Humiliation

The El Paso Times reports on the mutilated bodies found yesterday in Juarez: the decapitated bodies of three men were found wearing only women's underwear. One of the men was a municipal policeman. The mutilated men appeared to have their ankles bound by tape and had on a bra and women's underwear. Police said two signs with threatening messages were left at the scene (http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_15100660).

On the same story, El Diario reports (from unofficial sources) that the slogan written on the bodies of the victims said "this is for those who continue not believing..." This was the same message that appeared in early 2008 on the list of police officers killed or slated to be killed that appeared on the police memorial in the early days of the increased violence in the city. The bodies also were reported to have the heads of pigs and scorpions marked on them. The scorpion is a symbol long used to indicate the Juarez cartel (http://www.diario.com.mx/nota.php?notaid=544d9ee7977a381cccdbdde5d0697a77). Thanks to Molly Molloy for this.

In other Mexico there were 7 killings in Chihuahua, 5 each in Tamaulipas and Durango, 1 in Michoacán, 3 in Cuilicán as well as 3 in Mazatlán, Sinaloa one of whom was a US resident, Gregorio Gámez Aispuro.

Yesterday afternoon a Federal Police convoy, in Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, was attacked by gunmen that left 1 police officer and 2 civilians wounded.

There was 22 killings added to the total which is now at 3976 (4976) for the year.

For a map of the killings: click: Narco-killings

WITO 

High level politician missing

The stakes in Calderón's drug war have been raised yet again (as if they were not high enough with the average of 38 killings a day). An important PAN political leader and power-broker and ex-senator, Diego Fernández de Cevallos, has disappeared after he drove to his home in the municipality of Pedro Escobedo near the state capital Querétaro. His Hummer was discovered with its door open and blood in the interior. Mayors and chiefs of police have been targeted throughout Mexico but now with highlevel politicians in the gunsights of the narcos, is Calderón finally going to re-think his strategy?

There were 35 killings yesterday, including 4 police officers and one ex-police chief and his wife.

In Nombre de Dios, Durango 6 people were killed including 2 police officers on patrol, while in Torreón, Coahuila gunmen entered the cantina, "Bar Juanas VIP", and gunned down 8 and wounded another 19 (this attack is similar in nature to the one on 31 of January when gunmen shot up the bar "El Ferrie", killing 10 and wounding 15 others). According to police sources, there were several reports of gunfire throughout the city before the attack on the bar, diversions created to occupy the police in other locations so that the massacre could take place unimpeded.

In Sinaloa 6 more men were murdered as were 2 police officers in Guerrero, one in Tlalchapa and the other in La Unión (as well as 2 other police officers wounded). Jalisco had 3 executions, Chihuahua had 2 and Nuevo León one.

For a map of the killings: click: Narco-killings 

WITO

Peace Officers Memorial Day

Today is Peace Officers Memorial Day in the United States. It is a day to remember the men and women who gave their lives to protect their fellow citizens and uphold the rule of law.

Here's footage from the 2008 candlelight vigil organized by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund:

Mayor and his son assassinated

José Mario Guajardo Varela, the mayor of Valle Hermosa, Tamaulipas and his 21 year old son, Luis Mario Guajardo, were gunned down by 2 gangsters in their mid 20's. The gunmen had gone to Guajardo's office and asked for him, after Guajardo identified himself he was shot as was his son Luis as he rushed to assist his father. The 2 killers shot and killed another employee, Fernando Treviño, as they fled the establishment. Police later gathered 22 shell casing from 9mm rounds at the scene.

In the last 24 hour period, a dozen people have been murdered in Chihuahua alone, including a member of the State Attorney's office as well as 2 State Police officers. On a hillside outside of Chihuahua 3 decapitated bodies were discovered while Sinaloa had 6 more killings and Nuevo León 5, Guerrero 2 as did Durango.

All in all there were 31 more killings added to the 2010 count, which now stands at 3901 (4901).

WITO 

Britain's New Prime Minister Thinks Drugs Should Be Legal | Stop the Drug War (DRCNet)

Britain's New Prime Minister Thinks Drugs Should Be Legal | Stop the Drug War (DRCNet)

I am really optimistic about the Lib/Con coalition in the UK. According to Stop the Drug War:

He probably won't admit it now, but Britain's new prime minister thinks drugs should be legal. David Cameron, whose Conservative Party (the Tories) ousted Labor in last week's election, told the UK paper The Independent that the United Nations should consider legalization. He also wanted Britain to revive its former practice of providing heroin maintenance for addicts, and to open safe injection sites too.

According to The Independent, which did the interview in 2005 when Cameron was vying for the Conservative's leadership spot, Cameron favored "fresh thinking and a new approach" toward British drug policy, adding "we have to let 1,000 flowers bloom and look at all sorts of treatment models."

Cameron started off well as a parliamentarian, initially backing the government's downgrading of cannabis (marijuana) penalties from schedule B to C. But as a tabloid-driven hysteria over marijuana in the UK unfolded, Cameron (and The Independent) did a foolish about face. Still, Cameron's past comments are on the record, and his personal instincts on the issue at least seem to be good ones.

I am not going to hold my breath waiting for the Tories to roll out legalization proposals, Cameron's past statements notwithstanding. But Labor under Gordon Brown was abominable on the drug issue, so whatever left-leaning Britons may miss about the former Labor government, they likely won't miss the drug policy. If Cameron does want to do something about this, Britain's Transform Drug Policy Foundation has a "Blueprint for Regulation" report ready and waiting.

Another Forensic Specialist killed in Chihuahua

http://lapolaka.com/2010/05/13/la-justicia-cientifica-en-shock/

Shot 7 times as he ate breakfast in a small local cafe, Zoe Xhayke Lara Sanchez was killed this morning in Chihuahua. He was an instructor of the Center of Penal and Forensic Studies.


Also in the news, Insurance companies (international and local) operating in Mexico have declined to provide insurance to those who work in war-zones, specifically pilots, journalists, and police officers. For Mexico, these companies explicitly stated that war-zones include such areas as the city of Juárez, Chihuahua, the city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas and the city of Torreón, Coahuila.

A special joint operation by government military and police forces in Culiacan, Sinaloa, resulted in the capture of Griselda López Pérez, the wife of Joaquín El Chapo Guzmán Loera, leader of the Sinaloa cartel (and member of the Forbes billionaire list).


And, of course, the killings continue in their relentless pace, with 7 bodies discovered in Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua one of whom was a minor (this occurred despite the presence of over 5 thousand soldiers, 2600 federal police and another 3000 local police, a combined enforcement effort of nearly 11,000...I hope President Obama reflects on this as he continues on the worn-out path laid down for him by his predecessors, meeting force with force is just not working, it's like punching water). Nuevo León saw 5 more killings, while Chihuahua saw 3 more, Michoacán 2 and another in Sinaloa.


This brings the total to date to 3870 (4870) with the additional of 24 yesterday. For those of you wondering, this leaves the average, per day killing rate for 2010 at 29 (38)... more than one per hour now.


I have asked before, but I will ask again: WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?