Better headline:
Mexico Reacts to Minuteman Effectiveness
That would appear to be the overall topic of the entire article.
Posted on 04/24/2005 7:38:45 AM PDT by Kokojmudd
By Michael Marizco ARIZONA DAILY STAR
HERMOSILLO, Sonora - Facing heavy criticism over drug-related violence and illegal immigration, Mexico has turned to its military for help.
In one of the largest military buildups in recent memory, the government sent more than 6,000 soldiers to its northern border, 1,600 of them deployed to the northern and southern regions of Sonora to take on the drug traffickers. That resulted in a significant drop in drug seizures this month, U.S. law enforcement data show.
Then earlier this month the Mexican government used its military to deter Mexican migrants' crossing into Southeastern Arizona. The effort was an attempt to avoid confrontations between its citizens and the Minuteman Project, in which a group of U.S. citizens have patrolled that stretch of the border since April 1 to protest illegal immigration.
After that, the Mexican Congress was presented with a proposal to use the military to keep migrants from trying to sneak through the most dangerous parts of the U.S.-Mexican border. That plan ignited a spark of outrage in the Mexican press and was quickly shelved, mostly because the country's constitution allows its citizens to travel where they please within Mexico.
But the proposal isn't dead. Sen. Hector Jaime Osuna, of President Vicente Fox's National Action Party, rewrote the contrversial measure and reintroduced it this week. ( Related story on Page A18.)
When it comes to seizing narcotics, the military has proved effective, analysts say.
The recently retired chief of international operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Mike Vigil, said, "Mexican federal police are so inundated with so many issues there's no way they alone can handle these border issues."
Vigil said the Mexican government has turned to its military units because they are less likely to be corrupted by drug traffickers.
The military proved necessary in the last few months as a northern Mexico drug war escalated, resulting in more than 250 executions and other killings. That damaged tourism, prompting a call for military intervention from the governors of four border states, including Sonora.
"They've been a tremendous asset to this problem," said Otto Claussen Iberri, press secretary for Sonoran Gov. Eduardo Bours Castelo.
Soldiers were deployed throughout the state, focusing heavily on marijuana fields in southern Sonora, near Navojoa, and surveilling, then seizing, clandestine airplane runways in northern Sonora, near Caborca.
Since operations began earlier this month, soldiers have seized more than 15 tons of marijuana and 475 pounds of cocaine, primarily in Caborca and north of the state capital, Hermosillo, according to the National Defense Secretary in Mexico City. At the same time, 161 people were swept up on drug-trafficking charges, though dispositions of their cases have not been determined.
Despite the military's apparent success, Its real effectiveness will come only through a sustained presence, Vigil said.
"They're going to have to have almost a permanent presence there. Once they withdraw, you're going to get back to a similar situation."
Sonoran officials have estimated the military buildup will last until next month.
The increased presence of soldiers means a reduction in the amounts of marijuana and cocaine smuggled into Arizona, said Lt. Ken Hunter, of the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the federal intelligence-gathering agency that tracks drug loads moving across the U.S.-Mexican border.
Marijuana seizures fell by 60 percent and cocaine seizures fell by a third in Arizona after the Mexican military operations began.
With the troop buildup, concern arose over the potential for violation of the civil rights of Mexican citizens.
When a Baja California senator announced a new role for the military - stopping migrants from crossing through the more treacherous paths into the United States - outrage over constitutional rights quickly followed.
Osuna proposed placing the military at the most dangerous crossing points along Mexico's northern border, such as the desert leading into the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, where 14 people died four years ago. The idea was to persuade migrants to pick a safer route.
The senator withdrew his proposal Thursday after he was shouted down by Mexico's intellectuals and the press.
"He found that he was provoking controversy," said Jorge Bustamante, an analyst with Tijuana's Colegio de la Frontera Norte and a sociology professor at the University of Notre Dame, one of those who lashed out at Osuna.
Using the military to stem illegal immigration has been tried before, Bustamante said.
"It never formed a solution; it simply introduced corruption within the ranks of the military," he said.
● Contact reporter Michael Marizco at 573-4213 or at mmarizco@azstarnet.com.
I noticed the motorcycle policemen in Juarez were what appear to be silver spurs on their boots. Anyone know why ?
The Mexican military isn't blocking drugs and, to a lesser extent, criminal immigration, it is simply accomplishing them more efficiently than the other drug cartels.
I was in El Paso/Juarez about a month ago and went across the border to visit a customer. His advice to Gringos on his side of the border--don't ask. Don't even give them a look.
What about the report (on FOX) that the Mexican army was transporting potential border crossers to less patroled areas?
Ping
Better headline:
That would appear to be the overall topic of the entire article.
Facing heavy criticism over illegal immigration, the U.S. government didn't do much of anything.
Then earlier this month the Mexican government used its military to deter Mexican migrants' crossing into Southeastern Arizona. The effort was an attempt to avoid confrontations between its citizens and the Minuteman Project,
The Mexican military re-directed as many people as they could to safer crossing points.
Despite the military's apparent success, Its real effectiveness will come only through a sustained presence, Vigil said. "They're going to have to have almost a permanent presence there. Once they withdraw, you're going to get back to a similar situation."
Despite the Minutemen's success, its real effectiveness will come only through a sustained presence. They're going to have to have almost a permanent presence there. Once they withdraw, you're going to get back to a similar situation.
Great link - thanks.
"It never formed a solution; it simply introduced corruption within the ranks of the military," he said.
So that's why Mexicorruption is doing it. I thought it might have something to do with U.S. ambassador to Mexico Antonio Garza's letter citing their poor efforts thus far.
I posted this reply elsewhere, I think it is an apposite reply here. (Yes, apposite, See www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1389678/posts for the apposite hubbub.)
Here's a Mexican news item from earlier this year translated.
Mexicans Back Government's Reply To U.S.
/noticias.info/ (Angus Reid Consultants - CPOD Global Scan) – Many adults in Mexico believe the federal administration was right in its response to the security concerns voiced by a United States diplomat, according to a poll by Reforma. 63 per cent of respondents believe the government's response was adequate.
In the past six months, at least 27 Americans have either disappeared or been kidnapped along the U.S.-Mexico border. The situation prompted U.S. ambassador to Mexico Antonio Garza to send a letter to foreign secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez and attorney general Rafael Macedo de la Concha, claiming Mexico's law enforcement units are incapable of dealing with the situation.
Derbez said Garza’s position was "exaggerated." The office of Mexican president Vicente Fox issued a communiqué on Jan. 27, saying the country "does not accept judgement from any foreign entity" on its policies. On Jan. 31, Fox himself declared Garza’s letter had been "a bit scandalous."
Polling Data
The Mexican government rejected a warning issued by the United States, and said it does not admit any judgement from foreign entities. Do you think the Mexican government's response was adequate or exaggerated?
Adequate 63%
Exaggerated 32%
Unsure 5%
Source: Reforma Methodology: Telephone interviews to 450 Mexican adults, conducted on Jan. 19, 2005. Margin of error is 4.6 per cent.
www.noticias.info/asp/aspComunicados.asp?nid=47418&src=0
Notice the President's good buddy's comments, he "does not accept judgment from any foreign entity." I can barely express how angry this makes me knowing that the President of the United States lets such an a-hole meddle in our affairs 24/7!
The Army is keeping the numbers down so the Minutemen will not be able to show the world just how bad this really is.
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!
I have seen bikers have them, some are for fashion, some are actually for a weapon. Think spur with a 1 inch spike.
I think it is a "me too" pr stunt.
This way the effectivness of the Minutement will be "explained away" by the army's "assistance".
Vincente Fox might as well put the cliche bannana in his ear and claim that it keeps aligators off the city streets of mexico.
If anything the Army is directing illegals away to safer entrance points.
Yes...that's why Gilchrest needed to publicly declare the MMP a success and to say why...
If we had left it up to the press with them knowing the actual numbers of crossers and apprehensions, well...
In very rough figures, apprehensions went from 700/day in March to 100/day in April...if that many...in this sector. and April is traditionally a busier month for crossings.
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