicles entering and leaving. Four Mexican Navy helicopters patrolled the city. The helicopters landed in various locations throughout the city and squads of Marines jumped out and patrolled neighborhoods. However, the military issued no statements or explanations. Now there were three police officers killed and we do not know if the Marines were sent to Acuna because there was advance information of the cartel war heating up in Acuna or if it is only coincidental.

I walk the streets of the colonies where a few weeks ago a gunfight involving the military and unknown gunmen ended a little after noon. There is still no explanation from the military and nobody knows the whole story - after weeks have passed. The secrecy leaves the people with nothing but fear and rumors.

As schools consider canceling Christmas celebrations and mission groups from America cancel visits and help to the poor in Acuna, the fear seems to cover the colonies like a rainstorm.

On the surface, things seem normal. People go to work and children go to school. However everyone has the same fear. Sudden and unpredictable violence can happen at any time and at any place. Many parents worry about the safety of their children. Maria expressed it this way: "I go to work and the children are at school. Will there be another gunfight near the school? Will there be a gun-battle on the street when the children return from school? Are they safe?"

In our world of cell-phones, we can always call or text our children or neighbors. They can call or text us. This is not the situation in the colonies. I have yet to see a child with a cell phone. Most parents do not have cell phones. What they have is fear.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Violence Arrived in Acuna

October 4, 2011
Four Injured - Gun Battle in Acuña near one of our School Cafeterias

Since 2006, the media hammered the border with stories that implied every border-city was filled with murders. The media destroyed the tourist industry in Acuna long before a state police commander, allegedly involved with a cartel, was murdered in May of 2010. Since that murder, we’ve not seen violence in Acuña until today.

At least four people, including two women, were injured Tuesday in a shootout between gunmen and Mexican authorities in Evaristo Perez colonia in Ciudad Acuña.

The confrontation began shortly before noon today when a convoy of troops and state police encountered a Dodge Durango with armed cartel gunmen. Authorities chased the Durango through the streets and a gunfight ensued. The chase ended near the Maria Braulia Garcia Primary School, one of the schools where we feed children at our cafeteria.

None of the students at the school were injured.

At least four people were injured, including two women that were struck in the legs by bullets.

The newspaper Zocalo identified the four victims as: Graciela Moreno Rosales, 30; Veronica Herrera, 32; Andres Orenelas Lozano, 41; and Carlos Ledesma Carrillo, 29.

Acuña residents, who didn't want to be identified, said that confrontations between the authorities and the Zeta cartel will probably continue. Mexican marines have been deployed in Acuña during the past three weeks.

This is the third week that the Mexican Marines have manned checkpoints and conducted vehicle inspections at the entrance and exit at the International Bridge and at every highway into and out of Acuña. Last week a gun-smuggler was apprehended entering Acuña and automatic weapons were confiscated.

Paper Houses continues to walk the streets, visit the schools and meet with the families of the poor in Acuña. Although we’ve curtailed mission trips, we’ve increased the number of times we will walk the streets of the poor.

The poor in the colonias need us, especially now. As the world continues in an economic slump and as the people in Acuña are living and working in midst of this violence, we know that this is the time when we must step up. Church-led mission groups and charities are likely to focus their resources to help other places. We are needed.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Acuna - Where is the Violence?

The violence is against the people of Acuña. There are rumors about businesses being forced to pay protection money to the cartel. There are rumors of kidnappings and ransoms. Businesses continue to close and relocate in Del Rio. (Many of the wealthy have dual citizenship).

Some mission groups continue to arrive and there has never been a report of violence against Americans on a mission trip. There are no gunfights in the streets.

The last (and only) shooting occurred over a year ago when a state police lieutenant that was allegedly in the pay of a cartel was shot dead. A cardboard sign was laid on his body that warned other police officials not to do business with the Zeta cartel. As disturbing as this is, it was one killing over a year ago. Nobody recalls any murder in Acuña prior to that single instance.

The real 'violence' is the damage caused by the over-reported news about violence in 'border cities' that include a 2,000 mile border. Almost every new story includes at least five references to other stories about violence in Mexico. These are often rehashes of old news and some of that old news is about violence near Mexico city or the Pacific Ocean! The end result of this form of reporting is that the entire tourist industry along a 2,000 mile border was destroyed. Even in a peaceful city like Acuña.