20-year-old woman becomes top cop in violent Mexican municipality
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molly
Oct 20, 2010, 3:36:48 PM10/20/10
to Frontera LIst
Below is a report from REFORMA.
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/20/mexico.female.police.chief
CNN.com
20-year-old woman becomes top cop in violent Mexican municipality
By Arthur Brice, CNN
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* Marisol Valles Garcia, a criminology student, is the only person
who accepted the job
* She says she stepped up because she is tired of people living in
fear
* The police force will not carry weapons, she said
RELATED TOPICS
* Mexico
* Police
(CNN) -- Some headlines are hailing her as the bravest woman in
Mexico. Marisol Valles Garcia, all of 20 years old, says she's just
tired of everyone being afraid.
Valles Garcia, a criminology student, became the police chief this
week of Praxedis G. Guerrero, one of the most violent municipalities
in the border state of Chihuahua. She was the only person who accepted
the top job in a police force whose officers have been abducted and
even killed.
"Yes, there is fear," Valles Garcia said Wednesday in an interview
with CNN en Español. "It's like all human beings. There will always be
fear, but what we want to achieve in our municipality is tranquility
and security."
There's good reason for the fear. Just this past weekend, a 59-year-
old local mayor, Rito Grado Serrano, and his 37-year-old son,
Rogoberto Grado Villa, were killed in a house in which they they were
hiding in nearby Ciudad Juarez. Another area mayor was killed in June.
Juarez is the bloodiest city in Mexico, with a reported 2,500 people
killed in drug violence this year. Praxedis G. Guerrero is located
about 35 miles southeast of Ciudad Juarez. Both are in the state of
Chihuahua, which borders Texas.
Nationwide, the federal government says, more than 28,000 people have
lost their lives since Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared war
on the drug cartels after taking office in December 2006.
Valles Garcia sees a non-violent role for her 13-member force, which
will be mostly female and unarmed.
"The weapons we have are principles and values, which are the best
weapons for prevention," she told CNN en Español. "Our work will be
pure prevention. We are not going to be doing anything else other than
prevention."
Valles Garcia said she aims to establish programs in neighborhoods and
schools, to win back security in public spaces and to foster greater
cooperation among neighbors so they can form watch committees.
She has recruited three other women to join the force in the small
municipality of 8,500 people, the government-run Notimex news agency
said this week.
Valles Garcia said Wednesday she gladly accepted when Mayor Jose Luis
Guerrero offered her the job. The first couple of days have gone
smoothly, she said.
"Truthfully, we have been very tranquil," she said. "The people have
received us very well. They have even supported us. They say it's a
great project and they will be with us 100 percent."
Still, the notion of a largely female police force being helmed by a
woman -- and a young one at that -- does not seem to sit well with
some people in a country that still retains vestiges of machismo.
"Are there no men in Chihuahua?" read a headline on a blog on the
Periodista Digital website.
But Valles Garcia believes what the job may need is a woman's touch.
"We are simply going to talk with them, with the people, with the
families, giving them confidence so they will quit being afraid, so
they can leave their houses," she told CNN en Español.
"We have hope that we are going to exchange fear for tranquility and
security."
Links referenced within this article
Mexico
http://topics.edition.cnn.com/topics/Mexico
Police
http://topics.edition.cnn.com/topics/Police
Find this article at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/20/mexico.female.police.chief
© 2008 Cable News Network.
http://www.diario.com.mx/notas.php?f=2010/10/20&id=9df1f85ef10105d9a84284e9e4e748d4
‘Cambiaré en Praxedis el miedo de la gente’
Pedro Sánchez Briones
Agencia Reforma | 20-10-2010 | 01:01
Imprimir Nota
Enviar Nota
Ciudad Juárez—Aunque tiene miedo como cualquier ciudadano por la
inseguridad, Marisol Valles García, la joven de 20 años que asumió las
riendas de la Policía Municipal de uno de los municipios del Valle de
Juárez, comentó que trabajará por vencerlo y cambiar a su comunidad.
“¿Miedo? Todo mundo tiene miedo y es muy natural, lo que me motiva
aquí es de que el proyecto es muy bueno y de que se puede hacer mucho
por mi pueblo, y sé que vamos a poder cambiar y quitar ese... un poco
de miedo en cada gente”, señaló en entrevista con Grupo Reforma.
Aunque el lunes se difundió que era la jefa policial del municipio de
Guadalupe, Distrito Bravos, ayer se precisó que es de Praxedis G.
Guerrero, colindante con el otro.
La también estudiante de Criminología comentó que en la administración
anterior se desempeñó como secretaria del comandante de la Policía
Municipal y que ahora que recibió la invitación por parte del Alcalde
José Luis Guerrero, de extracción panista, le entusiasmó ser la cabeza
porque el proyecto se basa en rescatar los valores, como principal
propósito.
“Que la gente confíe en sí mismo y en nosotros para que puedan
invitarnos a sus casas a comer, a platicar con ellos, a ver sus
necesidades (...) simplemente para decirles más sobre los valores y
los principios (...) para lograr la prevención”, señaló en entrevista
vía telefónica desde el municipio localizado a unos 60 kilómetros de
esta ciudad fronteriza.
El secretario del Ayuntamiento, Andrés Morales, señaló que desde el
pasado 10 de octubre el cargo de Marisol es encargada del despacho,
mientras se determina la conformación de la Policía Única a nivel
estatal.
A pregunta expresa respecto a si la jefa de la Policía Municipal teme
algún atentado, como ha ocurrido recientemente en contra de
funcionarios del Valle de Juárez, indicó que el miedo existe.
“Definitivamente el temor existe, lo hemos platicado con ella, con el
Presidente Municipal, y bueno pues es un riesgo que de alguna manera
la mayoría o todos los funcionarios hemos decidido correr y que de
alguna manera tenemos la convicción de que alguien tiene qué hacer una
tarea tan importante como esa”, puntualizó. El secretario del
Ayuntamiento mencionó que uno de los proyectos es integrar en su
mayoría a mujeres como agentes. “El esquema que estamos manejando para
la cuestión preventiva, son con mujeres de preferencia, que estén
visitando y patrullando los sectores en los que se ha divido el
municipio”, resaltó.
El Valle de Juárez, comprendido por los municipios de Praxedis G.
Guerrero, Guadalupe, Distrito Bravos; y la zona rural oriente de
Ciudad Juárez, ha sido blanco de extorsiones, secuestros, homicidios y
quema de viviendas, pese a la vigilancia de la Operación Coordinada
Chihuahua.
Apenas el sábado fue ejecutado en Ciudad Juárez Rito Grado Serrano,
presidente seccional del poblado “El Porvenir”, que forma parte del
municipio de Praxedis G. Guerrero, que había demandado seguridad.
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/20/mexico.female.police.chief
CNN.com
20-year-old woman becomes top cop in violent Mexican municipality
By Arthur Brice, CNN
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* Marisol Valles Garcia, a criminology student, is the only person
who accepted the job
* She says she stepped up because she is tired of people living in
fear
* The police force will not carry weapons, she said
RELATED TOPICS
* Mexico
* Police
(CNN) -- Some headlines are hailing her as the bravest woman in
Mexico. Marisol Valles Garcia, all of 20 years old, says she's just
tired of everyone being afraid.
Valles Garcia, a criminology student, became the police chief this
week of Praxedis G. Guerrero, one of the most violent municipalities
in the border state of Chihuahua. She was the only person who accepted
the top job in a police force whose officers have been abducted and
even killed.
"Yes, there is fear," Valles Garcia said Wednesday in an interview
with CNN en Español. "It's like all human beings. There will always be
fear, but what we want to achieve in our municipality is tranquility
and security."
There's good reason for the fear. Just this past weekend, a 59-year-
old local mayor, Rito Grado Serrano, and his 37-year-old son,
Rogoberto Grado Villa, were killed in a house in which they they were
hiding in nearby Ciudad Juarez. Another area mayor was killed in June.
Juarez is the bloodiest city in Mexico, with a reported 2,500 people
killed in drug violence this year. Praxedis G. Guerrero is located
about 35 miles southeast of Ciudad Juarez. Both are in the state of
Chihuahua, which borders Texas.
Nationwide, the federal government says, more than 28,000 people have
lost their lives since Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared war
on the drug cartels after taking office in December 2006.
Valles Garcia sees a non-violent role for her 13-member force, which
will be mostly female and unarmed.
"The weapons we have are principles and values, which are the best
weapons for prevention," she told CNN en Español. "Our work will be
pure prevention. We are not going to be doing anything else other than
prevention."
Valles Garcia said she aims to establish programs in neighborhoods and
schools, to win back security in public spaces and to foster greater
cooperation among neighbors so they can form watch committees.
She has recruited three other women to join the force in the small
municipality of 8,500 people, the government-run Notimex news agency
said this week.
Valles Garcia said Wednesday she gladly accepted when Mayor Jose Luis
Guerrero offered her the job. The first couple of days have gone
smoothly, she said.
"Truthfully, we have been very tranquil," she said. "The people have
received us very well. They have even supported us. They say it's a
great project and they will be with us 100 percent."
Still, the notion of a largely female police force being helmed by a
woman -- and a young one at that -- does not seem to sit well with
some people in a country that still retains vestiges of machismo.
"Are there no men in Chihuahua?" read a headline on a blog on the
Periodista Digital website.
But Valles Garcia believes what the job may need is a woman's touch.
"We are simply going to talk with them, with the people, with the
families, giving them confidence so they will quit being afraid, so
they can leave their houses," she told CNN en Español.
"We have hope that we are going to exchange fear for tranquility and
security."
Links referenced within this article
Mexico
http://topics.edition.cnn.com/topics/Mexico
Police
http://topics.edition.cnn.com/topics/Police
Find this article at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/20/mexico.female.police.chief
© 2008 Cable News Network.
http://www.diario.com.mx/notas.php?f=2010/10/20&id=9df1f85ef10105d9a84284e9e4e748d4
‘Cambiaré en Praxedis el miedo de la gente’
Pedro Sánchez Briones
Agencia Reforma | 20-10-2010 | 01:01
Imprimir Nota
Enviar Nota
Ciudad Juárez—Aunque tiene miedo como cualquier ciudadano por la
inseguridad, Marisol Valles García, la joven de 20 años que asumió las
riendas de la Policía Municipal de uno de los municipios del Valle de
Juárez, comentó que trabajará por vencerlo y cambiar a su comunidad.
“¿Miedo? Todo mundo tiene miedo y es muy natural, lo que me motiva
aquí es de que el proyecto es muy bueno y de que se puede hacer mucho
por mi pueblo, y sé que vamos a poder cambiar y quitar ese... un poco
de miedo en cada gente”, señaló en entrevista con Grupo Reforma.
Aunque el lunes se difundió que era la jefa policial del municipio de
Guadalupe, Distrito Bravos, ayer se precisó que es de Praxedis G.
Guerrero, colindante con el otro.
La también estudiante de Criminología comentó que en la administración
anterior se desempeñó como secretaria del comandante de la Policía
Municipal y que ahora que recibió la invitación por parte del Alcalde
José Luis Guerrero, de extracción panista, le entusiasmó ser la cabeza
porque el proyecto se basa en rescatar los valores, como principal
propósito.
“Que la gente confíe en sí mismo y en nosotros para que puedan
invitarnos a sus casas a comer, a platicar con ellos, a ver sus
necesidades (...) simplemente para decirles más sobre los valores y
los principios (...) para lograr la prevención”, señaló en entrevista
vía telefónica desde el municipio localizado a unos 60 kilómetros de
esta ciudad fronteriza.
El secretario del Ayuntamiento, Andrés Morales, señaló que desde el
pasado 10 de octubre el cargo de Marisol es encargada del despacho,
mientras se determina la conformación de la Policía Única a nivel
estatal.
A pregunta expresa respecto a si la jefa de la Policía Municipal teme
algún atentado, como ha ocurrido recientemente en contra de
funcionarios del Valle de Juárez, indicó que el miedo existe.
“Definitivamente el temor existe, lo hemos platicado con ella, con el
Presidente Municipal, y bueno pues es un riesgo que de alguna manera
la mayoría o todos los funcionarios hemos decidido correr y que de
alguna manera tenemos la convicción de que alguien tiene qué hacer una
tarea tan importante como esa”, puntualizó. El secretario del
Ayuntamiento mencionó que uno de los proyectos es integrar en su
mayoría a mujeres como agentes. “El esquema que estamos manejando para
la cuestión preventiva, son con mujeres de preferencia, que estén
visitando y patrullando los sectores en los que se ha divido el
municipio”, resaltó.
El Valle de Juárez, comprendido por los municipios de Praxedis G.
Guerrero, Guadalupe, Distrito Bravos; y la zona rural oriente de
Ciudad Juárez, ha sido blanco de extorsiones, secuestros, homicidios y
quema de viviendas, pese a la vigilancia de la Operación Coordinada
Chihuahua.
Apenas el sábado fue ejecutado en Ciudad Juárez Rito Grado Serrano,
presidente seccional del poblado “El Porvenir”, que forma parte del
municipio de Praxedis G. Guerrero, que había demandado seguridad.
molly
Oct 20, 2010, 6:43:55 PM10/20/10
to Frontera LIst
and from REUTERS:
http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCATRE69J62F20101020
Mexican student takes over police in drug war town
Wed Oct 20, 2010 5:16pm EDT
By Julian Cardona
PRAXEDIS G. GUERRERO, Mexico (Reuters) - A 20-year-old female college
student is the new police chief of one of Mexico's most dangerous drug
war towns on the U.S. border, where policemen have quit and officials
have been killed.
Marisol Valles, who studies criminology in Mexico's violent city of
Ciudad Juarez, took charge of the police force in the neighboring
municipality of Praxedis G. Guerrero near El Paso, Texas, just days
before hitmen shot and killed a local official.
The mother of an infant son heads a force of just 13 agents, nine of
whom are women, and can count on just one working patrol car, three
automatic rifles and a pistol to take on powerful drug cartels waging
war over smuggling routes into Texas.
Valles, who is petite, with long brown hair, painted pink nails and
black glasses, said she was not cowed by the violence and had not
received threats since taking office last week. The town's new mayor
said Valles was the best candidate among several who applied for the
job.
"The situation can improve if we believe in ourselves and believe
there is hope. I want to carry this through and show that we can do
this," she told Reuters on Wednesday in Praxedis in Chihuahua,
Mexico's most violent state.
"We are doing this for a new generation of people who don't want to be
afraid anymore," she added.
Praxedis' former mayor and police chief finished their terms despite
threats by drug gangs.
Valles will also oversee policing in the nearby town of El Porvenir,
where the top official was killed along with his son in Ciudad Juarez
over the weekend. Drug hitmen killed the mayor of the nearby town of
Guadalupe Distrito Bravo, which is outside Valles' remit, in June.
Heavily armed men have torched homes, fired on shops and businesses
and killed local police in El Porvenir, across the border from the
Texas town of Fort Hancock.
The area, known as Juarez Valley, has been sucked into the spiraling
violence, rapidly becoming a no man's land where people are abandoning
towns despite an army presence.
Drug violence has killed almost 7,000 people in and around Ciudad
Juarez since early 2008, while more than 29,000 people have died
across Mexico since President Felipe Calderon launched his crackdown
on drug cartels in December 2006.
Bloodshed has exploded around Ciudad Juarez as local cartel boss
Vicente Carrillo Fuentes fights off an offensive by Mexico's No. 1
fugitive drug lord, Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman.
Calderon has pledged to reform Mexico's police and provide better
salaries that are often as low as $300 a month. He wants Congress to
approve a plan to put municipal police control in the hands of the
country's 32 state governments.
(Writing by Robin Emmott; Editing by Xavier Briand)
© Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. Users may download and
print extracts of content from this website for their own personal and
non-commercial use only. Republication or redistribution of Thomson
Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly
prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Thomson Reuters and its logo are registered trademarks or trademarks
of the Thomson Reuters group of companies around the world.
Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to the Editorial Handbook
which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
> http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/20/mexico.female.police...
> Policehttp://topics.edition.cnn.com/topics/Police
>
> Find this article at:http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/20/mexico.female.police...
>
> © 2008 Cable News Network.
>
> http://www.diario.com.mx/notas.php?f=2010/10/20&id=9df1f85ef10105d9a8...
http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCATRE69J62F20101020
Mexican student takes over police in drug war town
Wed Oct 20, 2010 5:16pm EDT
By Julian Cardona
PRAXEDIS G. GUERRERO, Mexico (Reuters) - A 20-year-old female college
student is the new police chief of one of Mexico's most dangerous drug
war towns on the U.S. border, where policemen have quit and officials
have been killed.
Marisol Valles, who studies criminology in Mexico's violent city of
Ciudad Juarez, took charge of the police force in the neighboring
municipality of Praxedis G. Guerrero near El Paso, Texas, just days
before hitmen shot and killed a local official.
The mother of an infant son heads a force of just 13 agents, nine of
whom are women, and can count on just one working patrol car, three
automatic rifles and a pistol to take on powerful drug cartels waging
war over smuggling routes into Texas.
Valles, who is petite, with long brown hair, painted pink nails and
black glasses, said she was not cowed by the violence and had not
received threats since taking office last week. The town's new mayor
said Valles was the best candidate among several who applied for the
job.
"The situation can improve if we believe in ourselves and believe
there is hope. I want to carry this through and show that we can do
this," she told Reuters on Wednesday in Praxedis in Chihuahua,
Mexico's most violent state.
"We are doing this for a new generation of people who don't want to be
afraid anymore," she added.
Praxedis' former mayor and police chief finished their terms despite
threats by drug gangs.
Valles will also oversee policing in the nearby town of El Porvenir,
where the top official was killed along with his son in Ciudad Juarez
over the weekend. Drug hitmen killed the mayor of the nearby town of
Guadalupe Distrito Bravo, which is outside Valles' remit, in June.
Heavily armed men have torched homes, fired on shops and businesses
and killed local police in El Porvenir, across the border from the
Texas town of Fort Hancock.
The area, known as Juarez Valley, has been sucked into the spiraling
violence, rapidly becoming a no man's land where people are abandoning
towns despite an army presence.
Drug violence has killed almost 7,000 people in and around Ciudad
Juarez since early 2008, while more than 29,000 people have died
across Mexico since President Felipe Calderon launched his crackdown
on drug cartels in December 2006.
Bloodshed has exploded around Ciudad Juarez as local cartel boss
Vicente Carrillo Fuentes fights off an offensive by Mexico's No. 1
fugitive drug lord, Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman.
Calderon has pledged to reform Mexico's police and provide better
salaries that are often as low as $300 a month. He wants Congress to
approve a plan to put municipal police control in the hands of the
country's 32 state governments.
(Writing by Robin Emmott; Editing by Xavier Briand)
© Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. Users may download and
print extracts of content from this website for their own personal and
non-commercial use only. Republication or redistribution of Thomson
Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly
prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Thomson Reuters and its logo are registered trademarks or trademarks
of the Thomson Reuters group of companies around the world.
Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to the Editorial Handbook
which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
> http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/20/mexico.female.police...
>
> Find this article at:http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/20/mexico.female.police...
>
> © 2008 Cable News Network.
>
> http://www.diario.com.mx/notas.php?f=2010/10/20&id=9df1f85ef10105d9a8...
molly
Oct 20, 2010, 7:43:34 PM10/20/10
to Frontera LIst
So, forgive my cynicism folks, but while the international press ((AP,
CNN, Reuters, AFP etc.) is going GAGA over the young woman appointed
police chief of the small town of Praxedis in the Valle de Juarez, at
least 6 people have been killed today on the streets of the city of
Juarez, one of them is reported to be a soldier from Ft. Bliss. From
what I have been able to learn, what is going on in the Valle de
Juarez is an intense power struggle between at least 2 criminal groups
and the state, or the state against the people, or some combination of
all of those. She is probably very brave and capable, but there is no
way she has any power that has not been given to her by whatever
criminal group (I include the state government and the army) is in
charge in that place at this time. This is a "feel good" story to
distract the international press and it seems to be working. molly
http://www.diario.com.mx/notas.php?f=2010/10/20&id=e3a5a55b124b1af0e71e4b3232ab6058
Acribillan a tres en la Revolución Mexicana; mueren dos
Staff
El Diario | 20-10-2010 | 14:03
Dos hombres fueron asesinados y uno más resultó lesionado esta tarde
en la colonia Revolución Mexicana, se informó.
Personas allegadas a los occisos mencionaron que uno de ellos era
soldado de Fort Bilss y se encontraba de visita en esta frontera. El
Diario contactó a personal de esta base militar, pero declinaron a
hacer alguna confirmación.
....
There are at least three more fatal shootings on the front page of
Diario.
> ...
>
> read more »
CNN, Reuters, AFP etc.) is going GAGA over the young woman appointed
police chief of the small town of Praxedis in the Valle de Juarez, at
least 6 people have been killed today on the streets of the city of
Juarez, one of them is reported to be a soldier from Ft. Bliss. From
what I have been able to learn, what is going on in the Valle de
Juarez is an intense power struggle between at least 2 criminal groups
and the state, or the state against the people, or some combination of
all of those. She is probably very brave and capable, but there is no
way she has any power that has not been given to her by whatever
criminal group (I include the state government and the army) is in
charge in that place at this time. This is a "feel good" story to
distract the international press and it seems to be working. molly
http://www.diario.com.mx/notas.php?f=2010/10/20&id=e3a5a55b124b1af0e71e4b3232ab6058
Acribillan a tres en la Revolución Mexicana; mueren dos
Staff
El Diario | 20-10-2010 | 14:03
Dos hombres fueron asesinados y uno más resultó lesionado esta tarde
en la colonia Revolución Mexicana, se informó.
Personas allegadas a los occisos mencionaron que uno de ellos era
soldado de Fort Bilss y se encontraba de visita en esta frontera. El
Diario contactó a personal de esta base militar, pero declinaron a
hacer alguna confirmación.
....
There are at least three more fatal shootings on the front page of
Diario.
>
> read more »
cree...@gmail.com
Oct 20, 2010, 10:45:42 PM10/20/10
to fronte...@googlegroups.com
An article by Ismael Bojorquez in the latest edition of Rio Doce (http://www.riodoce.com.mx) describes the powerlessness of municipal police. His report describes the deterioration of local control in Navolato - native turf of the Arrellano Felix family.
As a card carrying member of the American Society of Criminology I can verify the ridiculousness of appointing a 20 year old "crim student".
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry
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As a card carrying member of the American Society of Criminology I can verify the ridiculousness of appointing a 20 year old "crim student".
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molly
Oct 21, 2010, 9:53:56 AM10/21/10
to Frontera LIst
Here's a video news story including an on camera interview to
accompany the other coverage.
http://www.khou.com/news/20-year-old-college-student-becomes-top-cop-in-Mexico--105414408.html
Saludos,
Angela
> http://www.diario.com.mx/notas.php?f=2010/10/20&id=e3a5a55b124b1af0e7...
> ...
>
> read more »
accompany the other coverage.
http://www.khou.com/news/20-year-old-college-student-becomes-top-cop-in-Mexico--105414408.html
Saludos,
Angela
>
> read more »
Keith Dannemiller
Oct 21, 2010, 5:48:13 PM10/21/10
to fronte...@googlegroups.com
On Oct 20, 2010, at 6:43 PM, molly wrote:
This is a "feel good" story to
distract the international press and it seems to be working
You know, to put it in a different perspective, you could also just call it a "news" story, given that a 20 year old criminology student becoming chief municipal cop in Mexico doesn't happen every day.
Keith Dannemiller
molly
Oct 21, 2010, 6:17:53 PM10/21/10
to Frontera LIst
Keith is right. This is certainly a news story. I do think, however,
that the huge amount of attention to it in the international press far
outweighs the actual importance of the story or what it might mean in
the larger context of the Juarez violence or the "drug war." To their
credit, some of the articles point out that the municipal police in
small towns as well as in cities have little to no jurisdiction over
organized crime activities. Ms. Valles herself said this in several
interviews. Another reader pointed out to me that the powerlessness of
this municipal police chief is no worse than that of others in this
position. But most of the headlines appended to these stories present
Ms. Valles as leading the charge in the drug war. It makes no sense
and in terms of what is actually happening on the ground in Juarez,
all of this attention could get her killed. As well as the mayor.
Several generations of municipal officials in the Valle towns have
been killed over the last 4 years--multiple members of the same
families, men and women and children have all been killed. molly
that the huge amount of attention to it in the international press far
outweighs the actual importance of the story or what it might mean in
the larger context of the Juarez violence or the "drug war." To their
credit, some of the articles point out that the municipal police in
small towns as well as in cities have little to no jurisdiction over
organized crime activities. Ms. Valles herself said this in several
interviews. Another reader pointed out to me that the powerlessness of
this municipal police chief is no worse than that of others in this
position. But most of the headlines appended to these stories present
Ms. Valles as leading the charge in the drug war. It makes no sense
and in terms of what is actually happening on the ground in Juarez,
all of this attention could get her killed. As well as the mayor.
Several generations of municipal officials in the Valle towns have
been killed over the last 4 years--multiple members of the same
families, men and women and children have all been killed. molly
Adriana Gomez Licon
Oct 21, 2010, 6:14:33 PM10/21/10
to fronte...@googlegroups.com
I agree with Keith. And it is not necessarily a "feel good" story if we really pay attention to the coverage. People brought up questions on how she is not prepared or armed to take on that job.
Adriana
Adriana
sito negron
Oct 21, 2010, 6:53:05 PM10/21/10
to fronte...@googlegroups.com
since we're talking here, yeah, it's news, but part of the news is context.
headlines like "College student fights crime in the dangerous valley of Juarez" and sentences like "Can this 20-year-old woman restore law in one of the most dangerous towns in Mexico" create an impression of a certain type of context -- that she'll actually have something to do with fighting crime. maybe she will, to a degree, but we don't know exactly how, since none of the stories i've seen explain what crimes she actually has jurisdiction over or what laws she'll be enforcing. all we know is that she's petite, 20-something, and doesn't carry a gun (and a few other details, none of which describe what she'll actually be DOING).
i'll bet the full value of my membership on this list that her job IS NOT to wage war on the cartels, which of course would be a ridiculous proposition. since the issue of the drug war is what brought us all to this list, the question of her relevance to the drug war is straight on point in my book, and not a damn story that i've seen goes into that, instead going for the easy and misleading "college student fights crime" headline.
sure, somewhere in the coverage there's the question of whether she is prepared for the job (which again, as i stated above, is not defined). but that's THE question in the deal, and instead of being given serious treatment it's buried under the headlines and the enthusiasm for this man-bites-dog story.
given the daily death toll, i think it's fair to call this novelty story a distraction. worthy of coverage, but hardly a serious story, at least how it's been reported in the english-language media.
cree...@gmail.com
Oct 21, 2010, 6:42:20 PM10/21/10
to fronte...@googlegroups.com
The story was broadcast on CBC news in Toronto. It was described as an attempt to promote family values. On the other hand, it was also an "opportunity" to remind Canadians about the tragedy in Mexico,
Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry
-----Original Message-----
From: molly <molly...@gmail.com>
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Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:17:53
To: Frontera LIst<fronte...@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: fronte...@googlegroups.com
-----Original Message-----
From: molly <molly...@gmail.com>
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Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:17:53
To: Frontera LIst<fronte...@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: fronte...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [frontera-list] Re: 20-year-old woman becomes top cop in violent
Mexican municipality
Mexican municipality
Gregory Berger
Oct 21, 2010, 6:34:39 PM10/21/10
to fronte...@googlegroups.com
One other interesting angle is the fact that (for pragmatic reasons, i.e. not wanting to be killed) her proposed strategy sounds an awful lot like "harm reduction," which is exactly the opposite of the expensive and ineffective "guns blazing" strategy of the Calderon administration.
Arocha, Zita M
Oct 21, 2010, 9:02:45 PM10/21/10
to fronte...@googlegroups.com
Despite all the caveats noted, she is a brave young woman and a significant part of the tragic story of the social breakdown of an entire country. .
Zita Arocha
Director, borderzine.com
Senior Lecturer, Department of Communication
UTEP
________________________________________
From: fronte...@googlegroups.com [fronte...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Gregory Berger [grin...@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2010 4:34 PM
To: fronte...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [frontera-list] Re: 20-year-old woman becomes top cop in violent Mexican municipality
One other interesting angle is the fact that (for pragmatic reasons, i.e. not wanting to be killed) her proposed strategy sounds an awful lot like "harm reduction," which is exactly the opposite of the expensive and ineffective "guns blazing" strategy of the Calderon administration.
On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 5:14 PM, Adriana Gomez Licon <agome...@gmail.com<mailto:agome...@gmail.com>> wrote:
I agree with Keith. And it is not necessarily a "feel good" story if we really pay attention to the coverage. People brought up questions on how she is not prepared or armed to take on that job.
Adriana
On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 3:48 PM, Keith Dannemiller <kdanne...@mac.com<mailto:kdanne...@mac.com>> wrote:
On Oct 20, 2010, at 6:43 PM, molly wrote:
This is a "feel good" story to
distract the international press and it seems to be working
You know, to put it in a different perspective, you could also just call it a "news" story, given that a 20 year old criminology student becoming chief municipal cop in Mexico doesn't happen every day.
Keith Dannemiller
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Angela Kocherga
Oct 22, 2010, 7:25:09 PM10/22/10
to fronte...@googlegroups.com
I'm glad the story generated so much discussion. That alone is valuable. I add my comment late because I've been traveling since early this morning and just now arrived at my hotel.
I interviewed the police chief. She's is young and full of hope but not naive. After all, she grew up in the Valle de Juarez. She's also upfront about her goal: community policing with an emphasis on community. Her team of officers, mostly women, will focus more on social work than security. The help is badly needed. Many people fled drug violence in the region but others who were left behind are struggling, including elderly women.
As you no doubt know, in Mexico municipal police are "preventive." They do not have the authority to investigate crimes. And drug trafficking is a federal crime anyway.In retrospect I wish I had put that in my story.
I'm sure many of us covering this story would have liked to have had the time and space to explain the various police jurisdictions: local, state, and federal, including the all important "ministerios publicos."
Despite her limited role, I admire the new police chief's willingness to serve. The participation of civil society is critical as Mexico struggles to emerge from these dark and dangerous times.
And In the midst of all the horror I witness as a reporter in Mexico -- especially here along the border, I confess this story did make me feel good -- even if it was momentarily.
I interviewed the police chief. She's is young and full of hope but not naive. After all, she grew up in the Valle de Juarez. She's also upfront about her goal: community policing with an emphasis on community. Her team of officers, mostly women, will focus more on social work than security. The help is badly needed. Many people fled drug violence in the region but others who were left behind are struggling, including elderly women.
As you no doubt know, in Mexico municipal police are "preventive." They do not have the authority to investigate crimes. And drug trafficking is a federal crime anyway.In retrospect I wish I had put that in my story.
I'm sure many of us covering this story would have liked to have had the time and space to explain the various police jurisdictions: local, state, and federal, including the all important "ministerios publicos."
Despite her limited role, I admire the new police chief's willingness to serve. The participation of civil society is critical as Mexico struggles to emerge from these dark and dangerous times.
And In the midst of all the horror I witness as a reporter in Mexico -- especially here along the border, I confess this story did make me feel good -- even if it was momentarily.
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