Decapitation Count in Mexico (2008-2012)

>> WARNING <<    

Some people may find this disturbing.

Before

The US policy that pushes that the drug war be fought (down there) to the last Mexican, has been disastrous and it will be felt in the new Mexican policy toward the United States. 

The United States fueled the fire through their Operation Gunwalker Scandal. We now know that the Obama Administration plans to keep Attorney General Eric Holder, architect of the Gunwalker Scandal wherein USGOV agents sold firearms through straw buyers to drug cartels without tracking them. Arming the cartels directly may not play on MSNBC, but the Mexicans take note.

After

There may be more this year so these are not final numbers, but you can use them as a fair guess. These numbers do not include decapitations where the heads were NOT displayed to the public for public relations value.

During the first five years of the Calderon administration, 1,443 decapitation cases were reported. 

Between January and November 2011, 493 cases were reported. 

-Chihuahua leads the pack with 171 reported decapitations since the start of the Calderon administration 

-Guerrero comes in second at 140. 

-Tamaulipas with 119 reported cases since the start of the Calderon administration  

-Durango almost tied for third with 115 reported decapitations. 

-Sinaloa came in fifth, which may surprise some people, with a mere 89 reported decapitations. (What happened to Sinaloa? There were a lot of murders in Sinaloa, but it would seem that the people in that area are less inclined to decapitate their victims.)

-Mexico State, Baja California Norte, Jalisco, Coahuila and Veracruz finished behind the pack.

The cost of Mexican President's US-Sponsored and funded drug war can be balanced by the embarrassingly low number of decapitations before he and his American allies "got the heads lopping". 

There were only 37 reported decapitations in all of Mexico in 2007.

During the first three years of the Calderon administration, 10.3 large-scale massacres were reported per month. During the second three years, an average of 23 were reported on a monthly basis. 

English Source: US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration
Spanish Source: El Universal

What are the Russians and Chinese up to in Mexico?

This question came over the transom to me (through g-mail) and I'll answer it as well as I can. As you might divine from reading this blog on Guns, Drugs and Politics in Mexico, I do what I can to keep my finger on the pulse in that nation.

Context and Precedence

Much of the infrastructure that both the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China have in Mexico dates to the Cold War. Of recent, other nations have captured their interest. More on Brazil later.

Soviet Era Spy Trawler

Looking closer you see the torpedo tube door ajar and the
formidable and very capable advanced sonar not available
to or needed by the average fisherman.

(Trivial Example) During the Cold War, the Russians/Soviet Union were particularly active in Mexico. For example, they trained select members of their Special Forces people by dropping them in Cabo San Lucas/La Paz with a civilian backpack and very little money. From there, the Russians (most often GRU/SPETZNAZ) would make their way as best they could up along Baja California, cross the US Border and enter the United States. They'd travel across the US, usually using the cover of "Swedish backpackers", ultimately ending up in Washington DC, where they'd travel back to the Worker's Paradise. In order to qualify for this sort of training, you needed to have a lot of family who you felt an attachment to back home. They didn't want you swallowed up/shacked up in America, or walking into a police station on the way and surrendering.

In the event of war with the US, the
'innocent' trawler would sally forth
from Ensenada and sink US Naval
vessels departing San Diego.

The Russians kept at least one surveillance trawler in the Port of Ensenada to listen into the US Navy's facilities in San Diego, the Chinese still have a really large consulate in Tijuana that accomplished the same thing.

The spy vs spy routine was hotter at some times than others but the Cold War ended.

There is still Russian hardware being used in Mexico by drug cartels, the most notable being at least one Russian submarine that transits from the Sea of Cortez to the California Coast, carrying as much as ten tons of narcotics per load. It's owned by the family of the late Ignacio (Nacho) Coronel Villarreal (February 1, 1954 – July 29, 2010) and they make a profit on the transit trade (a term made popular in Afghanistan and used here for shits and giggles). There are Soviet era, and later AK rifles and rocket propelled grenades floating around but both those weapons and the submarine are not an extension of Russian Federation policy.  And I believe that's what the question was directed toward.

Today

There are former Ukrainian GRU people working for El Mencho's faction of the Sinaloa Federation. They're very well paid, but they are not, near as I can tell, an extension of either Russian or Ukrainian foreign policy. Sure, they have friends back home, but they're working in the drug trade and you'll find them partying in Puerta Vallarta or hanging out in Guadalajara (usually).

There are the usual Chinese and Russian spies based in their respective embassies and consulates under diplomatic cover. They're careful not to upset the applecart and for the most part, want to be left alone to enjoy living outside of their respective countries with cash in their pockets.

In truth, the drug cartels have things in Mexico so tightly controlled and they put so much money on the street that it's difficult for either the Chinese or the Russians to do much more than report on crop yields and try to engage in the odd espionage target to justify their existence. The US is an open society and spying in the US is simply not all that hard, so using Mexico as a jumping off point is simply not done because it doesn't have to be.

Both the Chinese and the Russians have a much more lucrative nation in mind for exploitation. They are putting a LOT OF EFFORT into Brazil. If the US isn't more attentive than they've been on this matter to date, they will find themselves out of the running for Brazil's favor. I'm not saying that USGOV isn't aware - but it would be helpful to put more resources on target in my opinion.

But, this blog is not about Brazil. Maybe I should start one on Brazil? What do you think?

CIA Case Officers Attacked - 14 Charged in Mexico

For those of you who don't read La Jornada, I refer you to their article on November 10.

En Tres Marías, los federales intentaron asesinar a los funcionarios de EU: PGR

After more than two months of investigation, on November 9, Mexico's federal Attorney General's Office (Procuraduría General de la República) confirmed that it was formally charging 14 federal police agents for an August 24 attack on a US embassy armored Toyota Land Cruiser on a road near the Tres Marías community, south of Mexico City in the state of Morelos.

The PGR Agents claimed that they mistook the Toyota Land Cruiser with diplomatic license plates containing two Central Intelligence Agency annuitants, working actively for the CIA and a Mexican Naval Captain assigned to Fuerza de Infantería de Marina ( Naval Infantry) for members of a gang that perpetrated a local kidnapping. It is a stretch to believe that the PGR Agents could think that, but that was their story before they were "interrogated". Interrogation in Mexico is not the tender experience that most Americans can relate to (as portrayed both on television and in real life).

The two CIA Case Officers were wounded in the incident by spawl and bullet proof glass flaking as bullets repeatedly struck it.According to La Jornada, The PGR charged that the 14 Mexican police agents "tried to take the lives" of the three men in the embassy vehicle. Investigators determined that the agents were driving private cars and were in civilian clothes when they attacked the embassy's van, which was surrounded by the agents' vehicles. Investigators said that the Armored Toyota Land Cruiser was hit with 152 bullets.

The PGR's formal charges didn't mention possible links to organized crime, but PGR sources indicated they believed three of the agents had ties to the Beltrán Leyva drug cartel. The 14 agents are being held in maximum-security prisons in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, and in Puente Grande, Jalisco.

Much of this investigation could have been shortcut if the CIA had listened to knowledgable sources close to the Beltran Leyva Organization with whom they were in constant contact. Sadly, they didn't use the assets available to them and their "investigation" was prolonged and their findings in the end are skewed without a first-hand account from the person who ordered the attack and paid the PGR officers through cut-outs. The real question is whether or not the CIA cares whether its findings are correct or not. One can only presume that they don't. While I'm not going into further detail on this, read the tea leaves and decide for yourselves.

CIA had a personnel turnover in Mexico right before the attack. One can speculate that the people with the skill to follow through with these inquiries had left the country.

And taking it one step further, having not pursued this, how can they know when it's going to happen again?

Alejandrina Guzman Salazar Update

To:  Joaquin Guzman Loera (El Chapo)

Alejandrina Gisselle Guzman Salazar is still in custody. And as near as I can tell, her crazy husband, Dr. Juan Carlos Magana Jimenez is still calling the shots on her case. Really Chapo? Have you no shame? What happened to your organization? Where is your political stroke. I'm beginning to lose faith in the wisdom of a man who can't even care for his own daughter. 

Griselda - in custody

Sure, everyone has dumb sons-in-law. It's the curse of a man with daughters. Especially when you have a few daughters, but this is Alejandrina's daughter and your eldest (that I know of). You're tossing her under the bus, Chapo?

Keep in mind that Dr. Juan was the one who went to the publicity hound lawyers AFTER he'd been approached by serious people with a serious solution that would have seen her walk free before the baby came - your grandchild will be born in JAIL, Chapo. And you can blame Dr. Juan's bad judgment and emotional instability for the mess that it's become. I'm not saying that you need to dump him in a lye pit. He's the father of your grandchild. But before you loose more face, you should put somebody on point that has the maturity to make good decisions. And dump the appointed counsel. Frank is a nice guy, but not the guy for this sticky matter.

I do understand that being 'schooled on a blog' might not be the most satisfying thing when you essentially run Mexico, but it's the truth, and you know it, Chapo.

The Livable, Lovable, Port of Veracruz

The Sinaloa Federation is a practical organization. When you intend to take over a major hub or region, it's better to simply flip the current warlord to your team than it is to try and install somebody from outside (Sinaloa) than it is to keep the figurehead in place where he is. 

It's been over a year now since SEDENA assaulted Veracruz (very effectively) and drove out Los Zetas (circa September/October 2011). Within two weeks, the Sinaloa Federation moved in and installed the formerly #3 in the Los Zetas command structure as their man in Veracruz. Sure, Rafael Acosta Croda has people keeping an eye on him, but life is good. The police leave him alone. The Army leaves him alone, the politicians tip their hats to him and all is well with the world.

Rafael Acosta Croda - and one of his wives.

The drugs move through the port of Veracruz with the occasional seizure to insure that MEXGOV authorities take credit for their vigilance. [usually somebody else's dope - rarely is a load belonging to Gonzalo Inzunza Inzunza (Macho Prieto) bagged] DEA has been wondering how all of the drugs are moving through the East Coast. This is one route. There are others.

Zeta one day, Sinaloa Federation the next. Expedient moves are necessary for survival. But sometimes it's tough for USGOV to keep up with the program.

The Federation Strikes Back

There are five key accusations against ATF and DOJ made by ATF whistleblowers and other sources within FedGov:

1. That they instructed U.S. gun dealers to proceed with questionable and illegal sales of firearms to suspected gunrunners.

2. That they allowed or even assisted in those guns crossing the U.S. border into Mexico to "boost the numbers" of American civilian market firearms seized in Mexico and thereby provide the justification for more firearm restrictions on American citizens and more power and money for ATF.

3. That they intentionally kept Mexican authorities in the dark about the operation, even over objections of their own agents.

4. That weapons that the ATF let "walk" to Mexico were involved in the deaths of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and ICE agent Jaime Zapata, as well as at least hundreds of Mexican citizens.

5. That at least since the death of Brian Terry on 14 December, the Obama administration is engaged in a full-press cover-up of the facts behind what has come to be known as the "Gunwalker Scandal."

(The Sipsey Street Irregulars)

__________________________________________

There has been a national election in the USA in which nobody discussed this rather sorry chapter in American History. The candidates were mute as was the mainstream media. Maybe they felt that it had all become "history", and thus a mere footnote to the great unwashed who would soon vote for the next president and "leader of the free world".

However as unlikely as it may seem, there are people in Mexico who have dead friends and relatives, killed with firearms and ammunition supplied to cartels by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms who have longer memories than the American Press.

The brother of a high ranking US federal agent was kidnapped in Casa Grande, Chihuahua and subsequently killed in Mexico, last week. The murderers dumped his body near Agua Prieta. It didn't have anything to do with Operation Gunrunner directly, however it was a message sent to US Law Enforcement and you're going to hear that message again from the Sinaloa Federation. 

This is the bottom line. When the Federation (drug cartel) gives up one of its own as a sacrificial sheep to satisfy the needs MEXGOV to look good in the press or when they need to weed out a weakling, that's ok. When the US uses "atmospherics" to track somebody that they need/want around and feed that to SEMAR, then the fir will fly.

You'll hear more of this in the future both on this blog and elsewhere. The Sinaloa Federation wants USGOV to take their law enforcement officials out of the Republic of Mexico. There was a political statement made on July 1, 2012 and that government will be seated on December 1, 2012. Look for one of the reasons behind MEXGOV restricting US Law Enforcement in Mexico to be the Gunwalker Scandal.

Strategic Sahuayo, Michoacan

Historical Reference - for context and precedence

Vincente y Marta

A brief retrospective view of the narco connections during Presidente Vincente Fox's term in office has to include his present change from PAN to PRI. You may recall that Presidente Fox was the very first Panista to become president of the Mexican Republic. I don't know that his change of affiliation has anything to do with the drug trade. Likely it does not. I'm simply trying to keep the context going.

In the Fox Presidency, Marta Sahagun Jimenez (Mrs. Vincente Fox) provided the discrete connection to the narcotics cartels. After the election, Francisco Sahagun Vera (Marta's cousin) joined with Marta Sahagun's children to sell plazas. They had a solid connection to Presidente Fox, but enough distance to insure some degree of insulation if a scandal developed (and it never really did).

Arturo Durazo Moreno

Francisco Sahagun Vera used his father's juice with various cartels to represent MEXGOV interests in the plaza trade and of course, he kicked back some of the profits to his father and his father's patrons.

Francisco Sahagun Vaca (or alternatively, Baca), father to Francisco Shagun Vera, served as 'the right hand' to General Arturo Durazo (El Negro) Moreno. El Negro Durazo was the only five-star Mexican general in history. During the LOPEZ PORTILLO presidency, El Negro Durazo was Director of Public Security for the State of Mexico. El Negro Durazo want to prison for a few years because he was a drug dealer/kingpin but Francisco Sahagun Vaca never did. 

Where is Francisco (Pancho) Sahagun Vaca today?

The empty tomb in Sahuayo

Francisco Sahagun Vaca "owns" the city of Sahuayo, Michoacan. The city earned a reputation for many years as "Bermuda Triangle" because containers on trucks shipped from the Port of Manzanillo to Mexico City had to pass through that area on the highway. Containers with valuable cargo entered but never left. That's not quite the case anymore, but Francisco Sahagun Vaca still runs the town and is very rich. He's also a wanted criminal and nobody has ever arrested him. He set up a mausoleum in the local graveyard for himself (and for his son whose demise is recorded below). Allegedly Francisco Sr. is dead - but if you ask around you'll find that he's very much alive and well, still in the drug trade but flying below the radar (except for the odd blog) these days.

There has been occasional speculation as to Francisco Sahagun Vaca's cartel affiliations**. I doubt that he pays tribute to any individual cartel. His position in the strategically critical Sahuayo, Michoacan makes him a force to be reckoned with. He needs to maintain friendly relations with LCT/LFM. But he's a lot like an old snake, guarding treasure in a cave.

**MEXGOV announced that La Familia Michoacan is dead, though it isn't. There are still some cells of LFM around even though most of them have reaffiliated with Los Caballeros Templarios, now run by Servando (La Tuta) Gomez Martinez. La Tuta has not been well and while usually thin, he's lost weight and is even thinner than he's been in the past. I don't know if it's something fatal or if the lifestyle is simply weighing on him.

Where is Francisco Sahagun Vera today?

As with many Mexican narcos, he's six feet under in the cemetery. Maybe he's interred in his father's vault?