Monday, March 3, 2008

Mexicans are the Primary Victims of Crime and Violence

By Barnard R. Thompson

English language media reports on crime, kidnappings and violence in Mexico are logically viewed north of the border in personal safety and security contexts, which understandably are keeping visitors away.  But Mexican victims are those truly bearing the brunt of the horrific acts, frontline casualties in a situation that has reached near pandemic proportions.  Furthermore, the good, decent and hardworking people of Mexico are pleading and demanding for more to be done, by all concerned, to end the lawlessness, violence and murders.

Recently a survey was commissioned by the non-governmental organization Mexico United against Crime (MUCD), and done by Mitofsky Consulting, titled “Citizens’ Perception on Security in Mexico (January 2008).”  A canvass that shows more than one-half of the people of Mexico, 59.6 percent, are in “great fear” of armed robberies, whereas 55.5 percent are afraid of kidnappings.  A fear of terrorism was noted by 41.8 percent.

Regarding corruption, government attorneys are listed as the most corrupt in the public sector, followed by the federal, municipal, and then state police.  Next are municipal governments, the federal government, and state governments.  The Mexican Army is seen as the least corrupt among the bunch.

As to using the military to fight organized crime, 83.2 percent of those surveyed consider this current practice correct.

In the fight against organized crime, most Mexicans have a positive sense as to the escalated Mexican Army led operations that have been taking place since President Felipe Calderón took office (December 1, 2006).  In January of this year, 55.1 percent of the respondents listed the operations a success, up from 47.1 percent in January 2007, according to the Mitofsky survey.

Mexico has been successful in apprehending a good number of the drug lords and cartel higher-ups, with subsequent highly visible power struggles and infighting for leadership.  Too, while some cartels have reportedly divided into near autonomous cells, there are reports that several are now led by former assassins and hit men.  The fights for leadership control, and over territories and drug routes, according to Genaro García Luna, Mexico’s Secretary of Public Security, have caused the increased violence.

The United States is regrettably a major factor on the negative side of the ledger in all of this, with what seems to be a continuing and insatiable appetite for drugs.  Plus far too many of the high-powered weapons being used by gangsters in Mexico come from the United States.

Mexican Senator Alejandro González Alcocer, a former governor of Baja California, notes that while the cartels used to traffic chiefly in cocaine now they are also into illicit methamphetamines and synthetic drugs (and heaven knows what else).  However the economic gains are not as high, González says, so “they have gone into kidnapping and car theft, as well as trafficking in arms and people.”

Regarding high-powered firearms, González said that trafficking in said weaponry has reached the point that cartel members and other criminals are now far better equipped than the Mexican police – “however they have a long way to go to surpass the Army.”  And this is why the armed forces must stay in the fight against organized crime, he explained.

Intensifying the strength of organized crime are Los Zetas, the oftentimes military trained enforcement arm of the Gulf Cartel.  Also involved in abductions and murders, Los Zetas today are reportedly present in 20 Mexican states.

Unlawful drug use in Mexico, mainly cocaine, marijuana and synthetic drugs, is an increasing and serious problem.  As to the ease to obtain illegal substances, 67.3 percent of those interviewed by Mitofsky said, as an example, that it is easy to buy marijuana cigarettes.  Asked if drugs should be legalized, 74.3 percent of the Mexicans surveyed are opposed to doing so.

In some instances the growing domestic use of narcotics is inextricably connected with the violence, with more and more of the shootings and killings being over urban territories and retail selling of illegal drugs.

With regards to the so-called “kidnapping industry,” the business newspaper El Economista reported on March 1 that more than 400 criminal organizations are involved nationwide.  According to the office of Mexico’s Attorney General there were 223 kidnappings reported in 2007, as compared to 111 in 2006.

But countless kidnappings and abductions go unreported, as there are many Mexicans who fear the police or suspect that they are involved in the extortion.  Furthermore, these figures do not include cartel members or associates snatched by their rivals, who are then often tortured and killed for vengeance or to send gruesome messages.

Also see: Narco-trafficking and Violence in Mexico, Trans-Border Institute Factsheet, University of San Diego.

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Barnard Thompson, editor of MexiData.info, has spent 50 years in Mexico and Latin America, providing multinational clients with actionable intelligence; country and political risk reporting and analysis; and business, lobbying, and problem resolution services.