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| Courtesy AFN: Fire destroys "living quarters" of Jornaleros in Colonet |
- Ensenada:
AFN and Zeta report fire in Campo Las Brisas of Punta Colonet completely destroyed forty "living quarters" of the Jornaleros Monday night which housed fifteen families, no one was injured. Campo Las Brisas is located on the property of Rancho San Vicente Camalu. Officials say that the fire ~ possibly ~ was started by a burning candle. BTW, here's an idea - we usually pack things up for the Red Cross twice or three times a year but are thinking that clothes, blankets and usable items need to go directly down to the Jornaleros. Anyway, we're going to give it a go.
- Oxnard, California:
Frontera reports 100 people protested outside of the Driscoll Distributorship of Oxnard in solidarity with the Ensenada Jornaleros. The demonstration was peaceful and lasted about three hours with the protestors temporarily blocking the trucks which were loaded with produce from San Quintin. Various groups were represented by the demonstrators including Union del Barrio, Power to the People and Organizational Project for the Indigenous/Mixtec community (MICOP) and the Indigenous Front for Binational Organizations (FIOB). It was noted the United States is manipulating the information regarding the actual wages paid to the Ensenada Jornaleros in Mexico which appears on printed corporate papers of the Driscoll Distribution Center. This reminds me of when we first lived south of Ensenada in Punta Banda and were told by the gringos who lived there not to pay the workers more than seven to eight dollars per day (for a full days work). "If you pay them more, they'll expect it!", they said. Of course, we could not and did not do this which landed us on the shit list.
- Calexico, California:
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| Courtesy La Jornada Michoacan |
Here's one I missed; reported 03/28 dozens of "Ceasarchavistas" marched in the streets of Calexico, California in solidarity with the Ensenada - San Quintin Jornaleros. That the employers of the Jornaleros and the State and Federal government of Baja California will have to deal with the United National Farmworkers of America (AFL-CIO) and its offshoots like the Ceasar Chavez Club of Calexico should not be a point minimized - these groups are super powerful and influential in the United States, do not piss them off. On edit: my neighbor noted that all it would take is for the United National Farmworkers to spread the word to the Mexican-American communities in California and throughout the US do not go to Baja California until the Ensenada-San Quintin Jornaleros are clearly satisfied with pay and living improvements. Well, he is correct - after all, there aren't any guerros around, the only folks who come down here are the Mexican-Americans.
Update 04/09:
- Ensenada: Scheduled for Friday (04/10) another march by the Jornaleros on the Transpennisula Highway which will begin at 7:00AM in Vicente Guerrero and end at the Centro de Gobierno en San Quintin.
- Ensenada: Also on Friday lawmakers from the Comision de Asuntos Indigenas del Congreso de la Union will be meeting with authorities of the three levels of government and the representatives of the Jornaleros hoping to find solutions to the still unresolved issues of the Jornaleros. Participating at this meeting will be representatives of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, the Comision Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indigenas, and both Federal and State Secretatios de Trabajo.http://www.el-mexicano.com.mx/informacion/noticias/1/3/estatal/2015/04/09/843732/arribara-manana-comitiva-de-diputados-federales
- Mexico City: Yesterday the Mayor of Mexico City Miguel Angel Mancera's letter from 04/07/15 was publicized where he threw his support to the Jornaleros instructing members of his Cabinet to be in contact with the leaders of the Jornaleros and the conditions of their employment. More articles on Mayor Mancera here.
end edit.
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The Narco-Tunel
- Tijuana:
Yesterday just two blocks away from the Federal Police station in colonia Aeropuerto of Otay a narcotunel was discovered by the Ejercito and the Agencia de investigacion Criminal (AIC) of the PGR after complaints of drug dealing in a house (#40) on calle Constelacion. Nine people who were working on the tunnel tried to flee but were arrested. Early reports stated the tunnel accessed the United States, but later reports are unclear on this point.
AFN noted that this tunnel is about 100 meters from the huge sophisticated 2011 tunnel, and that the current tunnel was equipped with ventilation and lighting. Excellent video on this report from AFN.
So far, there is no information on which cartel this tunnel belongs to. I'll be back shortly, we'll take a look to see if there is new information regarding a relationship between this tunnel and the rash of Narco-mantas which have appeared throughout the city or perhaps if there is a link to the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) believed responsible for the slaughter of fifteen law enforcement officers in Jalisco a few days back and potentially involved in the attack on the Gendarmes in Ocotlan, Jalisco where eleven were killed.
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10:55 PM: The Narco-Mantas
At this point there have been no new reports on the Narco-tunnel, so we'll move on to the three Narco-Mantas which appeared in Tijuana on Easter Sunday and the following Monday morning.
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| Courtesy AFN: One of the two Narco Mantas in TIJ on Easter Sunday |
On Easter Sunday two Narco-Mantas appeared over bridges in Tijuana spelling out that the Cartel Tijuana Nueva Generacion (CTNG) and the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) are angry over kidnappings and extortions carried out by "Tomate" (Jesus Israel de la Cruz Lopez) and his allies and affirm that they will clean the streets of him, his narcomenudistas and his allies but not target regular citizens or the government. AFN attaches two reports from 2011 on Jesus Israel de la Cruz, who was an operative of "El Teo" of the Sinaloa cartel.
Then the next morning on Monday, another Narco-Manta was located hanging from a bridge in Otay in what some police describe as exactly the same format: this time again addressing kidnappings and extortions, but threatening Aquiles and La Rana of the Sinaloa cartel. Again this Narco Manta was signed by the CTNG and the CJNG.
Zeta reports that authorities have basically been closed lipped over the Narco Mantas however some members of the State Security Council assured Zeta's investigators that there was no recent presence that they were aware of that the CJNG is in Baja California. They believe those ties were severed in 02/13 after the torture and murder of Manuel "El Gordo" Garibay. Their present analysis is focused on if the Cartel Nueva Tijuana, the Cartel Jalisco and the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion has actually allied with the remaining members of the CAF - but they noted they have only just started this study.
In an earlier report on the CJNG, Zeta describes them as the "big threat" where despite the continued detention of heads of cell groups, the criminal group is very rapidly recovering including conquering territories and trafficking routes which were thrown into disarray by recent kingpin arrests of the Sinaloa, Gulf and Knights Templar leaders. A complete chronological history of the CJNG with notations of their current territories at this report, "CJNG La Gran Amenaza" from Zeta. And according to that report from Zeta, the CJNG has never been one to show mercy to regular citizens or government employees.
Meanwhile, the US government has lowered the boom to include cartel leaders of the CJNG on the OFAC list - which means the US can confiscate and seize the properties of these men which are on US territory. Rio Doce reported that no longer is the Sinaloa cartel "Numero Uno" - that position now has been taken by the CJNG along with the Organizacion de Los Cuinis .
Although Baja California has not experienced the carnage which the CJNG imposed on the state of Jalisco and other areas during their ruthless ascent as they seized opportunities, there has been a resurgence of executions (which I'll get to a bit later) which is making people nervous. The setting then is cause for a sense of uneasiness where on the one hand some people simply do not believe these threats from the Narco Mantas were real, nor do they believe the Narco Mantas were actually left by the CTNG and especially the CJNG. On the other hand, others are not sure and keeping in mind the history and rapid rise of the CJNG (now designated Numero Uno) are praying that we are not in for another long and extended battle for territory and dominance which could even be worse than the early drug war years here. The question on many people's minds or at least in the back of their minds is if Baja California is facing a possible quagmire of destabilization with the rise of the CJNG, or is a deal in the works?
Dr. Victor Clarke Alfaro wonders where the authorities are with the appearances of the Narco Mantas and the resumption of executions noting the fluid situation of the the drug business in Baja California where it not only flourishes but permeates and feeds the streets and the business and political class. It is unclear if Governor Kiko read that particular article, but he did state there is concern over these Narco Mantas and noted that all three levels of government are working and analyzing the issue.
The entire situation of course has left many people wondering due to the anticipated results of the kingpin strategy if it is an entirely wise policy. With more billions of dollars poured into Mexico to continue the fight against the cartels from the US and the recent purchase by Mexico of several US Blackhawks - not to mention the approval of the amendment which would allow custom and immigration agents and diplomatic agents from other countries including the US to carry weapons in Mexico, what lies ahead could be interpreted as more of the iron fist approach rather than creating much needed social programs including drug treatment centers in both countries and the legalization of some of the illegal substances. But in truth we are not privy to security information from either country, perhaps there are other groups aside from the cartels which the authorities are preparing for.
We'll take a look at the crimes of high impact since the beginning of the year which have affected all of the Municipalities when I come back. (It might be in a few days - just really busy here in the middle of about a dozen projects. )
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