BajaNomad

Statement from Hugo Torres, Mayor of Rosarito

Gypsy Jan - 10-28-2008 at 05:04 PM

October 28, 2008

Dear Rosarito Resident,



In recent weeks you've likely heard and read a great deal about violence related to the government's battle against organized crime/drug cartels in Northern Baja and elsewhere in Mexico.

We believe we are making solid progress. But without question, it is a serious struggle and one that will not end soon. At the same time, there have been rumors and speculation that have exaggerated the risk to our Rosarito residents and visitors. Because of that, I would like to clarify some recent developments in our city.

Since Sept. 1, we have had 29 killings in our city of 140,000 people. According to information provided by the Baja Attorney General, the vast majority of recent victims have had some relationship with illegal activities, while three of the victims were innocent bystanders. The community in general, including expatriates and visitors, is not being targeted.

We also are taking steps to increase security in Rosarito. Last week, 50 state police arrived to assist our 150-officer police department and army elements already in the city. We also have asked for additional assistance, including better equipment for our police officers.

We believe that there is little or no risk for most residents. For most, life is going on as normal. Therefore, we recommend you maintain calm and conduct business as you normally would, while taking only standard precautions and reporting any suspicious activities.

To keep you informed and to help you separate fact from rumor, we also are establishing a special section of the city website, which we will update at least weekly. The information also will be distributed through websites serving our 14,000 expatriate residents and published in the Baja Times.

Thank you for your understanding and support in this challenging time, as we work to rid our city and state of organized crime elements and the harm they are doing to our children, our society and our future.



With Sincere Thanks and Gratitude,

Hugo Torres, Mayor

Rosarito Beach

Bruce R Leech - 10-28-2008 at 05:07 PM

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

wow I feel better

Dave - 10-28-2008 at 05:35 PM

Quote:
From Mayor Torres
We believe that there is little or no risk for most residents. For most, life is going on as normal. Therefore, we recommend you maintain calm and conduct business as you normally would, while taking only standard precautions and reporting any suspicious activities.



Dear Mayor Torres,

How many bodyguards do you employ? :rolleyes:

Hook - 10-28-2008 at 08:10 PM

I have to give the man credit for continuing to speak out in the face of all this, as misleading as Dave's quoted section is. To do so invites death, regardless of the number of bodyguards he can employ.

Certainly the capos of the cartels have many more bodyguards and many have faired far less.

The man deserves support...........what other business leader in the Rosarito area is speaking out so publicly?

Yeah, he's well invested in Rosarito and has much to lose.

But people in Rosarito are losing much more than their livelihoods these days.

He ain't cuttin' and runnin'.................

tjBill - 10-28-2008 at 11:39 PM

I agree with Hugo Torres. Most of my friends in Tijuana do not feel targeted by drug cartels.

Woooosh - 10-29-2008 at 09:16 AM

So he's just going to put propaganda out in his weekly biased newspaper- The Baja Times? Oh what a relief.

Just try calling the police to report an attempted extortion or kidnapping... they'll tell you "sorry- we are too busy trying to recover and help those already extorted and kidnapped to help anyone prevent one from happening" That is no lie.

The Grain store that was targeted last week (where the innocent 15 year old and five others was killed) is where we buy the feed for our birds- and we go there weekly. Had we gone at closing time that day- we would have been killed too. The place re-opened monday and it was a sad place to shop. The new workers are in shock (must be the family of the dead owners) and they don't know where anything is.

The only thing Torres has on his side is pure luck. He is lucky not one of us Americans has been killed as a bystander or the whole city would grind to a halt.

Hook - 10-29-2008 at 10:13 AM

I think it's more than luck that no American has been killed, given the level of violence and the number of gringos who live and vacation there.

Well, USED to live and vacation there...............

Woooosh - 10-29-2008 at 11:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
I think it's more than luck that no American has been killed, given the level of violence and the number of gringos who live and vacation there.

Well, USED to live and vacation there...............


I agree- we're harder to hit while we hide indoors.

geobas - 10-29-2008 at 11:44 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
I think it's more than luck that no American has been killed, given the level of violence and the number of gringos who live and vacation there.


Americans have been killed. That little 18-month old boy who died the other day in a car crash when his father was trying to get away from a shootout was an American citizen.



[Edited on 29-10-2008 by geobas]

Woooosh - 10-29-2008 at 12:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by geobas
Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
I think it's more than luck that no American has been killed, given the level of violence and the number of gringos who live and vacation there.


Americans have been killed. That little 18-month old boy who died the other day in a car crash when his father was trying to get away from a shootout was an American citizen.



[Edited on 29-10-2008 by geobas]


The few misguided people who think it happens only to mexicans, narcos and drug users don't want to hear the truth. It hurts their business.

The hardest part of living in Baja in 2008 is that it has little of the charm of the 80's- when most of us fell in love with it. When my neighbors in Colorado say they are envious of me spending so much time in Baja at the Beach- I tell them it's not like the light, easy-going Mexico they see in their dreams-that Mexico is long gone and sadly I can't think of any place warm, sunny and safe these days. It's all nacos, political unrest or pirates... all bottom feeders.