EFEThe 5,000 federal police currently deployed in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico’s murder capital, will not be withdrawn, interior minister Francisco Blake said, contradicting an earlier statement by the mayor of the border city.
Mayor Hector Murguia said Tuesday that he was officially informed the federal cops will begin to leave Juarez in September.
His announcement came hours after a score of federal agents fired on the convoy of Juarez’s police chief, the latest in a series of ugly incidents between the feds and local authorities.
“The federal forces will not abandon Ciudad Juarez nor its citizens in the face of the criminal phenomenon the city is experiencing,” Blake said in a statement after meeting Wednesday with the governor of the surrounding state of Chihuahua, Cesar Duarte.
The efforts of the federal forces in Juarez have been “successful,” Blake insisted.
Ciudad Juarez, a metropolis of roughly 1.2 million people just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas, has suffered nearly 9,000 homicides since the beginning of 2008.
The carnage is blamed on a turf war between the Juarez and Sinaloa drug cartels, both of which rely heavily on local street gangs to carry out attacks.
Contrary to Blake’s assertion, the deployment of nearly 10,000 soldiers and federal police – the troops were pulled out earlier amid an avalanche of abuse complaints – has had no measurable effect on the level of violence in Juarez.
The city’s top cop, Julian Leyzaola, said at least 20 federal police officers shot at vehicles carrying him and his bodyguards in the wee hours of Tuesday as the chief was traveling to the municipal jail to quell a riot that left 17 inmates dead.
City clerk Hector Arcelus dismissed the federal cops’ claim that the shooting was the result of confusion.
The federal officers are “perfectly” familiar with the vehicles used by Leyzaola and his escorts, according to Arcelus, who said it was “neither logical nor credible that they (the feds) acted randomly.”
Tuesday’s episode followed the killing by federal police of a member of Mayor Murguia’s security detail at a checkpoint in Juarez.
The mayor, who demanded that the officer who shot his bodyguard be charged with homicide, subsequently got into a shouting match with federal cops who pointed their assault rifles at Murguia during a chance encounter in the city.
Spanish Source: Las fuerzas federales no abandonaran Ciudad Juárez; Segob
Thanks, I liked this article. I am still trying to understand, though. Is it that the Juarez police are allied with the Juarez cartel and the Federal police are in bed with the Sinaloa cartel? Forgive me, I am ignorant but I am trying.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the governments both north and south of the border don't give a rat's ass about it's citizens and are only concerned with money. This is the only consistent current I can detect in the drug war mess.
The Mayor needs to implement a 100% Limpia of his municipal forces from Corruption before the Federales can begin to trust his keystone cops.
ReplyDeleteInstead of getting into yelling matches over who has more huevos or who carries more weight,
look inward mr Mayor, maybe you should quit and go on the Teabag Express selling books, its obvious you arent too qualified.
Ahh!.. Poor guy! He should be compensated with money. After all cash is King.
ReplyDelete7:30 AM..."it's obvious you aren't too qualified" and "keystone cops." You are the one who is ill informed. Throughout time Mexico has operated on a system that the states were autonomous and almost independent. Calderon has done all he can to change this making the federal government much bigger and more powerful. What it has done is create strong conflict between the wealthy of the state and the the Calderon administration. Conflicts with the state and local governments, and with the federal government. And conflicts with the northern states of Mexico with the more favored southern states.
ReplyDeleteOn 3 different occasions a cleansing of the Juarez Police Department has occurred. I am not understanding where you are coming from. At least 20 Federal Police officers knowingly open fire on the Juarez Police chief and Juarez needs to clean house (wtf). The federal police and military rape, murder and pillage that city everywhere they go. They do what they want and take what they want. They as much as the street gangs make this city so bad.
The Juarez Police and the state police at least hold balance because these to forces are strong and will hold off federal advances toward them. LOL, I would love to see you go to Juarez and call a Juarez Police officer a "keystone cop." Those are some bad boys, you would not like the results. I have much respect for them.
I got lost in a gang infested neighborhood south east of downtown Juarez one night. A city cop saw me and puled me over. I thought I was done. He chewed me out for being in the wrong neighborhood and escorted me back to a friends place of business. He would not accept a tip, only a thanks. The military or federals would have taken my car and left me to walk. I am very proud the city and state cops hold an equal balance so as to protect the locals to some degree. Other places don't have that.
Mx gov is saying there will be no pull out...but as always it is double talk.
ReplyDeleteThe SSP (public defense) already officially stated there will be the pull out. The double talk is that they are leaving a "command post" ... The way things are I am thinking that would be better so Julian will have complete control to implement his plan of action. especially since fed police are shooting at him.
only 1500 command unit will stay, and those will leave March 2012
thats a pull out folks.
from insight:
http://insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/1304-as-federal-forces-withdraw-juarez-police-must-hold-their-own
@ 7:30 nothing like hearing from a local, gives credit where due.
ReplyDelete9:09 A.M. B.S., Calderon is not trying to battle local or state governments and try to grow the Federal Government. The battle he is having to fight is the corruption of local and State governments!!!! That is why his drug war is not being as successful and he expected it to be. I believe he underestimated the level of corruption. However please spare us the b.s. about him wanting to grow government.
ReplyDelete10:21 AM...While your warming Calderon's ball, mention that corruption would need to be addressed at the top first. Oh, I forgot, he is the top!!! LOL, do you not remember the 3 "cleansing" of the Juarez Police Department in the last 3 years? Do you not remember the revolt by federal police in Juarez because the commanders were requiring support for El Chapo's people and it was putting the front line in danger. They arrested the commander and found cocaine in his desk. The federal police in Juarez are criminals in the worst way. They have ZERO accountability. How easily we forget federal corruption.
ReplyDeleteStarting a war that cannot be won, seizing state and local police offices, taking fire arms away from local forces and sending hit squads to kill them are a few examples of his miss use of power. Attempting to have one nation wide police force was one of his plans that is a perfect example of making federal government bigger. Sending the military in to enforce policing is another. With only one force (federal), there would be even less accountability than there currently is which is almost ZERO.
El Regio...Take those rose colored glasses off and critically think from time to time. Your daddy "Calderon" is in it for the elite of Southern Mexico. To hell with anyone living in the North.
It behooves me as an American of Spanish decent
ReplyDeleteas well I'm sure the everyday Mexican cannot understand how a Federal Law Enforcement Officer
can shoot and kill another police officer (Mayors Bodyguard) in Cold Blood as well as shoot at the Juarez Police Chief's SUV and say it's a mistaken identy situation. The Federalies
must think "Joe Citizen" both American and Mexican are as dumb as bricks! Obviously; there is more going on here than mistaken identity!
At 9:09
ReplyDeleteThe reason you can't call Juarez cops "Keystone cops" to their face is cuz they'll kidnap & kill you! Half of them are on payroll and the other half look the other way. To claim anything else is ignorance
6:59 PM...You are right to some degree. But the Federal Police or even worse. They are more blatant with their crimes an answer to no one. But yes, Juarez cops have been subjected to "O Plato O Plomo." But again, if the feds leave, there will be only one bully to avoid and you know where you stand.
ReplyDeleteThe Only Straight Arrow in juarez is the Chief of Police. He is "The Elliot Ness" of Mexico Law Enforcement.
ReplyDeleteLOLOLOL...That cheese ball Calderon doesn't want anybody in Mexico to come across as a hero or quality leader but himself. If you remember, he was all up in Juarez talking about what a good selection they had made when the Mayor appointed Leyzaola. Oh, this little prick of a president was all over it. But from what I see, he blends well with the local government that hired him and seems to be doing a good job. Evidently he didn't turn the tide for El Chapo, so El Chapo's balls washer Calderon is pissed. I don't think Leyzaola is taking a cartel side but seems to be in favor of the people of Juarez. That wouldn't sit well with an elitist such as Calderon either. Calderon is going to turn up the heat now but I look for Leyzaola, the city and the state governments to stand tall against this small president with a Napoleon Syndrome. Evidently he hasn't stepped on any toes with the Juarez Cartel because he is still living. That was a smart move. I had them moving on him within the first six months but there doesn't seem to be a problem. SMART MAN !!!!! My impression is that he seems to have strong leadership and values but is more low profile. I see other here think the opposite and that ok too. Only time will tell.
ReplyDeleteWell, Federal Police captured El Diego in Chihuahua today. Interesting! Has the Federal Police Captured anyone from Sinaloa lately, or ever?
ReplyDeleteLol, well I opened my mouth to quick. It seems the Federal Police captured Manual de Jesus Palma, supposed leader of the Sinaloa Cartel Nogales Plaza. I would guess that he is some family to the Palma that was original with Sinaloa and was at war with the Tijuana Cartel way back. That is some interesting reading for those who read cartel history.
ReplyDeleteThe leader of la linea was arrested yesterday el diego who threaten the dea
ReplyDelete