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. The police are quite corrupt so approach Reynosa with caution. The border agents on Mexican side stole our passports when coming back into us. Cartel War or General Chaos: Behind the Killing Spree in Reynosa, Mexico I had to park far away and walk all the way back to border where a manager type guy came at me to stop. In much of Michoacn, Guerrero, Tamaulipas, and Veracruz, local politics, economics, and much of peoples everyday life is arbitrated by the narcos. Who is Mara Herrera, Mexicos madre buscadora who made it onto the Time 100 list? Can definitely expect a few people asking for money or selling stuff. The states governor, Francisco Garca Cabeza de Vaca, is a fugitive. Recently, more than 70 organizations from Mexico and the U.S. signed an open letter asking Mexican President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador to oppose the reinstatement of that program. 'We live in fear': Over 6,000 migrants in Mexico have been violently As a lawyer there put it: The National Guard are the most expensive mannequins in Mexico.. The attacks in Reynosa, which sits on the Mexico-U.S. border in the state of Tamaulipas, took place in under two hours on Saturday, with people seemingly targeted at random by gunmen traveling in vans, according to local media outlet Elefante Blanco. Research data reveals that89 percent of people from the LGBTQ community who participated in the surveys were attackedor received threats recently. 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. Its like Chinatown busy but with Mexicans and dangerous ones at that. Today, we cannot speak of just one Gulf Cartel faction at the border, they dont operate in a cohesive manner there are various groups, Correa-Cabrera told InSight Crime. but with a feeling of anger because now crime has happened to innocent people." In addition, the researchers warn about the increase in the number of people living in makeshift camps in cities such as Tijuana, Matamoros and Reynosa, where a camp in the central square of the city houses thousands of migrants. Amlo also pledged to chair daily 6am security meetings and create a 60,000 strong "National Guard". 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. 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. They stopped in front of them and started to shoot.. Tamaulipas Gov. They heard the gunshots from afar and my stepfather told him: Son, you have to take shelter. So he asked permission to enter a house but my brother and his companions were only about to enter when the vehicles arrived, Ruiz said. Senate approves Plan B electoral reform weakening the INE, Ovidio Guzmns extradition process halted by another judge, Cantona: an impressive but underrated archaeological site. The other four dead were suspected gunmen from a group that drove into the northern border city of Reynosa and opened fire indiscriminately. Matamoros 6/25/2021 - U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico Yet, the 2022 outlook for both the rule of law and public safety in Mexico and meaningful U.S.-Mexico security cooperation remains bleak. Lpez Obrador said during a May news conference that the FBI is investigating the governor for alleged money laundering. But the 2021 midterms showed to an unprecedented degree that the criminal groups are no longer satisfied to coopt elected officials. Victoria Dittmar is a writer with InSight Crime, a foundation dedicated to the study of organized crime. The coordinating agency released no details about the 14 people killed by attackers, but local media reports said one family could have been killed. It is not safe for single traveling women to be in this city. And the state police forces can only investigate ordinary crime, not organized crime. Source: El Universal (sp), Milenio (sp), ABC Noticias (sp), Vox Populi Noticias (sp), Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC. Just about any border town just across from the US is trouble. Lpez Obrador has focused on social programs to deal with the roots of crime. Detroit, with a murder rate of 38.78, came in at. Something that moved us a lot was thatshe told us that she never imagined that the violence and discrimination from which she had been fleeing would accompany her to the border, Ortega said. 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. Reynosa, a city of 600,000 people, is a hotspot for cartel violence. If you are white, you are immediately targeted as a free ride pickpockets, kids prostituting their sister or mom, and this is in daylight. In light of the violence that occurred in Reynosa on June 19, U.S. government personnel in Reynosa are temporarily restricted from field operations and official movements other than home-to-work. Lpez Obrador, often referred to by his initials, AMLO, has said he would not repeat the mistakes of previous administrations that did not contain cartel violence, which surged after President Felipe Caldern launched a military crackdown on the gangs in 2006. CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico . A version of this story was first published in Noticias Telemundo. [The events in Reynosa] appear to have been improvised; 14 civilians died who were not involved [in organized crime] it was a very disorganized operation. "They killed him in cold blood, he and two of his companions," said Olga Ruiz, adding that the gunmen arrived where her brother was fixing a drain. Yet, the 2022 outlook for both the rule of law and public safety in Mexico and meaningful U.S.-Mexico security cooperation remains bleak. Despite its reputation, Reynosa is an industrial hub for Northern Tamaulipas and the Rio Grande Valley. 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. Public transport is rather unsafe here. . For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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.". Had 0 problems other than a hater hating on my looks and flooding on my last day there. 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. And in December, the newU.S.-Mexico Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communitieswent into effect, replacing the Mrida Initiative that Lpez Obrador intensely disliked while his administrationseverely minimizedU.S.-Mexico security cooperation. Tourists or locals rarely find themselves in a conflict zone, but the likelihood of becoming a victim of terror is quite high. The leftwing populist Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador took power in December, promising a dramatic change in tactics. 2021 7:46 AM ET. Thanks for contacting us. Take a food tour! "They heard the gunshots from afar and my stepfather told him: 'son, you have to take shelter.' Eduardo Guerrero, a security analyst based in Mexico City, said the governors swipe was a response to what critics have called a lenient stance on drug crime. The attacks took place in several neighborhoods in eastern Reynosa, according to the Tamaulipas state agency that coordinates security forces, and prompted a deployment of the military, national guard and state police across the city. Mexico Travel Advisory - United States Department of State The Gulf, Northeast and Jalisco cartels are fighting for control over Tamaulipass lucrative drug and arms trafficking routes to and from the United States. Mexico is holding hundreds of unaccompanied children detained before But you must carefully monitor your belongings, do not leave valuables unattended and keep especially important documents and things in the hotel safe. The document is based on interviews with asylum-seekers, surveys applied to migrants, press reports and information provided by lawyers and humanitarian aid groups. By . Are you on Telegram? The decline in homicides is welcome. Authorities say it was an accident. State authorities are investigating who is responsible for placing the cameras, and looking for any they might have missed. Its not fair, said taxi driver Rene Guevara, adding that among the dead were two of his fellow taxi drivers whom he said were not involved in crime. When El Chapo was arrested in early 2016, Mexicos president bragged: Mission accomplished. No wonder, the effective prosecution rate for homicides in Mexico continues to hover around 2%. According to an InSight Crime investigation in 2021, a separate faction, the Metros, controls the border city of Reynosa to the west and has violently clashed with the Scorpions in the past. He asked permission to enter a house but my brother and his companions were only about to enter when the vehicles arrived. 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. Fear Shakes A Mexico Border City After Violence Leaves 18 Dead - NPR He said that despite explaining what he suffered, he was returned to Mexico by U.S. immigration authorities. An investigation by Human Rights First compiled thousands of attacks against migrants and asylum-seekers, including kidnapping, extortion, human trafficking and rape. "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. We've received your submission. Weekly U.S.-Mexico Border Update: "Remain in Mexico" hearing - WOLA Lpez Obrador has cut budgets and personnel to many Mexican institutions and left them with minimal regulatory, oversight, and minimal capacities. Illegal border crossings in the region jumped 400 percent in the last year, according to the US Border Patrol. Mayorkas tells migrants: Dont break the law! The cameras, presumably placed by criminal groups, were disguised as payphones, electricity meters and streetlights. Legal and illegal fishermen and entire associations and industries feel they have no backup from the Mexican government to resist the narcos takeover. Follow the U.S. Consulate Matamoros onFacebookandTwitter. shares Though the motive for the rampage in the northern border city of Reynosa that left scores of civilians dead remains. The U.S. Department. The Biden administration terminated the program during . Cabeza de Vaca has denied the accusations, which he called baseless and politically motivated. I was young, dumb, adventurous and thought my friend who knew people would keep me safe and fortunately I was. This decision means thatU.S. authorities will have to resume the practice of returning asylum-seekers at the border to Mexico,while they wait for their cases to be processed in American immigration courts. Also driving in there were tarps over the back of trucks with gun tips sticking out. The bill would still shorten the duration of mining concessions granted and be contingent on consults with local communities. Lpez Obrador, or Amlo as most call him, vowed to attack the social roots of crime,offering vocational trainingto more than 2.3 million disadvantaged young people at risk of being ensnared by the cartels. Local businessman Misael Chavarria Garza said many businesses closed early Saturday after the attacks and people were very scared as helicopters flew overhead. Yet the criminal groups capacities to hold turf often remains flimsy, with groups like CJNG brazenly seeking to conquer entire territories withdrone-mounted bombs, and groups like the Sinaloa Cartel taking over legal and illegal economies and politics in a more buttoned-down and less blatant manner, but no less systematically. The individuals, who were aboard several vehicles, may have fired on innocent citizens as part of a dispute between rival cartels, Tamaulipas state officials said. Everything indicates that it was not a confrontation, but rather a commando that shot people who were not involved in any conflict, Lpez Obrador said. How much safer do you feel in Mexico City now compared to years ago. The Mexican interior ministry and Mexicos National Institute of Immigration did not respond to requests for comment on the report. The well-known participation of security authorities in criminal acts in Tamaulipas indicates that organized crime has always counted on a degree of protection The current political realignment could be creating instability, Correa-Cabrera told InSight Crime. 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. Herrera has tirelessly campaigned to help find missing persons across Mexico, inspired by the disappearance of her own sons. FollowNBC LatinoonFacebook,TwitterandInstagram. Checking out some reviews and articles to help me make the best-informed decision for an upcoming vacation to Mexico and came across this well written article. Those killed included nurses, shopkeepers, taxi drivers, students and construction workers. There are dealers on streets with one pant leg rolled up. However, there are a few historical monuments like A Jurez, Hidalgo, and Morelos. Softened mining regulation reform advances to Senate. On Saturday, authorities detained a person who was transporting two apparently kidnapped women in the trunk of a car. Saturdays attacks come amid scandals that threaten to oust the governor. Early on March 9, supposed members of the Scorpions, an offshoot of the Gulf Cartel, left an apology note and turned over five . 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. I have been to Reynosa I am a single woman that drove to see my friend at border. Some of them were located on access roads for international crossings to the United States and highways that connect Reynosa to Monterrey. Disappearances Rise on Mexico's 'Highway of Death' to Border The main risk here is flooding due to heavy rains. High probability of scamming in ATM. Some victims in deadly Reynosa shootings identified - KRGV Reynosa is one of the dangerous cities in Mexico because of ongoing conflicts with gangs. Eunice Rendn, an academic and international consultant on migration issues, who did not participate in the research, agrees with the report's findings. There is a risk of being captured by terror during the trip. Avoid walking the streets after sunset and do not appear in bars at night. People would be under tarps guarding their area with guns. Caldern hoped to smash the drug cartels with his heavily militarized onslaught but the approach was counter-productive and exacted a catastrophic human toll. Four suspects also died, he said. Crime gangs watched over Reynosa with 62 hidden cameras - Mexico News Daily Brazen homicides persist at unacceptable levels. President Joe Biden suspended the Migrant Protection Protocols (the formal name of the program) during his first day in office, and the Department of Homeland Security assured that it would finalize it in June, according to court documents. He also says he is fighting corruption to stop the infiltration of organized crime among authorities. Tue 20 Apr 2021 05.15 EDT Last modified on Wed 19 Oct . Man drives through Florida Pride parade, killing one. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Migrants from El Paso are bussed all the nation but these two cities are where they really want to go. In the last two months, Human Rights First helped 69 migrants in Tijuana, in the Mexican state of Baja California, and Piedras Negras, in the state of Coahuila, to apply for humanitarian visas. Simultaneously Caldern also began pursuing the so-calledkingpin strategyby which authorities sought to decapitate the cartels by targeting their leaders. Thanks for putting this information together. 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. Reynosa, along with other border cities such as Matamoros and Nuevo Laredo, has long been a bastion for the Gulf Cartel. Both the boys and their hairdresser trainers pocketed the government money and went about their lives, criminal or otherwise, as before. One is Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacin the New Generation Jalisco cartel one of the most powerful drug organizations in Mexico. She has seen the effects of migrant returns closely because she studies the flow of people in regions such as Ciudad Jurez. 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. For tourists is not recommended and dangerous to travel to this city. Francisco Garca Cabeza de Vaca called "innocent citizens" rather than members of one gang killed by a rival. Sowing fear among the general population is also a tool for criminal groups, Ochoa told InSight Crime.
