How much is six dollars and fifty cents? What can you buy with $6.50? Just off the top of my head, in the U.S., I'm thinking I could buy a couple gallons of gas, a pack of smokes, or maybe a value meal from one of my favorite fast food joints.
In Mexico, on the other hand, with roughly $80 pesos, I can buy two packs of smokes and a big bag of chips, a kilo of sirloin, about 9 liters of gas, or a tasty 8 taco breakfast washed down with an ice cold bottled Coca-Çola.
Or, for those same $80 Mexican pesos, according to a report made public in ElNorte, with the right connections, I could buy myself a grenade from Guatemala.
In Mexico, on the other hand, with roughly $80 pesos, I can buy two packs of smokes and a big bag of chips, a kilo of sirloin, about 9 liters of gas, or a tasty 8 taco breakfast washed down with an ice cold bottled Coca-Çola.
Or, for those same $80 Mexican pesos, according to a report made public in ElNorte, with the right connections, I could buy myself a grenade from Guatemala.
Eduardo Valiente Hernandez, commissioner of the Federal Police in Nuevo Leon, revealed that while Mexican military and federal forces continue to seize large amounts of weapons seizures, Mexican cartels are able to continuously replenish their losses in Central America for ridiculously small amounts of money.
"The problem is the ease with which weapons can be purchased, for example, a grenade can be purchased for $80 pesos in countries like Guatemala," said Valiente Hernandez in his conference "Security and Crime in Nuevo León".
"Eighty pesos per grenade!, And it's is very easy to transport them."
Last night a grenade, which did not explode, was thrown at a police headquarters located in Valle Verde in western Monterrey.
On Monday, October 18, around midnight, unidentified persons threw a grenade that exploded in the parking lot of a gas station in San Nicolas de los Garza, shrapnel damaged a gas pump.
On October 2, another grenade was tossed into the main square of Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, injuring 14 people, including 6 children.
The information Commander Valiente has released matches that of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives which reported that most of the grenades used by drug cartels in Nuevo Leon are being smuggled into Mexico from Central America, not from the United States.
On Monday, October 18, around midnight, unidentified persons threw a grenade that exploded in the parking lot of a gas station in San Nicolas de los Garza, shrapnel damaged a gas pump.
On October 2, another grenade was tossed into the main square of Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, injuring 14 people, including 6 children.
The information Commander Valiente has released matches that of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives which reported that most of the grenades used by drug cartels in Nuevo Leon are being smuggled into Mexico from Central America, not from the United States.
Bill Newell, regional director for Arizona and New Mexico A.T.F., said there are indications that several of the explosives seized in the State were acquired through connections with corrupt officials in Guatemala, Belize and El Salvador.
"There is legal trade in military weapons around the world," said Newell, whose office works with the PGR in tracing the weapons confiscated.
"There is legal trade in military weapons around the world," said Newell, whose office works with the PGR in tracing the weapons confiscated.
"There are countries that can not manufacture weapons and go to a country like the United States, Belgium, Britain, South Africa and Korea and buy their military grenades, bullets, and rifles."
"These sales are part of a legal trade, and we have seen that the vast majority of grenades that have been seized (in Nuevo León), and were of American origen, were sold between 1988 and 1990 to countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, and Belize."
"and what happened in those years? The civil wars ended. We began seeing more and more connections with Los Zetas last year, for example, in Guatemala there were several grenade seizures in Zeta training camps."
"These sales are part of a legal trade, and we have seen that the vast majority of grenades that have been seized (in Nuevo León), and were of American origen, were sold between 1988 and 1990 to countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, and Belize."
"and what happened in those years? The civil wars ended. We began seeing more and more connections with Los Zetas last year, for example, in Guatemala there were several grenade seizures in Zeta training camps."
Newell added that properly stored, grenades have an estimated shelf life of 30 years, but mismanagement reduces the period, which explains why many which have recently been thrown in the city have failed to detonate.
Sources: Osvaldo Robles/ Grupo Reforma
Sources: Osvaldo Robles/ Grupo Reforma
For 6.50 NZ Dollars (3.25 US Dollars), I'd buy a magazine and a take-away mug of hot chocolate. Also, for 6.50 NZ Dollars, I'd buy 2 or 3 bottles of beer.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Washington Post, the US government supplied Central American countries with 300,000 grenades during their militaristic interventions there down South. So why this bit of your false reporting in the Borderland Beat article, 'Ovemex'??? This is bs and goes along with your silly puff piece praising the Mexican military, which is not a stellar group of heroes contrary to your pretense that they are .
ReplyDelete'The information Commander Valiente has released matches that of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives which reported that most of the grenades used by drug cartels in Nuevo Leon originate from Central America, not from U.S. weapon trafficking.'
Read the Washington Post report that tells the real story, unlike Ovemex's silliness....
Mexican drug cartels' newest weapon: Cold War-era grenades made in U.S. -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/16/AR2010071606252.html?hpid=topnews
Ernest1
Hey Earnest 1..
ReplyDeleteAs Ovemex stated on the 2 Hrs piece, the reporters of BB are ordinary citizens not professional reporters or journalists. The service they provide in providing narco news is english language, taking the time to translate key stories and videos in english. This expands the field of viewers who in effect can learn the truth of what is occurring in Mx. I am one of many that feel they do an excellent job. I am obsessed with gathering facts and news on the internet of narco news, because of my work in Mx, I know how much work and time that requires so I cannot imagine what time each of the BB reporters devote to this blog.
Your rudeness is apalling as you in essence are accusing Ovemex of being a lair. You are taking advantage of a service provided to you free of charge. You have the right to a difference of op, but to personally attack the writing style or a person is crossing the line and serves no purpose. WHich part of Mx do you live in? I am not getting your point that you paint with a wide brush about Mx soldiers, yes there has been human rights violations, and crimes against Mx citizens by SOME soldiers, but I would take my chances with them over many facets of Mx policing such as municipal. Your mama sure forgot teach you manners or how to express your opinion without slamming others.
Now the million dollar question...What tell hell are you in disagreement with in the above article? I have read your post referring to the Wa Post article of July, and Ovemex post and I see no conflict. Perhaps it is my Buela eyes that are failing me..But of what the fuck do you speak? I honestly am not getting where it differs.
I was curious if one can purchase a grenade in the US. I discovered a US citizen can be lic to buy grenades. much like an application for guns, & finger printed. BUT the clincher is there is a 200 dollar TAX stamp applied to each item and the ATF is notified. One grenade 200$ fee two 400
ReplyDeleteI simply do not understand why we need to make sales of these devices available to the public, nor assualt rifles..There are no ligitament use for these things, they are to harm or kill people, truly that simplistic, the second amendment does not exclude restrictions.
To Ernest 1
you are a rude S.O.B.
Right as if the U.S. Military killing civilians in Iraq, Afhanistan is something worthy of praise.
ReplyDeletedrink more coolaid culero teabag.
Anon @ 12:11
ReplyDeleteI have been meaning to ask of a poster that uses the term "tea bagger" in a negative or derogatory way, to define what it is in the platform of the Tea Party you object to? I am just curious..the platform is essentially what I support. not all but the majority. I believe in low tax, little government and am of the thought private enterprise does just about everything better than the government. eg. post office- schools
So if you would could you explain which part of the platform you disagree with, and why maybe I can become enlighten.
"I was curious if one can purchase a grenade in the US. I discovered a US citizen can be lic to buy grenades. much like an application for guns, & finger printed. BUT the clincher is there is a 200 dollar TAX stamp applied to each item and the ATF is notified. One grenade 200$ fee two 400"
ReplyDeleteThat's all well and good.
Now... go find someone to actually sell you a grenade.
I'll give you a hint... there isn't a dealer/manufacturer in the US that will sell a grenade to a civilian, even if you have the ATF's blessing and tax stamp.
To Ernest11:
ReplyDeleteYeah, right asshole. You trying to talk down about the mexican military, which are the only ones fighting a real war against the drug cartels that supply US huge market...Surely, the US military are sooooo heroic....with deeds like those of Gitmo and Abu Ghraib...
Hey, the BB team rocks. They work volunterrily for this website, providing English language in it and charge us at a no cost for its service. I come here, because I haven't stopped getting bored with this website. Drug war is a reality in Mexico; it keeps going on and on almost daily, those ones involved in the war leaves alive carrying with a vivid of deadly horrific memories that others on the outside is yet to feel the same experience. Life's not fair. Thank you BB for keeping us posted.
ReplyDeleteSo it is supposedly 'rude', according to some uninformed posters here at BB, when 'ovamex' falls all over himself slobbering in praise for the murderous Mexican military and gets criticized for it? Too damn bad then.
ReplyDeleteAccording to his own blog, the man writes out of Ontario, Canada. I don't think that he is a good addition to the Borderland Beat group of reporters who over all have been doing a pretty good job. His 'reporting' (political opinion making) is pretty unimpressive so far That's my own opinion and it is based on following Latin American political affairs for some decades now.
It happens to be that I am also directly married to an extended family that lives in this Mexican war zone that Ontario guy, 'Ovamex', is supposedly covering, and the info they have does not jive at all with a rosy picture of the Mexican military that Ovamex is painting.
Maybe he will improve??? but his overall reporting so far smells of a Mexican government infiltrator propaganda stooge of BB. I hope he begins to prove me wrong.
Ernest1
While I'm not the original poster, I will add that if you want to see Tea Party policies in action, look no further than the subject that draws us here: Mexico. A land where the state does essentially nothing, little to no taxes that can be actually collected on billions on legal illegal transactions and safety only for those "who can afford it". I've spent a lot of time at Tea Party rallies and I don't think people realize what a fervent nationalist (and in many ways just plain uneducated) operation. I've been a working journalist for decades in both the US and abroad and I've never seen a more bizzare movement in America. The are more than happy to get rid of the dreaded "big government" and replace it with corporate rule. At that point, you might as well have the cartels running the nation.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with 'ovamex' telling us that the grenades have nothing to do with US weapons trafficking. He is utterly wrong and dishonest about that, in fact.
ReplyDeleteThe grenades were spread throughout Central America DUE TO US weapons trafficking and US government sponsored wars in CA. Call me 'rude' if you want, but 'ovamex' tried to imply that the US government has nothing to do with this weapon proliferation in Mexico when it clearly does.
Ernest1
@Ernest1
ReplyDeleteI have re-read your comment, link, and my post which was taken from El Norte numerous times and to be honest, I'm still confused.
Either my reading comprehension has taken a sudden nose dive overnight, in which case I'll most certainly sign up for remedial classes, or you have not concisely presented presented your argument.
Your July '10 Washington Post link has much of the same information as my post, with exception to the fact my post is specifically talking about grenades in and around Monterrey, Nuevo Leon and your link details grenades being used across Mexico.
Grenades ARE being used in Mty, and investigations HAVE found they are primarily coming up from Central America. That being said, some of the grenades HAVE been American made ( yes, some of those 300,000 grenades from your WP link have been stockpiled and have been sold to narcos), but not ALL grenades from Central America were made in and purchased from the U.S.
Central America at that time also had grenades manufactured by Asia, Soviet Union and Eastern European countries.
Let's be real about where those grenades originally were placed and why? The US was involved in promoting counter insurgency wars to keep repressive US puppet regimes in place in all of Central America back in the '80s.- Hundreds of thousands lost their lives because of US made wars there. THe US government was the main reason there are weapons all over Central America even to this day, and the grenades in Mexico are a legacy of blowback and spillover from these previous conflicts.
ReplyDeleteThe Zetas were trained originally in the US, too. See antiwar.com and al jazeera today about that... 'US-trained cartel terrorizes Mexico'
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2010/10/20101019212440609775.html
Yes indeed they are!
Further, the US government has been supplying over a billion dollars PLUS to train, equip, and keep the Mexican military itself terrorizing the Mexican people, especially those in the remoter rural areas. This is a made by the USA conflict being fought out today. Let;'s open our eyes some to what's really now going on. And let's use our brains about the data that Borderland helps provide.
Ernest1
Can someone please CRUSH THE LEFTISTS on these comments?
ReplyDeleteTheir ONLY purpose is to deflect the argument that the Drug Cartels NEED TO BE EXTERMINATED.
As for "Mexican cartels are able to continuously replenish their losses in Central America for ridiculously small amounts of money"
I thought Mexico has control of their SOUTHERN BORDER?
If the Mexican govt can't control THEIR southern border...oh wait, it's the same as Øobama leaving America's wide open.
PS - anyone who quotes al jazeera and antiwar.com needs to be DEPORTED.
@ Anon 7:52
ReplyDeleteAs for the tea party reply..I am still not getting an answer, I am strictly speaking of their platform, which part OF THE PLATFORM makes a person spew such hate..that was the question. Nothing more. Not to "see them in action" or otherwise. PLATFORM..
@Jody H
I do not want to buy a grenade, so I am not sure your point. I was simply giving the info I found from the US government. Sounds like you tried to buy one? or someone you are aquainted with? If so what happened? I just added to the topic but don't know if the gov is being truthful when they declare a law abiding citizen can purchase one. I will take your word for it, I honestly don't know.
@ Ernest 1
So humor Buela tell me which state in Mx do you live? I am trying to figure out how your thinking got so fucked up. The blog you are speaking of clearly states he is of Oaxaca! ok I know you like to drege up dated articles as proof but no where at any time has Oaxaca ever been in Canada...maybe your tiny mind was confused and thought because there is a canadian owned mine in Oaxaca that the state now belongs to canada?
Can't you get any detail correct. He said Grenades were from the US among other countries. why you have it out for this dude is a puzzlement, you are behaving like an obsessed stalker. Ok to disagree, ok to challenge...JUST GET IT RIGHT...and have some manners, because you are making forget mine.
@Ernest 1
ReplyDeleteHoly shit! I didn't know you expected me to repost the ENTIRE history of how grenades originally got to Central America and the history of the former GAFES turned Zetas (or their reported S.O.A. training by U.S.,French and Israeli specialists)PRIOR to reporting narcos in Nuevo Leon. I assumed these histories were already known.
"I disagree with 'ovamex' telling us that the grenades have nothing to do with US weapons trafficking. He is utterly wrong and dishonest about that, in fact.
The grenades were spread throughout Central America DUE TO US weapons trafficking and US government sponsored wars in CA. Call me 'rude' if you want, but 'ovamex' tried to imply that the US government has nothing to do with this weapon proliferation in Mexico when it clearly does.
Ernest1""
I made NO such implication that weapons are NOT trafficked from the U.S., in fact I didn't even cover weapons as a whole.
This report is based SOLELY on grenades in and around the MTY, NUEVO LEON area and HOW they are getting NOW.
It has NOTHING to do with any other type of weapons trafficking (guns, ammo, bazukas, etc) or their PREVIOUS states of origin.
OK, Ovamex, I accept what you have to say, but... 'I assumed these histories were already known.' yet you shouldn't have assumed anything about your readers here. We have Far Right US Nazis and Klan types now coming here to read BB reports and they are absolute know-nothing people.
ReplyDeleteWhich just goes to underline that Borderland beat needs to be much more cognizant that they are feeding information to some of the most totally backward elements of the US population, and that these people simply want to use info as ammo to fire away at Latino immigrants and to feed their own racist hatreds and prejudices against Mexicans.
Be AWARE.
Ernest1
"Which just goes to underline that Borderland beat needs to be much more cognizant that they are feeding information to some of the most totally backward elements of the US population, and that these people simply want to use info as ammo to fire away at Latino immigrants and to feed their own racist hatreds and prejudices against Mexicans."
ReplyDeleteWe can only report the stories as they come out of Mexico. Whether or not someone takes a story out of context and uses it to justify their own racist beliefs is well beyond our scope of influence.
Wow! We have now our left-side-of-the-road Rush Limbaugh: Ernest-the-1!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this Ernest-guy knows for a fact that 911 was an insider job by the mighty Klan.
Go back on your meds kiddo.
BB guys, continue the good job. Someone has to hold a lantern.
Right Wingers who accuse people of holding positions they don't have is abour par for the course for you thugs, 'Matanza'. (Probably an apt name for where your brain cells are at)...
ReplyDelete'I'm sure this Ernest-guy knows for a fact that 911 was an insider job by the mighty Klan. Go back on your meds kiddo.'
And Smurf, you are right...
'We can only report the stories as they come out of Mexico. Whether or not someone takes a story out of context and uses it to justify their own racist beliefs is well beyond our scope of influence.'
Still, you now have a bunch of Far Right followers from both the US and Mexico following what is print here. Interesting.... And they always interpret everything they ever hear completely ass backwards. It's just in their nature. Overall BB is doing a good job.
Ernest1