Some 22,700 people have been killed in Mexico since the government of Felipe Calderon militarized the drug war in Mexico three years ago. According to a new, confidential Mexican government report presented to lawmakers yesterday (and leaked to Mexico’s Reforma and the AP), the year 2009 was the deadliest of those three years with 9,635 drug-related deaths (there is still some confusion on these numbers as Reforma writes that just under 9000 were killed in 2009). Nearly 2,900 were killed in 2007. The LA Times reports on the new information, saying these figures are significantly higher than previously reported by the Mexican government and the Mexican media. The latter has frequently used the number of 18,000 killed since 2006 in its coverage of the drug war, and foreign outlets, including the LAT, have followed their lead in citing that figure in their reporting.
The AP adds that the report prepared by top Mexican security officials also notes that some 121,000 drug suspects have been arrested since 2006. More than half of those detentions have been of individuals connected to the Sinaloa cartel or the Gulf cartel/Zetas (the Gulf cartel and los Zetas operated jointly until very recently). However, there is no indication of how many of those detentions have ended with convictions.
The report also breaks down murders by state. Chihuahua state registered 6,757 people murdered since 2006. Sinaloa followed with 3,136 deaths. And Guerrero has seen the third highest death toll, with 1,826 killings.
The new report from the Mexican government was leaked as Mexican lawmakers met with the Gabinete de Seguridad for four hours this week, arguing that the military should remain on the streets providing security until police forces are capable of doing so. There was also discussion in the meeting about providing reparations to families of civilians who’ve been killed in the country’s drug war. Human Rights Watch, meanwhile, issued a new statement yesterday, urging Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies to approve human rights reforms to the Mexican constitution passed by the senate last week. Those reforms include a reaffirmation of “the relevance of international law;” clear stipulations about when “a state of emergency may be declared and procedures that must be followed;” an empowering of the National Human Rights Commission to conduct unobstructed investigations and hold state actors accountable for violations;” and new protections against the “arbitrary expulsion of foreigners.”
To other stories:
· Also getting major attention from Mexico this week has been the government’s decision to disconnect all unregistered cellular phones in the country in a crackdown against organized crime. The Guardian has one of multiple reports on the matter as the new measure goes into effect today. Only some 71% of the country’s 83.5 million cell phones are registered, meaning 24 million phones could be disconnected beginning today. According to the Guardian’s report “the register was designed to help combat the use of mobiles in crimes such as kidnapping and phone extortions threatening violence unless the victim hands over some cash. But confusion and organizational disarray have marred the plan.” Telecommunications mogul, Carlos Slim, has been actively lobbying for an extension of the deadline, but his efforts have been unsuccessful. However, mobile phone companies are the ones who will be responsible for the implementation of the cell phone shut down and many may be reluctant to do so immediately, say reports.
· First Lady Michelle Obama paid a surprise visit to Haiti en route to Mexico City yesterday. The Miami Herald and New York Times have coverage of her visit, which included meeting with embattled Haitian President Rene Preval. Jill Biden, the wife of the VP, accompanied Mrs. Obama, and, as will be her focus on Mexico, youth seemed to be highest on Mrs. Obama’s agenda while touring the capital of Port-au-Prince. The AP covers the Mexico leg of the First Lady’s first solo international trip. Interestingly, the wire service says Obama’s arrival came with a White House announcement that President Obama would be hosting Felipe Calderon for only his second state dinner since becoming president. That event will occur on May 19.
· In Honduras, the government of Pepe Lobo announced Tuesday that it will militarize the streets of Honduras in an attempt to fight a wave of violent crime. According to Defense Minister Marlon Pascua, soldiers will be assigned to search vehicles and pedestrians and pursue criminal suspects, although, the AP notes, no indication was given about when this would begin. The country’s military has been under intense scrutiny since it participated in the ouster of democratically-elected President Mel Zelaya in June. And Tuesday’s announcement comes after more than 2000 troops were recently deployed to Bajo Aguán, on the Atlantic Coast, where landless campesino groups continue their struggle for land rights. With the latest on the Bajo Aguán situation, Honduras Culture and Politics has more. The Washington Office on Latin America also released a new statement Tuesday, expressing its worries about the militarization of Bajo Aguán and potential human rights violations that could follow.
· WOLA has also issued a new statement, responding to criticism by some over its recent Honduras advocacy work, mentioned here yesterday. You can read WOLA’s whole Honduras statement here. Most directly addressing the criticism leveled against it, WOLA states the following:
“Honduras' political system has failed to represent the views of many Hondurans, and has left people feeling disenfranchised and powerless. WOLA did not see the inauguration of Pepe Lobo as a solution to the coup or the longstanding crisis. On the contrary, we believe the continuing call for constitutional reform reflects the widely felt need to make the Honduran political system - traditionally dominated by a narrow elite - more democratic and more responsive. The wide variety of forces in Honduras opposed to the coup, including the National Resistance Front, have kept that call front and center.
WOLA believes that constitutional reform in Honduras is profoundly needed and we have worked to facilitate dialogue in that direction…”
· Finally, on Honduras, EFE reports that the creation of a Truth Commission was finally approved by the Lobo government Tuesday. The commission has a mandate to “bring to light the events” which occurred before, during, and after June 28, 2009—the day of the coup against the Zelaya government. The commission will have 8 months to conduct its work. But the truth commission’s report, writes EFE, will be a “confidential document” that remains in the hands of an international organization for 10 years before being handed over to the National Library of Honduras. It’s this last point which RAJ at Honduras Culture and Politics examines, with dismay.
· US Sec. of Defense Robert Gates made his first stopover in Latin America yesterday, visiting Peru. Headlines out of those talks focus on Gates’ comment that Peru has been a “constructive influence” in the face of chavismo and its anti-American “propaganda.” Those words follow another Gates statement in which he said the Defense Dept. does not view Venezuela as a “military threat.”
· For his part Hugo Chavez celebrated the anniversary of the 2002 abortive coup which briefly ousted him from power by calling on 35,000 armed militias to continue to support the Bolivarian Revolution. The president also launched a new communication campaign—“guerrilla comunicacional”—directed at stimulating new media within chavista youth organizations. Also, tomato sauce in Venezuela has apparently gone socialist.
· The AP reports that the chief of the anti-drug office in Guatemala’s Peten region was arrested this week for passing information to the Zetas.
· The Brazilian Foreign Ministry has released the full text of the new defense accord signed with the US Monday. Eliot Brockner at AQ has more analysis about what changes in US-Latin American relations the new accord might signal.
· If you have 45 minutes to spare this week, I highly recommend a terrific roundtable discussion, moderated by Charlie Rose, (full video here) on Latin America. The show aired last week and features Professor John Coatsworth of Columbia University, Professor Greg Grandin of NYU, Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue, and Kevin Casas-Zamora of Brookings. Again, well-worth a viewing.
· If you have another 15 minutes, Just the Facts has its latest podcast up, speaking with Kathryn Ledebur of the Andean Information Network about all things Bolivia. Also on Bolivia, the Progressive interviews that country’s top climate negotiator, Angelica Navarro, ahead of the upcoming alternative climate summit in Cochabamba.
· Finally with an opinion, Laura Carlsen of CIP’s Americas Program writes on new US-Mexico drug cooperation at the Huffington Post.
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