Vignettes of the non-sense violence

What is happening in Mexico today is crossing the line of absurdity.

In the early morning hours today, an armed group burst into the state police headquarters in Chihuahua and stole around 45 AR-15 riffles and several bulletproof vests.

According to preliminary versions, the men were wearing police uniforms, which allowed them to get into the building without any problem.

The first question that comes to mind has to do with the process of identification. Were they really police members? Does the state police have any reliable process of identification besides the use of a uniform? Most likely no, and that would explain how easily this group made a mockery of the police’s safety proceedings.

Also today, another mayor was killed in a barbaric way.

Gustavo Sanchez, interim mayor of Tancítaro, in the central state of Michoacan, was smashed with a rock. His hands were tied and his face was unrecognizable.

Sanchez became mayor last December after the entire city council resigned alluding to pressures from organized crime. 

And if these events were not bad enough, on Sunday, a 72-year-old woman was killed in her own home in Los Pochotes -in the northern state of Sinaloa- when praying the “novenario” (the nine-day rosary) for her two sons, who were executed one week before.  

These are just a few “scenes” of daily life in Mexico. It is hard to try to make sense of the growing and absurd violence that is permeating almost any city in the country. It is even more difficult to visualize where are we heading as a country and when are we going to reach the bottom.

All the country is bleeding and nobody seems to be able to stop the hemorrhage. Isn’t is the time to rethink what are we doing wrong?

Comments

[Federico A. Gonzalez]

The heading on this article is wrong. It states that the weapons were taken form a law enforcement facility in Juarez when in fact it was in the State Capital which is Chihuahua City.

[El Paso]

I guess they changed the heading - don't see any reference to Juarez.

[M Rodriguez]

Mexico, sadly, will not change for the better. Mexico doesn't tolerate, it celebrates, glorifies criminals too often. Criminals can do the most atrocious thing imaginable and too many Mexicans blame the president. For the first time someone dares goes against criminals and he (president Calderon) is attacked by "el pueblo". In a country that knows corruption at every level (anyone can be bribed, professors, waterworks employees....of course cops)it is unlikely that anything will change. Can of like rap in the USA, narco-corridas, which glorify everything indecent, are very popular in Mexico.

[Catiana]

My husband and I were in Ciudad Juárez for 10 days in April 2006, and then we spent another 10 days there in August 2007. Even though we were there for immigration purposes, I came to “know” the city and the people and will always have a special place in my heart for both. I often think about some of the wonderful people we met while we were there, especially at Mercado Juárez, and wonder what has happened with them? I think especially of one sweet little Mazahua Indian boy who we first met in 2006, and to my delight, he was still there in 2007. He always had such a sweet smile on his face when he came up to our table and we would give him an orange and a napkin full of pecans! What has happened with Bruno and his family and so many others like them?

I honestly believe that México has the opportunity to be one of the strongest countries in the world, but I also believe something is terribly wrong with everything that is happening all over México. Since 2006, when Calderón deployed the Armed Forces in drug enforcement WITH THE SUPPORT of the U.S. government, the drug war related violence has increased correspondingly. It is hard for me to wrap my head around the estimated 28,000 or more people who have been killed in the war on drugs since Calderón took office. According to one article I read, 2010 could be the deadliest year yet, with more than 7,000 lives already lost since January 1. That is almost the total death rate for the entire year 2009. It ought to tell them (the Mexican government AND the U.S. government) that something is NOT right about the way they are handling this. Maybe they should look at the fact that the only place in the entire country that has not been subject to these horrible deaths and violence is México City. It is my understanding that the Army is prohibited from law enforcement activities in México City. What saddens me the most is that Juárez has already had more than 1,900 murders so far this year alone. It is just unbelievable that Ciudad Juárez has had more than 6,200 murders since January 2008, when the violence escalated with the arrival of the Mexican military supposedly to provide “protection” to the residents of the city. What IS wrong with this picture?

I agree with you totally Lourdes! What is happening in México today IS crossing the line of absurdity, and it IS definitely the time to rethink what is being done wrong. :(

[Chris Lopez]

The senseless and gutless killing of children is what bothers me the most. I was angry when I read the story of the 6-year-old from Canutillo who was killed along with her father, while her twin sister hid from the murderers. These are not cartel-related acts, but acts by thugs, bandits, extortionists. Juarez has become a lawless society.

[alfred vasquez]

enough of the story's.....Mexican people....it's time to take back your Barrios con juevos!!! If the United states

[Curtis Stewart]

Looking at Mexico you see a country that sold freedom for safety. Up to the revolution it was common for everyone who could afford one a means of personal defense. After the revolution the government took that away from the citizens. Today the only ones with guns are either the police or the drug people.
What the mexican people need is the ability to protect themselves.
But sadly, the powerful in Mexico are afraid of the population and know how to deal with the drug people. Kind knows kind.
If the population had firearms then the nacrotrfficers would have to fear the people and the powerful would have to fear the people. Neither group can stand for the population to have the means of personal defense.