Nuevo Leon state Attorney General Alejandro Garza y Garza said several of the seven police officers arrested in the killing of Santiago Mayor Edelmiro Cavazos admitted they worked for the Zetas as lookouts.
Garza y Garza said Cavazos had reprimanded some traffic police officers for wrongfully fining mountain bikers and applied disciplinary measures that included pay cuts. "They say that since he scolded them ... they figured he was working for their enemies," the prosecutor said.
Garza y Garza said that in response, the police officers complained to their zeta leader, whom the prosecutor could only identified as "El Caballo" who ordered the killing.
He said Cavazos, who was kidnapped last week from his home and found shot to death on a dirt road three days later, had no links to organized crime.
In addition, Garza and Garza noted that three police officers are being sought and are at large. They are part of the group that actually carried out the abduction and execution of the mayor.
These officers were identified as Gilberto Barbosa García, shift coordinator of Police in Santiago, Juan Antonio Espinoza Gallegos and Dolores Alejandro Puente alias "El Lolo.
Cavazos' slaying comes amid increasing violence in the northeast of the country attributed to a dispute between the Gulf cartel and its former allies, the Zetas.
Also Tuesday, Garza y Garza told reporters that an attack in Monterrey on guards from the FEMSA bottling company was a case of mistaken identity.
The U.S. consulate in Monterrey said in a statement Monday that the attack, which occurred outside a private school attended by many Americans, may have been an attempted kidnapping. The consulate said it appeared no U.S. families were targeted but that it was temporarily pulling diplomats' children out the school as a precaution.
Garza y Garza said the guards were attacked by Zetas gunmen who mistook them as members of the rival cartel. Two FEMSA security guards were killed, three were wounded and four were taken hostage and later released unharmed.
The four kidnapped guards told police their captors apologized before releasing them, Garza y Garza said.
FEMSA has said the guards were on standard patrols in the area when the gunmen attacked. The company has said the shooting did not appear related to any attempt to kidnap a relative of one of its executives.
Companies based in Monterrey, a business hub that is Mexico's most prosperous city, have tried to protect areas where their employees work, live or go to school amid a rising tide of drug-fueled violence.
Meanwhile, the U.S. consulate in the western city of Guadalajara said in a statement that it had suspended all travel by U.S. government personnel and their family members to the town of Yahualica because of recent gunbattles between rival drug gangs.
Mexico has seen unprecedented gang violence since President Felipe Calderon stepped up the fight against drug trafficking when he took office in December 2006, deploying thousands of troops and federal police to cartel strongholds.
Since then, more than 28,000 people have been killed in violence tied to Mexico's drug war.
The dismembered bodies of two men were hung from a bridge Tuesday on a highway leading to Acapulco, the second such discovery in three days in a region where two drug lords are fighting for control of their divided cartel.
The men were hung by their feet at the entrance of Chilpancingo, the city nearest to Acapulco along the highway connecting the Pacific coast resort to Mexico's capital, according to police in the state of Guerrero, where Acapulco is located.
It's time the U.S. ask to assist Mexico with the drug in a big way.
ReplyDeleteThe offer was made 2005. It is an open offer. The tale is, pride goes before the fall.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying Mexicos pride or Mexicos politics is why the US is not cleaning up this mess. It is painfully clear that the Mexican govt may not be able to establish law and order in Mexico, they never have in the last 3-400 yrs. I am not sure that the US is willing to do much unless it becomes a national US political issue. Possibly making Mexico a tolerable place for honest people to do business could stimulate jobs,strenthen the economy,create tax revenue, everybody wins, but is the US interested.
ReplyDeleteMexico's problem is not just about drugs, it's about greed. The greed exists at all levels within it's society. From the government down to the common underpaid street cop.. It's a cliche but the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The cartels are now making a LOT of money from kidnapping, extortion and HUMAN smuggling, not just drugs.. Why do you think guns are outlawed in Mexico? If everyone in Mexico had guns like here the U.S. the injustice would not exist, the people would revolt against the corrupt government.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link for the 72 bodies found in the Monterrey suburb today. This one has a photo of the young man that survived. They should have not said he survived or printed a photo. I had asked eariler if BB was going to print a story on this and asked if it was Zeta...but I found my own answer...yes it was Zetas, once again I am sayin the same 3 words this is horrific.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_15889176?nclick_check=1
Speaking of human smuggling, I was surprised to learn this morning from the El Norte Newspaper of Matamoros that there were 75 illegal aliens from Central and South America taken to a ranch near San Fernando to see the local jefe of Los Zetas. According to the newspapers account one young man from Ecuador survived and alerted the authorities to the event. He said the group was asked by the jefe to join them in the war. He offered them $1000 USD every 15 days as compensation. They declined and were all murdered. The account can be read at www.elnorte.mx.
ReplyDeleteActs of terrorism also occurred in Matamoros over the last few days with grenades thrown at offices of PGR on 6th street. One vehicle destroyed no injuries. Also another grenade was thrown at the Residencial Hotel where some of the Federales stay. I just rode by both locations. I also went by a famous old tourist hangout, Garcias. Of course no regular Americans go anymore. I was surprised to see the second floor panoramic windows boarded as though a huricane was coming.
The same owner as the Hotel Residencial.
My earlier post based on this mornings printed edition of El Norte said 75 in transit illegals.
ReplyDeleteI believe the correct number is now 72.
San Fernando is located approx 60 miles south of Brownsville/Matamoros on the highway to Cd. Victoria, in the state of Tamaulipas. It is an agricultural center and due to its geographic location has seen its share of cartel/zeta violence.
ReplyDeleteAm always surprised by the idea that many people on this forum, think that Mexicans generally are 'unarmed'.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, at least in the oountryside, most families have ready access to some kind of firearm, even if the piece dates back to the Mexican Revoluation. And most friends/relatives were ready to use said firearm, in self-defense, should any situation arise, warranting its use.
In peaceful times, such firearms are more used for hunting or for shooting off at midnight on Jan. 1st etc. Any ranchito of my acquaintenance has at least one cross erected on some street or corner for yes, death by automobile accident but also death by bullet...various causes.
As a practical matter Mexican public is unarmed,Period.
ReplyDeletei live in mexico...and we are all unarmed...even a fingernail knife will get you into trouble...pero los criminales tengo mucho armas
ReplyDelete