Gunmen suspected in the July 18 massacre in Torreon, Mexico, appear to have been convicts, let out of prison, by prison officals, armed with guards guns and official vehicles, to carry out the drug-related killing spree. Thisattack left 17 dead, mostly young people who were at a party in a rented hall.
Upon completing this killing "assignment", the convicts would return to their cells, according to the Attorney General's office. Even in a country that is well know for much corruption, this is a shocking development.
Many areas are seeing flooding due to heavy rains, my native Texas being no exception. However, at the border of Mexico and Texas, is a disaster in the making, as the Rio Grande River has over run its banks up to 40 fit higher than normal flood plains. Homes are literally underwater, others are heavily damaged. The two main bridges, the ones that connect the two countries and that carry most of the commerce from one side to the other, are at risk, which could cripple both economies. The water could damage both bridges.Two large tractor trailers for example, have floated free from the Mexican side, and imperial the bridges. Both main bridges are closed at this time due to the danger of collapse or damage. The displaced number in the thousands.
Update: On the Mexico side, there are at least 15 confirmed dead, others listed as missing, homes filled with mud and rocks in some areas, and 1000's living in shelters. The brides are intact and one has been reopened.
Violence continues to grow in Mexico. While traveling to Mexico city, police officers were shot in ambush, leaving ten Mexican federal police dead, and others injured. This violence is associated with the drug war and cartels that are thriving in Mexico, and spilling over into the United States. Just a week ago, in yet another ambush, a warden was cut into four pieces, which where then scatter throughout the city. Since 2005 more that 22,000 people have died from these drug wars.
On Friday night, a person threw an explosive device over the wall of the U.S. consulate in Nuevo, Laredo, Mexico. Windows were broken, but there were no reported injuries associated with the attack according to the U.S. Embassy on Saturday.
This week’s Geopolitical
Intelligence Report provided a high-level assessment of the
economic forces that affect how the Mexican people and the Mexican
government view the flow of narcotics through that country. Certainly at
that macro level, there is a lot of money flowing into Mexico and a lot
of people, from bankers and businessmen to political parties and
politicians, are benefiting from the massive influx of cash.
