Corruption and Unrest in Coahuila

Following the disappearance of 43 students in Ayotzinapa last year, an event which sparked international media attention, Al-Jazeera staff member Ignacio Alvarado Alvarez began a three part investigation to address other massacres and disappearances that have escaped media attention. These disappearances take place in the northern region of Coahuila, an area near the US-Mexican border known for its violence. To date, there have been between 1,808 – 8,000 disappearances in Coahuila since 2009.

The first part of the series examines police and local government involvement with these disappearances. While protesters over the 43 students were outraged that the former mayor of Iguala, Jose Luis Abarca, allegedly ordered the police to abduct the students and turn them over to local drug cartels, this is not an uncommon practice. In Coahuila, up to 300 people have been disappeared by the drug cartels –namely the Zetas- in coordination with local police. In May 2012, 20 year-old Jose Wilibardo was kidnapped from his home by gunmen who were guarded by local police officials. He has not been found. The coordination of police ineffectiveness, and at times, involvement, creates a vacuum of fear in which the public cannot escape. Because people fear for their lives, investigations into these disappearances have come too little too late.

Additionally, the northern region of Mexico has the world’s fourth-largest reserves of shale gas and 95% of Mexico’s coal. Due to this economic incentive, recent studies have linked the regional violence to economic interest. In order to promote this economic interest, cartels have been working systematically with “authorities and law enforcement.” The violence has forced many people off land rich in natural resources under the guise of turf wars among cartels. The economic incentives address issues of corruption in an area where, according to former prosecutor Ariana Garcia Bosque, “violence in the state is controlled” and “a highly effective police force” protects not the people, but organized crime.

Works Cited:

Alvarez, Ignacio Alvarado. “Terror in Coahuila: Gas reserves beneath turf war in northern Mexico?” Al-Jazeera America, Al-Jazeera, 10 March 2015. Web. 10 March 2015. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/3/10/gas-and-coal-behind-violence-northern-mexico.html

Alvarez, Ignacio Alvarado. “Terror in Coahuila: Up to 300 disappeared in Mexico’s forgotten massacre.” Al-Jazeera America, Al-Jazeera, 9 March 2015. Web. 9 March 2015. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/3/9/hundreds-disappeared-in-allende-massacre-in-mexico.html

“Charges Filed Against Mayor in Kidnapping of 43 Students in Mexico,” Al-Jazeera America, Al-Jazeera, 14 January 2015. Web. http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/1/14/mexico-students.html  

Payan, Tony and Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera. ” Energy Reform and Security in Northeastern Mexico.” Issue Brief, Rice University’s Baker Institute. 6 May 2014. Web. 10 March 2015. https://bakerinstitute.org/media/files/files/21e1a8c8/BI-Brief-050614-Mexico_EnergySecurity.pdf

Piven, Ben and Nikhil Swaminathan. “Protests over missing students spread in Mexico.” Al-Jazeera America, Al-Jazeera, September 2014. Web. 10 March 2015 http://america.aljazeera.com/multimedia/timeline/2014/11/mexico-protests-.html

Leader of Zetas Arrested This Morning

Today Mexican officials arrested Omar Trevino Morales, the reputed boss of the Zetas Cartel. Morales is better known as Z-42 in drug trafficking circles. Omar Trevino Morales was arrested near Monterrey, Mexico sometime this morning. Trevino Morales has been the head of the Zetas since 2013, when his brother Miguel Angel Trevino Morales (Z-40) was arrested. This week the Mexican government has captured two integral components to their respective crime organization; one being z-42 and the other being Servando Gomez of the Knights Templar drug organization.  This is a huge feat for Enrique Pena Nieto and the PRI, but backlash from both organizations is to be expected considering the inevitable power struggle that will take place.

The Mexican government offered a $2,000,000 USD award for the whereabout of Omar Trevino Morales in addition to the $5,000,000 USD that the U.S. State Department offered. The American interest in Z-42 lies in the fact that much of his organization’s business occurs north of the Mexican border. The Zetas, a fraction of their former selves, still conduct enough illicit business to be of concern to the governments of both the United States and Mexico. Some may argue that Z-42 brought attention to himself with the laundering of funds through the United States by way of purchasing race horses. Z-42’s brother, Jose Trevino Morales was arrested in 2012 for his part in the money laundering scheme.

Given that Z-42, Jose, and Miguel Angel are all incarcerated the Zetas are without a rightful heir to leadership. Internal strife will inevitably make the Zetas appear vulnerable. Given this fact, an inter-organizational dispute can and likely will take place. The Zetas hold a significant territorial claim and if they cannot settle internal leadership disputes their future may be grim. Smaller splinter groups may replace some activities of the Zetas which will be another complex issue for the Mexican government. Nieto and his new Attorney General, although seemingly successful now, will surely have their hands full with the backlash regarding this arrest.

---

Text Sources:

Alexander, Harriet. “Los Zetas Drugs Cartel Leader ‘Z-42’ Arrested in Mexico.” The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 4 Mar. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.

Castillo, E.Eduardo. “Official: Mexico Arrests Zetas Leader Omar Trevino Morales.” US News. U.S.News & World Report, 4 Mar. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.

Costillo, Mariano. “Reputed Boss of Zetas Drug Cartel Captured in Mexico – CNN.com.” CNN. Cable News Network, 4 Mar. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.

Watson, Katy. “Leader of Mexico’s Zetas Cartel Held.” BBC News. BBC, 4 Mar. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.

“Mexico: Head Of Los Zetas Drug Cartel Arrested.” NBC News. NBC, 4 Mar. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.

Image Sources:

http://www.wired.com/2013/04/zetas-recruitment/

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/04/americas/mexico-zetas-leader-captured/

http://feraljundi.com/tag/los-zetas/

FRANCISCO RAFAEL ARELLANO FELIX KILLED IN CABO

Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix. Photo

10/19/13 — Press reports and officials announced the death of Francisco Rafael Arellano Felix, the eldest brother of the nine siblings that make up the leadership of the Tijuana Cartel, also known as the Arellano Felix Organization (AFO).Borderland Beat reports that the killing occurred at around 8pm Friday, October 18 at a child’s birthday party that took place in a beachside cabana of the Hotel Marbella, a luxury resort located just east of El Tule, a popular surf spot between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. According to the same report, the musical group “Los Toritos” was performing at the event, the party was attended by Sinaloan sports figures (including soccer star Jared Borghetti and boxer Omar Chavez), and there were as many as 100 guests in attendance.

Map of Los Cabos Resorts. Photo: loscabosguide.com.

Most accounts indicate that there was a lone assailant and some say that the subject was shot by a man dressed in a clown suit with a red clown nose. The man reportedly entered the party suddenly and shot the subject once in the head and twice in the chest, fleeing the scene immediately after. The Associated Press (AP) reported that a crime scene photo showed the subject’s body lying on a tile floor and covered by a bloody sheet. The Attorney General’s Office (Procuraduría General de la Justicia, PGR) indicated that one of the Grancisco Rafael’s sons identified the body. Federal, state, and local officials responded to the incident and are continuing to investigate.

http://justiceinmexico.org/2013/10/19/francisco-rafael-arellano-felix-killed-in-cabo/

Mexico captures third suspect in murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry

Justice in Mexico

09/24/13 (written by gehrenberg) – Mexican authorities have announced the capture of a third suspect in the 2010 murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, who was killed in a shootout miles away from the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona. Police in the Northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa said that Iván Soto Barraza was captured in a joint operation between State Ministerial Police (Policía Ministerial del Estado, PME) and Interpol; a government spokesperson also reported that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) collaborated in the arrest. Soto Barraza was captured in Sinaloa at 11:00pm on September 11 on the road connecting the city of El Fuerte with the community of Ocolome. He was then transferred to a prison in Hermosillo, Sonora, where he awaits extradition to the United States. Soto Barraza is the third of allegedly five suspects that authorities believe were involved in Terry’s killing. One of…

View original post 445 more words

Mexico pursues freed drug lord Caro Quintero—CNN

(09-05-13) Less than a week after drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero was released from prison because of procedural errors, the Mexican government wants him locked up. The office of the Mexican attorney general late Wednesday said that it has issued a warrant for “provisional detention,” acting on a request from the United States. A Mexican judge signed off on the request. Once Caro Quintero is detained, the office said, the United States will have 60 days to formally request his extradition. Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam earlier said his office would review the decision of a Mexican appeals court to release the trafficker. Caro Quintero had served 28 years when he was freed Friday because he was tried in the federal system, when his crimes should have been dealt with at the state level. Read more.