the boogy man of mexico

[rebel heart]

I came across this blog post, which had me shaking my head.

Masked Gunmen in Mexico - Pirates or Police? | YachtPals.com

The icon of the ski masked man holding the pistol. The "men with ski masks" turning out to be one man out of six. No mention of the other five in uniforms (making an assumption there but let's just guess that they probably did). The fact that they asked for a piece of paper to be signed and then peacefully left. Referring to the act as "terrorizing".

Is a sovereign nation not allowed to issue firearms protective equipment to their law enforcement personnel? And protective can certainly mean identity, in a place where officials can rightfully be concerned with their personal safety by being identified?

[zeehag]

the article is dated 2008, may 17. is around the same time of year i saw a panga full of black clad federales in the slip next to me stealth mode waiting for dawn and opening of pemex so they could buy fuel (end april - early may 2011).....
the only bandidos i have seen so far have been in ensenada at night when they used to strip boats in marinas...i caught the bandidos with my trusty louisville slugger , a bright light and a loud voice. and a report to the capitania de puerto, in spanish.
here they just have fishermen, no bandidos in the anchorage or marina, and navy anchors at edge of anchorage, quietly.

[rebel heart]

I was in the navy boarding boats wearing similar gear with weapons bought by us tax dollars, so I guess I just find it odd that Americans (and let's just say "white people" in general) don't understand that we're hopping around the world doing similar stuff to others.

I board someone's boat, some guy puts a yellow ribbon sticker on his car and says to support the troops.

Mexicans do it in their own country, and they're thought of as terrorists.

[zeehag]

only we gringos think of it in that fashion(terrorist), as it was only gringos who complained....those guys are protecting us from having narcos in the slips around us and in anchorages, and keeping the fishies safe....

wait till ye go to town and watch the armed federales in convoy.....right thru town.......very interesting here....

[tropicalescape]

I started a business in Mexico in 2008...After the first year I had 3 stores that sold used clothes(DBA/Ropa dosTeimpo) in the central state of Zacateces and Durango...several times in the middle of the desert I have been stopped by men in black belakavas that would demand money ,Once ,I know for sure that one of the bandits was a police officer in the town of Chiclihatus because he was wearing the same pair of boots that he wore the night before in the town ,he had a black shoe lace and a brown shoe lace! He saw me looking at them and wondered off as the other men extrated the payment from my business partners...I was eventually shut down by the Fed.Gov of Mex..seems the importation of used clothes is a crime! I guess NAFTA was designed to work one way ..ha ha lol ha ha...

[ahnutts!]

A few years ago I was near the city of Lazaro Cardenas, I saw lots of cops wearing ski masks. I was much more concerned about meeting the guys the cops need to hide they're identity from than the cops themselves. I was having breakfast at a small cafe one morning and half a dozen Federales bailed out of a truck with ski masks on and assault rifles at the ready. They ran into a store leaving a couple sentries outside the door. I was almost expecting a shoot out, but after a few minutes they jumped back onto their truck without incident. Mostly it shows us how serious the war on drugs and the cartels has gotten.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by ahnutts!

A few years ago I was near the city of Lazaro Cardenas, I saw lots of cops wearing ski masks. I was much more concerned about meeting the guys the cops need to hide they're identity from than the cops themselves. I was having breakfast at a small cafe one morning and half a dozen Federales bailed out of a truck with ski masks on and assault rifles at the ready. They ran into a store leaving a couple sentries outside the door. I was almost expecting a shoot out, but after a few minutes they jumped back onto their truck without incident. Mostly it shows us how serious the war on drugs and the cartels has gotten.

Well that's kind of what I'm talking about. The cartels are super violent, so they can't go after them British style with bobbie hats and night sticks. Americans are made about the violence, then mad at militaristic response techniques from the law enforcement.

[terminalcitygrl]

Unfortunately I think Hollywood has made ski masks synonymous with terrorism and crime in some people's minds... The reality is that the overwhelming majority of terrorists and criminals are not wearing ski masks, they are trying to blend in. The racist undertones of these types of complaints are rather upsetting though.

[Richard5]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I was in the navy boarding boats wearing similar gear with weapons bought by us tax dollars, so I guess I just find it odd that Americans (and let's just say "white people" in general) don't understand that we're hopping around the world doing similar stuff to others.

I board someone's boat, some guy puts a yellow ribbon sticker on his car and says to support the troops.

Mexicans do it in their own country, and they're thought of as terrorists.

You are comparing a failed state to a standing military. Now I wiil certainly opine that thuggish tactics are used by both however in the former it is to threaten others to a condition of capitulation (offense) whereas the latter is about protection (defense).

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Richard5

You are comparing a failed state to a standing military. Now I wiil certainly opine that thuggish tactics are used by both however in the former it is to threaten others to a condition of capitulation (offense) whereas the latter is about protection (defense).

usa is a failing state and mexico is a rising one......keep watching.

the only ones threatened in mexico by the federales are wrongdoers. every one else is ok. every one here in mexico is on defense as regards narco wars. narcos do offensive tactics, federales do the defense.

[sarafina]

Folks, this is sliding down the slippery slope into politics. Please, explore this subject in an appropriate place; International Political Forum | Category Archive | Mexico .

and keep the focus here on boating.

Thanks.

[jeremiason]

We were in Mexico for 17 months from Oct 2010 to Mar 2012. I am also a retired cop and frequently talked with the local Mexican law enforcement officers out of curiousity and a quick photo with them.

Mexican Police Officers make an average of $300 (US) per month or $600 (US) if they worked the violent border cities. The Mexican military makes less than that.

Like in some of our American cities, the low pay sometimes creates a opportunist cop... With that said, not all Mexican Police or Military are on the take or working for the Cartels.

One of the reasons law enforcement and the military wear masks, especially in the Cartel or drug trafficking areas is because if their face is seen, they can be identified and place their familes and friends in danger for retaliation against their police actions.

During our time in Mexico, we were boarded twice in the Sea of Cortez on the Baja side. Once by the Army and once by the Navy.

The Army guys were stationed at a remote Baja Outpost for drug interdiction and approached our boat just after sundown.

Like most of the Mexican Army they were dressed in a combination of various uniforms and were heavily armed. They were using a 25 foot civilian type bow rider with Mexican Army (In Spanish) stenciled on the side of the boat in 2" black letters. The boat from a distance looked like just another waterski or fishing boat.

They did a quick walk through of the boat and accepted our offered cokes and cigarettes from us. Not because it was required, but because I am a Vet and treat all active duty military with respect.

We chatted for sometime and compared Atrmy stories. Before they left they made sure we knew how to reach them on the VHF radio and became our guardian angels while we were anchored off their camp.

The Navy guys arrived on a large war ship in teh Bay of LA. They deployed the uglyest Jet Boat I have ever seen to reach the shallow anchorage. The were in full uniforms of the Navy and Marines and again were heavily armed.

Three of the sailors boarded our boat in what our Navy would call tropical white uniforms. They did a safety inspection of the vessel and were very professional. They did not accept offers of water or cokes as a matter of regulation and provided us with a copy of the safety inspection sheet.

The Mexican Military and its Police have a very hard job to do and face danger daily in a way most of us could not imagine... Everytime I saw them around, I felt safer for it.

Mexico is a wonderful country and a great place to explore by boat. Most of the violence is centered around the border or big cities and is seldom directed at tourist or in the tourist zones.

[lostsheep]

Not exactly sailing related, but somewhat relevant.
I load in Portland, OR frequently at the same shipper. The dock manager is from MX, and is a very nice man, a coffee aficionado, and a great cook. (He has often shared his lunch with me).
He told me a good friend of his is immigrating to the US, and has finally negotiated the maze of gov't BS to do so. He told me why they were moving here.

It seems that the fellow is a minor executive at an international company, and his daughter was kidnapped a couple of years ago. The kidnappers demanded a $70K (US) ransom to return their child. The fellow was only able to raise $35K by the ransom date, and he relayed this to the 'contact' that was orchestrating the exchange. The 'go-between' said that was no problem, and took the $35K. A couple of days later, a box containing half of their daughter was delivered to their door.

These animals are not even animals. They are a sub-species of a sort that needs eradication. Seems that just recently a 16 yr old was arrested for committing over 50 'hits' in Mexico, ranging from other gang members, politicians, and police officers to a musician. He showed no remorse.

Like the pirates of old, they need a neck rope with a short drop, and the crowd wagering on how long they will dance.

Captain Kidd, a privateer for His Majesty, after conviction was hanged twice, as the first time the rope broke, and he lay under the other doomed men watching as they danced and their bowels let go. They waited until the wagering was complete, then hung him by himself. His body was displayed in an iron cage at the mouth of the Thames river until there was nothing left. His widow never got the remains to bury back home in New York. Brutal treatment for a pirate hunter who lost popularity in Admiralty.

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by zeehag

usa is a failing state ,..

I.wish.you.were.wrong.

On my lake, we don't have costs guard, we have the coast guard auxiliary. They have no guns, no ski masks and no power to do anything except to help out if asked.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by lostsheep

Seems that just recently a 16 yr old was arrested for committing over 50 'hits' in Mexico, ranging from other gang members, politicians, and police officers to a musician. He showed no remorse.

To show remorse you would have to accept that what you did was "wrong". But in a world of no right or wrong and instead simply what works and what doesn't that concept does not arise. My bet is he slept soundly at night......even if with one eye open .

And whilst I have no problem with stringing up folks who do that sort of thing (well, those not on "my" side), nonetheless have to accept that folks like him are a symptom of a problem and not the underlying cause. Hang a squillion of them if you like, but the problem don't go away. Of course I will now get attacked by those who think that understanding a problem and seeing that sometimes there are no quick and easy fixes means I am a liberal .