The Sinaloa cowboys
The north-west region of Mexico has become one of the most dangerous places in the world, on a par with Iraq and Afghanistan. There is a war going on there between three major drug cartels, fighting for control of the lucrative drug trade into the USA. A Federation of the Sinoloa Cowboys are fighting the Tijuana and the Juarez Cartels that control the area for a share in the trade. Sinoloa is a region of Mexico along the Pacific coast which is both remote and dangerous, and those who grow up there have a reputation for being ruthless and hard to infiltrate.
The epicenter of the fight is Cuidad Juarez, which is across the border made by the Rio Grande river from El Paso. The Sinoloans already control the drug trade thru Nogales and they are trying to expand. As a result there have been daily shootings in Cuidad Juarez that has virtually brought life in that town to a halt. It is estimated that ca. 2,000 people have been killed in the past year, including innocent bystanders, and the local police have either been unable to cope or are involved in the shootings as hired hands of various drug lords. Around Mexico about 500 anti-drug enforcement agents have been assassinated in the past year by the various drug gangs. Anyone who saw the movie "Traffic" with Michael Douglas will know what I'm talking about. It has been said that Mexico is in danger of becoming a "failed" State.
In order to try to bring control back to the area the Mexican President Felipe Calderon has ordered the Mexican Army to take over the city. The Army is considered to be one of the few institutions in Mexico that are not controlled by the criminal gangs that feed off the drug trade. Now ca. 7,500 soldiers are patrolling Cuidad Juarez. The situation has become so serious that the US is building a Security fence along the border, that in some places is a wall, and they are following Israel's example (so if anyone in the US criticizes Israel's Security fence tell them to complain to their own Government). This fence will be about 500 miles long.
But, because the situation is getting out of control, Secty of State Hillary Clinton met with Pres. Calderon last week near the border to discuss how to deal with the situation. The US is giving Mexico m$114 to buy Blackhawk helicopters to make the Mexican Army more mobile and able to handle the situation.
It is not only drugs and illegal immigrants who are crossing the border into the US, but gangsters and drug dealers, and they are murderous and ruthless. In many US cities they are taking over from local drug gangs, so that they can control both the import and local supply of the drugs, mainly cocaine.
So if you see a Sinoloa Cowboy in your neighborhood, "Hasta la vista!"
The epicenter of the fight is Cuidad Juarez, which is across the border made by the Rio Grande river from El Paso. The Sinoloans already control the drug trade thru Nogales and they are trying to expand. As a result there have been daily shootings in Cuidad Juarez that has virtually brought life in that town to a halt. It is estimated that ca. 2,000 people have been killed in the past year, including innocent bystanders, and the local police have either been unable to cope or are involved in the shootings as hired hands of various drug lords. Around Mexico about 500 anti-drug enforcement agents have been assassinated in the past year by the various drug gangs. Anyone who saw the movie "Traffic" with Michael Douglas will know what I'm talking about. It has been said that Mexico is in danger of becoming a "failed" State.
In order to try to bring control back to the area the Mexican President Felipe Calderon has ordered the Mexican Army to take over the city. The Army is considered to be one of the few institutions in Mexico that are not controlled by the criminal gangs that feed off the drug trade. Now ca. 7,500 soldiers are patrolling Cuidad Juarez. The situation has become so serious that the US is building a Security fence along the border, that in some places is a wall, and they are following Israel's example (so if anyone in the US criticizes Israel's Security fence tell them to complain to their own Government). This fence will be about 500 miles long.
But, because the situation is getting out of control, Secty of State Hillary Clinton met with Pres. Calderon last week near the border to discuss how to deal with the situation. The US is giving Mexico m$114 to buy Blackhawk helicopters to make the Mexican Army more mobile and able to handle the situation.
It is not only drugs and illegal immigrants who are crossing the border into the US, but gangsters and drug dealers, and they are murderous and ruthless. In many US cities they are taking over from local drug gangs, so that they can control both the import and local supply of the drugs, mainly cocaine.
So if you see a Sinoloa Cowboy in your neighborhood, "Hasta la vista!"
posted by Jack Cohen at 11:20 AM
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