Mexicans protest surging crime in mass marches

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: AFP

MEXICO CITY (AFP) — Thousands of Mexicans filled the streets of towns and cities across the country Saturday in silent protests against escalating murders, kidnappings and impunity.

Violence has again spiked since President Felipe Calderon, who took office at the end of 2006, launched a crackdown on drug trafficking and related attacks, including the deployment of more than 36,000 soldiers across the country.

A swarm dressed in white, many carrying white flowers, set off from the capital's Independence Angel monument at 6 pm (2300 GMT) in the largest march, walking in silence towards the main Zocalo square, which has a capacity for 160,000 people.

Similar protests began earlier Saturday across the country, and many others, in all 32 states of Mexico, set off in unison.



Read more: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gxR7tSb2Ddz3YAQ7P2spQkkAtZxQ

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What Mexicans have to ensure to protect our drug addiction and consumption

[High Plains]

1. No, what they have to endure to protect our drug prohibition.

A couple of weeks ago, the PRD starting talking about looking at legalization--in both countries.

[populistdriven]

2. their country needs infrastructure and services yet they lend money to the USA

[High Plains]

3. What are you talking about? We just gave them a $1.4 billion...

...three-year, anti-drug aid package, but I haven't heard about them lending us money.

[populistdriven]

10. Mexico is now a top 10 holder of US treasury securities - 42.5 billion as of June 08

http://www.ustreas.gov/tic/mfh.txt

[AlphaCentauri]

12. also they own many US firms like CompUSA

[High Plains]

20. Is that the Mexican government, private investors, or what?

What does it mean that Mexico holds these bonds?

[populistdriven]

23. The foreign government of Mexico

[L0oniX]

4. One of my close Mexican American friend says that he will never go back their because....

the police are the criminals. You can't go there anymore without the police pulling you over and compounding your car and holding it for ransom. When you go to exchange a travelers check for money at a local bank the tellers call up their crime buddies and tell them you have money and they mug you and knife you if you resist. It's not just the drug dealers who are killing people. the whole government is totally corrupt and criminal.

[a la izquierda]

5. Haha that's some funny shit.

I go to the bank regularly...never had a problem. Never had a problem with the cops either. Where the heck did he live? I'm not trying to be crass, but seriously. My roommate has lived here for years. No problems.

[pipoman]

7. You say 'here'

do you live in Mexico, as in where the thread is about, or Oklahoma as your profile says?

[a la izquierda]

8. Oh, I actually do live in Mexico at the moment.

Split my time between the great state of Oklahoma (graduate school) and MExico.

Edit: And I wasn't trying to be crass with my previous post. I just hear urban legend BS about Mexico all the time and it really makes me nuts.

[LanternWaste]

21. When I lived in Q-Roo a few years ago

When I lived in Q-Roo a few years ago, I felt safer being there than I would have back in TX. Until I lived there, I was firmly on the urban legends side of the fence, but reality changed my perceptions on it...

[a la izquierda]

22. I didn't feel great being in Mexico City,

and I grew up near NYC and have lived in Los Angeles. But in Guadalajara and other places in Mexico, I don't feel threatened at all. However, urban legends about evil shrimp/shellfish in western Mexico should never, ever be taken lightly.:puke: Trust me on that.

[gorbal]

11. Mexico has different states just like the US

I wouldn't skip a trip to Vermont just because crime is up in NYC.

[AlphaCentauri]

13. Gunajuato and Jalisco have a large population of US citizens

Vicente Fox the ex president was a decendant of US immigrants in Mexico

[eauclaireliberal]

18. Yeah and he went to UW Steven's Point if I'm not mistaken

big whoop.

[eauclaireliberal]

19. Oops-I guess not.

Must be thinking of someone else. My bad

[High Plains]

17. Heh. I'd rather deal with Mexican cops than American ones.

Sometimes there's something to be said for a disorganized state.

I've travelled in Mexico quite a bit, never had a problem with the cops. Had to pay small bribes a couple of times to rescue my stupid drunken students, though. Call it a civics lesson.

[DCKit]

6. While they were out, the government swooped in and burned their houses down.

That'll teach 'em to protest.

Just kidding folks. It'll happen here first.

[a la izquierda]

9. If people protested in Guadalajara

I was not aware...so surely they didn't burn the houses down, because I'd have smelled it.

No, really, the government in Mexico is a friggin' mess. But next to ours. Eh, maybe not so bad.

[AlphaCentauri]

14. nice weather in Guadalajara and beautiful downtown

[a la izquierda]

15. Yep, I love it...

it's a great, friendly city. Much, much nicer than Mexico City. I'm happy my research is here, and not there. I think I'd hang myself if I had to live in D.F. for more than 2 weeks.

[AlphaCentauri]

16. I agree smog city is a madness