Now they seek to influence with violence and money who can run and win to begin with. But the federal government has dramatically cut budgets to both and thus gutted the already often-inadequate local capacities, even though its own 2019 security strategy centered on relying on municipal police for security. Gulf Cartel In-Fighting Driving Violence in Matamoros, Mexico Research data reveals that89 percent of people from the LGBTQ community who participated in the surveys were attackedor received threats recently. The borough's Holy Week passion play the oldest, most elaborate and best-known in the country celebrated its 180th edition this year. Lpez Obrador has focused on social programs to deal with the roots of crime. They beat me, chased me and threatened to imprison me,thats why I had to leave, Prez Moreno, 23, said. The 2022 outlook for both the rule of law and public safety in Mexico and meaningful U.S.-Mexico security cooperation remains bleak, writes Vanda Felbab-Brown as she discusses her findings from recently spending several weeks in various parts of Mexico researching the evolution of crime and security policies. Despite its reputation, Reynosa is an industrial hub for Northern Tamaulipas and the Rio Grande Valley. Associated Press Olga Ruiz, whose 19-year-old brother Fernando Ruiz was killed by the gunmen, said he worked as plumber and bricklayer for his stepfather to pay for school, and was fixing an outdoor drain when he was attacked. Two smaller groups, the Panteras and the Rojos, control the movement of migrants and drugs through the center and south of Tamaulipas. Self-styled militias, sometimes fronts for rival criminal groups, other times with great proclivity to slide into many facets of criminality, persist andproliferate as the government looks on. House robberies, hijacking, and theft are quite common in the city. As a security official in theTierra Calienteexplained to me, the objective of the deployments of the National Guard or joint patrols is not to fight the criminals, or even to deter them: We send the National Guard in joint patrols with state police or the military to stand on the street. But a year later, the gangs had destroyed 100 of them, of which the government was only able to reinstall 40%. But the 2021 midterms showed to an unprecedented degree that the criminal groups are no longer satisfied to coopt elected officials. But Calderns policies largely survived, with authorities targeting prominent cartel leaders such as Sinaloas Joaqun El Chapo Guzmn. The overarching bipolar rivalry between the Sinaloa Cartel and CJNG spans not just Mexico but violently all the way to Colombia and non-violently into the Asia-Pacific. They stopped in front of them and started to shoot.. For Emergency Assistance for U.S. citizens in Mexico, call (55) 868 206 1076 from Mexico or 1-844-528-6611 from the United States. In fact, many believe such tactics served only to pulverize the world of organized crime, creating even more violence as new, less predictable factions squabbled for their piece of the pie. The Mexican interior ministry and Mexicos National Institute of Immigration did not respond to requests for comment on the report. Avoid walking the streets after sunset and do not appear in bars at night. He also says he is fighting corruption to stop the infiltration of organized crime among authorities. If you are white, you are immediately targeted as a free ride pickpockets, kids prostituting their sister or mom, and this is in daylight. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. Most places close by 10 p.m., and after that, the military can stop you and searches after that time are common. But the violence went on. Take a food tour! Having had his political immunitystripped, he faces a warrant for hisarreston charges of ties to organized crime. On Sunday, he said "the people were quiet as if nothing had happened, but with a feeling of anger because now crime has happened to innocent people.". It is also not safe to ride a bicycle here and drive a rented car. But people are back and forth there everyday like going to the mall. 'We live in fear': Over 6,000 migrants in Mexico have been violently Keep your friends and loved ones up to date on your whereabouts via phone, text, and social media and let them know you are safe, when possible. She has seen the effects of migrant returns closely because she studies the flow of people in regions such as Ciudad Jurez. That policy resulted in some high-profile scalps notably Arturo Beltrn Leyva who wasgunned down by Mexican marines in 2009 but also did little to bring peace. These clashes have left a bloody trail. On Sunday, Reynosa residents were quiet as if nothing had happened, but with a feeling of anger because now crime has happened to innocent people, said local businessman Misael Chavarria Garza. DO NOT GO THERE I WAS DUMB AND GLAD NOTHING HAPPENED TO ME. August 24, 2021 / 11:52 AM / CBS News Thousands of migrants stranded in Mexico and blocked from applying for U.S. asylum have reported being kidnapped, sexually assaulted or physically attacked. The next day he crossed the border bridge to request asylum. Those killed included nurses, shopkeepers, taxi drivers, students and construction workers. Matamoros 6/25/2021 - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico President: 15 victims were innocent bystanders in Reynosa, Other four were suspected gunmen who fired indiscriminately. Taxis are only safe if you order a licensed car. If we would have got to second checkpoint and found no passports, we would not have been able to continue home and our passports would have been long gone! Thats not always the case. In one such program I encountered in Michoacn, for example, teenagers were paid by the government to receive training as hairdressers while the hairdressers were paid for the teaching. Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC. During the day the town center is busy and cars drive wherever they want theres not like street lines like the US, think of India. Its one of the dangerous cities in Mexico because of ongoing conflicts with gangs. Reynosa is a point of contention between the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas and violent encounters between the two criminal organizations and authorities occur on a regular basis. But the boys merely paid off or intimidated the hair salons into certifying the boys participation in the training without actually attending it. A Honduran woman, a member of the LGBTQ community, told investigators that she was raped and assaulted in Ciudad Acua, a Mexican town on the border with Del Rio, Texas. It gives very good risk indicators for many topics and what tourists should check out in the area. Reynosa attackers kill at least 14 in Mexican border city - The A few hours earlier, the 28-year-old migrant from Honduras, whose name is Jos, had been walking with his son down a street in Reynosa, Mexico, having been turned back at the border by the United . The rise and violent demise of pro-Russian war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, Ukraine live briefing: Russia blames Ukraine for drone attack on Crimea fuel depot, Britons asked to swear oath to Charles III from couch, a royal first. When El Chapo was arrested in early 2016, Mexicos president bragged: Mission accomplished. She had a broken arm, and many bruises on her face and stomach. Weekly U.S.-Mexico Border Update: "Remain in Mexico" hearing - WOLA Softened mining regulation reform advances to Senate. Back in 2004, aninvestigationindicated that, while running to be mayor of Reynosa, he had allegedly received bribes from the Gulf Cartel in exchange for protection. Drug-related violence in Tamaulipas has decreased in the past few years because of better-trained and better-coordinated police, Guerrero added, but these efforts have not stopped blood from flowing in Reynosa. Reynosa, a city of 600,000 people, is a hotspot for cartel violence. Reynosa is one of Mexico's most unsafe cities. June 23 2021 Jun 23, 2021 . Tamaulipas the state where the Zetas cartel arose and where the Gulf cartel continues to operate has seen several of its past governors from the Institutional Revolutionary party accused of corruption and links to organized crime. An Indigenous man from Honduras reported that he was kidnapped and separated from his 5-year-old son after being expelled to Reynosa, Mexico. Security Alert U.S. Consulate General Matamoros, Mexico (June 25, 2021). The attacks took place in several neighborhoods in eastern Reynosa, according to the Tamaulipas state agency that coordinates security forces, and sparked a deployment of the military, National Guard and state police across the city. As Mexicos military went on the offensive, the body count sky-rocketed to new heights and tens of thousands were forced from their homes, disappeared or killed. Anyone very easily can end up in the midst of a shootout. If the value is 0, it means it is perceived as very low, and if the value is 100, it means it is perceived as very high. Their ebb and flow largely reflect choices and tit-for-tat responses by criminal groups toward one another. Eunice Rendn, an academic and international consultant on migration issues, who did not participate in the research, agrees with the report's findings. You need to take high-security measures to protect your life and belongings. Images posted on social media showed bodies in the streets. The city is controlled by cartels, the police are corrupt. Military and security forces swept the streets of Reynosa after the seemingly random shootings on Saturday and killed four suspects. This piece was originally published by Mexico Today. Its not safe to walk to the city after dark. Whether in high-value targeting, countering violence and criminality in natural resources, or suppressing robberies and extortion, Mexicos various military and law enforcement forces are instructed to only undertake operations without the visible use of force even when criminal militias take over new territories and declare autonomy, or cartels bomb local populations. Legal and illegal fishermen and entire associations and industries feel they have no backup from the Mexican government to resist the narcos takeover. Click here to get an offer for travel insurance. Mexico's Gulf Cartel Doing Damage Control After Kidnapping, Murdering Prez Moreno said he and his friend panicked and paid more than $600 to be released from the car to avoid being taken and confined to safe houses where drug cartels hold people they kidnap at the border. Information about the situation with this risk must be checked before visiting the city. "It's not fair," said taxi driver Rene Guevara, adding that among the dead were two of his fellow taxi drivers whom he defended and said were not involved in crime. Mayorkas tells migrants: Dont break the law! He also says he is fighting corruption to stop the infiltration of organized crime among authorities. Eagle Pass, a city of 29,500, had a violent crime rate of 179.6 per 100,000 people. Four armed men presumed to have been among those carrying out the violence died in a shootout with authorities, Elefante Blancoreported. Public transport is rather unsafe here. Pedestrians on the streets should be very careful while crossing the road: drivers usually do not really look around, and especially on pedestrians. Who is Mara Herrera, Mexicos madre buscadora who made it onto the Time 100 list? Those choosing to travel to Reynosa, Ro Bravo, and surrounding areas should remain vigilant and maintain a heightened state of awareness due to the heightened possibility of violence between rival cartel factions. Lpez Obrador said during a May news conference that the FBI is investigating the governor for alleged money laundering. 2021 7:46 AM ET. And the state police forces can only investigate ordinary crime, not organized crime. I had to park far away and walk all the way back to border where a manager type guy came at me to stop. A spokesman for Tamaulipas states secretary of public security said Sunday that the attackers may be members of a splinter faction of the Gulf Cartel, which has a presence in large swaths of the Mexican state that borders Texas. Fear has invaded the Mexican border city of Reynosa after a weekend of violence in which 19 people were killed, including taxis drivers, workers and a nursing student, and security forces responded with operations that left four suspects dead. InSight Crime sat down with Marisol Ochoa, a researcher and expert on criminal dynamics from Mexico's Ibero-American University, to understand how the situation deteriorated. The Biden administration terminated the program during . . These data are based on perceptions of visitors of this website in the past 3 years. In October and November, I spent several weeks in various parts of Mexico researching the evolution of crime and security policies. In October and November, I spent several . Terms of Use and Zihuas full of great cuisine, so where to start? At least 14 people died in the Mexican border city of Reynosa on Saturday after a convoy of shooters went on a rampage, authorities said, a somber reminder of the violence that has ravaged the U.S. neighbor for more than a decade. Criminal organizations must receive a clear, explicit and forceful signal from the federal government that there will be no room for impunity, nor tolerance for their reprehensible criminal behavior, said Garca Cabeza de Vaca of the rival National Action party. The border agents on Mexican side stole our passports when coming back into us. Softened mining regulation reform advances to Senate. You need to closely monitor your things, especially in crowded places. My dream was to finish college, but they wouldnt let me. Amidst this systematic weakening of Mexicos institutions,the effort by Lpez Obrador and his Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero to gut and reverse Mexicos judicial reforms toward an accusatorial system andweaken judicial independenceare among the most detrimental. National Guard patrol the Zacatecas-Fresnillo highway after a series of recent attacks and clashes between drug cartels in Zacatecas state, Mexico [Marco Ugarte/AP Photo] Published On 27 Jul 2021 . People on the streets just sitting there when you first cross border. They heard the gunshots from afar and my stepfather told him: Son, you have to take shelter,' she said. Those killed included nurses, shopkeepers, taxi drivers, students and construction workers. A faction of one of Mexico's older organized crime groups is doing damage control with a cheap public relations campaign following the kidnapping and murder of US citizens, amid fears of a widespread crackdown. Two women who had allegedly been kidnapped by the gunmen were rescued. He said that despite explaining what he suffered, he was returned to Mexico by U.S. immigration authorities. In each section of the investigation, there are many complaints from migrants who were alleged victims of cartels and other criminal groups in Mexican cities. But the size of the decline is just noise in the tempo of Mexicos criminal violence. The Zetas' Model of Organized Crime is Leaving Mexico in Ruins There are dealers on streets with one pant leg rolled up. Under Calderns successor, Enrique Pea Nieto, the governments rhetoric on crime softened as Mexico sought to shed its reputation as the headquarters of some the worlds most murderous mafia groups. Due to ongoing conflict between Gulf Cartels, it is one of the most dangerous places in Mexico with thousands killed annually. Cartel War or General Chaos: Behind the Killing Spree in Reynosa, Mexico It is within the northern part of Tamaulipas, Mexico. Ochoa also suggested to InSight Crime that the violent rampage could have been due to a third, simpler option. InSight Crime Analysis The governor sought to show his state's quick response to the Reynosa massacre but he left many unanswered questions in a state infamous for its high levels of impunity. Images posted on social media showed bodies in the streets. The bloodshed appears to have been sparked by the killing of a Gulf cartel leader. All the people tell you that the cartels impose the rules, the narco is the law, Prez Moreno said with dismay. The bill would still shorten the duration of mining concessions granted and be contingent on consults with local communities. IE 11 is not supported. The cameras, presumably placed by criminal groups, were disguised as payphones, electricity meters and streetlights. Thanks for putting this information together. Cartels have fought over territory in Reynosa for years. Thus, they can act against crime and arrest people only when they see crime happeningin flagrancia. Mexico now suffers an average of about 96 murders per day, with nearly 29,000 people killed since Amlo took office. The Gulf cartel, which. The Mexican governments response remains deeply troubling mostly a hope the criminals will sort it out among themselves. Border cities again post low crime numbers - axios.com Reynosa is full of immigrants, they are becoming more and more here, as they are trying to return to the United States, but in most cases, they are returned to this city. We've received your submission. As a lawyer there put it: The National Guard are the most expensive mannequins in Mexico.. hide caption. Francisco Garca Cabeza de Vaca called "innocent citizens" rather than members of one gang killed by a rival. Can definitely expect a few people asking for money or selling stuff. I was there and my friends family lives there. The governor was scrutinized after authorities arrested several members of an elite special operations group during an investigation into the January massacre of 19 people, including 13 Guatemalan migrants, near the U.S.-Mexico border. The investigation was released as the U.S. Supreme Court denied the Biden administrations request to pause the implementation of the Trump-era "Remain in Mexico" policy. As a government official inTierra Calientetold me: Frankly, public security here, all life really, is totally managed by the narcos.. Also something that happened to me that is not mentionedMAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR PASSPORT BACK IF THEY SEARCH YOUR CAR GOING INTO US.