Frontera NorteSur October 2000

Benavides is also being accused of trying to bury allegations of involvement in drug-trafficking by having the editor of the Cd. Juárez weekly magazine Semanario, Antonio Pinedo Cornejo, thrown in jail for defamation. Benavides said that Pinedo's claims about his relation to the drug trade were unsubstantiated and for this reason Pinedo was arrested last week. Pinedo said he based his allegations on a federal investigation of Benavides.

In statements to El Diario Efrén Gutiérrez Casas, president of the local executive committee of the PRD, jokingly called Benavides and Molina "the dynamic duo" and said that wherever they go the drug trade and organized crime will run rampant. Gutiérrez also stated that Benavides should have resigned a long time ago when it was obvious that he was having no effect on lowering crime in Cd. Juárez.

Gutiérrez also expressed doubts that former Chihuahua Governor Francisco Barrio Terrazas would be effective in fighting corruption. He emphasized that under Barrio's leadership the state did not make gains against fighting corruption. Indeed, there were scandals in which state police agents from the Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado were involved in drug trafficking and organized crime.

Wilfrido Campbell Saavedra, local PRI leader, said "Fox is sending the message that he is running out of bullets. I hoped for better from him in terms of putting together a proven team."

Source: El Diario, September 20, 2000. Article by Francisco Raúl Robles.

President-elect Fox Initiates Human Rights Talk in Central America

Mexican President-elect Vicente Fox visited El Salvador as part of his campaign promise to protect the human rights of Central American migrants as they make their way to the United States through Mexico.

Fox surprised the El Salvador National Legislative Assembly by asking immigrants to pardon the treatment they have received in the past from Mexico.  Fox called his petition of pardon "a symbol of restored peace and found reconciliation."  He stated that his administration, which begins its term in December, will launch a special program to protect the integrity of immigrants who use Mexican territory as their bridge to the U.S.

In Nicaragua, Fox again commented on the program stating that its main purpose is to avoid the abuse of immigrants and to promote human rights.  Fox proposed creating a fast-acting, common information system that would act as a consular aid to help prevent human rights violations. The system would allow for the filing of complaints of abuse and for fast action against offending officials.

"We came with a clear message, a promise, that Mexico with its new democratic government, will turn its head south to Central America, El Salvador and all of  Latin America," Fox stated.

"No other subject is as important to us as immigration. Their migrants, like ours, look for opportunities that they don't have in their own home, which tragically are absent, the same is as true in Morazán as in Zacatecas, in La Libertad as in Oaxaca.  Their journey north is a dangerous adventure that frequently ends in violence or death.  I know well that while they [Central Americans] are in my country they are victims of unspeakable abuse and frustrations committed by authorities," Fox said

Fox announced that he will ask the National Commission of  Human Rights (Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos, CNDH) to visit jails and migratory points in Mexico to ensure Central American's human rights.

Source: El Diario, September 14, 2000. 

Troubled Méxicali Water Project

Construction work on the Río Nuevo project has come under fire recently.  José Luis Ríos, president of the Civil Engineers College (Colegio de Ingenieros Civiles) attended the monthly Economic Development Council (Consejo de Desarrollo Económico)  and said that instead of a project Río Negro was more of an obstruction.  Rios stated that negligence on the project could cause Méxicali citizens many problems with serious consequences, as occurred with similar projects in Monterrey and Acapulco.

Ríos stated that irregularities in the project were detected and reported as early as 1997 and even in the project's bidding stage. Among other things, the project's infrastructure was not designed to meet the city's needs over a long period of time.  Likewise, no one understands what the area's growth will be like and how that will affect the project.  Also, there are mistakes in pipe connections because some phases of the project were started at the same time in different areas. 

Among the proposed solutions to these problems is a new plan with an emphasis on channeling the Río Nuevo. A hydrological study is in order and repairs should be made to existing work. This should be done in collaboration with university architects, civil engineers, and the UABC to make sure the project is handled correctly

Ríos told La Crónica, "After trying many times to get an audience with Governor Alejandro González Alcocer, the only thing he did was listen to us.  There was no reaction on his part.  We feel that neither he nor Hector Terán have been informed about the risks that could arise in the future."

Source La Crónica, Saturday, August 19, 2000 By Roberto Valero.

Juárez "Macroflag" Under Repair

Ciudad Juárez's macrobandera, or giant flag, is easily visible from many parts of El Paso, TX and I-10. Made of nylon the flag is 50 meters (150 feet) long and 24 meters wide. It weighs half a ton and flies from a 103 meter tall flag pole. It was first displayed in June, 1997 by order of President Zedillo who asked that all the nation's principal cities field the giant flags.

Today however all three of the city's flags are under repair. A flag worker who asked not to be identified stated that the flags tear as soon as they are run up the pole. One time, he said, pieces of a flag even flew over to El Paso. The tears are due to the city's geographic position, the wind and the height of the macroflag. Currently the flags are in a specially modified tailor's shop.

Source: El Diario, September 4, 2000. Article by Araly Castañon.