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Mexican authorities recover 55 bodies from mine shaft
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Mexican authorities recover 55 bodies from mine shaft
www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)
Mexican authorities found 55 bodies inside a mine ventilation shaft that was used as a mass grave in the city of Taxco, officials said Monday.
Bodies were first discovered in the mine shaft a week ago, and Monday's announcement concluded the weeklong recovery effort.
[mews]Of the 55 bodies, three were mummified, and two were skeletal remains, the Guerrero state attorney general's office said.
Only four of the bodies have been identified. Among them is David Bravo Mota, who was an area prison warden, officials said.
State Attorney General Albertico Guinto Sierra said he was asking families with missing loved ones to come to his office to begin a process of genetic testing to help identify the remaining bodies.
Meanwhile, authorities said they would explore the mine's 10 other ventilation shafts to see whether any more bodies were discarded there.
Some of the bodies were found with their hands bound or blindfolded, authorities said, creating speculation that the mass grave was related to the work of a drug cartel. But a spokeswoman at the attorney general's office said the suspects and motive were under investigation.
Also Monday, authorities in the southern Mexican state of Quintana Roo found inside a cavern six bodies that had signs of torture and mutilation.
The bodies of four men and two women were found just outside of the resort city of Cancun, the Quintana Roo state attorney general's office said.
Three of the bodies were marked with the letter Z, and had holes in their chest over their hearts. An autopsy would confirm whether or not the hearts were removed, the agency said.
One of the six was identified as Isaias Valenzuela Ruiz, who was the head of security at Playa del Carmen and had been reported as missing five days ago.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
Only four of the bodies have been identified. Among them is David Bravo Mota, who was an area prison warden, officials said.
State Attorney General Albertico Guinto Sierra said he was asking families with missing loved ones to come to his office to begin a process of genetic testing to help identify the remaining bodies.
Meanwhile, authorities said they would explore the mine's 10 other ventilation shafts to see whether any more bodies were discarded there.
Some of the bodies were found with their hands bound or blindfolded, authorities said, creating speculation that the mass grave was related to the work of a drug cartel. But a spokeswoman at the attorney general's office said the suspects and motive were under investigation.
Also Monday, authorities in the southern Mexican state of Quintana Roo found inside a cavern six bodies that had signs of torture and mutilation.
The bodies of four men and two women were found just outside of the resort city of Cancun, the Quintana Roo state attorney general's office said.
Three of the bodies were marked with the letter Z, and had holes in their chest over their hearts. An autopsy would confirm whether or not the hearts were removed, the agency said.
One of the six was identified as Isaias Valenzuela Ruiz, who was the head of security at Playa del Carmen and had been reported as missing five days ago.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
Things are starting to get H-O-T in Mexico. This is crazy and I know, not out of the ordinary, unfortunately. When we find a mass-grave in Iraq with 20 bodies, it is all over the news and they go on and on about just how brutal Saddam was, but when we find a mass-grave with 55 bodies in the country next-door, we don't even take measures to secure ourselves or go after those responsible as we did in Iraq. What's wrong with this picture?
--airspoon
www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)
I would hazard a guess that these bodies have something to do with narcotics trafficking. I guess time will tell after the pathologists and forensics
examiners get their time to do a work up, but most of the drug cartels that operate in that region are well known for their brutality.
reply to post by supaflyrobby
I think it would be more than safe to say that this is connected to the drug cartels. This is the kind of thing that they are famous for. Just think how much funding that we could take away from them if we only legalized marijuana back here in the States.
--airspoon
I think it would be more than safe to say that this is connected to the drug cartels. This is the kind of thing that they are famous for. Just think how much funding that we could take away from them if we only legalized marijuana back here in the States.
--airspoon
but when we find a mass-grave with 55 bodies in the country next-door, we don't even take measures to secure ourselves or go after those responsible as we did in Iraq.
According to some US sources, the violence is a sign of success against the cartels.
While it may seem counterintuitive, the extraordinary level of violence in Mexico is another signpost of successful law-and-order campaigns by military and law enforcement officials in Mexico.
Much of the risk of spillover violence is posed by younger-generation traffickers whose approach to the drug trade is less rational and profit-minded than that of their “elders,” or by multi-national street and prison gangs working in concert with Mexican cartels as enforcers and street-level drug distributors.
It is imperative that we sustain the positive momentum by
supporting President Calderon’s heroic efforts against organized crime. We must also manage expectations, as we anticipate that the gruesome violence in Mexico may get worse before it gets better. We must recognize that we are witnessing acts of true desperation: the actions of wounded, vulnerable, and dangerous criminal organizations.
drugcaucus.senate.gov...
While the continued violence in Mexico is understandably troubling and often
disheartening it should not be a surprise. Recent, comprehensive reviews of studies indicate that the increased violence is a predictable outcome when government and law enforcement crack down on organized crime “drug-related violence and high homicide rates are likely a natural consequence.”8 The grip of the cartels is loosening on the government and country of Mexico. As powerful and successful bosses are taken out, it is common for brutal, less sophisticated criminal to fill the void.
drugcaucus.senate.gov...
reply to post by airspoon
I am in resolute agreement with you there. The human misery (in various stages) that the drug war has inflicted on this continent is impossible for me to even fathom.
One of these days, my hope is the world will wake up and start to realize that the world is not a better place by allowing politicians to make their life decisions for them.
I am in resolute agreement with you there. The human misery (in various stages) that the drug war has inflicted on this continent is impossible for me to even fathom.
One of these days, my hope is the world will wake up and start to realize that the world is not a better place by allowing politicians to make their life decisions for them.
reply to post by jam321
I highly doubt that the violence is a sign of success, though it very well could be. However, it is more likely that the violence is as a direct result of tougher border enforcement, so the cartels are fighting each other over lucrative drug routes into the US.
I happen to believe that it is very plausible that the US government or factions thereof, are behind the drug trade, at least certain sectors of the drug trade. There has been much evidence come to light in the last couple of decades that would point to the US government being involved in the drug trade.
If this is true, then success in the "war on drugs" is just an unreachable goal, a fassad paraded before the ears of Americans to subdue our attempts to look out for our own best interests. The truth is, the "war on drugs" has been a failure in every way, shape and form possible.
Sure, the politicians, MSM and TPTB will try and tout their success with "the war on drugs" because not only does it get them off the hook for doing anything about the violence, but it also makes them look effective, as if their failed policies have been working all along.
--airspoon
I highly doubt that the violence is a sign of success, though it very well could be. However, it is more likely that the violence is as a direct result of tougher border enforcement, so the cartels are fighting each other over lucrative drug routes into the US.
I happen to believe that it is very plausible that the US government or factions thereof, are behind the drug trade, at least certain sectors of the drug trade. There has been much evidence come to light in the last couple of decades that would point to the US government being involved in the drug trade.
If this is true, then success in the "war on drugs" is just an unreachable goal, a fassad paraded before the ears of Americans to subdue our attempts to look out for our own best interests. The truth is, the "war on drugs" has been a failure in every way, shape and form possible.
Sure, the politicians, MSM and TPTB will try and tout their success with "the war on drugs" because not only does it get them off the hook for doing anything about the violence, but it also makes them look effective, as if their failed policies have been working all along.
--airspoon
reply to post by airspoon
I don't think violence equal success. As far as the US, I just can't understand why they have allowed these cartels to get so strong in the first place.
IMO, US is knee deep.
I happen to believe that it is very plausible that the US government or factions thereof, are behind the drug trade, at least certain sectors of the drug trade. There has been much evidence come to light in the last couple of decades that would point to the US government being involved in the drug trade.
I don't think violence equal success. As far as the US, I just can't understand why they have allowed these cartels to get so strong in the first place.
IMO, US is knee deep.
It sort of is because of the success of the war on drugs ...
We have the same problem up here in Canada (albeit with a tiny fraction of the same violence).
20 years ago the Hell's Angels used to run the drug trade here. And it was mostly peaceful. Any violence was between drug dealers and usually handled very privately.
Then the authorities started to go after them and basically put so much heat on them they lost control.
Now there are a number of gangs that have sprung up, and like in the article they are younger and are blasting their way to a position of being feared and respected.
So, as long as there is a drug trade, one group has to be in absolute charge. So called "healthy market competiton" brings with it a lot of violence.
It's a lot like the chaos and violence between different groups in Iraq after Saddam was taken down ... the US went to war and found themselves caught in the middle of a civil war.
We have the same problem up here in Canada (albeit with a tiny fraction of the same violence).
20 years ago the Hell's Angels used to run the drug trade here. And it was mostly peaceful. Any violence was between drug dealers and usually handled very privately.
Then the authorities started to go after them and basically put so much heat on them they lost control.
Now there are a number of gangs that have sprung up, and like in the article they are younger and are blasting their way to a position of being feared and respected.
So, as long as there is a drug trade, one group has to be in absolute charge. So called "healthy market competiton" brings with it a lot of violence.
It's a lot like the chaos and violence between different groups in Iraq after Saddam was taken down ... the US went to war and found themselves caught in the middle of a civil war.
reply to post by area6
First off, the US started that Iraqi civil war and it is arguable that the US and its coalition were the instigaters of that civil war.
Also, the violence of the Canadian Hells Angels and that of the Mexican Drug cartels are two completely different animals, on a completely different scale.
Trust me, there is no success in the failed "war on drugs". Drugs are just as available as ever, even more so now. The cartels are more powerful, influential and have much more money now than they did last year or even a decade ago. If this violence was because of success in TWOD, then where is that success? Where is the progress? There is nothing to show either progress or success in TWOD. In fact, the only people getting busted, are the low-level dealers and end users. Occasionally, they will get a cartel head but this does nothing to alleviate the problem. The cartels are set up in a way to where they can keep on rolling, no matter who gets captured or killed. That's why we are going about this "war" all wrong. Unfortunately, the only people suffering is "Joe Citizen".
However, there is credible evidence to suggest that violence is stemming from the tightened but incomplete security on the border. The cartels are fighting over the drug routes into the US, since older routes have tightened security.
Because the cartels are more powerful than ever, they are able to wreak havoc in a more profound way. The sad truth of the matter, is that the cartels are now better armed and better funded through their lucrative trade, with a large portion of that funding coming from illicit marijuana sales.
Because they are better funded, they can now buy better weapons and bigger quantities of those weapons. While the majority of these weapons are US made weapons, they aren't purchased through private gun sales here in the US. Contrary to popular belief, they are obtained through corruption in their own governments. Our government sells their government large arms packages that substantially benefit US corporations and these weapons wind up in the hands of the cartels. It's not that they are purchasing these weapons from gun stores or private citizens here in the States, but rather that they are getting them through large corporate to government transactions.
There is no success in TWOD, only more failure. If we legalize regulate and tax marijuana here in the States, similar to how we regulate alcohol, then we can take a large portion of these cartel's funding from them, which would just about wipe most of them out, according to some estimates. The taxes on marijuana could go to preventative education and medical studies.
So, not only would the government have a new and lucrative stream of income, but we could also bankrupt the cartels who are now wreaking havoc along our border. We could also reduce our dependency on harmful pharmaceuticals that have a multitude of side affects, including addiction and death.
--airspoon
First off, the US started that Iraqi civil war and it is arguable that the US and its coalition were the instigaters of that civil war.
Also, the violence of the Canadian Hells Angels and that of the Mexican Drug cartels are two completely different animals, on a completely different scale.
Trust me, there is no success in the failed "war on drugs". Drugs are just as available as ever, even more so now. The cartels are more powerful, influential and have much more money now than they did last year or even a decade ago. If this violence was because of success in TWOD, then where is that success? Where is the progress? There is nothing to show either progress or success in TWOD. In fact, the only people getting busted, are the low-level dealers and end users. Occasionally, they will get a cartel head but this does nothing to alleviate the problem. The cartels are set up in a way to where they can keep on rolling, no matter who gets captured or killed. That's why we are going about this "war" all wrong. Unfortunately, the only people suffering is "Joe Citizen".
However, there is credible evidence to suggest that violence is stemming from the tightened but incomplete security on the border. The cartels are fighting over the drug routes into the US, since older routes have tightened security.
Because the cartels are more powerful than ever, they are able to wreak havoc in a more profound way. The sad truth of the matter, is that the cartels are now better armed and better funded through their lucrative trade, with a large portion of that funding coming from illicit marijuana sales.
Because they are better funded, they can now buy better weapons and bigger quantities of those weapons. While the majority of these weapons are US made weapons, they aren't purchased through private gun sales here in the US. Contrary to popular belief, they are obtained through corruption in their own governments. Our government sells their government large arms packages that substantially benefit US corporations and these weapons wind up in the hands of the cartels. It's not that they are purchasing these weapons from gun stores or private citizens here in the States, but rather that they are getting them through large corporate to government transactions.
There is no success in TWOD, only more failure. If we legalize regulate and tax marijuana here in the States, similar to how we regulate alcohol, then we can take a large portion of these cartel's funding from them, which would just about wipe most of them out, according to some estimates. The taxes on marijuana could go to preventative education and medical studies.
So, not only would the government have a new and lucrative stream of income, but we could also bankrupt the cartels who are now wreaking havoc along our border. We could also reduce our dependency on harmful pharmaceuticals that have a multitude of side affects, including addiction and death.
--airspoon
Im sure you will find mass graves in almost every country.
This planet has seen a lot of bloodshed.
Life is not peachy.
This planet has seen a lot of bloodshed.
Life is not peachy.
Mexico, what a country, violence, death, drugs, this war which has been going on in Mexico is a very tricky subject. I have family who live there and
they have come to the conclusion that President Calderon is working for a certain cartel, cough* Bush/Clinton cartel cough*.
President Calderon is simply taking out all the competition. It is more complicated than border restrictions and routes. That is just the tip of the iceberg. It gets much deeper than that.
But I agree, legalizing it would bankrupt them. That is why TPTW (the powers that were) will try not to allow it. Most cartels are trained by the CIA believe it or not and most of the drug money goes to TPTW. Just look at Afghanistan as an example.
[edit on 8-6-2010 by BeWise]
President Calderon is simply taking out all the competition. It is more complicated than border restrictions and routes. That is just the tip of the iceberg. It gets much deeper than that.
But I agree, legalizing it would bankrupt them. That is why TPTW (the powers that were) will try not to allow it. Most cartels are trained by the CIA believe it or not and most of the drug money goes to TPTW. Just look at Afghanistan as an example.
[edit on 8-6-2010 by BeWise]
Wow, that is quite a body count, and the authorities are expecting more as they go deeper into that mine? It could be sign of success by he Mexican
Government in their squeeze on the cartels as pointed out by jam321? Anytime there are problems, like a disruption in revenue, logistics, loss
of product by seizure of law enforcement or theft, and stiffer enforcement policies by the authorities; people usually end up getting killed.
Still, 55 bodies is quite disturbing. In the underworld known as the illegal narcotics trade, body counts go along with the territory. We all remember the reign of terror Pablo Escobar waged on Columbia over his fear of being extradited to the United States. Blowing up passenger planes, murdering police and politicians, killing civilians, bombing newspaper offices, and government buildings. Plus, his adage to intimidate law enforcement and politicians is in use by the the Mexican Cartels.
Pablo Escobar
The more shocking and ghastly the murder, the better. That was the case with the Columbian Cartels, and now the Mexican ones. It seems like a re-run to what Columbia was experiencing during the days of the war between the cartels , and Escobar's war on the government of Columbia over his extradition. What disturbs me is the geographic vicinity Mexico has with the US, whereas, in the past with Columbia; it did not. I am worried about spillover, and with the uptick in violence, murders, and kidnappings along the border, it seems it already has? The security situation is really getting bad down there.
[edit on 8-6-2010 by Jakes51]
Still, 55 bodies is quite disturbing. In the underworld known as the illegal narcotics trade, body counts go along with the territory. We all remember the reign of terror Pablo Escobar waged on Columbia over his fear of being extradited to the United States. Blowing up passenger planes, murdering police and politicians, killing civilians, bombing newspaper offices, and government buildings. Plus, his adage to intimidate law enforcement and politicians is in use by the the Mexican Cartels.
Pablo Escobar
"plata o plomo," (literally silver or lead, colloquially [accept] money or [face] bullets).
The more shocking and ghastly the murder, the better. That was the case with the Columbian Cartels, and now the Mexican ones. It seems like a re-run to what Columbia was experiencing during the days of the war between the cartels , and Escobar's war on the government of Columbia over his extradition. What disturbs me is the geographic vicinity Mexico has with the US, whereas, in the past with Columbia; it did not. I am worried about spillover, and with the uptick in violence, murders, and kidnappings along the border, it seems it already has? The security situation is really getting bad down there.
[edit on 8-6-2010 by Jakes51]
reply to post by Jakes51
I highly doubt that this is because of any successful campaign by the Mexican or even American governments. Sure, it could be so but we just aren't seeing any successful operations. That's not even mentioning the fact that the cartels plan and have organized for arrests and murders of key personnel. Rather, I think that this violence is stemming from the cartels becoming more wealthy, powerful and influential. When you gain power, influence and wealth, the logical next step is to expand. Expanding in the illicit drug-trade would usually warrant violence. While drugs have become more plentiful and less expensive, I hardly see any successes in TWOD.
Also, you can't tell me that the Mexican government has no way of tracking sown and arresting high-profile cartel leaders. Of course they can but they won't, due to corruption and/or collusion. Sure, they parade a few low-level cartel affiliates in front of the cameras to tout their success but this does nothing to stem the tide of illegal chemicals and other "contraband" coming across their northern border.
Instead of this violence being a result of a successful, I would say that this violence is as a result of expansion and growing power from within the cartels.
--airspoon
I highly doubt that this is because of any successful campaign by the Mexican or even American governments. Sure, it could be so but we just aren't seeing any successful operations. That's not even mentioning the fact that the cartels plan and have organized for arrests and murders of key personnel. Rather, I think that this violence is stemming from the cartels becoming more wealthy, powerful and influential. When you gain power, influence and wealth, the logical next step is to expand. Expanding in the illicit drug-trade would usually warrant violence. While drugs have become more plentiful and less expensive, I hardly see any successes in TWOD.
Also, you can't tell me that the Mexican government has no way of tracking sown and arresting high-profile cartel leaders. Of course they can but they won't, due to corruption and/or collusion. Sure, they parade a few low-level cartel affiliates in front of the cameras to tout their success but this does nothing to stem the tide of illegal chemicals and other "contraband" coming across their northern border.
Instead of this violence being a result of a successful, I would say that this violence is as a result of expansion and growing power from within the cartels.
--airspoon