Forums > Areas > Central Highlands

Brian

Mar 23, 2011, 5:53 AM

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Las cucarachas ya estan aqui

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I don't know why this story should make the national newspaper in Mexico today other than to make the obvious more clear. In SMA and surrounding communities in the state, whenever there is a cartel related incident, the authorities are quick to describe it as an "isolated incident". They deny that organized crime has a stronghold locally but, as any homeowner is sadly aware, whenever they see a single cockroach, there is an infestation. Denial of the existence of the problem just makes it worse in the long run.

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/753754.html

Brian

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wearechange

Mar 25, 2011, 12:57 PM

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Re: [Brian] Las cucarachas ya estan aqui

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It´s the same ole same ole everywhere. The cartel members are so easy to spot but everybody especially the government has their head in the sand.

sally.bender

Apr 7, 2011, 6:42 AM

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Re: [Brian] Las cucarachas ya estan aqui

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"Isolated incidents" means the activity happened in one area and not the entire landscape. Those of us who actually live and travel in Mexico, while also traveling extensively in the United States, know that isolated incidents happen anywhere, but not EVERYWHERE. The incidents in SMA are "isolated" because they did not happen all over Mexico.
There is no denial anywhere. Unfortunately, what we have is an expert in COPY and PASTE, ready to inform everyone of the horrors of Mexico, screaming, It's everywhere! It's everywhere!
Chicken-Little, the sky is not falling in.

Brian

Apr 7, 2011, 7:55 AM

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Re: [sally.bender] Las cucarachas ya estan aqui

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In the lexicon of law-enforcement, isolated incident means not indicative of a trend. During the 80's in California, I remember well trying to get government funding for programs and staff to abate the incursion of gangs into "nice neighborhoods". It was a struggle to convince disbelieving local officials that gangs didn't operate just in Oakland and Richmond but, yes, San Rafael in wealthy Marin County.

I don't take your criticism personally. You have every right to be skeptical about what a non-Mexico resident asserts about the area where you actually live. Fortunately, I have had the advantage of some street knowledge to which even local Michoacan residents are not privy. One of those who kept me in touch was also the target of your skepticism. Here is an exchange you had on the smacoollist following the December firefight and blockades last December:

"Yes, I live in Patzcuaro. NO, there was no violence in Patzcuaro during the December 9 incident. There were no reports of firefights in Patzcuaro and no highways in Patzcuaro being blocked by police. Sorry your friends were pinned down, but I seriously doubt it happened in Patzcuaro.
This is another prime example of yellow journalism.

--- In smacoollist@yahoogroups.com, Marlon <marlonsfriend@...> wrote:
>
> InÂ PÃ¡tzcuaro there was also fighting in several other places. Â This is just where they were pinned down and could not leave due to the fire fights and highway being blocked by police and soliders.Andres"

You questioned his credibility in this and other posts which you might want to re-read. I never doubted him. In fact, as a former P.O., I tried unsuccessfully to convince him that he was in over his head with the big dogs. Obviously he didn't listen. Andres is Andrew Waldon, one of the three murder victims alluded to in this post. He knew that the new cartel boss was eliminating local drug dealers but persisted and was himself the victim of a levanton.

LBPNC

Apr 24, 2011, 8:17 AM

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Re: [Brian] Las cucarachas ya estan aqui

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I know I, for one, get tired of all the real estate owning ex-pats worried about how the violence and corruption in Mexico will impact their ability to rent out or sell their properties (or otherwise affect their businesses tied to tourism) are constantly peddling a picture of Mexico as the safest place on earth.

In my experience if you talk to the Mexicans themselves, rather than business owning ex-pats, they are much more likely to give you a frank and, and bleaker, assessment of the realities on the ground.

Contrary to the claim that all news stories or commentators are claiming the sky is falling, it's been my experience that nearly every mainstream article, publication or statement on the topic is careful to use disingenuous wording analogous to that pointed out by Brian with "isolated incident."

There are significant areas of Mexico that are flat out unsafe, especially for foreigners, and even larger parts where it's unsafe for anyone to be out at night.

The systemic problems facing Mexico will not be solved by pretending they don't exist.