Mexican soldiers guard state prosecutors meeting

The body count has continued to climb in the Mexican port of Veracruz, as at least 11 more cadavers were located two days after 35 others were dumped by presumed narcotraffickers.

A Mexican military official who declined to be named said that the bodies were dropped Thursday afternoon in various locations around Veracruz and nearby Boca del Rio.  Hundreds of police, soldiers and marines were called out to provide security for an urgent meeting of justice officials.

The source could not confirm any immediate connection between the latest round of victims and the the previous massacre.

Veracruz Governor Javier Duarte denied the discovery, referring to it as “only unconfirmed rumors”.  Thursday night three photographers waiting at the city morgue were beaten by state police, who forced them to erase the memories from their cameras.

The latest bodies were dumped in plain view of the public; witnesses described the scene as terrible.

“I never thought it would get this bad”, said Erika Gutierrez.

This week’s earlier killings are being attributed to the self-named “New Generation” cartel, presumably aligned with drug baron Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.  The 35 victims, including 12 women and two minors, are presumed to be associated with the Zetas cartel battling for control of the Gulf Coast region.

Less than one month ago 52 people were killed in a casino burned by narcotraffickers in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey.  The total death toll in Mexico since the drug war began in 2006 is estimated to be between 35,000 and 40,000 victims.

The arms business has stopped booming

Activity in the global arms trade declined 38 percent last year, according to a report released by the US Congressional Research Service.  Sales dropped from $65.2 billion in 2009 to $40.4 billion, the lowest level since 2003.

In spite of its financial crisis the US continues to lead the pack with 57.2% of the market, far ahead of second-place Russia with 19.3%.  The other top arms-exporting countries in descending order include France, United Kingdom, China, Germany and Italy.

The document, considered one of the most detailed reports available to the public, said that developed countries account for the majority of the global arms trade.  Developing countries that export the tools of war were led by India, followed by Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Algeria, Syria, South Korea, Singapore and Jordan.

Author Richard Grimmett attributed the reduction to uncertainties in the global economy.

General Sanabria in happier times

Former Bolivian general Rene Sanabria this week was sentenced to 14 years in prison for a drug trafficking case with possible ties to president Evo Morales.

The retired chief of Bolivia’s anti-narcotics unit plead guilty to charges of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine to the United States.

Sanabria and a partner were detained this year in Panama while awaiting a connecting flight, as the result of an operation in which undercover DEA agents posed as Colombian narcotraffickers.

At the time of his arrest Sanabria was director of an anti-drug intelligence unit reporting to the Bolivian interior minister.  The case resulted in political fallout in Bolivia including a reorganization of top security posts early this year.

Morales, a fierce critic of US policy, expelled the DEA from Bolivia in 2008 and accused that agency of spying and conspiring against his government.

According to prosecutors, Sanabria offered protection to his accomplice Marcelo Foronda in order to ship cocaine from Bolivia to the United States.  Last year a test shipment arranged with him by undercover agents brought 144 kilos of cocaine to Miami via Chile.  Prosecuters alleged Sanabria and another Bolivian police official demanded  US$260,000 for their services.

Foronda received a lesser sentence of nine years from a federal judge in Miami.

Besides being an advisor of the Organization of American States OAS, and directly involved in the peace process in Colombia, the Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón has been very active in other matters related to latinamerican politics.  This week , in Mexico, Judge Garzón…

2) Jamaican drug lord Christoper ‘Dudus’ Coke faces 23 years in jail.

Christoper “Dudus” Coke pleaded guilty to trafficking three tonnes of marijuana and 30lbs of cocaine into America, as well as ordering the stabbing of a New York drug dealer.  Coke, 42, told a judge in New York: “I’m…

3) FBI: Be Aware of Recent Cyber Crime Scams.

The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reports recent cyber crime trends and new twists to previously-existing cyber scams. They include:

4) Univisión: Bolivian Police Commander Oscar Nina accused of complicity with Joaquin “Chapo” Guzman and Sinaloa Cartel.

In Univision´s report, released Thursday, the network linked the former commander of the Bolivian Police General Oscar Nina with the leader of the Sinaloa cartel, Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera , known as “Chapo” (Shorty).  The Police Commander Nina allegedly provided protection when Chapo Guzman was in Bolivia.  However, Nina..

5)El Salvador will apply military discipline to young people to counter Maras bad influence.

The Minister of National Defence of El Salvador, David Munguia Payés , said that the plan is aimed at those young people “at risk” living in areas of influence of the “maras” (dangerous international gang, linked to Zetas and other criminal groups) . The project will be..

6) Montevideo: 11th Summit of Latin America Interpol Working Group on cyber & tech crime.

During the inauguration in Montevideo, Uruguay of the XI International Conference of the Interpol Working Group on Technology Crime (including cybercrime) , the President of the Interpol Working Group Mr. Miguel Angel Justo (from Argentina) said that “the police of the countries of Latin America must…

7) Crime and Violence within social networks like Facebook.

In the beginning, social networks were just a new way of socializing among friends and business people. In the last years, some people are using these networks for other purposes than family and friends.  Using facebook some people started a political movement that ended in Egyptian revolution against Mubarak.

Others organize urban riots like some British youngsters recently did in London and Birmingham. Others organize groups in Facebook to sell them illegal narcotics, like it happened in the brazilian slums.  Also Facebook and social networking is now used for teen violence, school harassment, gang activity and organized crime.  That is why, Police…

Corruption: High ranked uruguayan leftist politicians risk jail accused of fraud, extortion,bribes and power abuse.

The state prosecution in Uruguay asked the Judge for prison prosecutions against the leftist politicians Mariano Arana, Maria Julia Munoz and Alberto Rosselli accused of fraud, extortion (bribes) and power abuse.  This new development is..

9) Sinaloa Cartel seems to be expanding on a massive level of methamphetamine production

The Sinaloa is nowadays the most powerful drug cartel in Mexico, with The Zetas in second place.

The Sinaloa Cartel seems to be expanding on a massive level of methamphetamine production, filling the void left by the virtual  dissolution of the cartel La Familia that was once the principal in the production and illegal trafficking of synthetic drugs.

It is believed that the cartel is..

10) Mexican police in Nuevo León/Monterrey using high-tech against crime.

Mexican troops have now the support of armored units, motorcycles, ambulances, police cars, high tech communications and helicopters Black Hawk, all equipped with latest instruments. Also surveillance cameras, a high tech police headquarter, etc. With these means, new units in…

Mexico

Mexico arrested druglord Oscar Garcia Montoya, specialist in beheadings and leader of the Beltran Leyva Cartel.

Colombia

Colombia and Canada inaugurate Free Trade Agreement, while United States remain undecided.

Ecuador

Hacker organisation Anonymous is responsible of the cyber attacks against the government of Ecuador.

Venezuela

Near the colombian border, Venezuela fights cocaine production and its illegal trafficking.

Costa Rica/Colombia.

Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón said that governments foster insecurity among citizens in Latin America.

U.S./Colombia/Mexico

DEA and colombian police imprisoned the Sinaloa´s Cartel most important money launderer.

United States

Defense Department will begin to fund hackers to help make systems more secure in the event of a new cyber attack.

President of Peru Ollanta Humala announced his policy on security, public safety, drug trafficking, corruption and armed forces

In his inaugural speech to the nation, the new President of Peru, the leftist nationalist Ollanta Humala described his goals during his administration. Besides issues like foreign policy, health, education, economic development and such, President Humala described his policy on security and public safety.

In that sense, President Humala announced the following policies and guidelines for his administration:

- Humala will preside a new institution, a National Council to fight Crime and for Citizen Security Policy.
- will gradually increase the salaries of the police

- to  implement the physical labor for convicts of serious crimes

- higher penalties to deter the use of firearms in the commission of crimes of any kind

- tougher measures against rapists, or for any crime committed against a child or a child

- will fight gender violence against women and will propose a revision of the legislation
-  to execute a drug policy that strengthens the Peruvian model of comprehensive and sustainable alternative development to convert the coca farmer

- will fight to control the “alarming” increase in drug use among adolescents and youth

- oppose the legalization of drugs consumption nor illicit crops and will instead fight against illegal drug trafficking

- will have a dialog with the illicit drugs consumer countries in order to share responsibility, and will control the use of chemicals for the production of cocaine and will fight against drug gangs

- reduce the area of ​​illegal crops of coca, he will not allow the extent of illegal crops

- will take the initiative of a Regional Drug presidential summit
- considers that corruption is an element that weakens the peruvian state and affects its development and therefore corruption is a security problem. Humala will promote the applicability of corruption offenses against the State and the perpetual disqualification against the perpetrators or accomplices to the future exercise of any public function . Humala propose the elimination of conditional sentences in corruption convictions and imprisonment must be enforced effectively, and advocate the elimination of prison benefits in cases of corruption.

- regarding national defense, Humala will improve the equipment of the armed forces, will increase the payment of conscripts and installing the Armed Forces Institute of Technology for teaching specialists to graduate from military service.

Director Nacional de Policia del Uruguay Julio Guarteche denuncia que jóvenes quieren ser vendedores de drogas

Montevideo, Uruguay.- Household surveys and high school students revealed that young children want to be drug dealers when the role model before for the teenagers was footballers, doctors, firefighters or police officers, informed high ranked officers of the Ministry of Interior in the  uruguayan Senate.

“I recently took a survey that asked minors (below 18 years old) what they wanted to be when they become adults. The most repeated response was that they wanted to be drug traffickers. That’s very worrisome because the drug trafficker is seen as a role model ” said Monday the Director of the National Police Julio Guarteche in front of the Commission of Constitution and Legislation of the Senate.

During the session, the under secretary of the Ministry of Interior and former president of the National Board against Drugs, Jorge Vazquez informed that the Ministry of Interior “actually made several surveys, some in homes and some with high school students, and hence arose that information,” he said.

“Certainly at the end of this story we find that the most important tool of socialization of youngsters is the transmission of values ​​from parents to children,” said Director Guarteche.

Guarteche, who was head of the Directorate General for the Repression of Illicit Drug Trafficking for a decade, assured the parliament that “we conclude that we must all return to traditional family model, trying to strengthen it. What parents can do, nobody else can, however, in the most developed countries, the transmission of social values ​​that young people are getting are mainly from television, Internet and video games, “he said.

He recalled that there are countries in which parents talk with their children seven minutes per week and mothers 47.

“We prosecuted corrupt cops”

National Police director, Julio Guarteche, also said to the senate that one of his priorities “is clear” the police institution of corrupt cops.

Guarteche also said that in the world the biggest threat is the organized crime. “It’s like a locomotive that can only move on the rails of corruption. We are working to strengthen the Internal Affairs Department of the Police,” he said. Then added: “On many occasions we have prosecuted police officers involved” in drug trafficking.  Guarteche also pointed to another of the tools implemented in the police is the periodic and unannounced drug testing of the troops “at  any time a police officer may be called for a urine test,” he said.

Famous folk singer Facundo Cabral killed by guatemalan gangs. Photo Credit AP.

GUATEMALA CITY – The Argentine singer-songwriter Facundo Cabral, 74, was shot dead Saturday in Guatemala City, where he offered a recital last week.

Cabral, 74, appeared twice in Guatemala on Tuesday and Thursday, and headed on Saturday morning from the hotel to the La Aurora International Airport to travel to Nicaragua, when his vehicle was shot by unknown hitmen.

The artist received several bullet wounds and died at the scene.

Another vehicle with Cabral´s  bodyguards was also shot, but nobody was hurt, police said.

Guatemala has always been a violent country, but in the last years violence has picked due to the presence of the mexican cartel Los Zetas and the gang Maras Salvatrucha.

Guatemala’s President Alvaro Colom, “is appalled by this dastardly deed,” said to the press the Secretary of Social Communication of the Presidency, Ronaldo Robles. The spokesman said the singer died of multiple gunshots and the security staff were unable to repel the attack: “It was a direct attack against them perpetrated by gunmen who used assault rifles.”

Cabral used bodyguards due to the violent situation in Guatemala and the fact that every known personality arriving to Guatemala is recommended to use bodyguards.

The vehicle carrying Cabral was ambushed in the intersection of Liberation Boulevard and 14 Street, area 7.

“It’s sad that this man who sang for love, peace and joy has been killed by some bastards in Guatemala,” said Ronaldo Robles, Secretary of Social Communication of the Presidency of Guatemala.

Robles said the government started with the criminal investigation and they hope to catch the responsible for this assasination.

Free Press informed that one of the drivers who accompanied Cabral said that hitmen used two vehicles during the attack. Cabral’s bodyguards tried to prevent the murder, but did not prevent the bullets from hitting the body of the troubadour.

Rodolfo Enrique Facundo Cabral was born on May 22, 1937 in La Plata, Argentina, and besides being a singer, was known in Latin America and many other parts of the world for his compositions and musical productions.

Before this crime,  Facundo Cabral had returned from Quetzaltenango, where he gave his last concert.

The version of the Government of Guatemala.-

Guatemala’s government investigates the hypothesis that the armed attack which killed on Saturday the folksinger Facundo Cabral, was an attack against Nicaraguan businessman Henry Fariña, as announced by the government minister, Carlos Menocal.

He said that during the initial investigations ballistics experts found that  the bullets that hit the vehicle carrying two persons were aimed at the driver of the car which was Fariña.

Menocal said that based on the testimony of witnesses, the jeep was ambushed by three cars and the car of bodyguards of Farina tried to prevent the attack.

Farina drove injured a nearby fire station about 200 meters, where paramedics attended, but Cabral that was traveling in the passenger seat, was already dead.

Other possibilities.-

The organized crime activities in Guatemala are on the rise. Guatemala is strategically very important for drug traffickers since it is located between the producers of cocaine in South America and the distributors in North America, the mexican cartels. The bloody mexican cartel  Los Zetas are very active in Guatemala with the assistance of some former guatemalan elite soldiers (ex-kaibiles) and member of the Maras gang. Also, the guatemalan drug gangs are also very active.

The mexican war on drugs has expanded now into Guatemala, since Los Zetas committed several crimes in the border between the two countries.

Recently, a US-Guatemalan commando seized the no 1 drug kingpin in Guatemala Juan Ortiz Lopez, and he could be extradited to the U.S.

One possibility is that the killing of Cabral could have been a deadly warning to the Guatemalan government.

The last performance of Facundo cabral was In Quetzaltenango where two months ago U.S. and guatemalan agents captured Guatemala s drug king pin no 1. Suspect Juan Ortiz Lopez (c.), known as 'Chamale,' is escorted in Guatemala City on March 30. Ortiz, a suspected drug trafficker, was captured by US and Guatemalan agents in Quetzaltenango and is wanted by a District Court in the United States, for drug trafficking through international borders. Photo Credit to Paolo Raquec/Guatemala Presidency/Reuters

Ecuador anti drugs officer (Photo credit Alberto Bailon Associated Press)

Since he arrived in handcuffs at the Judicial Police (PJ) of Pichincha in the north center of Quito, Myasnikov M. remained silent, just speaking with his translator.

The russian was wanted by Interpol accused of murder, illegal storage of firearms and explosives in his home country, Russia.

The official website of Interpol has two photographs of  the arrested mobster and the website informs that the man is 1.80 m. height.

An agent who participated in the police investigation said that in March 2010, the russian handled his ID in the Civil Registry of Quevedo, in Ecuador. The document says he is Ecuadorian, but called  Luis V. Ziga.

The police said that the ID document is a fraud.

However, the archives of the National Civil Registry said that the russian lived in Guayaquil, and in his ID his name was M. Myasnikov and that he was born on November 19, 1976. This last figure does not match the one on the page of Interpol, for there is said to be born on November 18 of that year.

Police said they have a driving license type B, which appears as Luis V. Ziga

The deputy head of the Judiciary Police of Pichincha, Lt. Col. Jose Ortiz, said the man lived in Ecuador since 2006. The ecuadorean Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says he is registered since 2008, with alleged zero income tax.

An agent who investigated the case said that shortly after arriving in Ecuador for eight months the russian was manager of a flower exports company . But then the owners of that company decided to fire him.

Then, the russian put a  factory of window structures in one of the valleys of Quito. In addition, he made trips to Peru, a country that allegedly he tried to expand his business.

The criminal investigation on this person began more than six months ago, leaded by the ecuadorean Intelligence, in coordination with  Interpol in Quito.

Lt. Col. Ortiz also said the man’s arrest took place at about 12:30 yesterday at a cafe in the valley of Quito.

Also, at first tried to put up resistance and even denied his identity, but by matching his fingerprints filed by Interpol , the authorities found that it was the wanted man.

Last week, the country authorities stopped in Quito the second chief of the FARC’s Front 48, alias Danilo. Before his arrest, the autorities arrested alleged members of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel and alleged members of Al Qaeda.

Last May, Jay Bergman, director of the DEA for South America, said that Ecuador is becoming a “United Nations” of organized crime.

This is because, according to the official, the “drug traffickers from Albania to China use it as a platform to reach agreements with cocaine smugglers.”

In the case of the foreign national arrested yesterday, the ecuadorean officers revealed that he allegedly has ties to the Russian mafia.

It was known under the name of Luis V. Ziga, the alien had at least one bank account with $ 1 000 000 and a luxury vehicle. Investigations continue to determine the origin of money and investment in the property. There are suspicions that the money would be devoted to money laundering.

After 17:00, the detainee was transferred to the pretrial detention center while awaiting deportation. The man was taken amid a strong police protection. Gendarmes of the elite units of police guarded the prisoner. Agents wearing bulletproof vest and helmet stayed all afternoon in the interiors of the Judicial Police. The stranger remained silent.