Posted on 10/21/2006 4:58:21 PM PDT by calcowgirl
VILLA MADERO, Mexico - The drug lords at war in central Mexico are no longer content with simply killing their enemies. They are putting their severed heads on public display.
In Michoacan, the home state of President-elect Felipe Calderon, 17 heads have turned up this year, many with bloodstained notes like the one found in the highlands town of Tepalcatepec in August: "See. Hear. Shut Up. If you want to stay alive."
Many in Michoacan's mountains and colonial cities are doing just that: They are tightlipped, their newspapers are censoring themselves and in one town, 18 out of 32 police officers quit saying they had received death threats from drug smugglers.
In the most gruesome case, gunmen burst into a nightclub and rolled five heads onto the dance floor. In another, a pair of heads were planted in front of a car dealership in Zitacuaro, a town best known until now as a nesting ground for monarch butterflies.
By a highway outside Tepalcatepec, suspected drug smuggler Hector Eduardo Bautista's tortured body was dumped on July 10. Near a black metal cross put up by his family at the spot, killers apparently avenging his death have been leaving severed heads - five so far - each with a threatening message.
Beheadings and accompanying notes in sometimes cryptic and misspelled Spanish are becoming a ghoulish vogue among the gangs that grow marijuana, cook methamphetamine and run cocaine in Michoacan. There have been 420 homicides in the state this year, including 19 police chiefs and commanders, and Juan Antonio Magana, the state's attorney general, says well over half the killings were drug-related - the work of smuggling gangs reorganizing after authorities captured some of their top leaders.
"These are groups that are very big, very strong and are out to dominate territory," Magana said in an interview.
Drug smuggling in Michoacan has traditionally been controlled by a syndicate known as Los Valencia. Police arrested its leader, Armando Valencia, in August 2003 and one of his lieutenants, Carlos Alberto Rosales Mendoza, a year later.
Now, anti-narcotics investigators say, the Gulf cartel based in northern Mexico is battling its way into Los Valencia territory, relying on "Los Zetas," ex-Mexican army operatives-turned hit men. Los Valencia loyalists have fought back fiercely.
Many notes attached to slaying victims are signed "The Family," a possible reference to Los Valencia. Some mention "La Chata," a known alias for a top reputed Gulf cartel hit man.
"They don't need to leave written messages. The mere fact that they are using such high levels of violence is sending messages of intimidation, causing fear," Magana said. "But doing it shows other gangs they can act in even more gruesome and violent ways than their rivals."
With a vast and sparsely populated Pacific coast and the rugged Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains, Michoacan is good territory for producing and smuggling drugs.
Many farmers have abandoned avocado, coffee and corn in favor of marijuana in the highlands, where roads are few and police can't easily penetrate. Smuggling gangs have cleared forests for airstrips. Small planes crammed with Colombian cocaine streak in, leaving loads that are ferried to the coast and stowed on fast boats that speed north toward the U.S. border.
Michoacan also has become a den for hidden meth labs.
Journalists statewide have covered the murders but some have avoided digging further after receiving death threats. On Oct. 13, police recovered the body of an unidentified man who had been shot 38 times and dumped outside the town of Tacambaro. An attached note in fluorescent yellow marker appeared to directly threaten the media: "The family and the ZZs are the same thing. Media outlets, don't sell out."
Calderon, who will be sworn in as president on Dec. 1, wants a new, better trained federal police force to investigate drug smuggling, longer prison terms for drug convicts and more extraditions of kingpins wanted in the U.S.
He says Mexico also needs more help from U.S. law enforcement, since Mexican smugglers are serving American drug users.
Attorney General Magana denies Calderon's contention that Mexican law enforcement is overwhelmed. But in Villa Madero, a logging town of crowing roosters and stray dogs asleep on cracked asphalt streets, the abrupt mass departure of police officers suggests a different picture.
"There's an enormous pressure here," said former officer Reyes Alberto Gamino, now retired at 21. "It's very dangerous."
Mayor Alberto Villasenor has said the police were fired for failing to show up to guard a municipal dance Sept. 16. The former officers claim they quit because gunmen were waiting to kill them for arresting a reputed drug boss.
One of the officers who resigned is Gildardo Villa. Interviewed in front of his home, Villa seemed nervous, looking over his shoulder constantly and answering questions in hushed tones.
"The threats had been coming for a long time," he said. "That's why we left."
Inside his cramped City Hall office, Justice of the Peace Apolinar Yanez acknowledged that police are afraid of the gangs, whom he described as "very well armed and very dangerous."
"I'm not going to tell you who they are, not going to give you names or tell you what kinds of activities they are involved in. I don't want problems," Yanez said. "But they were threatening the police."
Since the police officers quit, many in Villa Madero say they are afraid to leave their homes.
"There's a fear that affects everyone," said Enrique Acerra, 70, who runs a used-clothing store. "It's hard to feel safe."
Severed heads on a dance floor, yet the taco bastards are more concerned about extraditing Dog the Bounty hunter.
We could destroy the Mexican drug cartels overnight by legalizing drugs. I know it's a horrible idea but if anyone has a better solution I'm sure we all are interested.
This head chopping stuff has got to stop or ALL the Mexicans are going to get sent packing back home, and then where will those drug lords be.
Btween the two of them I say elevate the England's lawful rulers and flush the drug lords.
Just can't wait. Don't you know guarding the borders of south Mexico will make us all safe. LOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most of the drugs come into the U.S. through the South Texas border from Eagle Pass to Brownsville. Laredo is almost like it is in Mexico now. Drug gangs rampant.
You got that right. Americans have no idea that these sacred shores are being Islamized (i.e. Dearbornistan, MI)and taken over by third world thugs. We are no longer safe in our own country.
Mexican gangs obviously watched how the world reacted to the beheadings that terrorists committed in Iraq. People were horrified at the brutality of those beheadings. Now the Mexican drug cartels are getting the same effect. It definitely drives home a message to anyone who might cross them. These guys have given new meaning to sickos. Muslims are driven by their religion. Mexicans are driven by their lust for power and money, and they're moving into our country. There is so much evil on earth. It's like the world was in the days of Noah.
"We could destroy the Mexican drug cartels overnight by legalizing drugs. I know it's a horrible idea but if anyone has a better solution I'm sure we all are interested."
Yeah, but "THEY" don't; maybe for the same reasons "THEY" don't seem to want to secure the borders.
I wonder what the connection could be? (sarc.)
It's also a gross understatement to say that Mexico is still in Mexico.
I'm in Houston and Mexico is here.
I'm guessing that was a throwaway comment. Houston isn't like Mexico at all.
Mexico isn't here. A bunch of Mexicans are, but they're not Mexico.
Right. And we're giving ten year prison sentences to Border Patrol agents who shoot these violent criminals in the butt.
Sounds like their taking lessons from the enemy!!!!
Speaking of internal enemies:
Below is exacting proof why the democRATS cannot be trusted with the Defense of the U.S.A.!!!! The link below is to a 1994 GAO Report that subsequently allowed the democRATS to reduce our Air Defense sites to just 7 before the attacks on 09/11/01. Atlantic City is one of the alert sites that was cut by the Dems prior to 09/11/01. distance to New York from Atlantic City is very minimal by air. If alert forces would have still been there in place on 09/11/01, it might have made a difference!!!! Post 09/11/01, President Bush re-authorised alert at Atlantic City and other places around the Country still part of Operation Noble Eagle.
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/GOVPUBS/gao/gao19.htm
The above 1994 Air Defense GAO report is not mentioned in the 09/11/01 Commission's Report(They hid it under the rug)!!!!:-(
Many of the democrats mentioned in the 1994 Air Defense GAO report are listed in the democratic Socialists of America's "Progressive Caucas" listed members in Congress are in this link:
http://www.tysknews.com/Depts/gov_philosophy/dsa_members.htm
from this search:
http://www.dsausa.org/
Nancy Pelosi's organization!!!!
These people tore our defenses down in late 1994!!!!
We CANNOT allow them to win the House and the Senate, this Election Cycle allowing them to tear down our defenses again!!!!
We Must VOTE these Democrats and Independants out of Office!!!!
D2
All the more reasons for our President to support lax border enforcement.
You are right.
This is what would happen if abortion were totally banned. It would create a criminal underground that would undermine society far worse than having it legal.
Kill or be killed that is how it has always worked.
Bárbaros Ping!
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