Monday, September 17, 2007
Mexican Explosions
and Their After Effects
By Allan Wall
A series of
explosions in Mexico, on September 9th and September 10th, has raised pertinent questions about Mexican
safety and security that still have not been answered.
The explosion
on September 9th was in the northern state of Coahuila, where a tractor-trailer bearing ammonium nitrate (the fertilizer/explosive
that Timothy McVeigh utilized in the Oklahoma City bombings) collided with another vehicle. The ensuing fire caused explosions
that killed 28 onlookers and wounded hundreds.
Although initially it was reported that the papers
of the trucking company and the (Australian) explosives company were in order, later it was announced that the truck did not have the requisite permit
to transport hazardous material. Also, the required
escort vehicles were not being used. Coincidentally, the explosion came at about the same time as the dispute in the
United States over Mexican trucks being allowed on American highways.
The explosions
on the 10th, though, were not accidental.
In the state
of Veracruz, bombs were detonated on 12 natural gas pipelines (and one gasoline pipeline).
The EPR (Popular Revolutionary Army) is claiming responsibility, and threatening to carry out more attacks unless two
of their comrades, who disappeared in May in Oaxaca, are released. Meanwhile,
the government denies it has the two men in custody.
The EPR is
a Marxist guerrilla group formed in the mid-1990s in the state of Guerrero, which killed dozens of Mexican police and soldiers
in the latter part of that decade, carried out Mexico City bank bombings in 2001, and took part in the 2006 Oaxaca unrest.
In July of
2007, the EPR set off explosives in pipelines in Guanajuato and Queretaro, shutting down PEMEX operations there. In August,
they bombed a bank and a Sears store (Sears in Mexico being the property of Carlos Slim, Mexico’s — and the world’s
— richest man.
These latest
attacks prove the sophisticated operational ability of the EPR, demonstrating the group’s tactical and technical proficiency. The strategic placement and installation of the bombs also raises suspicion that they
had inside help, from within PEMEX or the petroleum workers’ union.
The attacks’
success has also raised other questions, about Mexican intelligence and security.
Were Mexican
intelligence officials unprepared? It has been reported that Guillermo Valdes, chief of CISEN (the Mexican CIA) is a Calderon crony who has no idea what he’s
doing.
On the other
hand, there is a lot of pipeline in Mexico — about 30,000 miles of it.
Another question
is, who is really in charge of guarding oil installations? The Mexican military
guards state energy facilities, but with the military deployed throughout the country fighting drug cartels it may not have
as many men available to guard pipelines.
Nobody was
injured in the Veracruz explosions, but the Mexican economy certainly was and that hurts Mexicans. The disruption of gas and oil supplies affected thousands of businesses,
with many forced to close or at least reduce — their operations. Just
days ago losses were estimated at US$200 million and they must be higher now.
As a result
of the explosions, 60% of Mexico’s steel production was stopped, and some automobile plants were “crippled.”
Too, this
will cost PEMEX a lot of money, and the state-owned oil and gas conglomerate is already in a financial bind, and providing
40% of the country’s tax revenues.
And obviously,
such attacks can scare away investors.
Even before
the latest bombings the Mexican government had turned to a private U.S. security firm, SY Coleman, for help (SY Coleman does
contract work for the U.S. Department of Defense and other government agencies).
After the
July bombings, the Mexican government hired SY Coleman to set up surveillance for PEMEX and the CFE (a Mexican government
electrical monopoly) in the state of Veracruz. This state contains many strategic
energy assets, including pipelines, refineries and Mexico’s only nuclear power plant, at Laguna Verde.
SY Coleman
has recruited former military pilots who also speak Spanish, and is sending them to Veracruz to set up an air surveillance
center, to work with Mexican security officials, and to utilize helicopters, airplanes and unmanned aerial vehicles to keep
an eye on the energy installations.
PRI (Institutional
Revolutionary Party) congressman Robert Badillo, of Veracruz, has criticized the SY Coleman contract as a violation of Mexican
sovereignty and an offense to the Mexican military.
This issue
too will have to be dealt with.
In the meantime,
the EPR has proven its ability to strike and cause significant damage. This is
a group that knows what it’s doing.
So when and
where will the EPR strike next?
Allan Wall,
a MexiData.info columnist, recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq. He currently resides
in Mexico, where he has lived since 1991. He can be reached via e-mail at allan39@prodigy.net.mx.
