Borderland Beat |  |
- Refuses to Testify: Former Michoacán Governor son Rodrigo Vallejo arrested
- Organized Crime: Cocaine & Crude
- Security: Goverment claims don't touch reality
Refuses to Testify: Former Michoacán Governor son Rodrigo Vallejo arrested Posted: 03 Aug 2014 11:27 PM PDT Chivís Martínez for Borderland Beat  The son of Michoacán's former governor, Fausto Vallejo, has been arrested. Rodrigo Vallejo Mora, aka "El Gerber" was arrested today on charges of concealing a crime [cover-up] in connection with the recently surfaced video depicting him at a meeting with Servando Gomez 'La Tuta', leader of the Los Caballeros Templarios. The attorney general reported that Vallejo Mora refused to testify about the video, or answers questions about same. Vallejo Mora was subpoenaed to give testimony, but "refused to declare the social requirements regarding the investigation of crimes and the prosecution of offenders," said the prosecution in a brief statement. The lack of cooperation by Vallejo Mora resulting in his charges, the legal status will now be decided by a district judge. The prosecutor stressed that the case regarding "other crimes" is still ongoing. Even if the video does not present any criminal activities, sources within the PGR said that they have other recordings and testimonies which could be used against Vallejo Mora. He was transferred to Almoloya de Juárez Prison, in the State of México "Gerber" may have not wanted to speak about the video to the PGR agency, but he was not shy about speaking with the press. His contention to the press, in interviews, was that a convoy of 40-50 trucks kidnapped him and forced him to the meeting. In the video however he appears relaxed, knows surrounding people by name, jokes with La Tuta while drinking a Tecate. For his part, the former governor wrote on social networks, a contradictory message that his son was taken against his will, but if found he went willingly and attended the meeting by choice, he should be punished according to the law. "Tuta videos" have been the downfall of other senior politicos, including former governor of Michoacán, the now incarcerated Jesus Reyna, among other officials.
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Organized Crime: Cocaine & Crude Posted: 03 Aug 2014 08:05 PM PDT Borderland Beat: Video from Vice  An excellent video from Vice. "Cocaine & Crude", is about cartel diversification from drug trafficking into oil theft. It begins in Tamaulipas, most of Mexico's extensive oil reserves are off the coast of Tamaulipas, the state is the historical center for the country's petroleum industry beginning more than 100 years ago. With the state being rich in oil reserves, combined with lucrative drug corridors, add in corruption being the norm, it is little wonder organized crime violence is an untamed beast. Zetas are the only cartel that began with a business structure of 50% diversification; knocks offs, extortion, kidnapping, sex trade, versus drug trafficking. Oil alone, could surpass drugs in the future as most profitable portion of Zetas activities. The reporter takes an amazing excursion to a Pemex site, with begins with soldiers listening to narcos radio communications. They are traveling to a site where an illegal tap was installed the night before.    | ||
Security: Goverment claims don't touch reality Posted: 03 Aug 2014 10:25 AM PDT Borderland Beat Translated by Reed Brundage Mexico Voices As the EPN administration boasts and assures insecurity has been overcome the reality reflects a far different picture, Michoacan and Tamaulipas remain the kidnapping capitals of the nation, and transparency has been thrown into the muddy waters of yesterday. EPN's ratings have hit an all time low.  Commissioner Castillo insists "Michoacan is under control" but under whose control? Enrique Peña Nieto’s government insists on celebrating the success of its security operations in Michoacán and Tamaulipas, even though the violence remains present in those states. The head of the Secretariat of Government Relations, Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, has asserted that in Michoacán “the insecurity crisis has been overcome“, while for Tamaulipas, he boasted “positive results in the decrease of violence.” However, the official in charge of domestic policy did not provide any data to confirm his statements. On the contrary, the official figures contradict him: Tamaulipas is the leading state in kidnappings and Michoacán is in second place. Also, both states are among the national top 10 in murders and extort ions. Early this month, the National Citizen Observatory criticized the federal official for the same reason. The organization exposed him by stating that “the cases of Michoacán and Tamaulipas demonstrate that the statements of the authorities do not correspond with the reality reflected by the officially reported figures.”  Speeches are not actions. The data contradict Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong and distance the government even more from the real situation suffered by the people exposed to such violence.  The State of Mexico is the counterpart, and undoubtedly a special case. It is the state that Enrique Peña Nieto governed before taking office as President and, since 2013, it is the most violent and dangerous state in the country. Unlike Michoacán and Tamaulipas, in the State of Mexico there are no jingoistic speeches, only obscurity and silence. It is therefore easy to imagine that there is nothing to celebrate there. Obscurity in cases such as the alleged mass execution of 22 hit men by members of the Army that remains unexplained. Silence by the authorities who don´t want to make public the magnitude of the problem faced by the State in that part of the country while the Executive Secretariat of the National System of Public Security (SESNSP) and the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) confirm that, indeed, the State of Mexico is the most violent state in the country. But victory is being declared in two states that, far from improving, remain the same. What´s happening in that state where no one will say anything, not the Governor, the President, or the head of the Secretariat of Government Relations? Is the magnitude of the tragedy that immense? Peña Nieto must stop investing efforts in suggesting a reality that doesn’t match the one experienced by Mexicans, and should admit that things are not going as planned. In that way, the statements of his government at least would have credibility. Sinembargo |
