The actual fact, simply stated, is that the Military in Mexico has had over the years the highest level of confidence among the general populace, holding first place over all institutions in the Republic. All churches, all governments, all government agencies, most private companies and agencies and labour unions, rank below to well-below the Army and Navy.
It is pointed out that the main offence of Mexican military personnel is that the enlisted tend to become a bit rough in the bars they frequent...sometimes. It is also pointed out that when there is an offense in or by the military, a court martial is the normal outcome, and hard time is the normal punishment.
The single biggest complaint against the military is...."Why can they not just stay here in our (colonia)(neighbourhood)(village)(wide spot in the road)(city) en force....why do they have to leave?"
My answer to that is that there are obviously not enough Army troops or Naval Infantry to cover a country three time the size of Texas, with a geography ten times more complicated. Besides, I remind the folks, even relatives begin to smell like dead fish after three days. BUT, ever quick of mind, a very good helper..who works as a gasoline dispenser/mechanic's aide at a PEMEX station that I frequent, responded to me once...."Yes, but I would rather smell dead fish that live cucarachas anytime".
Still to this day we have not had an incident at or around our place. We have been where things happened a few days ago, and where things happened after we went by. But at or near our place, nothing. I have not had an incident on the road. The vast majority of people have had no direct impact from the disorders....and there is a feeling, away from the news media people, that the upper hand was being gained by the "good guys" starting about 7 or 8 months ago. That was when the Michoacan group was splintered and pretty much totally trashed by the Military. It was since replaced by a group of survivors who named their organization "The Knights Templar"....which pretty much gives a person an idea of their intellectual ability. They have, as one might suspect, been very poor operators of a crime syndicate, to this point.
Also, more and more local and State authorities have begun to take faith that there would really, really, really be serious backing from Mexico City to take on the plague. MORE THAN ANYTHING, WHEN THE COMMON JOSE GARCIA AND MARIA GONZALEZ BEGAN TO SEE THAT '' DENUNCIA ANONIMA' (anonymous informant information) LINES WERE ACTUALLY BEING ANSWERED BY LIVE MILITARY NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS WITH AUTHORITY TO PROVOKE HEAVILY ARMED MILITARY RESPONSE. THE FLOOD BEGAN AT THAT POINT.
For instance, in the past two weeks there have been, just in Reynosa, Tamaulipas the liberation of 150 kidnapped young men....mainly from Central America....some even from Red China....who were being held for ransom by cucarachas. This was in three separate actions. Just in Reynosa, all from tip-line calls.
Fire-fight, by fire-fight the problem will be solved....but it will still be at least 18 months to 2 years before we can be back to where we were in 2005. But it will happen.....and the new product will be even better that the old one.
Thanks for your questions.....all questions, comments, and informational tid-bits are sincerely appreciated.
El Gringo Viejo
