Posted on 03/08/2005 9:37:49 AM PST by SwinneySwitch
NUEVO LAREDO - Young residents appear to be the target of newly arrived federal forces seeking to restore order and a sense of peace to this border city.
Federal and state police fanned out across streets and neighborhoods to the south, east and west of the city, seeking stolen cars, guns and illegal drugs.
Arturo Jiménez Martínez, in charge of the federal forces here, said officers will comb the city piece by piece.
"We will be on every car, searching for criminals," Jiménez said. "We will return freedom to the city."
A convoy of 10 federal agents began its inspections at 9:30 a.m. Monday in the Fovisste neighborhood, setting up checkpoints at the neighborhood's only two exit points.
"Good day, sir," the officer told one driver. "We are looking for stolen cars, arms and drugs."
The officer asked the man for identification and proof of vehicle ownership.
Once he reviewed the paperwork and checked the vehicle's identification number, the officer allowed the driver to continue on his way.
At another stop, several officers were meticulously inspecting three juveniles. The three had their arms on the roof of the vehicle, as two officers patted them down under the watchful eye of other officers, weapons at the ready.
Jiménez Martínez said the inspection points have been set up at strategic locations to help secure the safety of the city's residents.
Agents said they have orders to confront organized crime directly.
There were several complaints from mothers of the detained juveniles.
"My son was on the corner and he was mistreated," one woman said. "They are not criminals."
Others said they expected the federal forces to achieve the mutual goal of a safe city.
State legislator Ramón Garza Barrios said the presence of the federal agents is providing the city a measure of peace, but he acknowledged that there would be some "inconveniences" due to the strict inspections.
But, he said, honorable citizens should realize the necessity and not be annoyed by the process.
City Councilman Francisco Chavira indicated the federal agents are welcome.
"We demand that they do their duty, that they catch the criminals who have devastated this city," said City Councilman Francisco Chavira. "We expect that they will stay here until they have ended the series of crimes that are being committed every day."
Mayor Daniel Peña said the joint operation should help fulfill the promise his administration made to bring peace to the city.
Officials said the federal agents are looking for safe houses where kidnapped people might be held captive as they make their sweeps around the city.
(To reach Miguel Timoshenkov, call 728-2583 or e-mail timo1@lmtonline.com)
Southern Neighbor Ping!
Please let me know if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
Appears to be a bad time to visit NL. We used to visit every now and then when we lived in Corpus Christi--even then, at times it looked a bit like it was under martial law. (This was in the late 80s)
Cold drinks and cool shade at the Cadillac Bar.
On the U.S. side it was drinks at The Tack Room.
Those were good days.
http://www.laredosmissing.com
Add me to your ping list, please. My BF travels to Mexico almost weekly. Last time he had to visit a couple of the border towns, he had to travel with a guard and only exit the car at the plants. They actually traveled back to the US to spend the night rather than stay in a hotel near the plants.
The trip previous, the army was everywhere providing "protection" for tourists. So what you had was armed, uneducated, non-english speaking men with attitudes on every street corner. Not good either.
Fortunately, his company provides car, driver and guard, but he misses the days when he could walk to restaurants and wander around the markets and just go out and meet people. Hopefully, the government will get this in hand soon.
Yes, Cadillac bar, not just drinks, but tacos too.
More like the problems associated with finding the police chief murdered in a ditch and the repeated kidnappings of tourist and public officials.
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