I recently spoke with a prosperous entrepreneur with major family and business connections in Mexico, and asked him his take on Mexico now, what with Los Zetas and everything. Don’t go, he said, it’s too dangerous. Hotels in Mexico City are hiring mercenaries as guards, travelers don’t go outside, and insurance is impossible to get now for business people traveling from the US to Mexico. However, cruises are still ok because they have special police to guard the tourists at the port cities.
I said that reports were that Los Zetas had worked itself into Pemex, stolen millions of dollars worth of oil and gas, sold some of it in the US, and that a US company was being investigated. He interrupted saying, and they have ties to the Bush family, I bet.
Well, maybe so…
Other U.S. companies are being investigated too for buying stolen petroleum products from a drug cartel.
The narco-driven scandal that started in Mexico has crossed the border and is picking up speed. The only things uncertain now are: how far will it travel and how many–and how big– will the roadkill be before it runs out of gas?
California wildfire blamed on drug operation
Authorities say the now-huge La Brea fire was started by an illegal campfire at a marijuana growing camp run by a Mexican drug cartel.
“It is also believed that the suspects are still within the San Rafael wilderness trying to leave the area on foot,” officials said.
Phoenix. Kidnapping capital of the US
“We’re in the eye of the storm,” Phoenix Police Chief Andy Anderson told ABC News of the violent crimes and ruthless tactics spurred by Mexico’s drug cartels that have expanded business across the border. “If it doesn’t stop here, if we’re not able to fix it here and get it turned around, it will go across the nation,” he said.
Video on their site has much more. Chilling stuff.
Since 2007 my sister lives in Guadalajara, which is west of Mexico City. From what she tells me, she does hear about violence on a couple of spots but that it has been mostly drug-dealing types that have been killing each other. Usually if you know your place (i.e. take a chill pill if some guy cuts you off on the street) you should be safe.
But that’s Guadalajara and then there’s Mexico City and the northern towns, where things are really rough.