Egidio Torre Cantu, whose brother, Rodolfo, was murdered in June while running in the gubernatorial election in Tamaulipas, has been sworn in as governor of the northeastern Mexican state.The 53-year-old Torre Cantu was sworn in on Saturday at the Polyforum in Ciudad Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas.
The new governor, a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, said he would focus on making the state a safer and better place to live.
“We want to be able to move freely on our streets, to find everything in its place when we return home. To leave the kids at school and go to work with the peace to do a good job. To face or file for a trial knowing we’ll be treated impartially,” Torre Cantu said.
The new governor, who succeeds fellow PRI member Eugenio Hernandez, said ensuring the public safety required coordination among the federal, state and municipal levels of government.
He praised the role being played by the armed forces and Federal Police in fighting crime in Mexico.
“The army and navy ensure national sovereignty by carrying out the task of providing domestic security for our fatherland,” Torre Cantu said.
The new governor has named retired army Brig. Gen. Ubaldo Ayala to be chief of the state police.
The largest cities in Tamaulipas – Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa and Matamoros – will all have retired military officers in charge of their police departments.
Torre Cantu won the July 4 gubernatorial election on the ticket of the Todos Tamaulipas (We Are All Tamaulipas) coalition, which is made up of the PRI, the Green Party and the New Alliance Party, or PANAL.His brother, Rodolfo, was killed along with four other people on June 28 in an attack believed to have been carried out by drug traffickers.
No arrests have been made in the case.
Tamaulipas has been dealing with a wave of violence unleashed by drug traffickers battling for control of smuggling routes into the United States.
The border state has become a battleground for the Gulf drug cartel and Los Zetas.
After several years as the armed wing of the Gulf cartel, Los Zetas went into the drug business on their own account about a year ago and now control several lucrative territories.
Wasn't the theory that Los Zeta's killed his brother, because he was CDG complicit? I guess this is a win for the Gulfos.
ReplyDeleteHow can people vote for the PRI when Eugenio is running around saying that nothing is wrong and that a psychosis has come over all the citizens. I know that cantu has a first hand experience with the violence ad I'm glad that he at least acknowledges that it is a reality
ReplyDeletei'm rubbing my magic 8-ball right now and it's telling me that he won't make it past april. anyone wants to place bets??
ReplyDeleteApril? Wow, you are generous!
ReplyDeleteChihuahua gets all the press, but in reality Tamps is the most out of control, deadly state.
ReplyDeleteHow I got there:
Juarez/Chihuahua keeps relatively good stats on crime/murders
CEFPRODHAC was the only agency (and they are NGO) that keeps stats in Tamps and they ceased in 2009. There are no records, no burials in cemeteries. Citizens report seeing clandestine graves being dug and dozens of bodies "buried". When The Storm went down remember the # of deaths was 10-100? Really! People saw scores of bodies being incinerated in open fire pits, and rivers of blood flowing in the streets. The cartels don't want the number to be publicized, and everyone is cooperating with that wish.
Tamps is a organized crime dictatorship. If you want to get a preview of what the future can hold for states in Mx...look no further than this case study. Tamps in essence is controlled by Gulfo & Zs. and immersed in a "civil war" for territory.
Gulfo/Zs control Tamps, which for a decade has been cartel controlled; businessmen, Governors, Mayors, Municipals, police who are all on cartel payroll. and the media under censorship.
I TRUST NO AUTHORITY IN TAMPS....CANTU II EITHER. I asked myself the man must know much more than I and if I know the above he must be corrupt or has a death wish or both. A sane logical person knows the task is greater than one party, one person.
The outgoing Gov was a corrupt liar. ( refer to my post below of Nov 16th below)
I went to the shelter with joy in my heart and optimism in spirit that there were good people doing heroic deeds for the people of Tamps. I left knowing no one cares. and every authority is corrupt.
The Mayor and his wife of Miguel Aleman I thought heroic. Creating a safe shelter for the refugees of Mier. The Mayor sister operated the shelter. They welcomed our 35K USD of supplies with open arms. They smiled, hugged, took photos, were so grateful.....until...they asked we give the donations to 30 families "as a gesture" and leave the rest for them to pass out. I refused, "against my policy all projects we place in the hands of the intended recipient". the welcome mat pulled and we had to the count of 100 to get out! The sister counted. My staff broke into sobs. The refugees helped us to the parking lot where we stagged an area to give donations away right there in the lot and sidewalk. The people were so grateful, they said only bad food and used clothing was what they received. The donations of other groups were kept my the mayors family. "somewhere" and that the mayor threaten them to "pay or he would send bad guys".
so much for heroes. this was my post back then....
So the Governor of Tamps, who resides in Tx...goes to the shelter in Miguel Aleman promising it is safe to return to Mier and wants the people to go back next week. He says this out his ass then runs back to the safety of Tx...
A few hours later..violence broke out in Mier between the military and DTOs...at least 8 killed. Have not heard a comment from the governor. The people are scared and do not want to return...they were crying after the gov left afraid the shelter would close.
Kudos to the presidente and his sister Karla, working day and night to care for these people. they are compassionate, caring people. Thank God for them because the government sure is not helping these poor folks.....November 16, 2010
How wrong I was. Tamps has no heroes, just blood suckers. In my humble opinion Calderon must take control of Tamps and all municipalities, fed gov take over....and quick. It cannot be left in the control of state of municipal gov. Do I think that will happen?
Hell to the No.
Buela, your comment@7:13 is one I can agree on for the first time! Remember that post about the men who were massacred and food was "displayed" along with their beaten and dead bodies? I always thought it was part of the intimidation so people like you who want to help, think twice because the state of Tamaulipas wants its citizens to be vulnerable and easy targets and if others try to come in to change that, well, these are the consequences. It would totally end if the federal govt takes over, and like you, I don't understand, or maybe I do and just grew tired of saying it, it's business for the federal government that keeps Calderon from taking over in the legal and honest way, to stop, rather than protect the cartels and their despicable activity.
ReplyDeleteInteresting first account story buela. In tamaulipas, its run by a dark secret society of druglords. The mexican gov. Needs to take over NOW. I thought too that tamps was a more dangerous place then chihuahua even though juarez has more reported deaths. Tamaulipas is more out of control.
ReplyDelete@ 10:52 AM
ReplyDeleteis that you E1? If so, hell has frozen over?
If not...not sure why you could not agree with me ON ANYTHNG...but...I do remember the post very well..it was disgusting, as all these horrific displays, the motive cleary is to intimidate and control the people thru fear.
I will say you are correct about cartels wanting humanitarian efforts to stay away. The Mier people said that every charity is more than happy to dump the donations and get out fast. if they come at all. 2 days after we were there, Red Cross left 8 tons of donations, delivered and left quickly.
There is no doubt that the federal government, filled with persons much smarter than me have known the answer to peace and security in Tamps is federal control. however, they find themselves in a quandry, to control the "business" too effectively would create havoc on its economy and also I wonder if they are faced with the prospect that if they were too sucessful in controlling activites of the cartels, that the good people of Mx would then rebel and demand huge change in the educational, socio & economic structure of Mx? and the grand plan to keep a huge population living in poverty would be compromised. If not, it is a fear of something that prevents them from implementing the obvious solutions.
I don't know, but what I now know about Tamps has me discouraged, frustrated and heartbroken.
I think also too much media attention stops in Juarez. The extent of cartel control of Tamps is not widely known in Mx let alone US or global media.
@ Ajulio
ReplyDeleteI agree. But lets remember there is no death count in Tamps! NONE. so if we take a statistic such as the Tormenta shootout and the violence stemming from that, the "official" death count began at 40 and ended at 10...so obviously we had some serious resurrection activity going on. Seriously, those on the ground put the number more like 2-3 hundred. just in those few days. The overall death toll has to be tremendous. The cemetaries are reporting that they are not receiving bodies.
One has to think that the cartels really want to control Tamps under the radar, not to bring attention to how huge the issue is to effect complete control with little defensive action from the fed government, and avoiding pressure from the citizens of Mx and the outside world.
Tamps is the scariest place in Mx...my dos centavos
No, Buela, it was not me Ernest1 who wrote as Anonymous in agreement with you here. However, I do happen to agree with you, as well as Anonymous, on almost all of what you wrote down.
ReplyDelete'I don't know, but what I now know about Tamps has me discouraged, frustrated and heartbroken.'
Hang in there, Buela. I know that it is an absolutely horrible situation though for you, and many others.
'I think also too much media attention stops in Juarez. The extent of cartel control of Tamps is not widely known in Mx let alone US or global media.'
Buela is absolutely correct here. However, the global media began to pay attention in Chihuahua a long time ago when the countless and continuous disappearance of young women in Chihuahua became more and more known about. There is always a lag in time before a situation begins to be noticed by the press, and that has happened with the situation in Tamamulipas and Nuevo Leon, I think.
Let's wish everybody a much better New Year together, Buela.
Ernest1
yeah, i second that. tamaulipas is the most dangerous place in mexico(at least per capita), with los zetas infesting that area. the media does turn it's head the other way. seems like the most important videos we recieved from there were from the people who recorded the aftermath gun battles with their phones. the people there are completely frightened even when they are inside their own homes. tamaulipas is a disaster for calderon. when a government gives an enire state to a cartel, that is like a spit in the face. the majority of the US-mexico trade flows through nuevo laredo. so this is a serious situation that needs to be controlled NOW. this plaza is a strong center point for the cartels becuase the I-35 freeway allows for more flexible distribution routes through the U.S.. i've been to juarez and even though it is a crazy city, thousands of americans still visit and you can still drive around juarez without getting shot.
ReplyDelete@ E1
ReplyDeleteWell now...hell has frozen over for sure!
I am printing your comment, blowing it up poster size and hanging it on my office wall! Memorializing the day E1 agreed with Buela.
Now here is one for you, I agree with your analysis of "why" the press concentration on Chihuahua. It did originate from the femicide of Juarez..one has to simply google "books on Juarez femicide" to see the dozens of books authored on the subject.
But, in addition to that, the cartels have been effective in keeping the lid on the harsh reality in Tamps. They control much of the info and what gets out, by controlling every aspect of gov and media.
I would like to end our love fest by saying I do wish you and your family a healthy and peaceful New Year..
Im rubbing my magic 8-ball and its telling me, don't get too excited buela. Ernest1 is still Ernest1.
ReplyDelete@ Aujio!!!
ReplyDeleteJAJAJAJA
Oh yes mijo...I know that is very true, but for a brief moment in time....all was well in the land of Ernie.
it is pretty sad when the best you can hope for is that one cartel will win over the other...
ReplyDeleteno confianza in the gob de Mexico