A twenty year old criminology student was recently appointed police chief of one of northern Mexico's most violent bordertowns.
Marisol Valles Garcia took control of the Guadalupe Distrito Bravo, Chihuahua police department on Monday, October 18, 2010. She was the only applicant for the position.
Valles Garcia is married, has one small child, and is currently studying criminology in Mexico's most violent city, Ciudad Juarez, some 60 kilometres west of Guadalupe.
Raging territory battles between rival drug gangs have caused more than 7000 violent deaths and over 230,000 people to leave Ciudad Juarez since 2008.
Much of Chihuahua state has suffered from the spiral of drug violence, including in the less than 10,000 citizen town of Guadalupe, where the mayor was murdered in June and previous police officers have been kidnapped and killed, some of them beheaded.
Last week alone there were at least eight murders in Guadalupe, in an area deemed a high-traffic transit point for illegal drugs across the border into the US state of Texas.
Upon taking office Valles Garcia stated her priority is not to combat drug cartels and trafficking as the war against drugs is the responsibility of other government bodies.
She said her mission is to establish prevention programs in neighborhoods and schools, reestablish security in public areas and seek neighborhood involvement in forming networks of preventive monitoring.
Additionally she said she is not ruling out the possibility of creating a cycling police patrol and requesting older adults to join preventive surveillance programs in and around all educational establishments.
The Guadalupe police department at this time has only one police patrol car and receives security assistance from the Mexican army.
Text book answers on community policing. Wait till the bullets start to fly!
ReplyDeleteI give her 72 hours. Sad to say though.
ReplyDeleteSeems to be alot on her plate but I truly admire and respect the fact she is willing to accept a almost impossible job. God bless her and hopefully Mexico will begin to be run by more young people willing to do the right thing and not become the trash that is running Mexico at the moment. It saddens me that we as Mexicanos are afraid to visit relatives in the country that made us what we are today.
ReplyDeletethe bullets can't fly any more than than they already are. this woman has guts. if she is not on the take, this woman needs to be protected more than the president. she could be a shining example of mexicans taking back what used to be a wonderful country. if i read about her in a month being raped and beheaded, mexico has no hope for the future. never give up. do not bow down to these bastards any longer.
ReplyDeleteSometimes women have bigger balls than men. But who knows really, it could be bravery, foolishness, or maybe she's already on the payroll.
ReplyDeleteI am a 23 year US Army veteran that has been to war three times. I have the utmost respect for this girl. She is as brave, or braver than most soldiers I went to war with. I hope and pray the cartels give her a little respect. We are praying for you Marisol.
ReplyDeleteI have added pictures and video. The mayor said he did NOT want to put a woman in danger. He went through all the men, practically pleading with them, any one of them, to take the position.
ReplyDeleteMarisol then stood up and said: “Aquí toda la gente tiene miedo, todos tenemos miedo, pero vamos a cambiar ese miedo por seguridad”: Everyone is scared here, we are ALL scared, but we're going to convert this fear into security", and requested the position.
To prove she's willing to put her fear aside for the good of the community, yesterday she allowed the press to photograph her and follow her on the job.
This young woman, is living proof there are still brave people in Mexico willing to stand up and fight for a peaceful, productive Mexico.
She has my utmost respect, may God be with her.
It is rather poetic that this young lady has the courage to stand up and challenge the current state of anarchy in a town that was named for a revolutionary - anarchist, Praxedis Guerrero. He, too, sought to challenge the corrupt system of his day. I only pray that she not meet her end as the same way he did. However, just as Praxedis lived his life without fear, in service of his people and knowing well everyday could be his last, his actions drew a following that changed Mexico forever… “It is better to die your feet than to continue to live on your knees.”
ReplyDeletePraxedis Guerrero borrowed this philosophy from a José Martí, leader of the Cuban independence movement; Emiliano Zapata was a student of Praxedis Guerrero’s philosophies.
God bless you, Marisol Valles Garcia.
I will personally kill anyone involved with the "rape, beheading, or murder" of Marisol or her family... I live across the border, but will conduct my own vigilante justice...beware.
ReplyDeleteGod love Marisol! That whole town should rally around her and help her. I would hope that anyone stupid enough to harm her would be burned alive in the town square. Check out Tutela del Volcan yesterday!!!
ReplyDeleteAmazing story. Please keep up posted on this incredibly brave woman. May she be safe.
ReplyDeleteGood for her, I'm glad there is somebody with the cojones out there to take on that responsibility. Who knows? Perhaps she will prove to be a strong leader, she isn't long enough in the tooth to be cynical or corruptible yet.
ReplyDeleteThere is a fine line between bravery and stupidity. The innocence of youth is apparent. I wish her well, be it a safe journey in her career or the realization that the job of a Chief of Police is not for the inexperienced.
ReplyDeleteGeez! Yeah, this lady does have some iron ovaries on her...
ReplyDeleteBuena suerta Marisol...
God be with you Marisol.
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to bet that she is one of the people who recognizes that. Push people far enough and they are willing to risk their lives. The difference between her and some so-called martyrs is that she isn't deliberately taking her life to kill others, she's putting her life in terrible risk in order to do something she believes is right, and she is willing to die in that attempt. BTW I'm 24 and she puts me to shame!
ReplyDeleteSorry, but one can easily smell in this 'reportage' a puff piece in favor of the US-Mexican governments Drug War. Entire communities in Northern Mexico have been allowed to be turned into free fire zones as the military has abandoned local areas to the cartels as they engage in their turf wars. Now along for the international press, comes this phony story that is supposed to touch all our hearts! Well it falls way short.
ReplyDeleteThis college kid with a baby is basically going 'to be police chief' on a Mexican military base. She is their show piece front, and not the real thing. Folk need to be a little bit more skeptical when they read these sorts of stories. All is not what it is made to seem to be.
Ernest1
dios bendiga a ella ya su familia. Yo estoy con ustedes, im with you sister!!!!!
ReplyDeleteVerdadero heroe......
ReplyDeleteI predict She will be kidnapped,raped for a few days and have Her head cut off.
ReplyDeleteI hope it doesn't happen,But if it does maybe then People will be so angry that something will get done.
I hope that God and all the Angels are watching over Her.She's going to need it.
ernest
ReplyDeleteyou sure are one cynical piece of work
In which state do you live?
I hope that she will set an example of what a mexican should be, especially to all the politicians who speak and cry about patriotism and bicentennial baloney none of them have the courage this youg girl is displaying may God take care of her, and her family.
ReplyDeletewhats next? a childrens crusade
ReplyDeleteCurious, you have to be totally 'cynical' and questioning about this dirty 'Drug War' militarism run by the Pentagon in Mexico, Colombia, and elsewhere. You have to be very aware that government and military and their propaganda outlets will play you for all you're worth, if you are dumb and stupid about current events.
ReplyDeleteIf you do not question stories such as this one , they will take you on a propaganda ride as a total burro. Don't be gullible. Question things as they may appear.
Answer to your question... Nuevo Leon/ Tamaulipas in Mexico is where I have lived in Mexico. Plus, I have worked up and down the US Mexican Border.
Ernest1
so have i ernest 1...i hope you realize that its not about arguing online or trying to MAKE people see things in a different light, its about survival in a peaceful manner. granted, there is alot of propaganda out there from different views, but atleast when its about hope of some/ any kind, we should rally around that and not second guess the initial intent, as this is about not being afraid of walking outside of your house without being killed.
ReplyDeleteWith God, all things are possible.
ReplyDeletemay God be with you and your family.so true with God,all things are possible.God bless you marisol.
ReplyDeleteTWO HOUSEWIVES NAMED POLICE CHIEF IN NORTHERN MEXICO!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=376524&CategoryId=14091