Boy, the war on Mexico’s authorities is only getting worse. I expect that as more police forces resign, you will see more private security increase. Worse yet, you will see more businesses being forced to kiss the ring of the cartels, because there is no one to protect them.
Another idea is that Mexico is not a signatory of the Declaration of Paris. Although they did remove the Amendment in their constitution that allowed their congress to issue Letters of Marque and Reprisal(I think in the 1960’s). Regardless, a sovereign nation should be able to do anything they can to defend themselves against all threats, both foreign and domestic. Mexico could use the LoM to enlist the help of private industry in their war. The cartels are pretty rich, and they are the kind of big fish that could make the business of killing or capturing these thugs pretty profitable for a privateering company. Mexico would also have to attach a bounty to those they would want killed or captured.
Personally, I think there should be more value to a living cartel member, as opposed to a dead one. The reason for that is then Mexico could identify more cartel members that are threats, and thus increase the bounty roster. They can also get more money out of a living guy, because you can get more information out of them(secret bank accounts, hidden cash, etc.).
Also, with this kind of industry, companies would want to interrogate their captures so they can build their own files. That information is gold to a company that is in the business of ‘finding’ people and things, and that intel should be part of the prize when going after these thugs. –Matt
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Mexican Town’s Police Force Quits After Ambush
May 18, 2010
Most of a small Mexican town’s police force has quit after armed men ambushed and wounded two of their officers.
The resignation of six of the 11 municipal officers in La Union Monday evening comes after several other Mexican towns have seen mass police resignations because of cartel violence or threats.
State police in Guerrero, which La Union is located, said Tuesday that it has deployed 20 of its officers to patrol La Union until further notice.
The resignations came two days after their colleagues were ambushed and left La Union’s police force with five members: the chief, the deputy chief, an officer in charge of weapons logistics and the two wounded officers who are hospitalized.
Meanwhile, people in some Mexican towns have begun taking the law into their own hands.
In Mexico State, on the outskirts of Mexico City, authorities said Tuesday that residents of a town beat a man death on suspicion of robbing a young couple of 200 pesos (about $16) and a cell phone Monday.
The suspect and an accomplice allegedly held up the couple with a knife and what later was found to be a toy gun.
About 300 people pursued the two men, caught one and beat him so badly with sticks and fists that he died in an ambulance, officials said.
Also Tuesday, the federal police announced the capture of an alleged member of the La Linea gang in the border city of Ciudad Juarez who allegedly participated in the killing of 10 people.
Juan Padilla Juarez, 28, allegedly targeted rivals of the La Linea gang, which is allied with the Juarez drug cartel. He was captured Monday in Ciudad Juarez.
The Attorney General’s Office announced that a judge handed down a prison sentence of almost 22 years against Jaime Gonzalez Duran, also known as ”The Hummer,” for money laundering and weapons possession. He had previously been sentenced to 16 1/2 years on similar charges by another court. The sentences will not be served concurrently.
Gonzalez Duran is an army deserter who was arrested in the northern border city of Reynosa. He is allegedly one of the founding members of the Zetas, a band of cartel hit men believed responsible for massacres and beheadings.
Story here.