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Author: Subject: My perspective on the current crime wave
JESSE
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[*] posted on 11-15-2006 at 10:03 AM


Bruno,

The PGR is considered to be the most corrupt police agency in Mexico for more than two decades, and in my opinion, sigle handedly responsible for the mess we are in. Its no wonder many top cartel leaders where at one time PGR agents. I am not going to say there isnt any corruption in the military, since there is. But i can guarantee you that if there is, its mainly regional and not institutional in the way the PGR and the local police agencies are, where everybody from street cop to boss is dirty. Theres good people in the military, tough people, smart people, who really love this nation and are angry at the failure of the civilian goverment to deal with this problem.

The Napoleonic legal system is not in my opinion the big problem, technically speaking our legal system has been recognized by international experts as very good. But ANY legal system needs to be enforced, in order to work, and here is where ours fails miserably. What good is it to have laws that give kidnappers 60 years in jail with no posibility of parole if the laws are not enforced? Having said that, there IS a need to reform the legal system, making trials faster so things can get resolved in months not years, trials are judged by juries not judges, giving local cops authority to deal with narcotics, and giving investigative powers to all cops, not just a few privileged ones. Finally, we need to separate the prosecuting office from the police office to avoid partnerships in crime and corruption.

To finish i would like to say that i frequent some message boards of the Mexican military, and i have to say the attitude on those boards is of anger and contained rage against the cartels and corrupt cops. Soldiers, specially special forces soldiers are angry at whats going on, an they cant wait to clean house and die if its necessary for their country.




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Bob H
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[*] posted on 11-15-2006 at 10:24 AM


Quote:
Originally posted by JESSE
.... i would like to say that i frequent some message boards of the Mexican military, and i have to say the attitude on those boards is of anger and contained rage against the cartels and corrupt cops. Soldiers, specially special forces soldiers are angry at whats going on, an they cant wait to clean house and die if its necessary for their country.


Jesse, outstanding thread. I really like what you have to say and it makes so much sense. I especially like what you wrote above. Bravo!
Bob H




The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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bajalera
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[*] posted on 11-15-2006 at 10:33 AM


Thanks, Jesse, for those insightful posts. I've been wondering what the hell was going on.



\"Very few things happen at the right time, and the rest never happen at all. The conscientious historian will correct these defects.\" - Mark Twain
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EngineerMike
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[*] posted on 11-15-2006 at 12:54 PM


After the flood in Mulege, one very well liked and respected Senora spent the next several days crying in disbelief at the looting, that such a thing would be the first impulse in the face of such disaster, and these were her people.

In my opinion there are only two fundamental differences between Mexico and the U.S. First is the relatively ubiquitous, and relatively free education available in the States, and the fairly universal advantage we take of it. Knowledge is power.

Second is the relatively ingrained and unfortunately easily accepted presence of corruption at practically every level of Mexican governance. From local cops who are not paid enough and are "expected" to augment their salary via the nuisance of mordida, to the cartel influences whereby murders can be ordered and carried out, Mexicans have lived under 7 or 8 decades of institutionalized corruption.

Today, however, I have two reasons for great hope. 100% of all Mexicans I have talked to on this point say their most severe criticism of the Fox presidency is his failure to do more on the corruption front. Disastisfaction of the electorate can be a powerful thing. Obregon, e.g. was popular, but his stock sank like a rock when he started blathering about a parallel government. Whatever his complaints, he torpedoed his own boat w/talk of disrupting government. It won't happen overnight, but disrespect for corruption and elevation of the rule of law will overtop greed so long as the electorate continues to get honorable choices.

My second reason for great hope is the youth (and future voters) of Mexico. In large numbers they are (in my meager assessment) preoccupied with the stain of corruption. One woman I met is very concerned about her son's safety. He is a newly minted attorney, and he moved to TJ with the expressed desire to engage in the fight against corruption. It is a dangerous time and place for this courageous young man. But he has allies both ahead of him in age, and behind. Kids are staying is school longer now than when I first toured Baja in the late 70's. I am happy to help encourage that trend in Mulege and Loreto, and there are wonderful efforts in LaPaz, Cabo, San Felipe, and elsewhere to do likewise. Some days I lament that a disproportionate number of the Mulege Student Scholars opt for carreers in law, but then I think about that young man, and how his disgust over acceptance of corruption in his country lights a fire in him. Education is a great ally of justice and great enemy of corruption the world over. It both generates alternate choices, and case hardens our revulsion at unnecessary problems. Education, I believe, is what drove Fox's predecessors to eradicate corruption in elections, opening the door for reform. And there appears to be more reform on the way.

I have great hope, and I carry mace.




Director, Mulege Student Scholarship Program
Oasis Rio Baja #M-3, & Auburn, CA
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thebajarunner
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[*] posted on 11-15-2006 at 02:33 PM


Great insight!
Yep, we are about to discover what Sr. Calderon is made of.
Only he can stop this, and he knows it,
let's hope he hits back, and hard!
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