Arrested Development - Ex-Pats Mexico

I haven't reported recently on the drug wars here because nothing much has changed -- shoot outs, murders, beheadings, terror continue largely unabated.

Some recent events of note:

The head of the jail in Gomez Palacio and 11 officers have been arrested and are awaiting trial for arranging an escape of 5 drug gangsters.

In Torreón the authorities busted an auto body shop which was engaged in armor plating vehicles for Los Zetas. Also found were a bunch of heavy weaponry.

This morning's Torreón newspaper reports that prostitutes can no longer be found working the streets at night. They are too afraid.

The restaurant association says business is off by more than 25%, and many restaurants are now open only on weekends.

In addition to the drug wars, common crime is also on the up swing due to the tanking economy. Bank robberies, car thefts, store holdups and home invasions are all way up. My friend Gloria's tienda on my street has been robbed three times recently.

That's scary, Rolly. Be safe.

That's awful Rolly. I saw in the news that the Bishop of Durango announced that everyone knows that El Chapo lives in Guanaceví Durango except the authorities. Not far from you it looks like.

The news this morning is that two army intelligence officers were found murdered near Guanaceví

The Bishop of Durango has directed his priest to be very cautious.

For that, Mexico needs to find out where he is and send a missile with a note attached, "Adios El Chapo," to blow him to kingdom come. The Pentagon can loan Mexico some drones to do the job.

That could very well start to happen once the U.S. starts to pull all that equipment and trained personnel out of Iraq. I can't see too many ex-U.S. military wanting to join the Zetas.

Why don't you come up and visit me this summer Rolly - got lots of room!

"Why don't you come up and visit me..."

Where is that?

Sorry, I thought you knew. A hobby farm south of Vancouver. The most peaceful spot on earth right now. My one neighbor is having their annual 'open house' - they are on a pristine, fifty acre Ashram, donated to them, nondenomenational, many nationalities there, dedicated to the study of the soul, and mysticism (from the viewpoint of all religions). The other neighbor is a 70 acre, no spray strawberry farm. There is the huge Mayor's house, but she is about a mile away. Our other, only real neighbor keeps horses, rabbits, etc and last year they built a labrynth which our security lights light at night.

I do have to go on "a tour" August, September, October (flying or driving back and forth to Vancouver) to the 'badlands' of Alberta). You would find that pretty peaceful and quiet too - watching me work, cleaning/maintaining Commonwealth Veteran gravesites all over S.E. Alberta! Its the new 'loneliest job in town".

Another month has gone by which saw a short pause in violence (flu fears?), but troubles are back big time.

Across the river in Torreón, 302 cops have been fired. Some failed drug tests, some refused to take the tests, others for kidnapping, robbery and assault. The federal government sent in 150 federal police to help fill the void until the next academy class graduates.

This morning the body a newspaper reporter was found. He had been taken from his home at gun point last night.

Here in Lerdo, a young man was gunned down on the street in front of his home and in front of his mother. The Zetas had demanded $50,000 pesos from the family or one of their sons would be killed. The family was slow getting the money together, so they killed the son. Now the family has closed their business, and they are moving away. The police have done nothing despite its being common knowledge who the bad guys are and where they are living -- everyone is too afraid to take any action.

Rolly