TOP BORDER NEWS OF THE DAY
by the Frontera NorteSur staff
Wed., April 1: Unscrupulous bussinesses in Juárez
It is suspected that a pharmacy in Juárez owned by an EL Paso man is responsible for the selling of Rohypnol, known as the "date-rape" drug, according to El Paso Times.
Hundreds of thousands of Rohypnol pills were introduced into the United States during the past five years, according to charges unsealed Tuesday by federal investigators.
Authorities in Juárez claimed that the sale of the drug Rohypnol is being discontinued, published El Paso Times on March 26.
Tues., March 31: Snow, Hail, Sleet, Rain, Hit Border
A week into spring, high winds, cold temperatures, snow, hail, sleet and rain unexpectedly hit Ciudad Juárez, El Paso, and neighboring areas Monday, the El Paso Times and El Diario reported.
El Paso recorded the lowest high temperature ever for March 30, 50 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Times. The high temperature in Juárez for the day was 9 degrees Celsius, or 49 degrees Fahrenheit, El Diario reported. Temperatures should rise to 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit today, Sergio Chaparro Gutiérrez, meteorologist with the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez, told El Diario.
Snow also came to the Chihuahua mountain municipalities of Madera, Creel, San Juanito, La Junta and Temósachic, according to the state civil protection office. Four inches of snow fell in Temósachic, the office's chief, Oscar Naciff Rojas, told El Diario.
The Janos highway to Puerto San Luis closed Monday, although it reopened in the evening, Federal Highway Police told El Diario.
The inclimate weather was a result of a low pressure system accompanied by a low front, associated with El Niño, Gutiérrez told the Juárez newspaper.
Sources: El Diario, El Paso Times
Mon., March 30: Visitors "Flood" to Remodeled City Center
After the official opening Saturday of the remodeled central square district, in front of the Cathedral of Guadalupe in Juárez, "tens" of visitors braved dusty wind Sunday to enjoy a new fountain and other attractions of the Plaza de Armas, El Diario reported.
Area business people seemed optimistic they could recover customers lost during the construction.
"Most of the clients are people who use this route and who must happen this way," pharmacy employee Jose Jiménez told El Diario.
"That does not mean we forget the losses," however, employee of an area business Maria Castro, said. Business owners also looked to the city to implement a strong maintenance program and strict enforcement of traffic rules, according to the paper. They worried about deterioration of the new construction and clogged streets traffic, especially trucks, can bring, they told El Diario.
The ceremony inagurating the works Saturday turned into a "campagn act" for mayor with license Ramon Galindo Noriega, according to the paper. Galindo Noriega is running on the right-of-center PAN ticket for Governor of Chihuahua. The bishop of Juárez, and the panista acting mayor and current governor all praised Galindo Noriega's role in initiating the remodeling project.
Source: El Diario
Fri., March 27: Strong Winds Blow Through Border
After record high temperatures and clear, calm skies earlier in the week, strong winds and cool temperatures hit the El Paso/Juárez area hard on Thursday.
Winds gusted up to 60 mph (100 kph) and temperatures dropped from 81 degrees at 1 p.m. to 57 degrees by 4 p.m. in the two cities, the El Paso Times and El Diario reported. The two papers reported no serious injuries from the wind, but downed power lines caused blackouts in parts of the cities. High winds also knocked trees and signs over and blew roofs off some buildings, including an El Paso car dealership and a bowling alley in the same city.
The winds also kicked up dust, making visibility poor and causing authorities to close some roads and ask drivers to keep their headlights on. The Juárez International Airport suspended flights during the afternoon for lack of visibility as well.
Officials at the airport in nearby Las Cruces, N.M. recorded gusts of 68 mph, according to the Times.
Sources: El Diario, El Paso Times
Thurs., March 26: After 31 Years of Service, Border Bridge Demolished
With the demolition of the old structure of the Córdova-De las Américas border crossing bridge Wednesday, the last stage of construction of the new international crossing began.
The "Libre," or "Free" bridge, as thousands of El Paso and Juárez inhabitants knew it, was constructed in the 1960s as part of the convention for the return of the Chamizal to Mexico.
The bridge opened to transit October 1967, René Valenzuela, head of the Department of Public Relations of the Commission the International of Limits and Waters in El Paso, Texas, said.
It had three tracks for automobiles and one for trucks, unlike the new structure that has three tracks for light vehicles and two for heavy units, according to Valenzuela.
Builders designed the "Libre" with an expected life of 50 years in 1967, Valenzuela said. They never they imagined the growth that would develop in border industry, affecting the structure by the constant passage of trailers with heavy loads, he continued.
The bridge was the scene of several events that marked history in the border, according to El Diario. PAN militants and supporters remember it as the " Bridge of the Democracy ", having blockaded it several times in the 1980s in post-election protests, the paper said.
In fact, the PAN has made " souvenirs " with concrete from the first stage of demolition, placing them on a base with a photograph and a synopsis of the event in 1986.
With the demolition of the last structure of this international crossing also part of the history of the two sister cities is "lieing down," according to El Diario. Although they were separated by a river and a social, political and economic system they always had remained united by the free bridge, the paper continued.
Source: El Diario
Wed., March 25: Formal denunciation to an agent from the Group Fortac
Juárez officials have presented a case against an anti-organized crime joint task force for alleged extortion.
The Department of Internal Affairs from the City Council Secretariat presented a denunciation of facts against the Fortrac law enforcement group for extortion of a person who alledgedly smuggled people into the United States.
The alleged victim of the extortion, Rodolfo Aguilera, also presented the same denounciation to the Office of Previous Inquiries " against whoever is responsible " for the extortion offense.
Aguilera explained in his claim, that he is a simple employee of the bar Jumbo, located in the streets Acacias and Ocampo, and he denied being a smuggler.
He added that the money that the police agents took from him inside the bar, was sent to him by one of his sons from New York so that he could buy his vehicle.
The Office of Previous Inquiries will start an investigation to verify Aguilera's information. People involved in the extortion would come to testify before a judge, said Jorge Ramírez Pulido Head of the State Office. In the meantime, the head of the Fortac group has been suspended.
Source: El Diario
Tues., March 24: Border Patrol Agent Shoots Driver
In the second shooting in less than three months by El Paso area Border Patrol agents, a bike-mounted agent shot and wounded a driver who allegedly tried to run him down Monday night, a Patrol spokesman told the El Paso Times.
Names of those involved were not available Monday night, but the driver was in serious condition in an El Paso hospital after the incident in the Lower Valley area of the border city, Border Patrol spokesman Douglas Mosier told the Times.
Two bike-mounted agents were working together when a vehicle tried to run one down, Mosier said. The agent avoided the vehicle, although his bicycle did not, and shot the driver when the vehicle came back, Mosier added.
"We don't know what the motive or other circumstances were yet," Mosier told the newspaper.
A still-unidentified Border Patrol agent shot and killed a Juárez man who allegedly pulled a pistol on him January 13.
Source: El Paso Times
Mon., March 23: Cartel's Hired Assasin Apparently Unknown to Officials
The name of the alleged hired assasin, or sicario, of the Juárez Cartel, Robert Orozco Hernandez, known by the nicknames El Che or El Chet, did not appear in any investigation related to the executions committed in Juárez, the head of homicides of the State Judicial Police (PJE), Arturo Tovar Hernandez, told El Diario Sunday.
U.S. authorities detained Orozco Hernandez for extradition purposes Saturday in Chicago, the Mexican federal Attorney General's (PGR) office told Norte de Ciudad Juárez.
It is necessary that federal authorities send photographs of the alleged assasin, to collate with Juárez police records or to show to murder witnesses, Tovar Hernandez added.
Until the moment his only source of information of the criminal's existence had been through the mass media, according to Tovar Hernandez. It is necessary that the federal Attorney General's office ask the state Attorney General's office's collaboration to try to establish if Orozco Fernandez is involved in the homicides committed in this border, he said.
Source: El Diario, Norte de Ciudad Juárez
Fri., March 20: First Bi-National Demand Reduction Conference
Community action must be "the heart of the solution," to reducing demand for drugs, Barry McCaffrey, director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy told a demand reduction conference in El Paso Thursday, the El Paso Times reported.
Specialists of drug prevention and treatment, child and family social services, and Mexican officials attended the two-day U.S.-Mexico Bi-National Demand Reduction conference at the Camino Real Hotel in downtown El Paso.
"We've improved out attitudes and perceptions...laying the groundwork on how to reduce our common problems," said Juan Rebolledo Gout, Mexican Under Secretary for North America and Europe.
"We must have strict respect for the sovereignity of each country," said Rebolledo.
Source: El Paso Times
Thurs., March 19: More than 120 vehicles without plates
More than a 120 municipal vehicles from Ciudad Juárez are circulating without registration because the Secretariat of Commerce and Industry has not extended import permissions, according to Jorge Domínguez Cortés, head official at City Hall.
If an official vehicle commits a traffic violation, there is no way to identify it, complained José Antonio Guerra Ramírez, civilian from Ciudad Juárez. Guerra Ramirez was almost run over by a municipal pick-up truck Tuesday, he said.
Source: El Diario
Wed., March 18: Borderland attracts 10 thousand visitors
With an expected attendance of 10 thousand visitors in its two days of activities, March 17-18, in El Paso, TX initiated the Borderland Tradeshow that has become the most important event of the south of the United States directed to the industry assembly plant, according to El Diario.
The event, with a cost of $1.5 million, attracted the participation of 325 companies and 450 booths of exhibition, according to Larry Stelley, president of the Borderland company Network Productions, and organizer of the event.
The number of participants in this occasion was similar to the last year event, due to limited capacity in the Convention Center, Stelley explained.
Source: El Diario
Tues., March 17: Cartel Bought Bank to Launder Money, Paper Says
The Juárez drug cartel bought shares in the Anáhuac Financial Group (GFA) with the intention of using it to launder money in 1995 and 1996, while Amado Carillo Fuentes controlled the cartel, according to Mexican National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) and federal Attorney General's department (PGR) documents obtained by La Reforma newspaper in Mexico City, both Norte de Ciudad Juárez and El Diario reported.
The attempted take over, while never approved by the CNBV, was the "first time in the history of Mexico that a criminal conspiracy was documented for the aquisition of a bank with the objective to realize, with impunity, large operations of money laundering," reporter César Romero Jacobo wrote in Norte, citing CNBV sources.
Sources: Norte de Ciudad Juárez, El Diario, La Reforma
Frontera NorteSur and the Center for Latin American Studies at New Mexico State University today commemorate the anniversary of the birth of Willoughby Nason, who died unexpectedly in 1979 while pursuing a master's degree in History at NMSU. To honor his memory, the Nason family provided the university with a generous endowment to support Latin American Studies at NMSU, and refurbished the president's residence as a permanent site for the Center for Latin American Studies. Frontera NorteSur and the Center for Latin American Studies salute the memory of Willoughby Nason and the generosity of the Nason family.
Mon., March 16: Two new lines open at new International bridge
Two new lines at the El Libre international bridge between El Paso and Juárez, were scheduled to start operation Monday.
One of the lines will be used for vehicles that do not have anything to declare, and the other line for vehicles that transport merchandise, announced El Diario. The Texas Department of Transportation warned about possible traffic jams and reccomended the Zaragoza or Lerdo bridges as alternatives, advised El Diario.
It is expected that more than 34 thousand vehicles will circulate daily at the new El Libre bridge next June when construction has ended, said Juan Manuel Rodríguez Cid, Mexican customs admisnistrator.
With the new scheme of operations, it will also be necessary the construction of a building for the Fiscal police, said Luis Jesús Rangel López local subadministrator of resources of the Border Customs.
Source: El Diario
Fri., March 13: Indictments Brought in Exploitation of "Illegals"
Three US citizens of hispanic origin exploited and kept prisoner four Mexicans, including two who could not speak or hear, according to charges filed by the US attorney's office in El Paso, the Immigration and Naturalization Service told El Diario Thursday.
Manuel Zamora Hernández, Teresa Lozano and Guadalupe Lozano face charges of conspiracy to violate human rights, smuggling, and prostitution of the undocumented immigrants, as well as involuntary confinement and kidnapping, according to the newspaper. The Lozanos also are charged with transporting the immigrants across state lines for prostitution, El Diario added.
If found guilty on all charges, they could face life in jail, Luis Garcia, Director of the INS in El Paso, told the paper.
Source: El Diario
Thurs., March 12: More Denunciations Against Eco 2000
The legal case against the real estate corporation "Eco 2000" was reopened Wednesday due to an increasing number of demands, reported El Diario.
About 40 more people demanded inclusion in the investigation of the alleged fraud made by the real estate "Eco 2000," said Jorge Ramírez Pulido, head of the Department of Previous Investigations. About 206 families were affected by José Pérez Esparza, vendor of the properties, Ramírez Pulido said.
The case started when the people living in "Eco 2000" realized their houses were almost falling down, because of the poor material used in their construction, according to El Diario. When they decided to complain about it, they learned that they did not have titile to the property. José Pérez Esparza had been selling land that didn't belong to him, reported El Diario.
In the meantime, Pérez Esparza and his wife Cecilia Mercado are under custody. They were arrested on March 9 in their house. Some of the neighbors of "Eco 2000" have received a notice from the bank to leave their houses, reported El Diario.
Source:El Diario
Wed., March 11: Desert Dunes Ecosystem May Be Threatened by Sand Mining
The State Government of Chihuahua has requested an environmental impact report for sand mining in the Médanos of Samalayuca from commoners (ejidatarios) from nearby Villa Luz, to protect the hundreds of species of flora and fauna of the sand dune area.
This study will be definitive to evaluate if the ejidatarios can continue mining sand, Jose Treviño Fernández, head of the Department of Ecology of the State Government, said. Environmental organizations, ecologists, and the private sector will analyze the report to evaluate if it is justified, said Treviño Fernández.
If they do not prove technically that sand exploitation in Samalayuca is under control, they would have a term of 10 months to continue working in the area, in order to fulfill pre-established contracts, he concluded.
This measure is a result of a public consultation that was carried out to integrate ecological procedures for Samalayuca, according to Treviño Fernández.
Source: El Diario
Tues., March 10: Reward Offered for Leaders of Juárez Cartel
Mexican government officials Monday announced an offensive against the Juárez drug cartel that included rewards of 4 million pesos (about $465,000) and arrest orders against alleged cartel members.
Authorities will "do whatever it takes to totally dismantle the Juárez cartel," Mexico's anti-drug czar, Special Prosecutor for the Attention of Crimes Against Health Mariano Herrán Salvatti, told the Los Angeles Times.
"Whatever it takes" included arrest warrants issued against current or former military officers and federal judicial police. The charges stemmed from an investigation of Mexico's former anti-drug czar, Gen. Jose de Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, who was jailed in 1997 for alleged connections with the Juárez Cartel's former leader, Amado Carillo Fuentes.
Sources: El Diario, Los Angeles Times
Mon., March 9: Women's Organizations Celebrate International Women's Day
Despite little public response, diverse communitarian organizations celebrated International Women's Day Sunday with a "t-shirt marathon" on National Army Avenue.
The intention of the event was to get donated T-shirts of average use to be channeled to asylums, disciplinary centers and orphanages, but due to the lack of popular participation the goal was not obtained.
Nevertheless, women cried out the need to be respected and their right to have equal opportunities.
In a official notice, women organizers complained that "women issues"do not exist in any agenda of the State or Municipal Government, or in any supportive program that approaches problems of the women in the border.
Source: El Diario
Sun., March 8: Almost 900 Vehicle Robberies in Juárez in Two Months
In January and February, 870 vehicle robberies were registered in Juárez, while only 40 robbers were caught and taken to prision.
State Judicial Police arrested 35 people in flagrant violation of the crime in the month of February, police officials said.
A dozen young people entered the School of Social Improvement for Minors for the crime of vehiclular robbery in the months of January and February, school officials said.
Source: El Diario
Sat., March 7: Environmentalists Cry Out Against Border Pollution
Several specialists in the conservation of the border environment from México and US met Friday and Saturday, during the Annual Binational Encounter on Environment.
Environmentalists discussed present problems like water pollution, irregular city growth, population increase, industrialization, and the environmental contamination of the border cities.
"The panaroma looks really serious, but there are more possibilities than ever to do something about it," Laura Durazo, Director of the Border Environmental Project in Tijuana, said.
"It is right to say that the future is not optimistic, but we shouldn't be that pessimistic either," Abraham Mehmad, Director of Border Issues in Juárez, told El Diario.
Some members of the "Sierra Blanca Legal Fund," also expressed their concern and opposition to the controversial nuclear waste repository project at Sierra Blanca, Texas.
The Encounter lasted two days from March 6 through 7 in Ciudad Juárez.
Source: El Diario
Fri., March 6: El Paso and Querétaro: Cities 'Hermanas'
Industralists and authorities from El Paso, Texas, and Querétaro, México Thursday signed an Agreement of Cooperation México-United States, in the framework of the Mission of Businesses.
The agreement, signed by El Paso mayor, Carlos Ramirez, and Martha Ortiz de Romero, in representation of Francisco Garrido, president of the city of Querétaro, included educational exhange of information, investment projects, strategic alliances, tourism and technological exhange.
Both authorities have the intention " to continue narrowing the loops of friendship of the two cities," according to Ramirez.
Source: El Diario
Thurs., March 5: Authorities Deny Fraud with Fair of Juárez Resources
The Permanent Organizing President of the Juárez fair, Jesús Abrego López, Wednesday rejected charges of that fraud in the handling of the resources of the organization, according to El Diario.
The accusation done Tuesday by the President of the national industrial chamber of commerce (Canacintra), Efrén Olguín Cárdenas, was false and with merely political motivation, Abrego López said. The fair's executive committee scheduled an extraordinary executive meeting Thursday at the Canaco building to analyze the case, said Abrego López.
Source: El Diario
Wed., March 4: Chihuahua Banks Taken in Protest
Members of an activist group blockaded the entrance of several banks in Chihuahua Tuesday.
The group, known as the Barzón,organized to defend the rights of debtors. They demanded a final solution to the "carteras vencidas" (literally "overcome portfolios") problem. The movement, also called "Active Mobilization," asked people to get together outside the banks with their cars, buses, trucks, tractors, heavy machinery and even horses to prevent the opening of the banks. This action affected tens of people who went to make banking transactions, including retired people who wanted to cash their pension checks.
Source: El Diario
Tues., March 3: New Tip Campaign Starts Today
The State Justice General Attorney started Tuesday a campaign in which Juárez citizens may anonymously call in with information related to a crime.
Several people have already been trained to receive these telephone calls, said State attorney Arturo Chávez Chávez. The campaign was created by the Social Communication Office from the State Government. There are another two preventive campaigns created by the cities with some support of the state, said Arturo Chávez Chávez. The other two campaigns are "Ciudadano Vigilante" (vigilant citizen) and Pago de Recompensas o Alto al Crimén (Rewards or Stop the crime).
Source: El Diario
Mon., March 2: Long lines to get electoral credentials
The Special Intensive Campaign to Update the Federal Census concluded the time to register, update information or to get replacement electoral credentials. Many people waited until the last moment to fill out electoral forms, said Cisneros Govea, head of District 4. On Sunday, there was an average of 50 people in line at each booth, and in the southeast part of the city, there were up to 100 people waiting in each line. The electoral booths will be open until April 19 to hand out electoral credentials for those who filled out their forms before the deadline.
Source: El Diario
Sun., March 1: Finally, Cristina gave birth to six kids
A young Chihuahua woman, Cristina Hernández, 27, gave birth to six babies in México City. The six babies were born on February 28 at Angeles del Pedragal Hospital. They are three baby girls and 3 baby boys, and each weigh around .7 kg. (1.6 lbs.) to .8 kg. (1.8 lbs). All the babies are in the intensive care unit, to keep their vital signs under observation, according to Diario de Juárez. Cristina's doctor, Julio Mateos, mentioned that the babies will stay at the hospital until they weigh at least 1.8 to 2.0 kg (4 to 4.4 lbs.), that is, in about one month and a half. Cristina is in stable condition and will leave the hospital when her recuperation is completed.
Source: El Diario