Sylvia Longmire's Blog: Mexico's Drug War, page 2

"Other kingpin in DEA killing may be freed."

Here is an excerpt from the Associated Press article in the Arizona Daily Star:

"Defense attorneys believe freedom is imminent for a second member of the trio of Mexican drug kingpins responsible for the 1985 slaying of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent (Kiki Camarena, pictured),
one of the capo's attorneys said Saturday. In the U.S., outrage grew over this week's surprise decision to overturn Mexican drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero's conviction in the notorious killing. Caro...

Zetas Leader Miguel "Z-40" Treviño Morales Captured in Nuevo Laredo

Or so we believe. This news is breaking all over as I type, so this post is subject to updating as more information comes in. A report from the San Antonio Express-News has some more
detail than the other early reports, despite the fact that the Dallas Morning News was the first US source I saw cited. From what I'm able to gather from multiple (and sometimes contradictory) US and Mexican sources, Treviño was captured during a shootout with Mexican marines in the border city of...

"Three Defendants Plead Guilty to Participating in Ambush Murder and Attempted Murder of ICE Agents in Mexico."

Here's an excerpt from the Department of Justice press release:

"Julian Zapata Espinoza, also known as “Piolin,” 32, pleaded guilty today to the murder of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent Jaime Zapata and the attempted murder of ICE Special Agent Victor Avila in Mexico. The court also unsealed
today the guilty pleas of three other defendants on related murder, attempted murder, racketeering, and accessory charges... As set forth in court filings, on...

"Immigration reform’s hidden border-crossing charge."

Here is an excerpt from Mark Johanson's article in the International Business Times:

"If the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has its way, Congress may soon authorize the study of a fee to be collected at all land crossings with Canada and Mexico. The contentious issue was buried deep within the department’s proposed 2014 budget, released
last week by DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. It may have gone relatively unnoticed if U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., hadn’t sounded the...

BOOK REVIEW: "The Fence: National Security, Public Safety, and Illegal Immigration along the U.S.-Mexico Border," by Robert Lee Maril

I started reading this book as part of my research for my next book, partly because the content would be useful to cite and partly because it was my biggest competition. I was pleased after finishing it for several reasons: First, it was clear that Dr Maril has had a
considerable amount of first-hand experience working with Border Patrol and has culled a significant number of sources along the border; second, the author is even-handed in his critique of DHS and its component agencies, as well...

"Border Violence Spillover: A Growing, but Undefined Problem."

Here is an excerpt from my latest piece for Small Wars Journal:

"In October 2010, the first Mexican cartel-related beheading occurred in the United States. Martin Alejandro Cota-Monroy was killed because he had stolen a 400-lb load of marijuana and lied to his bosses about it, claiming the US authorities had seized the dope. When they demanded the money he owed them, Cota-Monroy begged for time to repay, offering his house as collateral. When the PEI Estatales and Sinaloa Federation disc...

"Bomb blast injures three; Police believe Brownsville family was targeted."

Here is an excerpt from Mark Reagan and Laura Martinez's article in the Valley Morning Star:

"Investigators say they believe a Brownsville family was intentionally targeted when a bomb exploded inside their home Friday morning and injured three of them. The morning blast at a home on Resaca Vista Drive critically injured a 5-year-old girl and her parents...
Police say they have not been able to determine why the bomb was left at the home... Authorities declined to say whe...

"Latin America reconsiders pot legalization after ballot wins in US."

Here's some descriptive text about the interview I did for KPCC (the NPR station) in Los Angeles this morning:

"Recent marijuana legalization measures in Washington and Colorado have sparked an international dialogue on drug policy, and how to change it. This is especially true in Latin American countries, where the drug trade has had deadly consequences. So might legalizing marijuana diminish the power of the violent cartels? Here to talk about that is Sylvia Longm...

"Branding: Just Another Mexican TCO Tool"

Here is an excerpt from my latest Borders & Intelligence column for Homeland Security Today magazine:

"I’m always on the lookout for great television
shows, so I was intrigued when I heard about 'Sons of Anarchy,' a drama about an outlaw motorcycle club in a
fictional northern California
town. Last season, the club got involved with a
faux Mexican transnational criminal organization (TCO) called the Galindo
cartel, which of course piqued my interest. In one episode, the...

"Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto Outlines New Drug War Plan."

Here is an excerpt from Jordan Fabian's article on ABC/Univision:

"Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said Monday his administration will shift the nation's anti-crime strategy in a break from the U.S.-backed campaign against drug cartels carried out under his predecessor, Felipe Calderón. According to multiple media reports, Peña Nieto
laid out a plan before Mexico's National Council on Public Security that he would focus more on reducing crimes against ordinary citi...