Frontera NorteSur, December 1998

FNS Staff

Please note:

The Frontera NorteSur  web site is under construction.  Thank you for your patience as we improve this on-line magazine in an effort to make your read as comfortable and accessible as it is enlightening and informative.

Thank you,  Anne Marie Mackler, Editor

Tuesday, December 15: Seventeen People Dead Due to Cold Weather

Cold weather and the use of heaters are one of the main causes of death in the state of Chihuahua, especially during December. The number of deaths due to carbon monoxide poisoning as well as hypothermia have dramatically increased during this month. According to El Diario's statistics, so far 17 people have died in Juárez by carbon monoxide.

The malfunction of heaters have caused the death of six people in Cd. Juárez. The Fire Department in this city is warning and taking extra precaution measures to prevent more deaths. However, the irony is that Ricardo Corpus Quintero, a fireman, was found dead inside his home. The cause of his death? Fatal inhalation of carbon monoxide.

The Municipal Unit for Civil Protection insists that Juárez community take preventive steps during this cold season such as not sleeping with the heaters on or leave a window open, so the air can circulate.

Source: El Diario

Monday, December 14:Mexicans Cross Border To Shop In El Paso

December is the busiest month for El Paso commercial businesses, and this year there is not an exception. Vendors in El Paso are expecting an increase of 5 to 20 percent in their sales this season. So far, thousands of Mexican citizens are crossing the border every day to buy the traditional gifts for Christmas Holidays.

Immigration and Naturalization Service (SIN) is expecting to register the majority of crossings at the international bridges by the end of this year. According to SIN estimations, approximately 60,000 vehicles and 40,000 pedestrians will cross every day through the three international bridges at El Paso during the remaining days of December.

"Mexican clients are our best clients, especially in December. Most of them buy a lot of things and pay in cash. Our Mexicans clients are buying a lot of computers, phones, and other electronic items that can be used in their country today," said Ray Rocha, manager of an electronic store.

Source: El Diario

Sunday, December 13: Murderd Girl Identified, FBI Gets Involved

The murder victim found on December 9 was identified as 13-year-old Cecilia Guadalupe Gómez de la Cruz, her body was found strangled, stabbed and possibly raped in the desert area of Cd. Juárez Oasis Revolución, where at least six other female murder victims have been discovered. This puts the number of murders of women in the last five years up to well over 170. Files on 130 of these cases will be analyzed by the FBI in Washington D.C. with hopes of developing a psychological profile of a serial killer.

Cecilia Gómez was not waiting for her grandfather as she typically did when he went to pick her up from school on November 10. Her body was found one month later by a man collecting bottles for recycling." Her family has only been in the area for a year. "We want to leave here because of the danger that we have been exposed to, we have decided to go," said Trinidad Gómez, mother of the victim.

Because of the nature of these crimes, the special office for the investigations of crimes against women in Cd. Juárez will work with the FBI in Washington D.C. to analyze the evidence. Additionally, FBI will continue providing training to this office to improve their management of these crime cases.

Source: El Diario

Saturday, December 12: Hundreds Show Faith to the Virgen of Guadalupe

Although the night was cold, hundreds of Juarenses attended the Catholic celebration for the Virgin of Guadalupe yesterday. At exactly 12 p.m.at the Juárez Cathedral, the community celebrated with mariachi songs, traditional Mexican dances, and numerous prayers. However, the official appearance of the Virgin Guadalupe to the Indian Juan Diego, will be revered today, December 12.

Hundreds of people are expected to visit the Plaza de Armas during today's celebration. Also, hundreds of people will enter on their knees to the Juárez Cathedral to offer promises, express their faith, or leave flowers and candles next to Guadalupes' image.

"Who said that México is in a time of crisis? Today, the day of Virgin Guadalupe, everybody is going to prosper because she's helping us. I'm not lying, a lot of people want to buy flowers. The only problem is that they want to pay with big bills. For that reason I ask, who said we're in crisis?" says Liliana López, a flower vendor.

Source: El Diario

Friday, December 11, 1998: Four Federal Agents Held By State Police

Four federal police officers, arrested by state police on Tuesday night of this week, were held and questioned yesterday on charges of kidnapping, extortion, abuse of authority and assault. Carlos Botello and family have filed these accusations.

One of the four officers rendered a statement to the police, while the other three refused to make statements. Eduardo Estrada González, one of the officers, said this was never a case of extortion against Carlos Botello, a car salesman suspected of being a drug dealer. Estrada said they were waiting for Botello to lead them to the person that sells drugs to him.

Botello and his family, along with his boss Roberto Barrón, accused these four officers of abuse of power because they had demanded $5,000 in exchange for Botello's freedom. Barrón, after being asked by federal police to provide payment for González' release, alerted the state police.

According to Estrada, the officers never entered Botello's home, as the Botello family charged. They allegedly kidnapped Botello after finding no evidence of drug trafficking in his house.

Source: El Diario

Thursday, December 10, 1998: Another Body Found In Cd. Juárez

The body of a teen-age girl was found yesterday in the Oasis Revolución neighborhood in Cd. Juárez. The body was discovered partially buried and completely naked which led authorities to believe that the girl had been sexually assaulted. Officials said that, due to the amount of decomposition of the body, it is believed that the murder occurred 10 and 15 days ago, however, final cause and date of death will be determined with an autopsy.

Cd. Juárez has witnessed a wave of violence against women since 1993 when the body of Sandra Juárez was discovered, since then, Non-Governmental Organizations have registered 171 cases of murders victimizing women. Authorities have 163 cases on file.

Neither the Special Task Force for Violence Against Women nor the State Judicial Police wished to comment on yesterday's events. Francisco Barriga, state judicial police commander, said that on strict orders from the Special Task Force he could not make any comments about the investigation. Zuly Ponce, director of the Special Task Force, was present at the scene of the crime, and because of the nature of the crime there was a "gag" order placed concerning the evidence. Therefore, Ponce said, as she left the scene, that nothing had happened. Also, the Municipal Police were asked to leave the scene for fear that they "would hinder the investigation."

Unofficial sources say that the body is believed to be that of Silvia Guadalupe, but no authorities would confirm.

Source: El Diario

Wednesday, December 9, 1998: Mexicans Returning To Their Country Face Problems

During the Christmas holidays, it is expected that hundreds of Mexican citizens living in the United States will go back to México to visit their families, but every year they face several obstacles, from problems at the border to robbery.

Since the beginning of this month, more than 80 Mexicans have been returned from the checkpoint located at Kilometer 30 of the Pan American Highway, 30 miles south of Cd. Juárez, because of documentation problems.

Yesterday, a Mexican family traveling from Nevada was assaulted at kilometer 87 in the Chihuahua-Camargo road. Two young men, dressed as police officers, stopped the car that Rubén Ibarra, his wife and his three children were traveling in. Both men pointed a gun at Ibarra's family, stealing approximately $1,000 dollars from them. Before escaping, the thieves took Ibarras' car keys to avoid being captured.

However, Alfredo Benítez, director of the Center for Attention to Immigrants, denounced that custom officers are returning Mexican residents in the US for whatever reasons. According to Benítez, Mexican people prefer to pay money "under the table" to custom officers, so they can continue traveling.

Source: El Diario

Tuesday, December 8, 1998: Clinton Lists México With Drug Traffickers

On Monday, President Bill Clinton sent a certification list to the US Congress Committee of International Business and Expenses, naming the top 16 drug trafficking countries, and México was included in the list. This certification list indicates those countries that are most notorious for illegal drug production and trafficking.

"I am worried about the drug traffic through Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua," Clinton notes in his letter. "Geography makes Central America the logical area for drug traffic from South America to México and the United States."

Clinton expresses his concern that drug traffickers will capitalize on the disorder in Central America left by Hurricane Mitch. He promised his "commitment to support the efforts of these governments to recover the damages of the Hurricane Mitch and to assure that the narcotics traffickers do not take advantage of this tragedy."

By March 1, 1999, Clinton must report to congress on the cooperation of these countries that are a "significant source, direct or indirect" of illegal drugs. Other countries in the region listed included Belize, Guatemala, Panama, Peru and others.

Source: El Diario (Notimex)

Monday, December 7, 1998: Accidents On Major Highway Lead To Precautionary Measures

Two accidents occurred on the highway from Cd. Juárez to Chihuahua in less than 24 hours. A bus from "Amigo Tours" hit a pick up truck yesterday morning, leaving one injured. The previous day, December 5, another bus from the same company caused a three-vehicle accident where 6 people died and 60 more were injured.

According to the Federal Highway Department (PFC), both accidents were the result of high speed driving. One driver of "Amigo Tours" was critically injured during the collisions, and the other was killed.

The PFC is expecting an increase in the number of traffic accidents on the Cd. Juárez and Chihuahua highway during December. According to the PFC, there will be a 40 percent increase in traffic on this road over the next few weeks. Therefore, the PFC is taking several precautionary measures including the publication of driving tips and the implementation of special road operations to avoid more accidents, especially over the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Source: El Diario

Sunday, December 6, 1998: Protesters March Against "Misery"

On Saturday, a march was held in Cd. Juárez, protesting the increase in prices of gas and public services, and the "misery" these increased have caused for many citizens. Approximately 200 people gathered on the Plaza de Armas to voice their complaints against President Zedillo.

According to Victoria Caraveo, spokesperson for Juárez Women, "The government is trying to starve us little by little; the majority of the population lives in misery." Caraveo says that Cd. Juárez is the "tip of the iceberg" for the rest of the country, and the only city with these unemployment conditions and such a high degree of suffering.

Pemex buys gas from Chevron for $1.02 (12 cents US) a liter and re-sells the gas in Cd. Juárez for $4.08 (48 cents US), according to Roberto Carlos, a Frontegas employee. Fifty percent of the profit goes to the government's Secretary of Housing and Credit, ten percent goes to Pemex and 6 percent to the vendor. "We need to raise the consciousness of the community. Government decisions like these are absurd."

Protesters carried domestic items such as pots and pans, tortillas as well as gas pumps. The group included members of a variety of colonias and Indian groups.

Source: El Diario

Saturday, December 5, 1998: Woman Found Dead in Cd. Juárez

The body of a woman, 51, was found in Cd. Juárez on December 4. According to Esther Chávez Cano, NGOs spokesperson, the woman was discovered near the train tracks in an area known as Flourex.

Chávez told FNS that the identity of this woman has been established, however, the official cause of death has not yet been revealed. Francisca Sanchez Gutiérrez, born in San Luis Potosí, México, had left Zacatecas on November 23 and was planning to travel to Tijuana.

Sanchez' body had several injuries, most of them to the skull. Also, pieces of glasses were found in her head, a condition characteristic of a traffic accident. Sanchez' wallet was found several feet from her body with $160 still in it.

It is unknown why Sanchez decided to stay in Cd. Juárez. Apparently, this story has not yet been published in local papers.

Friday, December 4, 1998: Congress Approves Elizondo's Request For Zaragoza Bridge

Yesterday, Chihuahua Congress unanimously approved bringing the Zaragoza Bridge matter to the federal government. Under the current management company, Cd. Juárez receives .5 percent of profits from the international bridge. If the federal government agrees to take over administration of this bridge, Cd. Juárez will receive an drastically increased income.

The bridge currently is managed by Promofront, a part of the construction company Gutsa, Inc. Congress believes that the terms of the current contract have not been met in full and therefore Promofront should not receive an extension on its management. They believe this contract should have been revoked in 1994 when the Salinas government extended their contract for an additional 25 years.

The document being sent to the president supports Mayor Elizondo's efforts. "After an in depth analysis of the contract which granted the concession, we decided to support the initiative begun by mayor of Cd. Juárez Gustavo Elizondo Aguilar to save the resources that belong to the residents of Juárez."

Source: El Diario

Thursday, December 3, 1998: Paquimé Ruins Recognized as Historical Site

The archeological zone in Paquimé located near Casas Grandes was declared Historical Site by the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO). During the twenty-second UNESCO meeting members of the organization declared 27 areas 'Historical Site' among these was Mexico's historic monument Tlacotalpan.

Paquimé is considered by officials to be the most important "prehispanic" city of northern México. It forms part of the 'Gran Chichimeca' region which runs through Chihuahua, Sonora and Durango in México; and in the US it covers part of Colorado and southern Utah.

According to the World Heritage Committee of the UNESCO Paquimé was declared Historical Site because it has extensive ruins that offer evidence of exceptional architectural development, and it displays the most advanced techniques of adobe in Mesoamerica.

In celebration of the recent naming of Paquimé a series of activities have been planned during the next month. A pottery expo will open today at the Mexican Culture Center (Centro Cultural Mexicano Paso del Norte) in El Paso and will culminate on December 11 in Paquimé.

Source: El Diario

Wednesday, December 2, 1998: Special Police Operations During Christmas Holiday

El Paso and Cd. Juárez police departments implemented special security measures yesterday, a day that marked the official beginning of Christmas holidays. In El Paso, the police department has started "Marshal Law" or curfews for underage people. People under 21 will not be allowed to be in any public areas from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. In Cd. Juárez, police schedules were extended. During December, police officers will be working 12-hour shifts daily.

The police departments on both sides of the border are strengthening security operations especially in malls and parking lots as a precaution to avoid robbery which is a crime that usually increases at Christmas time.

Juárez police spokesperson explained to El Diario that "there are three shifts and the major number of police officers will be working during the most problematic hours which are between 2 p.m. until 2 a.m." Meanwhile, El Paso police officers are ticketing the parents of those teenagers breaking the curfews with a fine of approximately $142.

Source: EL Diario

Tuesday, December 1, 1998: Crossing Border Will Be Easier

Authorities join efforts in an attempt to make crossing at the international bridges easier for tourists. "The Border Coordination Initiative," a program by the US Customs Agency, Immigration and Naturalization Services and the USDA will combine their technology and personnel in order to reduce the amount of time it takes a person to cross the bridges to El Paso.

According to Roger Maier, spokesperson for US Customs, the three agencies will work in teams instead of on their own in hopes of bettering their job quality on the border.

The INS will also increase the amount of agents patrolling the border because of the holidays, according to INS spokesperson Teresa Barraza.

Source: El Diario

INS Releases Illegal Immigrants

In what they called a "sensible and human act" the INS announced the temporary release of up to three thousand illegal immigrants from Central America during a press conference Monday. The release of the immigrants is part of the solidarity measures being taken because of the recent destruction caused by hurricane Mitch.

INS Representative Doris Meissner said that this release does not mean that the immigrants will not be deported. She added that their deportation hearings are temporarily suspended. Meissner also commented that undocumented immigrants will be released as long as there is no reason to consider them a danger to society.

The temporary liberty will be granted until January 7 of next year, after this date the deportation hearings will resume.

In El Paso, approximately 240 immigrants have already been released most of whom originate from Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador.

Source: El Diario

Monday, November 30, 1998: Former Chihuahua Governor Questioned By State Congress

A final judgment regarding possible irregularities in the public budget during the administration of former Chihuahua Governor Francisco Barrio, will be reached by the State Congress today. Representatives of various parties, including the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), are requesting public testimony from the former governor regarding the cost of his new home in Cd. Juárez.

"I don't believe that Mr. Barrio will have any problem explaining his financial status, which we consider quite modest if compared to the financial status of the current governor Patricio Martínez, " said José Márquez Puentes, representative of the National Action Party (PAN).

According to representatives of the Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD), PRI, and PAN, as well as the Citizen Committee of Fight Against Violence, every government official should be required to publicize their private expenditures.

Legislators are expecting a controversial debate during today's session. The revision to the former governor's administration has generated controversies inside the state congress and between the different representatives of these three parties.

Source: El Diario

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND NEWS IN BRIEF

November 25, 1998: Juárez Residents Must Buy Insurance Wisely

In response to El Paso’s Zero Tolerance effort, an operation with the intent of forcing drivers to attain the necessary insurance and licensing, as well as paying off traffic tickets, insurance vendors are popping up everywhere in Juárez. Some of these businesses are certified, while others are not, so it is recommended that Cd. Juárez residents who want to travel to El Paso, buy insurance from established companies, and buy monthly policies, which are more economical. Daily rates are approximately $20.

November 26, 1998: Juárez Police Chief Increases Officers

According to Cd. Juárez Police Chief Javier Benavides, 200 additional officers will be on duty in Juárez as of December 1, an increase of 40 percent. This announcement was made at the fifth reunion of the Maquiladoras Association (AMAC) on November 24. The group specifically requested that the patrolling of industrial areas be increased to reduce the number of assaults, it was also recommended that patrolling be increased near banks and other financial businesses. Mayor Gustavo Elizondo attended this meeting, and AMAC announced their support of the positive work he has done for the city in these first few weeks of his term.

November 27,1998: Governor Barrio Defends Recent Questions

Former Governor Francisco Barrio is being accused by the new Chihuahua administration of misuse of funds. His accounts are being analyzed as an alleged two million pesos ($200,000 US) are not accounted for. In the meantime he is building a new luxury home which continually makes the headlines with questions as to the source for its payment. Barrio, speaking at a PAN party meeting over the weekend, assured his party that there was no misappropriation of funds during his term as governor, and that his new home is being built with money he honestly earned through his own private business.

November 28, 1998: Juárez Continues To Suffer Polluted Skies

Thermal inversion continues to cause a cloak of gray over the city. Levels of carbon monoxide have reached 110 parts per million, a record high. This is the most intense case of thermal inversion for this time of year, said Sergio Chaparro Gutiérrez, chief of atmospheric monitoring at the Universidad Autónomo de Ciudad Juárez. Contaminants are 30 meters above ground level. This condition may make it difficult to breathe, causing shortness of breath and sore nostrils.

November 29, 1998: Elizondo Receives Thumbs Up on Zaragosa Bridge

Governor Patricio Martinez has agreed to support Cd. Juárez Mayor Gustavo Elizondo’s request to the federal government to allow the operation of the Zaragosa-Ysleta International Bridge. Martinez agrees that this will be an important channel for financial resources to the area allowing the city to share its profits with the federal government. Currently, the federal government shares profits with a private business Gutsa Construction. Gutsa is the company that originally built the bridge currently manages it along with PromoFront.

Source: El Diario