Mexico is not a movie

A few days ago 5 human heads were found in ice boxes along the road to Guadalajara.

I suppose it’s one of those questions of life imitating art or vice versa. I suppose it would be a bit of both if the head boxes were found to have been arranged in some cosmic type pattern; the murderous combination of style and substance. Alas, the criminals of Mexico have far too little imagination…which is probably for the better.

It’s jarring how “inside the box” Mexican drug cartels are. People keep telling me how creative they are, but I disagree. How creative is it to figure out “drugs need to go from here to there, let’s go. People are in our way, we will shoot them.”

This is the distinction between people like the Zodiac Killer, who was a perfect example of life imitating art, and the Mexican cartels, which operate with a bit more pragmatics.

The other night I fell asleep watching “Traffic.” When I awoke the movie was over and the news was on, and in my groggy state I failed to tell the difference.

Where does the truth begin and the lie end. When does Carlos Herrera become Steven Bauer? Where does the girl who disappeared from my classes become Erika Christensen? Where does the movie end with happy children playing baseball?

In movies, style is what matters most. More than storytelling, more than characters – it’s style.

Many people I talked to said they liked the first 45 minutes of Wall-E, where there is no talking, most. It’s style, with a complete disregard for substance. 45 minutes and all we learn is that Earth is polluted and there’s a robot putting stuff into boxes. The fact that the robot falls in love with another robot is incidental style at it’s most pure. It might be cute, but it doesn’t advance the story the way blunt substance should…and that is what makes it beautiful.

45 minutes of silence.
45 minutes of style.
45 minutes of existential bliss…it is what it is, and we know nothing else to argue with

Once dialogue starts, it feels like something is lost. A moment of beauty has passed. We now have to face the reality of a storyline.

And that’s the thing…

It’s all substance, all storyline, all dialogue, this Mexico thing.

And I find myself waiting for some style. I find myself waiting for some silence.

The one where I feel bad for not appreciating the gifts I’ve been given

I have begun to suspect that the gods of karma and I are not on speaking terms.

If we were, I imagine our conversation would begin something like this…

“Hey, karma god…what the hell man? Why does everything suck so much lately? I’m losing tons of money on the exchange rates between the won and the peso. Finding a job for next year is sharing a zip code with impossible. And gang violence in Torreon has closed down the few weekend hot spots, pushing an already boring city to the verge of glue huffing boring. You owe me.”

To Which I’m sure he’d reply…

“Screw you; you white upper-middle class, world traveling, lazy, self-absorbed asshole.”

To which I would reply…

“But dude…seriously…c’mon.”
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At this moment, having no direct karma god to speak to, I instead listen to my karmic force, who is taking the form of a 50 year old, excited, Spanish teacher. I am too worn out to argue back.

Instead of arguing, my eyes skim my teacher’s edition of the 7th grade literature book. I think the first sentence of “The Dog of Pompeii” is exactly what I am skimming, if I were to be more specific.

My karmic force is bubbling on with some students who have wandered into the teacher room where she and I sit. My karmic force tells me that these students are like her daughters. I mention to my karmic force that the students she was just talking to were more like my “middle of the road-put in minimal effort-and talk when I am talking” students.

I’ve always wondered if my karmic force wasn’t too chummy with some of the students. It’s a luxury I have tried to fight. As a young teacher with good hair (and I do have good hair), even the slightest hint of camaraderie with my students, I have found, leads them to believing we are the best of friends.

“But AYYYYYY Mr. Matt, why you yell at me? You are cool teacher,” says the student who just realized that young teacher or not, he needs to shut the hell up when I am trying to explain something to the class.

I have to maintain professional distance. My karmic force does not. As an older teacher, with children my age, she is able to walk that thin line between teacher, sage, and companion that I one day hope to walk myself. She cries when the students cry and laugh when they laugh. I sit there and re-read the opening lines to “The Dog of Pompeii.”

My karmic force is talking to me again.
“Do you know Stephanie? I asked her what she did this weekend and she told me that she wasn’t able to do anything.”

“Because of the violence? Or because she was in trouble?” I asked.

“Because of the violence, but she has not been able to go out for a very long time. I have forgotten that. Like, a year and a half ago her parents were kidnapped by some drug dealers. Her mom came back, but she was very badly beaten, and…”

She covers her mouth and whispers…

“She might have been raped. But she never told anybody.”

“That’s awful,” I reply, feeling genuinely upset for the sad effects the Mexican gang wars have had on the children and families of Mexico.

“Her dad has never returned. Now she lives with her grandma, and she won’t let her go out at all.”

It is at this point that I stop reading the first line to “The Dog of Pompeii.”

“Um, Karma?” I venture.

“So there, you spoiled upper-middle class white kid who has traveled around 3 continents while being paid more than the local shopkeeper with a family to feed…we have better lives to balance out here.”

My karmic force, indeed.

The Lion has Taken Over the Circus: The Rise of Los Zetas

Murders in Mexico are on the rise in 2009, and the violence has left many people questioning whether or not Mexico might become a failed state.  Much of the violence is perpetrated by the new Mega-Cartel, “Los Zetas.”

In March of 2002, U.S. Customs agents were involved in a shootout south of Phoenix with an enemy they had not seen before. Equipped with automatic weapons, body armor, and state-of-the-art communications, in a word – it looked “military.”

Kyle Barnette says, “I’d be lying if I didn’t say it concerns us.”

This quote refers to one of the first battles believed to have involved Los Zetas, a group which was born when 30 or so members of a special Mexican military unit deserted.  Mentioning their supposed origins is a pre-requisite of any article or conversation regarding Los Zetas.

Formed as a Green Beret style militia, trained by U.S, French, and Israeli Special Forces, this unit was originally called the Gafes. Ironically, special training was for the purpose of combating Drug Cartels. Lack of education kept them from advancing any further in the military. Lack of education kept the heavy decision making out of their hands and instead gave them the heavy lifting.

Drug Cartel Enforcer Unit is a few pay grades higher than Glorified Grunt of the Mexican Military.

Because they are ex-military they are able to use sophisticated weaponry and carry out intricate operations. This made them a favored hire of the Gulf Cartel. Los Zetas have also trained other paramilitary groups. One in particular is Los Negroes, which if the name is any indication is just like Los Zetas, but with black guys.

In 2006, Felipe Calderon was elected as Mexico’s new president, and he promised to clean out Mexico’s drug cartels.

“(Calderon) decided to launch a proper war on the drug barons, deploying more than 36,000 troops and police around the country… The initiative has nabbed some top cartel bosses and drug shipments, but the drug gangs are as defiant as ever”

The arrest of cartel bosses led to vacuums of power. Vacuums of power have allowed Los Zetas to take over many of the operations historically run by cartels.

“The Gulf cartel created the lion, but now the lion has wised up and controls the handler,” said the U.S. law enforcement official, on condition of anonymity. “This has resulted in the lion roaming free and leaving a bloody trail of chaos. The Zetas don’t ask the Gulf cartel permission for anything anymore.”

No longer a group of egalitarian enforcers, they are now an organization of leaders, middle-management and soldiers; suppliers, smugglers and kidnappers. Hired street gangs carry out some of the day to day work.

Like any good company they have aggressively expanded their boundaries. At first limited to the northern states where they could help control shipping routes, they have now moved farther south where production occurs.

The recent fighting in Torreon stems largely from Los Zetas fighting with rival cartels as they move farther south. Torreon is open territory. This sort of thing would never occur in Mazatlan, located on the west coast and securely in the territory of the Chapo Guzman led Sinaloa Cartel.

Their grab for power has also led to the recent upswing in violence in key border cities, such as Juarez.

“The Zetas have clearly become the biggest, most serious threat to the nation’s security,” said Raul Benitez, a Mexico security expert at American University in Washington, D.C.

People in charge of knowing such things remain unsure how many members Los Zetas actually boasts. Estimates are anywhere from 50ish to 2,000ish. Most seem to think the number closer to 200ish and it probably varies depending on the day, season, or operation.

Their ability to control a large area with few members stems from their aforementioned hiring of local gangs. Bullying and purchasing local law enforcement adds to their unofficial ranks.

The rise of Pseudo-Zetas can also explain why their numbers seem larger than they are. Pseudo-Zetas are criminals who are not Zetas, but cash in on the name. In the midst of their illegal activity they may yell out something like “I am a Zeta.” This works because people don’t squeal on Zetas. If they do they will kill you.

Pseudo-Zetas have also been known to frequent establishments that real Zetas “protect.” Pretending to be real Zetas, the Pseudos demand “protection” money and make a nice little profit off the clout of a feared gang. This seems clever until the real Zetas find out and kill them.

Zetas are believed to be active in 31 Mexico states. There are 31 Mexican states in total and the federal district of Mexico City.

If you see a Zeta, I am told not to stare at them as they are very secretive. They might kill you…which at this point seems wholly unimaginative.

No News is Good News: Rumor and News in Torreon

If there is one thing I’ve picked up about Mexico, it’s that people here like to talk.  Anytime my classroom is totally silent, I cringe…it feels weird.  Body Snatcher style.

With so much talking, lots of rumors get spread.  It’s tough separating out the legitimate facts from third-rate hearsay, and everything in between.  Believe me, there’s lot of ‘in between.’

– CNN reported 8 dead and 7 injured last Wednesday in the Torreon/Gomez area.  Residents of the city place the number closer to 30.  I invited you to average out the two numbers on your own to find what is probably closer to the truth. (hint: the average is 19)

– The recent violence stems from a turf war between the newly formed supercartel “Los Zetas” and some other gangs.  I’m not totally sure of the other gangs, but they seemed to be based off the Sinaloa Cartel.  The Sinaloa Cartel is headed by Joaquín (El Chapo) Guzmán.  Rumor has it that “El Chapo” himself is in Torreon/Gomez.  Another rumor says that he is in Nuevo Laredo.  Another rumors say that he has been dead for 3 years.  Currently, “El Chapo” can be seen on the United States Most Wanted List.

– The United States is sending troops to Torreon to help quell the violence.  So far I have read no reports about this, nor have more than a few people seemed aware of this.  I’m chalking it up to rumor.

– The Mexican Government is sending troops to Torreon/Gomez.  This is true, and was true a week ago.  Very possibly one of the main reasons for the increased number of casualties.

– The bridge between Torreon and Gomez has been shut down due to bomb threats.  Or at least the bridge was shut down for a time a few days ago, it is back open now.  The bomb threats came because a large amount of dynamite was stolen from a nearby town/city.  The dynamite has since been recovered.

– Despite all of this news it seems that the past two days have been calmer than the previous few.  I haven’t heard of any new killings in Torreon/Gomez since Wednesday and the fears that the war would spill over into the U.S. haven’t yet come to pass.

– If you are in Torreon I still urge you to stay away from downtown or any major clubs.  Try not to die and stuff.

– There is a curfew in effect tonight I was told.  When I expressed surprise that things were that bad I was told, “well, not really a curfew, just an advisory that you shouldn’t go out tonight.”

Anyways, rumor states that the Zetas have also advised people to stay indoors tonight as they want to avoid innocent casualties.  This is very thoughtful of them.

One of the teachers at my school who watches Mexican news will let me know if there is an actual curfew put into effect.

– Some of my friends have been saying that “oh, in Mexico City this type of stuff happens everyday.  People around here are just freaked out because it’s new.”

Yes, this is a new thing for the residences of Torreon.  However, Mexico City is one of the biggest cities in the world, with a population near 20 million.  Torreon/Gomez is a combination of cities whoses residency is less tha a million, depending on how many squatters are camping around the city.

Anybody whose anybody here knows each other.  Everybody is somebody’s cousin.  Rumor spreads, fast.  I’m not blaming them for freaking out.  Maybe they know something I don’t…they probably do.

Anyways, stay tuned for more updatess…

Bloody Snow Day

The news reports 8 dead in the past two days in Torreon and neighboring Gomez Palacio. The number is closer to 30 if rumor has weight.

One of the main reasons I came to Mexico was for the weather. I was tired of snow.

Tomorrow school might be canceled due to street violence.

And I can’t help but think how much Mexico could use a snow day.

Mexico: Come for the sun and beaches, stay to kick the crap out of some emo kids

Emo music is in reference to a musical genre that is emotional. Typically the emotion is melancholy or sadness. The distinction between Emo and other music however, is silly, as music by nature harbors emotions and a classification does not make this more or less true. Never the less, the definition exists.

Emo style is usually a black shirt of some sorts and skinny jeans.  Dark makeup might also be used.  In fact, a few years ago I think we called them “goth kids.”  How the terminology changed has been lost to me.  Apparently the clothing trend has caught on quickly in Mexico.

An odd Mexican occurrence took place last March. They were referred to as “Emo Riots.” Men wearing cowboy hats and red plaid shirts took to the streets and harassed, hurried and hassled anybody with the sad luck to wear a black shirt on that particular day.

I imagine the riots never really a contest. Banda, Reggaeton and Electronica music seem to attract those with the physical gifts that the Emo crowd seems to lack. A person could not even really consider them “Emo Riots” so much as “Emo Massacres.”

Damn you Emo Kid!

Whatever did Emo Kids do to deserve such disdain from Mexican culture?

“Mr. Matt, do you know Emos. They are sad,” the student had asked me. “Are you an Emo Mr. Matt?”

I had to suppress a smile because my own personal history had led me, while not to dislike the emo trend, to treat it with an arm’s length curiosity. Like watching a hobo amble up and down a street, or perhaps a women who is overwhelmed by the number of children she has; the result of her unbridled breeding. Her look seems to say “for the love of god, please take one.”

Mexicans see it differently however. The fray is there to be jumped into and they dive with no regard for the rocks below. It is something different for them. Cultural, religious, or something genetic perhaps?

But in an 8^th grade classroom with an endless stream of fingers pointing out those who were and were not emo, the remnant stench of pseudo McCarthyism filled my nostrils. I done sense a witch hunt be taking place.

“Your Honor, if it pleases the court, Julia has been known to listen to ‘Sunny Day Real Estate’ in the dark and does not speak often in class. I believe her to be emo.”

Julia, how do you plead?

“It was Gerardo I say! He brought the records to my house, I did not know what they were! Ask Andrea!”

Gasps. Another name to the list.

In a country filled with ardent lip-service Catholics an Emo Kid is a convenient target. Maybe they are gay?  They certainly lack the typical Latin Machismo. What better penance for the sins of Sunday Catholics than an intervention employing their fist into your sad looking  face?

Emo, in Mexico might not equal gay, but it certainly seems to inhabit a world somewhere in limbo between metro-sexuality and femininity. Its classification is one of seemingly endless innuendos and those who define themselves by it have yet to realize the age old truth that it is not definitions that make us who we are, but our actions. The same can be said for the prosecution.

Whatever the reason the Emos have been targeted. The sites have been set and battle lines drawn.

Oddly enough, Coldplay is immensely popular here among all groups of people.

Weekly Links: Mexico/Marijuana Edition

Welcome to a special edition of the weekly links. This is the Marijuana edition.

While I’ve written about the drug/gang war going on in Mexico right now I’ve tried to avoid discussing pot and the legalization of it. I have my reasons, but I’m not going to go into them because they are not important. Let’s just say that if I was going to choose a cause to fight for, or a label to give myself, that “marijuana freedom fighter” would not be it.

However, a quick scour of the internet blogosphere this week has revealed a spate of marijuana related news that I don’t feel like ignoring.

First, Fox News reported that marijuana slowed cancer growth in lab testing. Science Daily has backed up the report. Next a study that showed marijuana, in fact, led to testicular cancer was announced. Proving once again, that we are all going to die of cancer eventually. Really, we are.

The unspoken feeling around the blog world is that with our new president – who admits to using marijuana AND cocaine, among other things, and is not focusing on the drug war so much – will take a sympathetic stance in regards to legalization.

I invite you who believe this to go ahead…start holding your breath.

Seriously, hold it to keep the pot smoke in your mouth. It increases the buzz.

Regardless of my feelings on marijuana, I am someone who believes each person should be free. People should be free to do whatever they want with their lives, including screwing it up and wasting it.

The drug war is essentially the government taking on the role of a parent figure. “Now, don’t do drugs or you’re grounded.” It really feels that way.

Mexico is a vital part of the American drug war on pot, as a large chunk of marijuana enters the states through Mexico. As federal officers on both sides of the border enact policies and send out troops to search for dealers, dealers arm themselves to the teeth to protect their very lucrative investment. The resulting conflicts end in death.

Just this past week 21 people died in a drug raid that yielded large amounts of pot. As far as I am concerned these 21 dead people constitute more death than marijuana has created on its own. Stoners don’t kill people. Stoners watch cartoons, eat delicious pastries and win 8 gold medals at a time. Who cares?

The drug war on pot = a prison population that would be better served by a proper rehab center more than bars and prison rape. The drug war on pot = farmers in 3^rd world countries who can not grow the types of crop that would yield the most profit for them. The drug war on pot = violence, death and gang wars.

Recently, 3 former ex-leaders of various Latin American countries came out and agreed with me.  The very men who have seen their countries ravaged by the drug war are speaking out against it…will the U.S. listen?

As I said before, I believe every person has the right to screw up their life in whatever way they see fit. What people don’t have the right to do is die unexpectedly in a hail of gun fire between police and street gangs because some people want to get stoned and watch Family Guy when the government says they shouldn’t.

C’mon…just put some blankets under the door so the smell doesn’t bother anybody, and we can all get on with our lives.

Anyways, a few more links regarding Mexico and Marijuana

A graph charting the effects of various drugs.

My home state of Michigan looks at medical marijuana and Massachusettes decriminalizes it.

Marijuana might actually HELP your memory.

Texas beefs up security in the eventuality that the Mexican drug war spills over.

When a Zeta Calls

As long as their is some sort of organized crime in the world I am hopeful that we have not yet degenerated into a total police state.  I blame rap music for my opinions.

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The Zetas are the crime organization that seems to have taken over Torreon. I say “crime organization” with an unclear definition however, since I’m not sure if I’m referring to an actual organization or just a bunch of kids who like to wear green. I figure the truth lies somewhere in between, since between something is where the truth usually lies.

I’m even suspicious that my local corner store has become somewhat affiliated with the Zetas. I can’t imagine why else they would start serving customers through a barred door while some guy stands in the background watching their every movement. Concerned cousin maybe?

It is not impossible to think that the family store has been someway caught up in a hostage/extortion type deal. Where they are still allowed to do business provided all proceeds go to the Zetas who will let them go once a certain amount has been reached.  In this way, my daily after school snack is contributing both to hostage release and terrorism.  Oh, behold the terrible moral duality of a Snickers bar!

Anyways…

I have absolutely no proof or evidence of that theory.

I do not think it is so far fetched however as I do have a first hand account of this story, told to me by a co-worker.

A few days ago her family received a phone call by a man claiming to be affiliated with the Zetas. Over the phone he gave my co-worker’s family a bank number and told them to deposit 20,000 pesos in this account every month or else they would be killed. She told me that this has been a great source of stress for her family.

I can’t imagine debating with my family whether or not to pay this. What if it’s an idle threat? A “let’s see who will actually pay us” deal? An ill-advised attempt at a pyramid scheme setup? 20,000 pesos is a lot of money and really, she says, they don’t make that much.

I know what my first response to someone requesting 20,000 pesos from me each month would be.

“Sorry, I don’t speak Spanish.”

You better get a translator if you’re going to try and extort me, friend.

Once they got their translator, though, I’d probably be on the very next flight out of Mexico. But that’s me. I don’t have a family here. I don’t have community roots here. Besides, where would they go? I doubt my co-worker’s family could just up and get jobs in the United States and the Zetas stretch pretty much throughout all of Mexico.

A source of stress for your family indeed.

In My Projects: The Mexican Drug War Moves to Torreon

So, there was this drug kingpin in Mexico City who retired a few months back. I was told his name, but since I’m only slightly better at remembering Spanish names than I was at Korean names, I forgot it. The point is he was a big deal.

When he retired he left a vacuum of power that needed to be filled. Gang violence ensued as his followers battled with each other and rival gangs for territories around Mexico. The violence moved from city to city. The current city is the greater Torreon Area.

Before August, Torreon was listed as one of the safest cities in Mexico. Just a few weeks ago federal officers gunned down local police officers who were in cahoots with the gangs. Many days I can look at a paper and see news of execution style killings in Torreon or the city of Gomez which closely borders it. Gomez is deemed more dangerous a city, which is sad, because culturally Gomez trumps Torreon in any way imaginable.

It’s not uncommon for a local club to close its doors for a few weeks after gang violence. When it reopens it becomes the hottest place for young Mexicans to gather on a weekend. All in all it’s kind of a trip.

People swear the violence will move on once a gang finally takes power. And while I haven’t chosen which gang I would like to see win yet it kind of feels like voting. Do you choose the rich republican gang or the rich democrat gang? In the end no one really wins but those in power, and as far as I know I have none.

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I live in a pretty decent part of Torreon. However, I’ve been warned about a certain street in my neighborhood that is known as the “bad street.” I’ve been told not to walk there at night.

This disconcerts me because this supposed “bad street” is literally two blocks away from me. What is to prevent the “bad street” from spilling over into my street? We do have a guy who walks up and down our street, acting as a one man local watch crew, but unless he has a shotgun hidden in his cowboy hat I doubt he has much real authority.

My friend promises that the people from the “bad street” would never come here, but really? As I said it’s literally two blocks away. Even if they do tend to stay to themselves wouldn’t they sometimes get bored? Wouldn’t a lone, skinny gringo be a perfect target?

Personally I’m not too worried. I’ve walked down the street and nothing has happened to me. I don’t carry anything valuable with me, I have no cell phone and I don’t need that much money when I go out. Still I live in constant fear that one night I’ll be walking home, turn down the wrong street and get mugged for my sandals. Lord knows it’s difficult to run in those things.

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During most of his tenure as el presidente Vicente Fox fought alongside the Americans in their drug war. Toward the end of his term, when he could no longer be re-elected he said that practicality wise, pot should just be legal. He knew a losing battle when he saw it. I’d agree, as I really doubt that preventing a couple college kids from getting baked while watching “Gringo in Mexico” is worth the loss of capital and confidence that comes with a city wide gang war. Nor is it worth the potential loss of my sandals.