Mexico has for some time been in a state of conflict with powerful drug cartels. This year the conflict has intensified with scores of police officers killed and hundreds more abandoning their job due to the high rate of danger. Things have gotten so bad in our state (Nuevo Leon) that last month the governor asked the federal government to send in federal troops to help contain the cartels. This happened also in Tijuana where federal troops disarmed the police force because so many police officers have been bought off by the cartels.
On Monday 112 police officers here in the Monterrey area were detained by the military as suspected operatives of the cartels - including four officers in our town of El Carmen. We've seen a marked increase in the Mexican army's presence here over the last month. There are checkpoints on major highways and columns of army vehicles patrolling the highways.
A couple of hours ago an army helicopter was circling low over El Carmen - perhaps looking for narco traffickers or perhaps just on a patrol. You'd think we'd feel a little freaked out by the stepped up military presence but actually it's reassuring. It's good to know that the new Felipe Calderon government is making good on its promises of cracking down on the narcos.
This morning armed men entered the police station in our city and gunned down 3 police officers. The gunmen then managed to get away but army troops moved in and cordoned off a huge section of town and are searching house by house. Please pray for the government's efforts to curb the organized crime violence.
We are safe! Do not worry about us - like I said in the post, we feel safer with the army presence. We'll keep you posted on what's going on.
Posted by: Greg | 2007.04.19 at 10:35 AM
Yesterday the U.S. State dept issued this advisory for Mexico:
"Narcotics-Related Violence - U.S. citizens residing and traveling in Mexico should exercise caution when in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their surroundings at all times. Violence by criminal elements affects many parts of the country, urban and rural, including border areas. In recent months there have been execution-style murders of Mexican officials in Tamaulipas (particularly Nuevo Laredo), Michoacan, Baja California, Guerrero (particularly Acapulco), Nuevo Leon (especially in and around Monterrey) and other states. Though there is no evidence that U.S. citizens are specifically targeted, Mexican and foreign bystanders have been injured or killed in some violent attacks demonstrating the heightened risk in public places. In its effort to combat violence, the Government of Mexico has deployed military troops in various parts of the country. U.S. citizens are advised to cooperate with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican highways."
Posted by: Greg | 2007.04.20 at 09:55 AM