Mexico: Zeta Killer Vigilantes?

Vera Cruz flag image via Wikipedia

Los Angeles Times:

Mexican authorities say they are investigating a group that announced a campaign to wipe out the feared Zetas gang in the coastal state of Veracruz.

In a statement issued late Monday, the federal attorney general’s office warned that it would crack down on “any criminal group or organization that acts outside the law and creates violence.”

The agency said the battle against organized crime belongs to Mexican authorities alone. “The only way to achieve lasting security and tranquility is by enforcing the law and strengthening our institutions,” it said.

On Tuesday, Interior Minister Francisco Blake Mora acknowledged weaknesses in Mexico's police forces but said they were being fixed, if slowly. He said groups seeking to carry out justice on their own "will confront the force of the state."

The warnings came after a group calling itself the “Zeta killers” posted a video during the weekend announcing plans to crush the Zetas, which have sown fear in Veracruz with killings, kidnappings and extortion.

Related articles

• 'Zeta Killers' say they target Mexican drug cartel (news.blogs.cnn.com)
• Los Mata Zetas, "Zetas Killers" viral video, promises vengeance on Mexican drug cartel (boingboing.net)
• Dumping of 35 bodies seen as challenge to Zetas - Atlanta Journal Constitution (news.google.com)
• Police Find 11 More Bodies In Mexican Port City (tancredoradio.wordpress.com)
• 11 more bodies in Veracruz as prosecutors meet (sfgate.com)
• Gang with ties to drug lord suspected in killings (sfgate.com)
• 35 Bodies Dumped On Street In Mexico (thedaleygator.wordpress.com)
• Episode! the Zetas making Alliances with the Milenio Cartel! (pikapvs.wordpress.com)
• Gunmen dump 35 bodies on busy Mexican street (ctv.ca)
• Gunmen Dump 35 Bodies on Mexican Avenue (abcnews.go.com)

Sonsonate: Most Violent Region in a Very Violent Country

Image via Wikipedia
From In Sight:

In recent years, Central American has become an increasingly important route for trafficking drugs from South America up to Mexico and the United States. El Salvador is a key location on this journey north, and is home to a vital cocaine pathway, known as El Caminito, which stretches from the Honduran border to the Guatemalan border.
Located on El Salvador’s Pacific coast, close to Guatemala, the province of Sonsonate is strategic territory for drug traffickers. Its main port, Acajutla, is a crucial hub for drug shipments, and its proximity to Guatemala ensures quick ground transfer to Mexico.

Related articles

• Ex-migrants help other survivors of journey north (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• More illegal immigrants from India crossing border (msnbc.msn.com)

Mexico: People More Confident in War on Drugs

Image via Wikipedia

Who do you think is winning the war against drug trafficking?

	Aug. 2009	Aug. 2008
Organized crime	41%	61%
The government	37%	22%
Neither / Not sure	22%	17%

Source: Reforma
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,515 Mexican registered voters, conducted from Aug. 14 to Aug. 16, 2009. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.

Related articles

• Mexico Puts New Officers on the Job at Customs (nytimes.com)
• Mexican drug war cuts off B.C. dealers (nationalpost.com)
• Feds: Hallmark cards, wiretaps led to cartel (msnbc.msn.com)
• Mexico Decriminalized Possession of Small Amounts of Cocaine, Marijuana, Heroin and Meth (shoppingblog.com)

Who Are America's Allies?

I'm sick of all these polls that ask people in lesser countries what they think of the United States. That's like asking Hitler what he thinks of Eisenhower. Now this Rasmussen poll is more like it. It asks what Americans think of these other jealous nations that hate us. I don't agree with every single result in this poll, but over all it is a promising sign that Americans understand what is going on in the world.

Country	Ally	Enemy	U.S. Should Defend	U.S. Should Not Defend
China	19%	26%	13%	72%
Japan	59%	10%	46%	41%
Russia	17%	27%	15%	72%
Great Britain	85%	5%	73%	18%
Iraq	17%	41%	30%	57%
Germany	66%	5%	53%	33%
Vietnam	21%	21%	19%	64%
Canada	86%	4%	78%	16%
Saudi Arabia	23%	25%	26%	59%
France	61%	4%	45%	37%
Israel	70%	8%	59%	29%
North Korea	4%	75%	13%	74%
Mexico	54%	11%	59%	28%
Iran	5%	70%	13%	74%
Pakistan	12%	28%	29%	49%
Afghanistan	15%	40%	33%	50%
Venezuela	20%	34%	25%	56%
Egypt	39%	9%	38%	41%

Mexico: More Than 2/3 Approve of Calderón

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Do you approve or disapprove of Felipe Calderón’s performance as president?

	Aug. 2009	May 2009	Feb. 2009
Approve	68%	69%	66%
Disapprove	24%	25%	27%

Source: Reforma
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,515 Mexican registered voters, conducted from Aug. 14 to Aug. 16, 2009. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.

Related articles

• World Briefing | The Americas: Mexico: Attorney General Is Replaced (nytimes.com)
• Leader Urges Cooperation Against Ills Mexico Faces (nytimes.com)
• Mexico Puts New Officers on the Job at Customs (nytimes.com)
• Mexico's leader in anti-drug cartel battle resigns (cbc.ca)
• In Mexico, Ambivalence on a Drug Law (nytimes.com)
• Reporters Uncensored: Mexico's Murdered Journalists (huffingtonpost.com)

79% Want Troops Along the Mexican Border

If drug violence continues to escalate along the Mexican border, should the U.S. Military be used along the border to protect American citizens?
Yes	79%
No	10%
Not Sure	11%

Rasmussen Reports

Mexican Drug Murderers Swarming Over the Border

Get ready for some carnage with a weak president in charge of the US.

Mexico: Even More Corruption on the Horizon?

Which party would you vote for in the next election to the Chamber of Deputies?

	Feb. 2009	Dec. 2008
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)	41%	36%
National Action Party (PAN)	29%	39%
Democratic Revolution Party (PRD)	17%	16%
Green Environmentalist Party (PVEM)	5%	3%
Workers Party (PT)	4%	1%
New Alliance Party (PNA)	2%	3%
Convergence for Democracy (CD)	1%	2%
Social Democratic Party (PSD)	1%	--

Source: Reforma
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,247 Mexican registered voters, conducted from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15, 2009. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.

Illegal Aliens and Crime

Mexican Peppers Caused Salmonella

Government inspectors finally have a big clue in the nationwide salmonella outbreak: They found the same bacteria strain on a single Mexican-grown jalapeno pepper handled in Texas — and issued a stronger warning for consumers to avoid fresh jalapenos.
—MSNBC

Most Americans Side With Republicans on Border Issue

So why doesn't President Bush?

Which is more important? Gaining control of the border or legalizing the status of undocumented workers already living in the United States?

Gaining control of the border	63%
Legalizing undocumented workers	28%
Not sure	8%

Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 likely American voters, conducted on Jun. 10, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

Obama: Choice of Illegal Aliens

Who would you like to win the 2008 United States presidential election?

Barack Obama (D)	35%
John McCain (R)	15%
Don’t care either way	30%
Not sure	20%

Source: Reforma
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,515 Mexican adults, conducted from May 23 to May 25, 2008. Margin of error is 2.5 per cent.

Mexicans Against Anti-Democracy Blockade of Congress

Do you agree or disagree with the decision of members of the Broad Progressive Front (FAP) and the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) to shut down Congress?

Agree	21%
Disagree	70%
Neither	3%
Not sure / No reply	6%

Source: Parametría
Methodology: Interviews with 600 Mexican adults, conducted on Apr. 20 and Apr. 30, 2008. Margin of error is 4 per cent.

Video: Mexican Military Violating US Border to Help Drug Smugglers

Mexico: Calderon OK but Not Great

If you could talk to Felipe Calderón and discuss how he has done as president, what would you tell him?

He has performed very well	11%
He has performed well, but not much has been accomplished	64%
He has performed badly, with many mistakes	13%
He has performed very badly	8%
Not sure	4%

Source: Demotecnia / Milenio
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Mexican adults, conducted from Feb. 23 to Feb. 26, 2008. Margin of error is 3.2 per cent.

How Do Mexicans Treat Illegal Aliens?

Mexico: Calderón a Little Less Popular

Do you approve or disapprove of Felipe Calderón’s performance as president?

	Oct. 2007	Aug. 2007	May 2007
Approve	57%	64%	68%
Disapprove	33%	20%	21%

Source: Ipsos-Bimsa / El Universal
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 995 Mexican adults, conducted from Oct. 26 to Oct. 31, 2007. Margin of error is 3.5 per cent.

Mexican Brought Tuberculosis into US 76 Times

Vet Cuts Down Illegal Mexican Flag

Jim Broussard, an example of real soldier. The government would not enforce its own laws, so this man stepped up and did the job for them.

Video: Mexican Hypocrisy on Immigration