I'm not sure how to post this without someone thinking I am pushing an agenda one way or the other. I just post what is going on around me and take
the hits. Last month a cousin in Juarez was kidnapped and beheaded for not paying extortion on his restaurant. Last week my adult nephew here in
Rosarito was actually water-boarded by the Mexican Military. What is going on with this place? I know few tourists are impacted by this stuff- but
most real Mexican families are.
My nephew comes over the house today and spits out this story in Spanish and English twice so I could be sure I understood it. He has bruises on his
body and his ribs are taped-up. He was at a friends house last Thursday night drinking beer outside with a fire going. They hear a gunshot (no-
it's not them). About five minutes later the Municipal police roll up and seeing a small party figure it's them. They opened the door voluntarily to
let the police in to look around. They didn't find any gun or drugs. Then the Military rolls up and comes into the house while the Municipal police
are still there. The Tourist police showed up too but did not enter. The Military all have masks on. All but one Rosarito Municipal Police are
wearing masks.
First he was put up against the wall and kidney punched from behind by the Military who demanded to know where the guns were. The two other men with
him were also handcuffed and hit in the stomach with rifle butts. The Military wanted to know where the gun was, and when no gun was found they
wanted to know where the drugs were. They were hitting them all on the face and chest but not really beating him up bad. One guy was vomiting
because he was hit in the gut so hard.
They decided my nephew was being "too quiet" and must have information. They took off the handcuffs off my nephew and laid him down outside on the
inside patio. He's a big guy with huge guns for arms and it took four of them to hold him down. By this time the Municipal Police were shaking their
heads at the unnecessary abuse and said to each other "They were just drinking beer- they don't have and gun or drugs- let's go". All but one
Municipal policeman left to go outside and didn't watch after that. The soldiers kept my nephew pinned down, pulled his T-shirt up over his head and
then poured water from a bucket over his nose and mouth. My nephew said he did OK enduring it at first, but them got real mad the second bucket and he
tried to throw them off his arms. That's when they broke his ribs with the rifle butt. He started screaming very loud and he thinks the soldiers
were afraid all the neighbors would hear what was happening- and then they just left.
There is a twist. The one Municipal Policeman not wearing his mask was there for the water-boarding and my nephew knows who he is and made eye
contact with him.
So what to do next? So far we have done nothing. I tried to get him to make a BlogdeNarco type video, but he has a wife and two kids and he says
they will know who he is. I suggested he talk to the unmasked cop involved- since he knows him and the Municipal Police weren't happy with what was
happening to them. There must be a way to document and count this human rights abuse properly without endangering my nephew and his family. He said
he respects and trusts the Ministerial Police and wishes he had been able to call them for help. What say my fellow nomads on this?
(I am adding the info that the water used to pour over him was not a bucket of clean water. The soldiers took the pan from the sink that holds the
soapy water with food scraps used to wash dishes and poured that into his mouth through his T-shirt)
[Edited on 6-30-2011 by Woooosh]
Sounds Like ..............
MrBillM - 6-29-2011 at 10:19 PM
One of those "Best to Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" situations.
Or, accept (without tears) the likely consequences of not doing so.
As often said ( and variously iterated) , "be SURE this is the Hill you're willing to Die on".Woooosh - 6-29-2011 at 10:26 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by MrBillM
One of those "Best to Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" situations.
Or, accept (without tears) the likely consequences of not doing so.
As often said ( and variously iterated) , "be SURE this is the Hill you're willing to Die on".
Hear ya. He's not willing to jeopardize his family. I don't blame him at all. He figures if he stays quiet- he'll be left alone. But if no one
reports these things- how do they get changed? What good are crime stats if no one picks up the phone? We feel disgusted by the actions of the
Military against innocent civilians. JoeJustJoe is right about this- the Military does not have the proper training to deal with civilian situations.
[Edited on 6-30-2011 by Woooosh]
No Argument There, But .............
MrBillM - 6-30-2011 at 09:31 AM
The ONLY times that those "Citizen" Reform actions work is when a BUNCH of people stand together and, even then, it can get really messy before it
"might" get better, especially in a country where autocratic official behavior is highly tolerated.
When you're standing alone (or nearly so), you're going to get crushed and, at best, become a martyr for others later.
Even in the U.S., the Civil Rights movement in the South took YEARS and a LOT of Dead Bodies.
Best of Luck, though.Terry28 - 6-30-2011 at 09:42 AM
Boy, It's not often that I agree with Mr. Bill ( actually almost never) but this time I think he is right..now may not be the time to "stand up and be
counted" If you look behind you and no one is there you are in fact alone..
The whole thing does suck though.....Bajamatic - 6-30-2011 at 09:42 AM
For the first time, I agree with Mr. bill. Terrible scenario, but it can really only get worse by agitating it more by himself.Von - 6-30-2011 at 09:43 AM
Frigine Bastards! I hate that when that stuff happensim definetly selling my plaace in Rosarito or donating if i cannt sell it!wessongroup - 6-30-2011 at 09:50 AM
There is no way out for those who really live there.... only hope you "don't" have to post anymore on this subject as it relates to your family... and
friends ....Woooosh - 6-30-2011 at 10:42 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by wessongroup
There is no way out for those who really live there.... only hope you "don't" have to post anymore on this subject as it relates to your family... and
friends ....
I know both the police Captain and the head of the Tourist Police as both have been here to our house. Since the tourist police was present at the
scene I was thinking about a private chat with the head of the Tourist Police. My nephew was adamant that the Municipal Police were not at all
pleased with the actions of the Military and left the scene after determining nothing was wrong there.
BTW- When the Military left the only things they stole were a bottle of cologne and a box of condoms. So be on the watch for a good smelling soldier
who practices safe sex. Bajamatic - 6-30-2011 at 11:14 AM
"So be on the watch for a good smelling soldier who practices safe sex. "
That should be easy to spot.
If it weren't for bad luck...
Dave - 6-30-2011 at 08:32 PM
You should change your screen name to Joe Btfsplk.
You and your family are the most unluckiest people in the world.Woooosh - 6-30-2011 at 09:14 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Dave
You should change your screen name to Joe Btfsplk.
You and your family are the most unluckiest people in the world.
I don't know that we are that different from any other huge friggin' Mexican family with 14 siblings. With that much family, and this much crime- the
two will meet. Nothing tourists or real estate developers should be concerned about of course. really.
I'm writing a book "The Narcos Next Door". Just making lemonade...
[Edited on 7-1-2011 by Woooosh]Pescador - 7-1-2011 at 11:49 AM
If you have a connection, then I would at least bring up the question. You will know real fast if there is any way to pursue the deal.805gregg - 7-1-2011 at 05:46 PM
Get him into the US, Rosarito, sounds like a good vacation destination, for an Ostrich.Woooosh - 7-1-2011 at 07:42 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by 805gregg
Get him into the US, Rosarito, sounds like a good vacation destination, for an Ostrich.
Nah, this is on the other side of the toll road from tourism. He figures now that the Military has put him through this and found no guns or drugs-
they'll probably leave him alone from now on. So he's probably safer from the military after this. He was over today with his wife and three of the
kids. The teenage children daughter understand how things work on both sides of the border. No one is happy, but no one is running to the other side
and join the ranks of the Undocumented Aliens.
Now if you were to propose political asylum in the USA based on human rights abuse by the Mexican Military- that would be interesting. The TJ
Policeman who filmed that stripper/sex act video a few weeks back asked for political asylum after the was threatened, why not a water-boarding
victim? My nephew wouldn't do the asylum thing- but it would be interesting.
I was at the PGJE today. I mentioned the incident to a few low-level officials who pretty much said there was nothing anyone in the city can do and
it's better to just leave it alone. Then they asked me "if I felt more Mexican". (I didn't tell him that happened just last month when my second
cousin was beheaded and his head put on the hood of his truck for not paying extortion on his restaurant). But I do.
I hate that when that stuff happens