Also explained for the first time in my recollection is the reason for the intense fighting in Mier and Miguel Aleman. At the time, the Gulf Cartel controlled Matamoros and Reynosa, Los Zetas had Nuevo Laredo. "Little Border" were areas still in dispute.
We've also heard about citizen resistance in MichoacΓ‘n, but not in Tamaulipas. Why not? This article gives the reader a feel for the mood of Tamaulipas residents.
Tamaulipas: DΓ©jΓ vu
Friday, June 6, 2014 |
Borderland Beat
In Tamaulipas, it seems, history is indeed condemned to repeat itself. The violent episodes that have shaken the state over the last two months—shoot-outs, narcotic blockades, business places set ablaze—are sadly familiar to Tamaulipas’ residents. Since 2010, months of relative calm alternate with dramatic surges in violence. The novelty is only that this year the crisis attacks a weaker state. The rise in criminal activity, especially the increase in kidnappings, has since 2010 promoted the massive exodus of the corporate community and the closure of many businesses.
A despondent article published recently by The Guardian newspaper describes how the buildings of the Historic Center of Tampico were left vacant as finding new lessees became impossible, and have been slowly overtaken by vegetation. Due to the continuous siege of media communications [by cartels], the reporting of criminal activity is very limited, which reduces the visibility of the state’s crisis, and leaves it at a disadvantage when competing with other regions for support from federal security agencies.
Geography condemns Tamaulipas. The majority of illicit substances that reach the United States from Mexico pass through this state [bordering Texas], or at least that is what the available statistics from confiscated shipments suggest. (For example, of the cocaine confiscated by the Army from 2007 to 2013 in states along the northern border, 56 percent was in Tamaulipas.) For any cartel, then, controlling this lucrative corridor becomes an attractive proposition.
Geography condemns Tamaulipas. The majority of illicit substances that reach the United States from Mexico pass through this state [bordering Texas], or at least that is what the available statistics from confiscated shipments suggest. (For example, of the cocaine confiscated by the Army from 2007 to 2013 in states along the northern border, 56 percent was in Tamaulipas.) For any cartel, then, controlling this lucrative corridor becomes an attractive proposition.
Mier 2010, an entire town was told to get out causing a mass exodus |
When it began its conflict with Los Zetas in 2010, the weakened Gulf Cartel withdrew its forces to Matamoros and Reynosa, with the aim of collecting on the transit of drugs through both border cities. Los Zetas, for their part, took control of Nuevo Laredo. The towns of the “Little Border” (like Mier and Miguel AlemΓ‘n City) became part of a territory of constant conflict between both organizations, and have been the site of some of the bloodiest confrontations.
Nevertheless, the violence was merciless in Reynosa and Tampico in April and May of this year, as they registered 64 and 45 executions respectively, or a total of 109. In Reynosa, the April 1st arrest of the leader of the “Los Metros” faction, “El Simple” JesΓΊs Alejandro Leal, precipitated an incursion of “Los Ciclones,” another faction of the former Gulf Cartel.
Nevertheless, the violence was merciless in Reynosa and Tampico in April and May of this year, as they registered 64 and 45 executions respectively, or a total of 109. In Reynosa, the April 1st arrest of the leader of the “Los Metros” faction, “El Simple” JesΓΊs Alejandro Leal, precipitated an incursion of “Los Ciclones,” another faction of the former Gulf Cartel.
Traditionally, the most successful businessmen in the state reside in Tampico, and it is there where criminals find the greatest potential for kidnapping and extortion. In this second city the dispute is also between groups who previously formed part of the Gulf Cartel. (Today the two gangs are known as “Sheyla” and “Fresitas”.)
After six years of exacerbated violence, the authorities of our country have not developed the capacity to contain upsurges of violence, including when those upswings are foreseeable. The capture of the principal leaders of Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel, which occurred over the last year, promoted the fragmentation of both organizations.
This fragmentation, in turn, generated an elevated risk of confrontations in Tamaulipas, as the number of actors disputing control over income generated by narcotrafficking also increased. Additionally, the fighting groups do not act discretely. The frequent movement of convoys of trucks with armed persons occurs in broad daylight. It is very likely that the bloodiest confrontations could have been avoided with opportune reinforcement of the security of roadways and strategic points in the cities principal to the conflicts.
[When we arrived in 2010 with these supplies ,at the Mier refugee shelter in SMA, we met a mother who we saw in a news report, she was 9 months pregnant when forced to leave with her husband, she had the baby three days before we arrived.]After six years of exacerbated violence, the authorities of our country have not developed the capacity to contain upsurges of violence, including when those upswings are foreseeable. The capture of the principal leaders of Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel, which occurred over the last year, promoted the fragmentation of both organizations.
This fragmentation, in turn, generated an elevated risk of confrontations in Tamaulipas, as the number of actors disputing control over income generated by narcotrafficking also increased. Additionally, the fighting groups do not act discretely. The frequent movement of convoys of trucks with armed persons occurs in broad daylight. It is very likely that the bloodiest confrontations could have been avoided with opportune reinforcement of the security of roadways and strategic points in the cities principal to the conflicts.
Perhaps because of the tendency of Los Zetas to favor intimidation and brutality as strategies for territorial control, in Tamaulipas the vast majority of the population only feels fear and rancor towards the criminals. For this same reason, it is foreseeable that any authority that demonstrates an authentic disposition and efficacy for facing them will also rapidly promote an ample coalition of citizens’ resistance which has until now been absent from Tamaulipas.
According to the diligence of the Herald, Brownsville might as well be on the border with Windsor, Ontario.
ReplyDeleteThat's their problem. ....don't make it ours.
ReplyDeleteYou sound a bit out of touch. There has already been cross over violence. That makes it our problem.
DeleteAll the so called cross over violence has basically been the same people involved with the cartels and such.....not like they are attacking innocent citizens or all the stuff they are doing over there.
DeleteNow Brownsville has more in common with Tampico and other Mexican cities. Buildings there are vacant and left to fall apart due to not being able to rent or sale them. Then we have Casa de Nylon here that is vacant and will likely fall apart before finding an occupant. Robert Duvall was right coming here.....Brownsville is a "Night in Old Mexico". We can thank Peter Goodman for doing nothing for this city.
ReplyDelete90 % of commercial buildings owners in the downtown area, for many years had their buildings rented, until some genius in the city came out with the Entertainment District fiasco idea, abusively they just authorized the ED without consulting building owners, and started enforcing ridiculous ordinances, making almost impossible to register any business not related to night life in the downtown area , Result: Ghostly Downtown Brownsville
ReplyDeleteYou hit the nail on the head. If the city wanted an ED they should have built one from scratch. The idiots think they can copy McAllen. I have opened businesses in Hidalgo County instead of Brownsville and Cameron County because there is money there and leaders that understand business. I'm still lmao about Browntown spending money to buy an awardcas an All American City. Really idiots, the poorest County and one of the poorest cities in the nation receiving that award is embarrassing.
DeleteHere is an interesting article on Tamaulipas violence today translated by Bing. If you want the original in Spanish, go to www.proceso.com I am sure the Herald will be right on top it....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.microsofttranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=IE8Activity&a=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.proceso.com.mx%2F%3Fp%3D374165
unable to open.
Deletecopy and paste into your browser, works fine
DeleteHey Jim that picture you use is really graphic, thanks for warning us on this post. Have you considered surgery to fix it?
ReplyDeleteI use that ugly pic so as not to incite jealousy.
Delete