Mexicos law-enforcement forces still lack incapacitation and deterrence capacities. Another hypothesis is that the shootouts were due to the recent political upheaval seen in Tamaulipas. Who is Mara Herrera, Mexicos madre buscadora who made it onto the Time 100 list? Skirmishes of drug gangs often occur in the city, because of this, shootings are possible. During the day the town center is busy and cars drive wherever they want theres not like street lines like the US, think of India. hide caption. Under the Mrida Initiative, the U.S. often provided the crucial and only anti-corruption, anti-collusion oversight in Mexicos security strategiesand tactical operations as well as a stimulus and reinforcement to Mexicos will to take on criminal groups and the lack of rule of law. Avoid walking the streets after sunset and do not appear in bars at night. You need to closely monitor your things, especially in crowded places. It is also not safe to ride a bicycle here and drive a rented car. shares Though the motive for the rampage in the northern border city of Reynosa that left scores of civilians dead remains. The Gulf cartel, which. Unlike the Federal Police which the Lpez Obrador administration dismantled, the National Guard is nominally supposed to be stationed in a locality permanently. Source: El Universal (sp), Milenio (sp), ABC Noticias (sp), Vox Populi Noticias (sp), Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC. But the area's criminal activity has long been dominated by the Gulf Cartel and there have been fractures within that group. That will lead to more kidnappings, assaults, torture and other violent attacks, said Kennji Kizuka, associate director of research and analysis at Human Rights First. The picture is not good. The 2022 outlook for both the rule of law and public safety in Mexico and meaningful U.S.-Mexico security cooperation remains bleak, writes Vanda Felbab-Brown as she discusses her findings from recently spending several weeks in various parts of Mexico researching the evolution of crime and security policies. Thanks for contacting us. Tamaulipas Gov. The areas criminal activity has long been dominated by the Gulf cartel which since 2017 has been riven by internal conflicts over territories for drug and human trafficking. Details of what bilateral cooperation will be preserved are supposed to emerge from the U.S.-Mexico working groups this month. And from theSembrando Vidaprogram to grow fruit trees to vocational programs for youth at-risk of succumbing to criminality, these Lpez Obrador administration programs have been riddled with problems. "It's no longer between the cartels; they are attacking the public," said activist Angelica Orozco. We live in fear because it is a very corrupt area. Monitor the local news for updates, follow directions from local officials, and in case of emergency call 911. 'You cant trust anybody': the Mexicans caught up in the drug war just south of Texas, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Senate approves Plan B electoral reform weakening the INE, Ovidio Guzmns extradition process halted by another judge, Cantona: an impressive but underrated archaeological site. The city is controlled by cartels, the police are corrupt. The bill would still shorten the duration of mining concessions granted and be contingent on consults with local communities. He said that in early August, when he was finally a few miles from the U.S. border, he took a taxi with a friend who accompanied him to request asylum at the border. Security Alert U.S. Consulate General Matamoros, Mexico (June 25, 2021). The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. All rights reserved. Olga Ruiz, whose 19-year-old brother Fernando Ruiz was killed by the gunmen, said her sibling was working as a plumber and bricklayer in a company owned by his stepfather to pay for his studies. Eagle Pass, a city of 29,500, had a violent crime rate of 179.6 per 100,000 people. People on the streets just sitting there when you first cross border. The decline in homicides is welcome. Yet the criminal groups capacities to hold turf often remains flimsy, with groups like CJNG brazenly seeking to conquer entire territories withdrone-mounted bombs, and groups like the Sinaloa Cartel taking over legal and illegal economies and politics in a more buttoned-down and less blatant manner, but no less systematically. Instead of police reform, Lpez Obrador has intensified militarization of public life in Mexico not just in security, but also in the economic domain. But Calderns policies largely survived, with authorities targeting prominent cartel leaders such as Sinaloas Joaqun El Chapo Guzmn. VFelbabBrown. On at least two occasions in 2015, authorities removed cameras installed by crime gangs. He asked permission to enter a house but my brother and his companions were only about to enter when the vehicles arrived. You are Venezuelan and you come to ask for asylum, right?he said the driver asked, without giving him time to ask for help, locked the car doors and began to drive around the city while making calls to other people and asking for money. The president arrived in power with a rhetoric of nonconfrontation with a Hugs, not gunshots slogan that has led to federal forces having a passive presence in certain areas of the country, which has empowered criminal organizations to act more freely, Guerrero said. He has assured Mexicans that he is fighting the root causes of the violence and since the beginning of his administration in December 2018, he has advocated hugs, not bullets in dealing with criminals. Anyone very easily can end up in the midst of a shootout. They heard the gunshots from afar and my stepfather told him: Son, you have to take shelter. So he asked permission to enter a house but my brother and his companions were only about to enter when the vehicles arrived, Ruiz said. These data are based on perceptions of visitors of this website in the past 3 years. Occasionally, though, such as in Oaxaca, or Chihuahua City, local governments have succeeded in improving the effectiveness of municipal police forces. Four suspects also died, he said. Equipped to transmit images remotely, the cameras were used by criminal groups to monitor the authorities as they conducted raids, patrols and stakeouts around Reynosa. Associated Press Even if that means succumbing to the narcos. Reynosa is a city, located directly across the Rio Grande from the US border. How much safer do you feel in Mexico City now compared to years ago. Early on March 9, supposed members of the Scorpions, an offshoot of the Gulf Cartel, left an apology note and turned over five . At least 14 people died in the Mexican border city of Reynosa on Saturday after a convoy of shooters went on a rampage, authorities said, a somber reminder of the violence that has ravaged the. The overarching bipolar rivalry between the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG spans not just Mexico but violently all the way to Colombia and non-violently into the Asia-Pacific. In a new report, the Washington-based organization Human Rights Firsthas registered 6,356 violent attacks against migrants in Mexico since January. As a lawyer there put it: The National Guard are the most expensive mannequins in Mexico.. Thanks for putting this information together. Recently, they have diversified into an array of other illegal activities. Sound like a paid troll for the government. There are dealers on streets with one pant leg rolled up. Also something that happened to me that is not mentionedMAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR PASSPORT BACK IF THEY SEARCH YOUR CAR GOING INTO US. Security Alert - U.S. Consulate General Matamoros, Mexico - (June 25, 2021) Location: Reynosa, Tamaulipas Event: Cartel Violence In light of the violence that occurred in Reynosa on June 19, U.S. government personnel in Reynosa are temporarily restricted from field operations and official movements other than home-to-work. People would be under tarps guarding their area with guns. He called a guy over and he checked his pockets and he said no. And the state police forces can only investigate ordinary crime, not organized crime. Back in 2004, aninvestigationindicated that, while running to be mayor of Reynosa, he had allegedly received bribes from the Gulf Cartel in exchange for protection. Lpez Obrador said during a May news conference that the FBI is investigating the governor for alleged money laundering. Can definitely expect a few people asking for money or selling stuff. Cabeza de Vaca has denied the accusations, which he called baseless and politically motivated. Its not necessarily clear what settling of scores may have taken place here, said Ochoa. I stayed with him in a concrete buildings, no windows, bullet holes sprayed everywhere..pretty much all the building. On Saturday, authorities detained a person who was transporting two apparently kidnapped women in the trunk of a car. The leftwing populist Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador took power in December, promising a dramatic change in tactics. Aside from the violence many migrants experience, what is being experienced in the shelters in Ciudad Jurez is thatclose to 20 percent of migrants who are being returned to Mexico after they've sought asylum or tried to enter the U.S. are infected with Covid-19, she said. Criminal organizations should receive a clear, explicit and stern signal from the federal government that there will be no space for impunity, nor tolerance facing criminal conduct, the governors statement added. He also says he is fighting corruption to stop the infiltration of organized crime among authorities. Victoria Dittmar is a writer with InSight Crime, a foundation dedicated to the study of organized crime. If you are a U.S. citizen traveling to, or residing in Mexico, enroll in the. Fear has invaded the Mexican border city of Reynosa after a weekend of violence in which 19 people were killed, including taxis drivers, workers and a nursing student, and security forces responded with operations that left four suspects dead. I want to live in a place where I dont feel like my life is in danger. The bill would still shorten the duration of mining concessions granted and be contingent on consults with local communities. DO NOT GO THERE I WAS DUMB AND GLAD NOTHING HAPPENED TO ME. He has also deployed armed forces, as his predecessors did, and created a national guard to respond to the violence. Criminal gangs in Reynosa are also known to destroy cameras placed by the authorities. Security is one of the great challenges facing the government of President Lpez Obrador. Checking out some reviews and articles to help me make the best-informed decision for an upcoming vacation to Mexico and came across this well written article. The border agents on Mexican side stole our passports when coming back into us. InSight Crime Analysis The governor sought to show his state's quick response to the Reynosa massacre but he left many unanswered questions in a state infamous for its high levels of impunity. I showed up at 10pm and the border agents did not want me to cross they were in fear for me as were my friends from Mexico. Their ebb and flow largely reflect choices and tit-for-tat responses by criminal groups toward one another. As Reynosa has undergone a recent period of relative stability without many violent acts of this magnitude, an armed group may have been seeking to create conflict. Cartels go head to head here and clash with extreme repercussions for residents who aren't part of any gangs. One possibility is that [the events in Reynosa] were linked to protecting territory, said Marisol Ochoa, a Tamaulipas security expert at Mexicos Iberoamericana University, in an interview with InSight Crime. While this city across the border from McAllen, Texas is used to cartel violence as a key trafficking point, the 14 victims in Saturday's attacks appeared to be what Tamaulipas Gov. Privacy Policy. Local businessman Misael Chavarra Garza said: The people were quiet as if nothing had happened, but with a feeling of anger because now crime has happened to innocent people.. They beat me, chased me and threatened to imprison me,thats why I had to leave, Prez Moreno, 23, said. By the time Pea Nieto left office in 2018, Mexico had suffered another record year of murders, with nearly 36,000 people slain. Softened mining regulation reform advances to Senate. The level of crimes in here is high. President Joe Biden suspended the Migrant Protection Protocols (the formal name of the program) during his first day in office, and the Department of Homeland Security assured that it would finalize it in June, according to court documents. The coordinating agency released no details about the 14 people killed by attackers, but local media reports said one family could have been killed. It gives very good risk indicators for many topics and what tourists should check out in the area. An investigation by Human Rights First compiled thousands of attacks against migrants and asylum-seekers, including kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking and rape. After that confrontation, police arrested one man and found two women in the trunk of his vehicle who are believed to have been kidnapped, said the agency that coordinates security forces. Religion and identity meet in Mexico Citys Iztapalapa, A quick guide to Mexico Citys many Pueblos Mgicos, 6 national banks join forces to offer commission-free ATMs, US brings charges against Sinaloa Cartel, including Los Chapitos, Reform allowing state-owned airline passes in Chamber of Deputies. That policy resulted in some high-profile scalps notably Arturo Beltrn Leyva who wasgunned down by Mexican marines in 2009 but also did little to bring peace. One is Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacin the New Generation Jalisco cartel one of the most powerful drug organizations in Mexico. Reprinted fromInSight Crime. In light of the violence that occurred in Reynosa on June 19, U.S. government personnel in Reynosa are temporarily restricted from field operations and official movements other than home-to-work. High probability of scamming in ATM. This article was published more than1 year ago. In October and November, I spent several weeks in various parts of Mexico researching the evolution of crime and security policies. Two women who had allegedly been kidnapped by the gunmen were rescued. Lpez Obrador has cut budgets and personnel to many Mexican institutions and left them with minimal regulatory, oversight, and minimal capacities. Both the boys and their hairdresser trainers pocketed the government money and went about their lives, criminal or otherwise, as before. The highest ranked city outside of Latin America is St. Louis in the United States, which is ranked fourteenth with a murder rate of 60.59 in 2022. But Garca Cabeza de Vaca himself is being investigated by the federal prosecutor's office for organized crime and money laundering - accusations he says are part of plan by Lpez Obrador's government to attack him for being an opponent. (modern). Authorities say it was an accident. But the boys merely paid off or intimidated the hair salons into certifying the boys participation in the training without actually attending it. Caldern hoped to smash the drug cartels with his heavily militarized onslaught but the approach was counter-productive and exacted a catastrophic human toll. Guerrero has identified more than 210 cartels, gangs and regional bands operating across the country, of which 13 are in Tamaulipas. These include rape, kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking and other assaults against migrants who were deported to Mexico or people who were prevented from seeking asylum at the U.S. border under Title 42, a health ordinance implemented during the coronavirus pandemic. Sixty-two percent of them reported having been kidnapped in Mexico,and almost 19 percent said they had suffered sexual assaults in those Mexican cities. The Gulf, Northeast and Jalisco cartels are fighting for control over Tamaulipass lucrative drug and arms trafficking routes to and from the United States. With fighting between the Gulf Cartel and the Northeast Cartel has beenreportedin Reynosa since 2017, it is likely the recent shootings are connected to this dispute or another of the Gulf Cartels feuds. Who is Mara Herrera, Mexicos madre buscadora who made it onto the Time 100 list? The government says homicides declined 2.9% in the first five months of 2021 compared to 2020, but that may be because January and February of this year were marked by Mexico's worst coronavirus . The borough's Holy Week passion play the oldest, most elaborate and best-known in the country celebrated its 180th edition this year. Having had his political immunitystripped, he faces a warrant for hisarreston charges of ties to organized crime. It is estimated that more than 70,000 migrants mostly Central Americans, but also Cubans, Venezuelans and other nationalitieswere returned to Mexico by the Trump administration during the implementation of this program in 2019. Nor do reductions in murders mean other forms of violence, such as extortion, or criminal groups control over territories and people, have lessened. The risk of pickpocketing is not so high here. Now they seek to influence with violence and money who can run and win to begin with. Follow the U.S. Consulate Matamoros onFacebookandTwitter. Travel to this region is not recommended. Your use of this service is subject to our, Worries being subject to a physical attack because of your skin color, ethnic origin, gender or religion, Problem property crimes such as vandalism and theft, Problem violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery. The bloodshed appears to have been sparked by the killing of a Gulf cartel leader. State authorities said Sunday that they are investigating possible motives behind the killings and looking for other shooters. No wonder, the effective prosecution rate for homicides in Mexico continues to hover around 2%. InSight Crime (IC): In Tamaulipas, the Gulf Cartel survived the fragmentation of other major cartels, such as the Zetas, but its divisions seem to be accelerating. She had a broken arm, and many bruises on her face and stomach. people living their daily lives on the east side of Reynosa became victims of a crime that usually didn't directly . But those measures have yet to pay off, with the new security force used mostly to hunt Central American migrants. A spokesman for Tamaulipas states secretary of public security said Sunday that the attackers may be members of a splinter faction of the Gulf Cartel, which has a presence in large swaths of the Mexican state that borders Texas. If you are white, you are immediately targeted as a free ride pickpockets, kids prostituting their sister or mom, and this is in daylight. Due to ongoing conflict between Gulf Cartels, it is one of the most dangerous places in Mexico with thousands killed annually. Simultaneously Caldern also began pursuing the so-calledkingpin strategyby which authorities sought to decapitate the cartels by targeting their leaders. Tamaulipas - the state where the Zetas cartel arose and where the Gulf Cartel continues to operate - has seen several of its past governors from the Institutional Revolutionary Party accused of corruption and links to organized crime. The citys eastern section where the weekends carnage occurred has been dominated by the Gulf Cartel, which experts believe fractured in 2017. The State Department recommends U.S. citizens do not travel to the State of Tamaulipas due to crime and kidnapping. Country Summary: Violent crime - such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery - is widespread and common in Mexico. Mexico now suffers an average of about 96 murders per day, with nearly 29,000 people killed since Amlo took office. June 21, 2021 3:15 AM PT. Man drives through Florida Pride parade, killing one. Also, there is an Architectural monument, Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. We've received your submission. 10 people, including nine children, die in fiery car crash as storm batters Southeast, Mexicos Lpez Obrador loses some of his Teflon in midterm elections, Essential reporting from around the world, Attacks in Mexican border city kill at least 14 people. State authorities are investigating who is responsible for placing the cameras, and looking for any they might have missed. Due to ongoing conflict between Gulf Cartels, it is one of the most dangerous places in Mexico with thousands killed annually. Tamaulipas the state where the Zetas cartel arose and where the Gulf cartel continues to operate has seen several of its past governors from the Institutional Revolutionary party accused of corruption and links to organized crime. Emergency Information for American Citizens, COVID-19 INFORMATION FOR U.S. CITIZENS IN MEXICO, Last Updated: Reissued with updates to health information, U.S. Mission to International Organizations in Vienna, Visit Travel.State.gov for More Information, Mexico Country Information and Travel Advisory. On Sunday, Reynosa residents were quiet as if nothing had happened, but with a feeling of anger because now crime has happened to innocent people, said local businessman Misael Chavarria Garza. For Emergency Assistance for U.S. citizens in Mexico, call (55) 868 206 1076 from Mexico or 1-844-528-6611 from the United States. I was young, dumb, adventurous and thought my friend who knew people would keep me safe and fortunately I was. But you must carefully monitor your belongings, do not leave valuables unattended and keep especially important documents and things in the hotel safe. Reynosa is one of the dangerous cities in Mexico because of ongoing conflicts with gangs. Lpez Obrador asked federal prosecutors to take over the case and pledged a thorough investigation. Unaccompanied minors from Central America wait to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Roma, Texas, on July 30, 2021. However, the Gulf Cartel has not been able to avoid thefragmentationthat has weakened so many of Mexicos principal criminal groups. The Bicentennial Framework is unlikely to restore that. but with a feeling of anger because now crime has happened to innocent people." CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico Fear has invaded the Mexican border city of Reynosa after gunmen in vehicles killed 14 people, including taxis drivers, workers and a nursing student, and security forces responded with operations that left four suspects dead. Its like Chinatown busy but with Mexicans and dangerous ones at that. Lpez Obrador, often referred to by his initials, AMLO, has said he would not repeat the mistakes of previous administrations that did not contain cartel violence, which surged after President Felipe Caldern launched a military crackdown on the gangs in 2006. Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. The main risk here is flooding due to heavy rains. Three sport-utility vehicles and one long gun were found at the scene. Its one of the dangerous cities in Mexico because of ongoing conflicts with gangs. Several of the past governors of the state of Tamaulipas have been accused of corruption and links to organized crime. "They killed him in cold blood, he and two of his companions," said Olga Ruiz, adding that the gunmen arrived where her brother was fixing a drain. This decision means thatU.S. authorities will have to resume the practice of returning asylum-seekers at the border to Mexico,while they wait for their cases to be processed in American immigration courts. Yet the dismantling of the Federal Police also led to a profound reduction in the number of investigators and investigative capacity in Mexico by some 70-75%, Mexican lawyers and security officials estimated in conversations with me. Yet, the 2022 outlook for both the rule of law and public safety in Mexico and meaningful U.S.-Mexico security cooperation remains bleak. Authorities have not provided a motive or explanation for the attacks. So he asked permission to enter a house but my brother and his companions were only about to enter when the vehicles arrived," Ruiz said. Reynosa, just across the border from the Texas city of McAllen, has long been a stronghold for the Gulf cartel of drug traffickers. According to the researchers, the extensive control exercised by the cartels in vast swaths of the territory and the complicity of the Mexican authorities are evidence that U.S. policies that force asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico or require an initial exemption or other processing there country put migrants, lawyers and humanitarian groups at risk. Reynosa is full of immigrants, they are becoming more and more here, as they are trying to return to the United States, but in most cases, they are returned to this city. I was there and my friends family lives there. The number of immigrants is growing here. Detroit, with a murder rate of 38.78, came in at. The other four dead were suspected gunmen from a group that drove into the northern border city of Reynosa and opened fire indiscriminately. The borough's Holy Week passion play the oldest, most elaborate and best-known in the country celebrated its 180th edition this year. Youre not from here. Yes, I'm willing to do a survey, Copyright 2009-2023 Numbeo. Reynosa, a city of 600,000 people, is a hotspot for cartel violence. Mexico; Local News; Immigration/Border Wall . All the people tell you that the cartels impose the rules, the narco is the law, Prez Moreno said with dismay. If the value is 0, it means it is perceived as very low, and if the value is 100, it means it is perceived as very high. Today, we cannot speak of just one Gulf Cartel faction at the border, they dont operate in a cohesive manner there are various groups, Correa-Cabrera told InSight Crime. The cameras, presumably placed by criminal groups, were disguised as payphones, electricity meters and streetlights. The National Action Party, to which Garca belongs, recently lostits majority in Tamaulipas legislature, which may have forced criminal groups to try and seek leverage and forge new agreements with politicians. Eduardo Guerrero, a security analyst based in Mexico City, said the governors swipe was a response to what critics have called a lenient stance on drug crime. One of the Zetas notable splinter groups is the Northeast Cartel, which has steadily gained groundin northeastern Mexico over the last three years and hasaggressively challengedthe control of the Gulf Cartel. At least 14 innocent victims were killed in drive-by shootings over the weekend in a Mexican border town that is a hotspot for drugs and illegal border crossings into the US, authorities said Monday. Thats not always the case. But Garca Cabeza de Vaca himself is being investigated by the federal prosecutors office for organized crime and money laundering accusations he says are politically motivated. In my government there will be no truce for the violent.. The rise and violent demise of pro-Russian war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, Ukraine live briefing: Russia blames Ukraine for drone attack on Crimea fuel depot, Britons asked to swear oath to Charles III from couch, a royal first. Remain vigilant during the daylight hours and avoid travel at night. It might seem that 2022 is starting off with important positive news about the crime and security situation in Mexico. This is the controversial program that the Trump administration employed between January 2019 and January 2021 to send over 71,000 non-Mexican asylum seekers to await their U.S. hearings inside Mexico, usually in Mexican border cities with some of the world's highest violent crime rates. When forces such as the Mexican Army (SEDENA) and Navy (SEMAR) or the National Guard, now numbering perhaps 100,000, are deployed, they are mostly sent to patrol the streets without active operations against local criminal groups. At all levels, police reform has mostly stalled. 2023 Copyright by Travel Safe - Abroad. Reynosa is one of Mexico's most unsafe cities. Areas of violent contestation, such as Zacatecas or San Luis Potos, can become almost anarchical with violence. Eunice Rendn, an academic and international consultant on migration issues, who did not participate in the research, agrees with the report's findings. Due to the constant influx of immigrants, this city also remains unstable in terms of security. August 24, 2021 / 11:52 AM / CBS News Thousands of migrants stranded in Mexico and blocked from applying for U.S. asylum have reported being kidnapped, sexually assaulted or physically attacked. The report warns that almost 83 percent of asylum-seekers who were returned to Mexico reported having suffered attacks or threats in the last month, according to data from the survey conducted from mid-June to mid-August. Images posted on social media showed bodies in the streets. Click here to get an offer for travel insurance. Underneath that macro-war, many violent micro-conflicts play out in Mexico, as smaller criminal groups fight over drug, extortion, and other criminal markets and seek to control local politicians and populations. A faction of one of Mexico's older organized crime groups is doing damage control with a cheap public relations campaign following the kidnapping and murder of US citizens, amid fears of a widespread crackdown. Reynosa is a point of contention between the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas and violent encounters between the two criminal organizations and authorities occur on a regular basis. Prez Moreno said he and his friend panicked and paid more than $600 to be released from the car to avoid being taken and confined to safe houses where drug cartels hold people they kidnap at the border.

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