Controversy in Mexico over changes to and use of Mayan palaces, Aztec pyramids

By Anne-Marie O’Connor, Published: August 28

Annie-Marie O'Connor - "Paul McCartney read our letter and said No!! to Chichen Itza. Thanks Paul — We love you," said a poster created by Mexico City archaeologists protesting the use of pyramids for rock concerts and New Age entertainment spectacles.

MEXICO CITY — Mexicans are taught to revere their pre-Columbian roots. So some archaeologists are outraged by what they view as the government’s failure to safeguard the nation’s Mayan palaces and Aztec pyramids.

A recent decision by the government to erect a glass-and-steel facade on a portion of the historic Fort of Guadalupe in Puebla in time for the Sept. 15 Mexican independence celebrations was the last straw. The archaeologists have occupied Mexico’s prestigious National Museum of Anthropology, telling visitors that taking liberties with federally protected buildings was becoming commonplace.

The late-summer tourists who flock to the Chapultepec Park institution are greeted by banners, petitions and angry anthropologists with megaphones. A barefoot Mayan-speaking researcher in a white tunic blows into a conch shell to announce speeches in the lobby.

The occupying scientists have also declared: Admission is free.

Archaeologists are tweeting about “aggressions against patrimony” and using Facebook to decry tacky tourist development and New Age spectacles that they say will ruin the ruins.

Just when government officials were hoping to make money on the hype over Dec. 21 marking the end of the world, as predicted by the Mayan calendar, archaeologists are threatening to shut down the party even before it has begun.

“Our national monuments are being violated,” said Felipe Echenique March, head of the union that represents the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the government agency charged with protecting historic sites. “Public archaeological sites are deteriorating. We are resisting this destruction.”

'Cash Smugglers Who Posed as Journalists Made Multiple Trips From Honduras'

Monday, 27 August 2012 13:28
Written by  Claire O'Neill McCleskey

The 18 fake Televisa journalists in a Nicaragua courtroom

A group of suspected cash smugglers posing as journalists who were arrested last week reportedly traveled from Honduras to Nicaragua on several occasions since 2010, prompting an investigation into why Honduran and Nicaraguan authorities failed to apprehend the group.

According to a report by El Nuevo Diario, the 18 people arrested in Nicaragua while posing as reporters crossed into Nicaragua from Honduras and traveled down into Costa Rica multiple times since 2010.

The suspects, who posed as employees of Televisa, a Mexican television network, are currently being held in Managua on charges of organized crime and money laundering. Nicaraguan police announced that the final count for the cash seized from the group’s caravan of vehicles is $9.2 million.

During one previous trip, the group reportedly entered Nicaragua through a border crossing in Honduras known as Las Manos, then traveled down the Pan-American Highway to Peñas Blancas, Costa Rica. The border police stationed at Las Manos have been removed from their post while the chief of police in Peñas Blancas has been suspended, El Nuevo Diario reported. Nicaraguan authorities are also looking into possible links between the suspects and other customs or police officials.

A spokesman for the Honduran police told La Tribuna that the caravan repeatedly passed through the country without problem because the suspects took advantage of the “considerations [given] to the press.” In response to this lapse, the director of the national police has created a special commission to investigate how the group escaped detection by Honduran law enforcement.

Insight Crime Analysis

Although officials have yet to report the true identities of most of the suspects, at least one of the suspects isallegedly linked to “Los Charros,” a Mexico-based drug trafficking network. When detained at the border, the group told customs police that they were headed to Managua to report on the trial of Henry Fariñas, the Nicaraguan businessman accused of collaborating with Los Charros and other gangs to traffic drugs from Costa Rica into Nicaragua.

Source: In Sight

US embassy staff shot at by Mexican police

Jo Tuckman in Mexico City
guardian.co.uk, Friday 24 August 2012 23.56 BST

Mexican marines inspect a bullet-riddled armoured US embassy SUV on a road south of Mexico City. Two embassy employees were injured. Photograph: Reuters

Mexican naval officials say embassy vehicle caught up in police chase on road just south of Mexico City

Two US embassy employees were shot at and wounded by Mexican police on Friday after they were caught up in a police chase on the outskirts of the capital, Mexican naval officials said.

The US embassy vehicle was attacked just south of Mexico City, according to a government statement. A confused gun battle began around 8am after the embassy car, on its way to a naval installation with two US officials and a captain from the Mexican navy, was approached by car containing armed men.

"The driver of the diplomatic car manoeuvred to avoid the aggressors and get back onto the main road, at which point the crew of the aggressor vehicle opened fire," the statement said. "Moments later three other vehicles joined the chase and shot at the US embassy vehicle."

Speaking anonymously, a Mexican government security official said federal police had thought the vehicle belonged to a group of suspected kidnappers they were pursuing, and had opened fire on it. "This was all because of a mix-up," the official said.

Mexico police fire on US embassy staff

24 August 2012 Last updated at 23:46

Two people employed at the US embassy in Mexico have been wounded after their car was mistakenly fired on by police south of Mexico City, officials say.

The Mexican Navy said the US personnel were on a main road to the city of Cuernavaca when the shooting happened.

Details are still unclear, but the navy said the US vehicle had been fleeing from gunmen in another car.

The US state department said it was working with Mexican authorities to investigate the incident.

Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the two men were receiving "appropriate medical care and are in stable condition".

"We have no further information to share at this time," she added.

One of the men was said to have been hit in the leg and the other in the stomach and hand. Both were admitted to hospital.

A Mexican marine travelling with the two US employees was slightly injured in the incident, the navy said.

The Mexican public security ministry and marines said in a joint statement: "Today at 08:00 a diplomatic vehicle belonging to the US embassy was hit by multiple bullets from personnel of the federal police in the Tres Marias-Huitzilac highway."

It said the embassy personnel had been heading to a military installation in the town of El Capulin when a carload of gunmen opened fire on them and chased them, along with the Mexican naval officer accompanying them.

Mexico judge orders arrest of ex-Governor Yarrington

30 August 2012 Last updated at 00:22

Mexico called on Interpol to help with the arrest of ex-Governor Tomas Yarrington

A Mexican judge has issued an arrest warrant for a former state governor for allegedly fomenting drug trafficking.

Tomas Yarrington, who was the governor of the northern state of Tamaulipas from 1999 until 2005, is suspected of accepting millions of dollars in bribes from Mexican drug cartels.

Attorney-General Marisela Morales asked Interpol for help with his arrest.

Mr Yarrington's lawyer said his client was innocent and the charges were politically motivated.

The Mexican arrest warrant comes three months after two civil suits were filed against Mr Yarrington in the United States alleging that he had laundered money for Mexican drug cartels by investing in US property.

Mr Yarrington is a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), whose candidate Enrique Pena Nieto came first in the 1 July presidential election.

In May, Mr Yarrington was suspended by the PRI pending the outcome of the suits filed against him.

Ms Morales said the whereabouts of Mr Yarrington, who was last seen in public in May, were not currently known.

Source: BBC

Mexique : 95 632 homicides en cinq ans

L'Institut national de statistiques et géographie (INEGI) vient de diffuser des chiffres accablants sur l'insécurité au Mexique : 27 199 homicides ont été enregistrés en 2011, soit un taux de 24 homicides pour 100 000 habitants.

De janvier 2007, début de la présidence de Felipe Calderon (investi en décembre 2006), jusqu'à la fin 2011, les statistiques de l'INEGI totalisent 95 632 assassinats. Une projection sur la base de la tendance enregistrée ces derniers mois permet d'avancer une projection de 120 000 homicides au cours du sexennat de Calderon, qui s'achève en décembre 2012.

Cette hécatombe est bien plus grave que le chiffre souvent diffusé de plus de 50 000 meurtres liés au crime organisé depuis l'offensive contre les cartels de la drogue lancée par Calderon. Aussi bien le gouvernement sortant que l'opposition minimisent l'ampleur de l'explosion meurtrière que connaissent les Mexicains.

La spirale de barbarie provoquée par la guerre contre les narcos et les règlements de comptes entre gangs semble avoir levé tous les tabous concernant le respect de la vie humaine. Après des décennies de chute du taux d'homicides, le Mexique enregistre désormais une hausse vertigineuse, qui ramène le pays loin en arrière et libère ses vieux démons. Il y a une sorte de contamination entre la violence des cartels et les autres conflits : disputes d'ordre familial, querelles de voisinage, rixes fortuites, qui dégénèrent et débouchent sur la mort.

Les chiffres de l’INEGI sont un révélateur sur l’insécurité et la criminalité bien plus troublant que le nombre de morts liés à la guerre contre la drogue.

La carte des homicides montre d’ailleurs qu’ils ne se limitent pas aux régions de forte implantation des gangs, mais ont tendance à se disséminer sur presque tout le territoire.

L’Etat de Mexico et Jalisco (dont la capitale est Guadalajara, deuxième ville du pays) figurent ainsi parmi les Etats où l’on compte désormais les meurtres par milliers.

Le défi sécuritaire s’étend à d’autres pays d’Amérique latine. Le Brésil est le premier pays au monde de par le nombre d’homicides : 50.000 par an (soit 22,7 pour 100 000 habitants). Avec un taux de 82 homicides pour 100 000 habitants, le Honduras reste le pays le plus meurtrier de la planète, suivi par le Salvador (66 pour 100 000 hab.).

Source: Le Monde

Mexique, la spirale de la barbarie

LE MONDE | 23.08.2012 à 14h53 • Mis à jour le 23.08.2012 à 19h29

Dans ces colonnes mêmes, voilà deux ans, le président mexicain, Felipe Calderon, se félicitait des résultats de la guerre de grande envergure engagée, depuis le début de son mandat, en décembre 2006, contre le crime organisé et les narcotrafiquants. "Nous allons vaincre le crime", assurait-il. Avant d'ajouter, à l'adresse de ceux qui s'inquiétaient de la progression vertigineuse de l'insécurité dans son pays : "Si vous voyez de la poussière, c'est parce que nous nettoyons la maison."

Battu lors de l'élection présidentielle de juin, M. Calderon passera la main à Enrique Peña Nieto à la fin de l'année. Avec un bilan accablant. L'Institut national de statistiques et géographie mexicain vient de diffuser des chiffres ahurissants : 27 199 homicides ont été enregistrés en 2011 ; entre 2007 et 2011, le total s'élève à 95 632 assassinats. Sur la base de la tendance enregistrée ces derniers mois, l'on estime à 120 000 le nombre d'homicides au cours du mandat de Calderon. Soit plus du double du chiffre souvent évoqué – et déjà hallucinant – de 50 000.

Cette véritable hécatombe constitue, et de loin, le conflit le plus meurtrier de laplanète au cours des dernières années. D'autant que les chiffres officiels qui viennent d'être publiés sont un révélateur implacable de la gangrène qui a gagné le pays. Au-delà du nombre de morts strictement liés à la lutte contre la drogue se développent de véritables industries du kidnapping, de l'extorsion de fonds, de la prostitution, des trafics de personnes et d'organes. La carte des homicides démontre qu'ils ne se limitent plus aux régions de forte implantation des gangs, mais ont tendance à se disséminer sur presque tout le territoire.

Cette spirale de barbarie, provoquée par la guerre contre les narcotrafics et les règlements de comptes entre les "cartels" de la drogue, n'épargne personne, y compris des dizaines de journalistes qu'on veut faire taire, ou des dizaines de maires victimes du chantage ou de la corruption. Elle semble avoir levé tous les tabous sur le respect de la personne humaine.

Cette spirale, enfin, sanctionne l'échec terrible de la stratégie "militaire" engagée depuis six ans par M. Calderon, avec l'appui constant, notamment financier, des Etats-Unis, qui constituent le principal marché des narcotrafics. Mais personne ne semble désormais en mesure de proposer une politique alternative, tant le mal est profond, la peur enracinée, la misère endémique. Et l'on peut douter que l'élection de M. Peña Nieto y change grand-chose : elle signe, en effet, le retour au pouvoirdu Parti révolutionnaire institutionnel, qui avait dominé la vie politique du pays pendant des décennies, sur fond de corruption et de complaisance à l'égard des narcotrafiquants.

Au-delà de l'Amérique centrale, le défi est lancé aux Etats-Unis et à l'Europe, dont la prospérité des marchés des stupéfiants et des ventes d'armes alimente directement la violence mexicaine. Ce n'est pas un défi exotique, mais planétaire, qui ne saurait laisser indifférent.

Source: Le Monde

Mexico is Dead: CNR Exclusive interview with Alexander Backman

CRN® EXCLUSIVE: 
AN INTERVIEW WITH ALEXANDER BACKMAN

By Conciencia Radio

www.alexanderbackman.com abba@alexanderbackman.com

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Introduction

CRN®- AUG 24-2012-  On August 23rd,  2012, we decided to sit down with Mexican broadcaster, speaker and journalist Alexander Backman to know his point of view on the recent Le Monde article titled ‘Mexique, la spirale de la barbarie’, which criticizes the Mexican Drug War that has left, according to recent official statistics, 120,000 dead in the last six years and not 50,000 as previously thought. This exclusive and highly sought interview is in response to the aforementioned Le Monde article. It also covers other pressuring issues that we managed to address like the political scenarios for Mexico int he near future, the new student movements, the world elite, the criminal insurgency and more.

Alexander Backman had already publically denounced, by the time that the official figure of deaths in the Calderon’s Drug War reached the washed-down 50,000 count in 2009, that the real figure was probably in the 100,000 range. He reached this conclusion after seeing that the ‘black count’ was not being considered. The black count or ‘cifra negra’ refers to the notion that at any figure brought out by the Mexican government needs to be doubled due to the fact that many of the homicides and mass killings, as well as the rest of the crimes, go unreported. It is a well-known fact that in Mexico 99% of all crimes go unpunished. Prof. Backman’s assertiveness has been proven true after the discovery of mass graves in many parts of Mexico since 2011, and the recent statistics by the Mexican INEGI National Institute of Statistics and Geography that also show that the numbers and the bodies keep stacking up contradicting previous press releases by the Calderon administration.

When interviewed, Alex Backman had this to say after being highly critical and closely following, what he coins, Calderon’s ‘Sexenium of Death’:

MEXICO, You are not alone!!!

Indeed, we are not alone!

We are not fighting for national or group interests but for justice to our people and our country. We are reaching out to the world and we are listening.

Thanks to all of you who support our struggle.

       - México

Via: el5antuario.org