Monthly Archives: December 2018

Election Year

A Warning from Juarez

Having lived in El Paso years ago and enjoyed weekly visits across the border, I have long viewed that city, Juarez, as a window into the neighboring country. However by the year 2005 or so, Juarez changed and when I happened to be in El Paso I no longer drove over. Violence reached a peak in 2010 with a daily average of 10 murders in Juarez. The focus of the murders was war among drug cartels competing to control the routes into El Paso (plazas) for moving drugs and people. There was nearly a decade of declining violence but it rose in 2017, nationally, to the highest level in recent Mexico history. 2018 will end with a daily rate of 3 to 5 murders in Juarez exceeding the 2017 rate.
Violence and its effects will not simply stay south of the border. I wonder how prepared El Paso is for that or how prepared Texas is.

Five killed in shooting at Alamo’s pool hall along border in Juárez, Mexico

Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times Published 5:42 p.m. MT Dec. 2, 2018

Five people were killed in a shooting at a Juárez pool hall during the weekend.

The attack occurred early Saturday at Alamo’s billiards, which is near the Rio Grande in the Bellavista neighborhood west of downtown Juárez.

At about 12:30 a.m., gunmen entered and opened fire inside the pool hall located on Norzagaray boulevard next to Amapolas street, El Mexicano newspaper reported.

There had been no known arrests. The names of those killed had not been disclosed.

The deaths were among 10 homicides, including the deaths of two women, early Saturday, the newspaper reported.

There have been more than 1,100 murders in Juárez this year, according to a tally kept by Channl 44-XHIJ.

More: Mexico’s new president sworn into office, pledges to curb corruption, bring change

In separate development, a new board was formed in Juárez to address the causes of violence as part of the new administration of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

The Coordination Board for the Construction of Peace includes development and human rights officials, law enforcement, Federal Police and the Mexican military.

More: 4-year-old El Paso boy unable to walk after shot in Juárez Applebee’s

 Shooting in Juárez restaurant wounds 5 state police officers in Mexico border city

 Juárez bar shootings leave 3 dead, 8 wounded; police increase patrols at nightspots

 

Papers Relating to Mexico's Challenges from Cartel Violence