This morning, Mike reports light traffic, lighter than usual on a Monday morning going into the US. It is unclear if this is due to the "Border Boycott" whose sympathizers are against the proposed Trump Border Wall and his recent stance on immigration or the projected rainfall. In many ways we were glad to see this boycott because it was virtually silent down here during the huge "Women's March " which took on a global face with millions around the world protesting against the lunatic Trump.
Courtesy Frontera:
This was the situation yesterday morning around 11:00am at the San Ysdiro POE; some reports I have read from the USA did not entirely contribute this lack of congestion to the "Border Boycott", they inferred that it could have been due to the big Football game or other demonstrations happening in Tijuana. I think it was the boycott.
I should add that on Friday when we went up to the states, the lines were their usual long state at San Ysidro POE. The clue should have been when we returned later around 6:00pm through El Chaparral, there was a very large crowd of people on the bridge who had made a lighted sign "No Border Wall" and hung it over the bridge. Everyone was popping their horns in support. I couldn't take a picture because I had one arm in a sling and the other holding on to Paris-Simone.
Which brings us to the San Ysidro POE. I have been reading that that the San Ysidro POE was closed again for the fifth time most likely due to the demonstrations. The mistake which is being made is that ingress (north bound) into the United States through the San Ysidro POE from Mexico was never closed. It was closed going south - you had to divert to Otay to cross into Mexico. So, why do the US authorities keep closing the south bound ingress lanes into Mexico?
It could have something to do with these events:
January 7th: Rosarito Beach Demonstration - this video jumps over midway to the situation at El Chaparral crossing in TIJ, then back to Rosarito:
January 22, 2017: Tijuana - Demonstrators attempt "to take" the Bastille...er, sorry the Palacio:
January 28th: Mexicali - The attack on Governor Kiko by Demonstrators:
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After these displays of violence, academics and others have spoken out against the violence and politicos blamed "radical" elements of Moreno (AMLO) ; but whether the beast has been curbed is another matter and now a new element - the "Border Boycott" has entered into the picture. Electrical bills are sky high, impuestos are still in place, LP gas went up another three pesos, the price of everything is ridiculous and people are angry. Still, the fifth Mega March and demonstration (s) against the fuel prices, privitazation of water and raised local taxes this last Sunday were carried out peacefully. The numbers were down a bit but that is not to say these won't go up again.
Frontera: with video of the Fifth Mega March in Tijuana:
Culmina Quinto Mega March Por Gasolinazo
Check out Mexicali.
BTW, to keep abreast of future citizen group actions such as the "Gasolinazo", go here:
Movimiento Ciudadano - Twitter
You can also sign up for their newsletter and updates here.
Movimiento Naranja - Movimiento Ciudadano :
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Meanwhile, the drug war continues on top of everything else. Or maybe it is everything else on top of the drug war violence. Frontera reports that the month of January registered the official number of
103 executions in Tijuana alone not counting the other Municipalities. This would make January of 2017 the most violent start of the year in the past six years, outdone only by 2010. They also list all Januarys since 2006:
Frontera
Registra TJ Enero Mas Violento Desde 2011
And, we are off to wild start in February already, will return with those numbers.
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I almost forgot ! According to Carlos Slim, if Trump succeeds, it will be good news for Mexico !!!
Frontera
Slim Llama a Rueda de Prensa en Medio de tension Mexico-EU
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Of course everything and anything regarding the lunatic Trump , latest on DAPL is here:
Democracy Now !
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A quick update on Paris-Simone: she is growing like a weed, has moved beyond cowboy tunes. She loves Billy Bragg and Wilco now.