Terrorism a Problem for Mexico
[Guest post by DRJ]
Mexico, like Iraq, is finding terrorism difficult to control.
After terrorists bombed Mexican pipelines this summer, the Mexican government found that these incidents are hard to stop:
“With the Mexican government finding it difficult to guard much of the country’s petroleum pipeline network, preventing further attacks on it depends upon a national security apparatus that analysts warn may not be up to the task.
Once a brutally efficient weapon of the one-party regime that ruled for most of the 20th century, Mexico’s domestic intelligence service has been weakened over the past decade by budget cuts, personnel purges and the shifting priorities of a more democratic society, the analysts say.
***
The Popular Revolutionary Army, or EPR, that bombed the pipelines in July and earlier, inherited the mantle of the leftist rebellions that sprang up in Mexico in the 1970s and again in the 1990s. But some analysts say that while the EPR is far smaller than past rebel groups, it’s also harder to find.Indeed, analysts say, the EPR has transformed itself from a rural movement of peasant farmers and radicalized educators in some of Mexico’s poorest areas into disciplined, well-trained cells of radicals capable of inflicting pain on urban Mexico. “These are not rural teachers, they are professionals,” said national security analyst Juan Gabriel Valencia, a former intelligence official. “They have demonstrated a different capability than they seemed to have in the past. “They are a real threat to everyone,” Valencia said.”
Some Mexicans now wish for more security that comes from living in a totalitarian regime. I identify with the desire for security but I don’t think totalitarianism is the best method to get there.
— DRJ
Take with a grain of salt but on topic. Be forewarned that the oil drum can be a collection of domesday scenario peak oil advocates. Some interesting posting of data and reasonable discussion from time to time though.
It’s not too soon to build a fence.
MMW (db76ee) — 9/25/2007 @ 7:16 amMMW,
paul from fl (7da085) — 9/25/2007 @ 8:16 amYou’re right on the money. guarding our borders is not only about indivdual illegals, but a whole host of other and more serious threats.
Welcome to the real world, 2007, Mexico. Hope it gets real hot, real soon for you!!! Long overdue.
Sue (7b071a) — 9/25/2007 @ 8:42 amMexicohas always been a sanctuary for failed revolutionaries from the world over. Little wonder then revolutionaries and terrorists are active under the surface given the corrupt and ineffective government that rules Mexico. What goes round comes round.
Its not a question of if there will be a revolution in Mexico but when.
Thomas Jackson (bf83e0) — 9/25/2007 @ 9:59 amThis is the country that gave sancuary to Trotsky, and then his murderer. Kind of makes you wonder just what vermin have crawled under that rug called Mexico?
Another Drew (8018ee) — 9/25/2007 @ 4:30 pmThe Problem with Mexico
I just returned last night from an 8 day vacation in Puerto Vallarta. For me, it was the right time to get back to Mexico, not only to enjoy the great resorts, beaches, food and everything else, but to re-establish myself with the positive side of Mexico after all the negativity of recent years with illegal immigration, amnesty rallies, drug trafficking, criminal aliens and the issue of Mexican trucks having free access to US roads. In many respects, it is easy to say that Mexico has not been a good neighbor to the US, and I share that opinion. But, on the other hand, I am married to a Mexican woman, speak Spanish and genuinely like the Mexicans and Latin people in general. So this trip reinforced those feelings, but at the same time, reinforced some negative feelings I hold-not for the people- but to the country’s leadership.
To anyone who has vacationed at any one of Mexico’s beach resorts, I don’t need to explain how great they are. New and luxurious hotels continue to sprout up along the country’s coastlines, offering great services and comfort to tourists. Of course, the reminders of Mexico’s poverty are always around, from the street vendors to the slums and villages lying outside of the resorts. A first-time visitor might ask how such luxury can exist side by side with such poverty.
To me, I decided many years ago that the popular perception of Mexico as a poor country was a myth. Mexico actually is a very waelthy country. Consider this: Mexico has always been endowed with many resources, such as oil, minerals (gold, silver, opals, copper, tin, etc). It is also blessed with a long magnificent coast line with the Pacific on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other-not to mention the coasts of Baja California- 4 in all, that draw in millions of tourists every year. It’s people are hard-working, trainable and industrious. So, with all these advantages, how can Mexico have so many poor people? To sum it up in one word-corruption.
The problem is basically this: Mexico’s ruling elite has always succeeded in enriching itself-financially and politically-while refusing to address the needs of its masses. Thus, the wealth of Mexico is held in the hands of the few. Meanwhile, the masses of the people in the countryside and small towns are not provided with a decent education and the means to make a decent living. Well, you say, why don’t they have another revolution like the old days? Where is the new Pancho Villa? Answer- Pancho Villa is in the US. As long as Mexicans can go the US, sneak across the border and earn a living there, then Mexico does not have to fear another revolution. It is called “The Great Safety Valve”. Plus, Mexico’s economy benefits from the billions of dollars that Mexicans in the US send home to their families. It is one of the country’s top sources of revenue.
A case in point: At the resort we stayed at outside of Puerto Vallarta, we enjoyed first class accomodations plus extras we had not seen at any other hotel previously. We were there as part of a time share reservation, but the normal daily rate was in the hundreds of dollars. Meanwhile we learned from one of the maids that they were earning 70 pesos a day ($7US) for 8 hours work. Now, I can understand if one owns a taco stand and pays a cook or other employee 70 pesos a day-but a grand hotel?
I hear a lot of leftist Americans complain that in our country, the rich get rich while the poor get poorer. I don’t agree with that assessment since one can be born poor in America and rise into wealth through education and honest work. Sadly, that is not the case in Mexico. If you are born poor in Mexico, pretty much the only way you can become rich is through crime-drugs for example. (Many of Mexico’s top hotels were built on drug money.) This is true in most of the Third World as well.
Personally, I get a little angry every time I hear a Mexican politician in Mexico City complain that the US needs to “reform its immigration system.” It is Mexico that needs to reform itself and start providing a decent education and job opportunities to its citizens so that they will not need to flee their own nation to make a living.
Many times it is said that people get the government they deserve. In the case of Mexico, I don’t agree. The Mexican people certainly deserve more. The ladies who cleaned the rooms in our hotel deserve more.
gary fouse
fouse, gary c (d4c79c) — 9/25/2007 @ 9:58 pmfousesquawk
If you love to travel you should check out Mexico and also for the investment you owe it to yourself to look at the Playa Del Carmen Cozumel Riviera Maya Mexico real estate boom. This is the fastest growing area and best return on investment in all of Mexico.
john (ea4bb3) — 10/29/2007 @ 11:42 pm#6 – Mexico has 1/4 the per person GDP of the USA.
SiliconDoc (da9276) — 10/30/2007 @ 12:11 amThe USA’s top 10% have 30.5% of our wealth
Mexico’s top 10% have 35.6% of their wealth.
Do you think with 1/4th the money per person, the libs could educate as badly as they are now ?
If people get the government they deserve, there are thousands of years of some very, very bad people. Why make a stupid exception just for Mexicans ? Isn’t that ridiculous ?
Of late, people here in the USA scream you get the government you deserve, and all sorts of “it will be our fault” – and what that amounts to is a sad whine issuing from their sourpuss, since they for the moment, aren’t getting their way.
Of course they aren’t going to bone up and change anything, they are going to blame everyone else for not doing so.
Let’s take Iran as another example. All that oil, gosh their people could all be well to do so goes the saying, if only their Islamofascists would share. Well they’re at $8,700 per person GDP. Let’s have them spread it out and everyone can have $8,700 per year there.
It appears to me the USA did Germany and Japan the greatest favor one could ask for, and slammed a government down their throats(especially Japan to my knowledge) post WW2 that made it happen in spite of the people, and in spite of the governing.
Seems to me that’s the real issue.
I note we never slammed the right kind of government down Iraq’s throat. Instead, modern PC babblings took over, and it would have the “highest of human rights violations” to do such a thing.
I don’t remember so many insane busy bodies when Marshall’s secretaries were bicycling around Japan to get a feel for what they should write in the new “constitution” that was slammed down their throat, for their own good. Turns out that’s the way to do it.
It’s not done that way anymore. The whining left busybodies get their way, and it’s a disaster.
It was only a matter of time before these things start happening.
I think it is a little too late to try to find a solution now. This could have been prevented.
Timeshares (b6d4d9) — 11/12/2007 @ 6:51 am