On the outside, Santiago, Nuevo Leon is a small picturesque tourist town, which was inducted into Mexico's Magical Villages program in 2006.
On the inside, thousands of hardworking people are struggling to maintain hope amongst warring cartels and relentless cases of extortion, kidnappings, and executions, which in the last five months alone have left 12 Santiago police officers dead.
Last Thursday, August 12, Gilberto Puente Cruz, chief of personal security for the mayor of Santiago, died and another bodyguard was injured after their vehicle hit a cyclone mesh fence on along the national highway.
Although officially the incident was reported as an automobile accident caused by excessive speed and water on the highway, witnesses claim the mayors vehicle was being chased by armed men causing the bodyguards to crash into the fence as a protective maneuver.
"Cual accidente? Los venian siguiendo! por eso se dieron en la madre. cual charco? tiene 2 semanas de no llover por estos rumbos. los venian persiguiendo 2 boras y una avalanche.-"
What accident?! The were being chased. What water? It hasn't rained in these parts for weeks. They were being chased by two Boras (Volkswagon) and an Avalanche (Cadillac)
Citrico- comment posted on Aug. 16, 2010 El Norte
To add to the town's turmoil, shortly after midnight Monday, the mayor of Santiago, Edelmiro Cavazos Leal, was abducted from his residence by a group of at least 15 armed men in cloned official vehicles who gained access to the property by identifying themselves as Federal Judicial Police, an agency which has been defunct for nearly nine years.
Almost 48 hours later, the mayor has yet to appear. In the town hall, employees have been seen coming and going. In the plazas, women still make small talk while watching their children play. Traffic still flows freely to and from the neighboring state capital, Monterrey.
As in every small town, speculation and rumor run rampid. Judging by comments made in online news articles and forums, public opinion regarding Cavazos Leal, his character, and his disappearance vary sharply. What doesn't vary, however, is the collective sense of constant helplessness, fear and uncertainty.
"Esto me hace sentir horrible, estoy encerrada en casa, no quiero ni ir al super, sabiamos que Santiago ya no tenia ningun policia por que a todos los asecinaron, pero que se lleven a nuestro Alcalde, es un hombre joven, con familia, por favor, hagan algo.... no importa que renuncie si lo sueltan, pero para todos los santiaguenses es muy importante recuperarlo con vida, no solo por lo que vale como persona, sino por lo que significa para todos nosotros.... si eso hicieron con el, rodeado de seguridad... que nos espera a cualquiera de nosotros. ahora vivimos con miedo, pero entiendase MIEEEDO. esto no era a lo que estabamos acostumbrados, en un pueblo lleno de gente buena, por favor, vengan a rescatarnos a todos.. Auxilio."
This makes me feel horrible, I'm locked up at home, I don't want to go for groceries, we already knew that Santiago no longer had police because they've assassinated them all, but to take our mayor, a young man with family, please, do something...It doesn't matter if he resigns if they release him, but for the people of Santiago it's important to recuperate him ALIVE, not only for what his life is worth as a person, but for it would signify for all of us.....If they were able to do this with HIM, surrounded by personal security, what hope do any of us have?
We now live with fear, but understand FEEEAARR! This was not what we were accustomed to, in a town full of good people, please come to our rescue .. Help.
We now live with fear, but understand FEEEAARR! This was not what we were accustomed to, in a town full of good people, please come to our rescue .. Help.
-Santiaguense Posted on internet Aug. 16, 2010
Sadly, for many, Santiago has lost it's magic; De pueblo magico a Tragico.
such a shame, Santiago is so nice , i wish to live there, but the evil has taken it, lastima por mejico y buena suerte a el alcalde, poor mexico, such good people caught by such evil people, where is god to save Mexico ?
ReplyDeletePlease someone do something, send a reporter from BB over there, this is a tragedy to all the good people in Santiago. I just came from there, the fear is real. You can smell it on the air.
ReplyDeleteI read in another forum that some of the Borderland Beat staff have some clout in the Mexican politica!
Anyone know where Iliana is????????????
We need her.
I am sure that legalizing drugs in Mx and US will transform Extortion,protection,kidnapping and murder and what appears to be a massive criminal presence in Mexico will get honest work and become productive citizens NOT. I truly feel sorry for the real people of Mexico,but the public was passive now the price is being paid, by all of us.
ReplyDelete1.) legalizing, regulating and taxing drugs would take most of the criminal element out of it -- just like when alcohol was legalized after being outlawed. But the criminals would eventually find other sources of funding. Additionally some have postualted that s, just not as large though. Some have postulated that should the US legalize drugs, Mexico would collapse within two years due to the prevasiveness of money laundering there and how much drug money is used to fund "legitimate" businesses in Mexico like Banks, hotels, etc.. SO the US legalizing drugs could cause Mexico to collapse and sink further than it already has.
ReplyDelete2.)It is too bad that in Mexico, the only people with guns are the criminals, police and corrupt police. That is why we constantly see everyday Mexicans asking for someone to "help" them, to "protect" them and "save" them. If law-abiding citizens in Mexico could own guns like how it is in the US, the citizens would not tolerate the criminals and corrupt police. They would not feel helpless and impotent. Government, police and even criminals would fear the people -- this is how a democracy is supposed to be.
Mexican Citizens,
ReplyDeleteIt is time to realized that your Rights come from God not the Government. Every right you have as has an associated duty. You have a duty to defend your life/property (it is not the government's duty) therefore your have the right to defend it and the means to do it. Arm up. Take back your town. No one will or should help you. If you are not willing to fight for your life why should someone else be forced to give up their life for you? Get out of the aristocracy/plantation mentality that has pervaded your history. Realize you have the right to be free and it is YOUR duty to defend and keep that right.
What an Idiot this john wayne Character is.
ReplyDeleteDefend your rights?
id say much more but im sure youre one of them ignorant teabagged grandadys.
Unfortunately they found him dead on the side of the road today.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.milenio.com/node/510221
This is all so tragic. Beautiful santiago, magnificent Monterrey...one by one the bastards gain control.
ReplyDeleteToday they found the body of Sr. Cavazos the mayor of Santiago.
"ALL TYRANNY NEEDS TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD IS FOR PEOPLE OF GOOD CONSCIENCE TO REMAIN SILENT"
what are you retarded...JOHN WAYNE...stupid ass tonto.... if all the good people in Mexico had guns they would not be at the mercy of the few bad apples,,,as it is ,,,no body has guns but the police ,,,who are out manned y out gunned,,,and the narcos ...who BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE GUNS CAN PUSH EVERY BODY ELSE AROUND....MEXICO IS LIVING PROOF THAT GUN CONTROL IS A DISASTER....these pinche madres would never get so much power in the USA...block the roads,,,steal the mayor...kill thousands of police...mierda...their dead asses would be laying around everywhere ...make fun all you want ...but the fact of the matter is that when you want to feel safe ...you go to the USA...because the good people can outpower the bad people including corrupt policias...so go ahead and laugh...but not too much or mebbe one trafficant will se you and shoot your funny ass..I have been to Santiago many times...to eat ..to buy things....to go to the water...and it is a real shame now the market there is only for the narcoculeros...let me tell you ...real gun control is being able to hit what you shoot at
ReplyDeleteyeah, yeah juan Wayne.
ReplyDeletetu y tu madre son la mera neta.
Good people, outpower the bad people.
uta, anything funnier you can come up with?
inches couch potato Captain Americas.
if you own a gun make sure you save a bullet for yourself cause if they catch you alive you will wish you had saved that bullet.
ReplyDeleteI have seen convoys of 40 trucks with 4 to 5 heavily armed cartel members each. Do you think that you alone can go up against small armies of criminals? 85 percent of all cartel members arrested have been released to continue their killing and terror sprees.
The latest statistics i found were from 2007 that says 14,831 people were killed 10,086 were by firearm in the USA. It's been plus or minus a thousand for the three years listed previous to 2007.
How come we can't save them? And you want Mexico to save themselves!
from here http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s0299.pdf
I have a few points that would help end this some are legal some are not.
1. a real border barrier for the entire expanse with cameras dogs and personnel. U.S side
2. a real border barrier for the entire expanse with cameras dogs and personnel. Mexico side
3. If a law enforcement entity gets into a firefight with drug runners or cartel assassins they are not required to take prisoners. "this will eliminate the possibility they will do this again".
4. report criminal activity anonymously.
5. watch your children closely because as I have found out cartel leaders and dealers business plan is to addict each generation younger and younger.
Look at Dallas Texas and the elementary age children overdosing on Mexican black tar heroin and cocaine called "cheese and quick" quick is cocaine mixed with nestle strawberry quick cheese is heroin and nighttime Tylenol.
here http://www.dallascounty.org/department/hhservices/services/documents/cheese.pdf
and http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/longterm/stories/cheese.b67ba6.html
I heard a story before, but I don't know whether to believe it or not, but some of the drug dealers or gunmen kidnapped a child at the border and killed a 18-month-old somewhere else. Several hours later, the dead child was carried back to the border by a hitman, who pretended to be its parent. When a biological mother noticed her child, she raced toward them. The hitman realised this child's mother has found them, he dropped the baby down to the ground and quickly vanished. The mother approached to her motionlessly child, only to discover spots of blood on its clothes. The child has been stitched up on the chest. Police arrived at the scene shortly. A loads of cocaine was found hidden inside the body of a child.
ReplyDeleteThe above statement is a lie
ReplyDeleteDrug traffickers, hitmen, gunmen, whatever they are called, are bloody crazy. They'd do anything to harm or ruin the lives of their enemies and victims. It is part of their job, or just for the fun. Their minds and souls probably are malfunction / brainwashed.
ReplyDeleteThe people will either take a stand and defend themselves; yes, why expect another mortal to die for you, or they will be subjugated.
ReplyDeleteCalderon should enlist all the good people of Mexico to fight together for Mexico and rid it of this metastist.
Legal or illegal, these cancers will continue to live unless excised.
Mexico is at the Rubicon, the tipping point, and the elitist autocrats must step off their thrones, recognize all rights are from God, become one with the people arm them all, and hand in hand, gun in hand, cut out this cancer.
Anonymous (8-18-10 at 9:14 PM):
ReplyDeleteInteresting comparison, and although you can effectively treat cancer with chemotherapy, it's also possible that the cancer cells have spread and that only partial remission is possible. In essence, preventing cancer is a more positive approach than not attempting to reduce your risk at all.
In other words, firearms and added violence is definitely not an effective cure for the ongoing violence in Mexico.
Do you have anything else in mind? Other than becoming one with God and the universe. Like something that would actually work in terms of reality.
August 18, 2010 11:01 PM
ReplyDelete..."Mexico is at the Rubicon, the tipping point, and the elitist autocrats must step off their thrones, recognize all rights are from God, become one with the people arm them all, and hand in hand, gun in hand, cut out this cancer." ...
Perhaps my grammar is not quite correct.
I am saying that the political leadership must recognize they are not God.
That their rights, as everyone's rights, come from God. Recognize that all the people are valuable to Mexico and join these two groups (the ruling class and the common folk) together to fight this cancer.
If it were only true that all cancer were preventable.
Even if all cancer were preventable; that position is now moot.
Okay, for argument’s sake (preventing vs. treating), if you’re a fairly healthy individual, preventing your chances of being diagnosed with cancer (even if it’s not preventable, because you may be genetically inclined to cancer) is much better than smoking 3 packs of day, living recklessly, and then having to deal with chemo.
ReplyDeleteEssentially, preventing younger individuals or anyone for that matter, from being involved in criminal organizations to begin with would essentially deter and potentially decrease the kind of violence that Mexican citizens are experiencing now.
At this point, it’s pretty clear that the federal and local law enforcement don’t have as much control as they should. And that’s a problem that could have been prevented.
Thank you for writting this, it really meant a lot to me to reads the words of this article. I pray for our people of Santiago and hope we are able to live in peace like we once did.
ReplyDeleteGod bless Mexico!
@ anonymous aug 19, 10:19 p.m.
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome. I did not have the honor of knowing your beloved mayor, but I can assure you, you are not alone in your sorrow; the world shares your pain and mourns your tragic loss.