According to the LA Times, son of Ismael Zambada, a prominent Mexican drug lord and head of the Sinaloa cartel, Vincente Zambada was arrested Wednesday. Authorities Zambada had become high-level operator of a powerful trafficking group in the northwestern state of Sinaloa. He was taken in during an operation by the army and federal agents. Authorities described the arrest as an important blow against the alliance of Sinaloa-based traffickers headed by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera, who is Mexico's most-wanted fugitive.
They claim that this arrest is an "important blow to the organizations ability to operate and move drugs." Vincente Zambada is the latest member of the family captured during President Felipe Calderon's 2- year crackdown on drug trafficking. The arrest proves to be a small yet, important step in the right direction for the governments stance on drug cartels.
-Ashley Mickelwaite(Mexico)
Showing posts with label drug trafficking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drug trafficking. Show all posts
Friday, March 20, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Mexico: Conflict Crosses U.S. Border
Mexico, as our previous coverage attests, is so dangerous for journalists today as a result of the drug war raging throughout the country. Since Felipe Calderón took office in 2006, the drug war raging between major cartels has been an issue at the forefront. Calderon has recently acknowledged that the struggle has been more difficult than anticipated, and likened it to a cancer plaguing the country.
Ciudad Juarez has long been a hotbed of drug-related violence, and situated just across the border from El Paso, Texas, the proximity is bringing the U.S. closer to the conflict. And as Reuters reports, the border is blurring kidnappings and homicides in Arizona and Texas have been tied to Mexican violence overspill: incidents like a live grenade being thrown into a bar in Hidalgo County, Texas, as well as a slew of break-ins and thefts.
The danger associated with the drug war- to journalists as well as Mexican and American citizens alike- necessitates U.S. intervention. So far, the U.S. has agreed to honor the weapons ban in place (though largely ignored) to curtail arms smuggling, and pledged 1.4 billion in aircraft, police training, and efforts to aid Mexico. It remains to be seen whether this U.S. action will make a significant impact, but it is a necessary step in the right direction, not just to make Mexico a safer place, but eventually foster a nonthreatening media environment.
Liz Hobson
Ciudad Juarez has long been a hotbed of drug-related violence, and situated just across the border from El Paso, Texas, the proximity is bringing the U.S. closer to the conflict. And as Reuters reports, the border is blurring kidnappings and homicides in Arizona and Texas have been tied to Mexican violence overspill: incidents like a live grenade being thrown into a bar in Hidalgo County, Texas, as well as a slew of break-ins and thefts.
The danger associated with the drug war- to journalists as well as Mexican and American citizens alike- necessitates U.S. intervention. So far, the U.S. has agreed to honor the weapons ban in place (though largely ignored) to curtail arms smuggling, and pledged 1.4 billion in aircraft, police training, and efforts to aid Mexico. It remains to be seen whether this U.S. action will make a significant impact, but it is a necessary step in the right direction, not just to make Mexico a safer place, but eventually foster a nonthreatening media environment.
Liz Hobson
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Mexico: Another Photographer Dead, Reporter Injured
As the previous posts from my group suggest, violence against the press in Mexico is an ongoing problem. Yet, another incident has taken place last Friday that has left a crime photographer dead and a reporter injured.
According to an article by the Committee to Protect Journalists a gunman killed a photographer and injured a reporter in the southern city of Iguala, Guerrero state. The two reporters, Jean Paul Ibarra Ramírez, 33, from the newspaper El Correo and Yenny Yuliana Marchán Arroyo, 22, from the daily newspaper Diario 21, were each shot three times. The two reporters were on their way to cover a car accident around 10 p.m.
The police described the weapon used in the shooting to be a .45 caliber pistol, which is a firearm authorized for exclusive use by the Mexican army. Its use makes the shooting a federal crime and could bring in the federal government's special prosecutor for crimes against journalists.
Although many of the journalist related shootings in Mexico have some relationship to drugs and drug trafficking, neither of these reporters seemed to have a link. Ibarra was said to have stayed clear of stories about drug trafficking or police corruption to avoid danger. Marchán, a recent graduate writes a public opinion feature four days a week and covers the crime beat for the Diario 21.
CPJ is launching a thorough investigation today. One they hope will not be "twisted" by incompetent police and detectives. There has been additional skeptism regarding the Mexican government and President Felipe Calderón involving corruption.
Until the government wises up and takes a firm stance against the existing corruption, I don't see the safety of the Mexican journalists increasing.
-Ashley Mickelwaite
Mexico
According to an article by the Committee to Protect Journalists a gunman killed a photographer and injured a reporter in the southern city of Iguala, Guerrero state. The two reporters, Jean Paul Ibarra Ramírez, 33, from the newspaper El Correo and Yenny Yuliana Marchán Arroyo, 22, from the daily newspaper Diario 21, were each shot three times. The two reporters were on their way to cover a car accident around 10 p.m.
The police described the weapon used in the shooting to be a .45 caliber pistol, which is a firearm authorized for exclusive use by the Mexican army. Its use makes the shooting a federal crime and could bring in the federal government's special prosecutor for crimes against journalists.
Although many of the journalist related shootings in Mexico have some relationship to drugs and drug trafficking, neither of these reporters seemed to have a link. Ibarra was said to have stayed clear of stories about drug trafficking or police corruption to avoid danger. Marchán, a recent graduate writes a public opinion feature four days a week and covers the crime beat for the Diario 21.
CPJ is launching a thorough investigation today. One they hope will not be "twisted" by incompetent police and detectives. There has been additional skeptism regarding the Mexican government and President Felipe Calderón involving corruption.
Until the government wises up and takes a firm stance against the existing corruption, I don't see the safety of the Mexican journalists increasing.
-Ashley Mickelwaite
Mexico
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Mexico: Drug Traffickers Fire Grenade at Televisa Studio
The increasing drug trade in Mexico has led to an increase in journalist killings as journalists go behind the scenes to investigate and report on drug trafficking. Keirin’s article about Armando Rodríguez (killed after examining Mexican drug cartels) emphasizes this point.
A group of men opened fire and launched a grenade into Televisa studios, Mexico’s top television network. According to a Newswatch article, the gunmen left a note that said, “Stop reporting on us.” Clearly, the act was meant as a threat to journalists to keep out of the drug traffickers’ business, but I think the government must intervene and protect journalists from such violence.
Carlos Lauría, a senior program coordinator for CPJ, said “Drug traffickers are clearly using the media to spread a message of fear and terror and make clear to everyone that there will be consequences to reporting on their activities. The government cannot allow criminals to intimidate the media into silence.”
So what should Mexico’s government do? They must complete their pending law to make violence against the press a federal crime, as mentioned in Urja’s article on Calderon’s efforts.
CPJ research shows that Mexico is “one of the most dangerous places for journalists in Latin America.” I agree with Lauría and think that Mexico’s government needs to start cleaning up the drug trafficking if it wants to step away from this title and into a more journalist-friendly, “media free” environment.
-- Amy Eichenlaub (Mexico)
A group of men opened fire and launched a grenade into Televisa studios, Mexico’s top television network. According to a Newswatch article, the gunmen left a note that said, “Stop reporting on us.” Clearly, the act was meant as a threat to journalists to keep out of the drug traffickers’ business, but I think the government must intervene and protect journalists from such violence.
Carlos Lauría, a senior program coordinator for CPJ, said “Drug traffickers are clearly using the media to spread a message of fear and terror and make clear to everyone that there will be consequences to reporting on their activities. The government cannot allow criminals to intimidate the media into silence.”
So what should Mexico’s government do? They must complete their pending law to make violence against the press a federal crime, as mentioned in Urja’s article on Calderon’s efforts.
CPJ research shows that Mexico is “one of the most dangerous places for journalists in Latin America.” I agree with Lauría and think that Mexico’s government needs to start cleaning up the drug trafficking if it wants to step away from this title and into a more journalist-friendly, “media free” environment.
-- Amy Eichenlaub (Mexico)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Mexico-disappearing journalists only 2nd to Russia
Mexico-disappearing journalists only 2nd to Russia
In a period of three short years, at least seven Mexican reporters have disappeared—only second to Russia. Many of the journalists were reporting about links between public authority and drug traffickers. According to an article titled, “The Disappeared in Mexico” by the Committee to Protect Journalists, many of the reporters vanished while going to meet a source.
Because of the link between police and drug traffickers, some surmise that the crimes were intentionally unsolved. I would agree with that, how could the police department do a thorough investigation into a case that has labeled the police as the ‘bad guys’? The article also stated, “Rep. Gerardo Priego Tapia, who heads a congressional committee on violence against the press and who supports federalization of such crimes said, "The worst scenario for journalists is when organized crime and the government become partners. And in many parts of this country, they are completely intertwined."”
The murders and mysterious disappearances have led many newspapers to seriously question their journalistic values. In a Washington Post article, Manual Roig-Franzia wrote that a newspaper in Sorona was temporarily shut down in 2007 and editors at the two largest papers have encouraged their reporters to stay away from crime related stories. Although I understand why newspapers are trepid about covering such stories, it also, in my opinion, will lead to more journalists disappearing and the issue staying completely out of the press. If the media is afraid to cover certain hot topics, then what’s to stop them from being the public Watch Dog?
The most shocking aspect of the Washington Post article is that crime reporters are not the only targets. “While crime reporters are common targets, sportswriters have been kidnapped by drug cartel hit men upset over coverage of their favorite soccer teams,” Roig-Franzia wrote. If such asinine crimes are allowed to go on by the police, then something is very wrong with the authoritative system in Mexico. People cannot go around killing journalists just because they don’t like how the article was written!
Mexico’s President Calderon has promised to take steps to solve the problem and help make Mexico safer for journalists, which currently it is the second most dangerous country for journalists behind Iraq. It will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds over the next few months.
By: Urja Dave
In a period of three short years, at least seven Mexican reporters have disappeared—only second to Russia. Many of the journalists were reporting about links between public authority and drug traffickers. According to an article titled, “The Disappeared in Mexico” by the Committee to Protect Journalists, many of the reporters vanished while going to meet a source.
Because of the link between police and drug traffickers, some surmise that the crimes were intentionally unsolved. I would agree with that, how could the police department do a thorough investigation into a case that has labeled the police as the ‘bad guys’? The article also stated, “Rep. Gerardo Priego Tapia, who heads a congressional committee on violence against the press and who supports federalization of such crimes said, "The worst scenario for journalists is when organized crime and the government become partners. And in many parts of this country, they are completely intertwined."”
The murders and mysterious disappearances have led many newspapers to seriously question their journalistic values. In a Washington Post article, Manual Roig-Franzia wrote that a newspaper in Sorona was temporarily shut down in 2007 and editors at the two largest papers have encouraged their reporters to stay away from crime related stories. Although I understand why newspapers are trepid about covering such stories, it also, in my opinion, will lead to more journalists disappearing and the issue staying completely out of the press. If the media is afraid to cover certain hot topics, then what’s to stop them from being the public Watch Dog?
The most shocking aspect of the Washington Post article is that crime reporters are not the only targets. “While crime reporters are common targets, sportswriters have been kidnapped by drug cartel hit men upset over coverage of their favorite soccer teams,” Roig-Franzia wrote. If such asinine crimes are allowed to go on by the police, then something is very wrong with the authoritative system in Mexico. People cannot go around killing journalists just because they don’t like how the article was written!
Mexico’s President Calderon has promised to take steps to solve the problem and help make Mexico safer for journalists, which currently it is the second most dangerous country for journalists behind Iraq. It will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds over the next few months.
By: Urja Dave
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