Frontera NorteSur, October 1999

Tuesday, October 26, 1999: El Paso Police Kill Armed Disabled Man

Alfonso Villamil, 53, a schizophrenic Vietnam vet was shot several times by two El Paso police officers at his home Monday morning. Officers said the man had charged them with a 12-inch metal object.

Rosa Villamil, 77, the victim's mother, said that she's been working with the police for years to help her mentally disabled son. "So many years they have taken him out peacefully." She believes that the police could have tried many things before shooting her son who had voluntarily stopped taking his medication.

The two police officers will be assigned administrative duties until the shooting review team has completed its investigations, according to Sgt. Al Velarde, police spokesperson. One of the officers involved had been with the department for approximately five years, the other had only been with the department for less than a year.

The Veteran's Administration had advised Ms. Villamil to call the police when she reported that her son had been without medication for a month. Velarde said that the police have been called to Villamil's home before and that he had been committed for psychiatric evaluation.

"I just wanted them to take him to the hospital." The police had told her not to worry.

Source: El Paso Times

Monday, October 25, 1999: Woman Murdered; Assassin Caught

A woman was murdered yesterday on a street in Cd. Juárez, and this makes the third assassination of a woman in the border city in nine days, however this is the first time the assassin has been caught in the three cases. The special investigator believes this may not be the first homicide for the man arrested.

Juan Miguel Cázares Pérez, 20, confessed to murdering Nelly América Gómez Holguín, a 22-year-old mother of four. He stabbed her nine times because "she made (him) mad." Cázares was caught on his way out of town and the bloody shoes of his victim were in his car.

Suly Ponce Prieto, the state of Chihuahua's special investigator of the murders of women, said Cázares is being looked at as a possible suspect in the murder of Rosa María Rivera, murdered in early July of this year. Cázares has the same physical description as the man that murdered Rivera.

Cázares stabbed Gómez in the neck and head four times, and still able to flee she moved away from him while he continued stabbing her five more times. Special Investigator Ponce was disturbed that people in nearby businesses did not try to help the young woman or call the police. Someone driving by, however, did call an ambulance. The victim died an hour after she arrived at the hospital.

Gómez was a maquila employee who worked as a prostitute to supplement her income. Cázares had contracted her services before murdering her.

Source: El Diario

Sunday, October 24, 1999: Thousands Of Trees Planted In Juárez

A number of organizations, private businesses and government departments joined forces yesterday to begin a tree planting campaign, Green Juárez 2000, which is designed to plant 150,000 trees in Cd. Juárez by February 2000.

One thousand different types of trees will be planted or distributed each day until February through a campaign sponsored by the city council, the state and federal governments, schools, sports organizations, maquilas and other private businesses as well as environmental groups. Trees being planted include pines, palms, ash and flowering trees.

The forestation effort stems from the city's need for shade and cleaner air. According to Ricardo Martínez, director of public services for the city, the trees will help battle the high levels of air pollution and improve the condition of many unpaved roads.

Planting the trees is an ambitious project without precedent according to the border city's mayor, Gustavo Elizondo Aguilar. He believes the project will improve the image of Cd. Juárez.

Source: El Diario

Saturday, October 23, 1999:University Rejects Mayor's Intervention

The lawyer for pensions and retirement at the Universidad de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ) met with the city's mayor Gustavo Elizondo Aguilar but decided not to accept the leader's offer to mediate the conflict resulting from the recently questioned management of the university's key Trustee.

Jesús María Guevara had originally met with the mayor to ask for his assistance, however later rejected the idea of Elizondo's intervening because it was determined at the meeting those involved were not yet ready for intervention.

On October 6, a group of professors at the school filed a complaint against university director Rubén Lau Rojo and other leaders for committing fraud relating to the mismanagement of pension funds.

Guevara said his declining the Mayor's assistance was not for negative reasons. Guevara has called the proceedings "very delicate" noting that many in the community are worried and it is an "integral obligation of the mayor to protect citizens' peace of mind." However, they agreed it would be more prudent to include the mayor after another week of investigation.

Source: El Diario

Friday, October 22, 1999: Government Considers New Bridge In Fabens/Caseta

Chihuahua Governor Patricio Martínez has appointed a commission to the study a proposed international bridge to be built between Fabens, Texas and Caseta, México. This crossing is east of the major El Paso-Cd. Juárez crossing.

State legislator Arturo Avila Fierro has been assigned to oversee the project and maintain the relationship with a partner branch of the commission to include experts from the U.S. who will also be analyzing the project. The cities of Caseta and Tornillo in México and Fabens in the U.S. will directly benefit from this proposal.

The U.S. has said they would invest up to 20 million dollars in the project. The bridge alone is estimated to cost five million dollars including the bridge and the inspection areas. It is the connection to I-10 that experts believe will take the cost of the project up to approximately 20 million dollars.

Héctor Terán, representing the U.S. in the project, said that they will rely on business investment in the area for additional funding as they hope to build an industrial complex.

Source: El Diario

Thursday, October 21, 1999: Woman Found Dead Believed To Be From The U.S.

The murdered woman found on Tuesday morning south of Cd. Juárez was reported to be from the United States. She had been living in México for the last five years.

The murder victim was identified as Blanca Estela Vásquez Valenzuela, 44 and it is believed that she was shot with a .38 caliber weapon. The shot disfigured her face, but she was identified by friends and was said to have owned a massage parlor.

Authorities have reported that she was the victim of a drug trafficking execution or revenge crime. Alejandro Astudillo Sánchez said that he has asked for the help from police in the U.S. specifically to see if she has a crime history.

Esther Chávez Cano, leading women's rights activist and director of Casa Amiga in Cd. Juárez, said that the age or occupations of the two recent female victims of murder don't matter. What matters is that there is social "decomposition," and women and children bear the brunt of the crimes, not just in México, but all over the world.

Source: El Diario

Wednesday, October 20, 1999: Woman Found Executed "Not A Serial Crime"

On Tuesday morning the body of a woman who been shot in the head was found in a colonia south of Cd. Juárez. She is believed to be between 25 and 30 years old and according to the special investigator the crime was not a "sexual homicide."

Suly Ponce Prieto, Chihuahua's special investigator of the murders of woman, said that this unidentified victim was fully dressed and even her beeper was in tact. However, her face was completely disfigured by the high-powered weapon used in her assassination.

"We can definitely eliminate sexual violation as the motive for this murder," the state authority said. It is believed that she was dead some three hours when she was found yesterday morning.

This makes the second murder of a woman in four days and the second execution of a woman this year, and the attorney general expressed concern. Arturo González Rascón, prosecutor for the State of Chihuahua, said that the recent series of executions in the state is "worrisome." The attorney general also said that "those who get involved in certain matters, or certain types of work, are automatically putting themselves in danger."

However, El Diario did not report which matters or lines of work the prosecutor made reference to.

Source: El Diario

Tuesday, October 19, 1999: Human Rights Complaints Continue To Increase

The number of human rights complaints in Cd. Juárez received by the State Commission of Human Rights in Chihuahua has increased again. Already this year there have been 67 complaints in the State Commission and 26 in the Federal, an overall increase of 61 percent from last year.

According to Jaime Flores Castañeda, a representative of the Commission, the increase in Cd. Juárez can be attributed to the fact that the citizens are more conscientious and have denounced all types of abuse. Previously, complaints were only about police brutality but now the complaints on other matters "have increased markedly." He lists arbitrary detention, lack of communication, illegal raids, torture, neglect, mismanaged public services and un-investigated crimes as examples of the types of problems he has received complaints about.

In 1997 there were 42 complaints to the State Commission and 16 to the Federal; in 1998 there were 48 to the State and 9 to the Federal. "The people are undergoing a cultural change and utilizing this venue as a way to condemn the abuse knowing that their complaint will become public," explained Fores Castañeda.

The Commission is designed to protect and assist in abuse cases at all levels of government and can intervene in the cases.

Source: El Diario

Monday, October 18, 1999: Attorney General Wants Residents' Guns

In a campaign to reduce violence in Cd. Juárez, the Attorney General Arturo González Rascón is asking residents to give up the firearms they have in their houses with the promise that there will be no criminal action against them. From October 1998 until this past September, 231 weapons were seized.

The attorney general said this disarming campaign is to reduce the number of crimes in which firearms are used. According to Public Security, 875 crimes involving guns occurred between October 1998 and September 1999 compared to 122 crimes with knives. Sixty five percent of the murders were with guns.

Complete details of the campaign have not yet been released. However, the attorney general also announced that Cd. Juárez will be receiving the laboratory equipment necessary to perform DNA tests, and that helicopters are going to assist in anti-crime efforts.

He also said that it has been established that drug addiction is directly related to robberies and assaults as the addicts are trying to support their habits.

Source: El Diario

Sunday, October 17, 1999: Another Female Murder Victim Found In Cd. Juárez

The stabbed and possibly raped body of a woman was found Friday night in the Pemex field on the outskirts of Cd. Juárez where the bodies of a number of other female murder victims have been found. Although initial reports claimed the victim was a teenager, the special prosecutor's office announced that the unidentified woman was between 40 and 45 years old and possibly an indigent.

On Friday night a pedestrian found the half-naked corpse of a woman now believed to have been in the location for 20 to 30 days. The finding of this body, located in the Pemex fields near the Casas Grandes highway, is the first such incident since March 21 when a burned corpse was found in a drainage ditch.

Suly Ponce Prieto, special investigator of the murders of women for the state of Chihuahua, says because of the age of this victim, she does not believe this crime is related to many others having occurred in the city over the last six years. Because of the deterioration of the body, Ponce can not at this time say whether the victim had been raped however the victim's death is believed to be a result of three stab wounds.

Because there is no access to automobiles in the particular location where this victim's body was found, and no dragging marks, it is believed that the crime took place at the site.

Some ten yards from the site is a poster with a black cross on a pink square with the words "Not One More," placed by the group Voces Sin Eco (Voices Without Sound), an advocacy group formed to demand improved investigations of the murders of women and greater safety for all women in Cd. Juárez.

This murder has caused some media stir as it comes after numerous statements by the Chihuahuan security officials that the murders of women are over as a result of the improved work coming from the special prosecutor's office.

Four families who have reported a missing female relative are being contacted by Ponce's office for viewing and possible identification. However, Ponce says the clothing on this victim does not match that of the women in the missing person's files.

Source: El Diario

Saturday, October 16, 1999: PAN Presidential Candidate Visits Cd. Juárez

Vincente Fox, a PAN candidate in México's presidential race for 2000, visited the border city to propose a plan for the country that would put half of the national budget of México into the states and municipalities, revamp the education system and reactivate economic development for the next century.

The National Action Party (PAN) presidential candidate made his second campaign trip to Cd. Juárez so far this year and held a press conference at la Universidad Autonomo de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ). Fox called for an "education revolution" asking teachers, women and youth to join the alliance to transform the education system for the new millennium.

Additionally, Fox promised to improve national and foreign investments, but his main focus was education. "It is vital that we recreate the education system, allowing the advancement of more young people, and allowing quality development."

The candidate was accompanied by former Chihuahua Governor Francisco Barrio who Fox praised. "Chihuahua is a vanguard state in México because of the work of Pancho Barrio, now we must bring this state into the 21st century on the right feet."

His next greatest emphasis was to demand a change to the current distribution of national funds. Currently, according to Fox, 20 percent of national monies goes to the states and municipalities, and Fox hopes to increase that amount to at least 45 percent when he is in office.

Fox promised to visit the border city again in a few weeks to campaign in the larger colonias and rural areas outside the city.

Friday, October 15, 1999: Hepatitis Found In Juárez Schools

Ten cases of hepatitis have been detected in two educational facilities in Cd. Juárez over the past few days. Now, as fear and the disease become more evident, Educational Services in the North Zone are asking for intervention from Juárez officials.

According to director of Educational Services in the North Zone, Salvador Mendoza Ríos, these cases were not reported to him as they occurred. However, as of this date several of the infected children are still in quarantine, unable to attend classes.

Ríos also added that a clean-up task will be implemented in order to prevent further spread of the hepatitis virus. In addition, informative fliers will be distributed to parents asking them to maintain their child's hygiene in order to prevent sickness.

Concurrently, officials at the Rubén Jaramillo facility announced that they were not aware of the hepatitis outbreak, where 6 of the 10 cases reportedly originated.

It is believed that the disease is a result of the poverty in Las Huertas, a residential community where a majority of the students live. An unknown source also suggested that there may be as many as twelve cases of hepatitis existing in Las Huertas.

Source: El Diario

Thursday, October 14, 1999: Flooding Brings Victims Inland

As a result of the massive rainfall that has covered the southeast portion of the country, numerous victims have fled the now flooded areas in search of hospitality and refuge from the waters.

In fear of an overpopulation dilemma occurring as a result of this particular disaster, as has been the case in the past with other dilemmas, Mayor Gustavo Elizondo Aguilar organized a session with various Juárez officials. The discussion yielded a decision that Juárez city hall would donate approximately fifty thousand dollars to the support of those nationals affected.

"We will attempt to provide the adequate materials required, such as medical supplies, in order to assure that residents of the areas will not be obligated into migration away from their homeland," stated Elizondo.

It is estimated that the numbers of victims of the extreme rainfall is now reaching a million. It is also estimated that the flooded parts of the country housed almost ninety thousand families, some of which are still in need of aid. According to the Health Secretary (SSA), epidemics of cholera, dengue and malaria continue to harass survivors of the flooding.

Source: El Diario

Wednesday, October 13, 1999: Dangerous Mosquito Hits The Border

An encephalitis-infected mosquito has been located in Anthony, New Mexico, a small city on the border of the U.S. and México and just west of El Paso, Texas. Although there is no reason to panic, experts say there is cause for great precaution.

The disease was possibly contracted from a bird or horse, according to Dr. Jorge Magaña, director of the City-County Health and Environmental District in El Paso. If a human is infected, "there is no cure for encephalitis," Magaña explained. It is a serious disease causing inflammation of the brain and can lead to coma, brain damage or death.

The infected bug was caught in a residential area of Anthony during a routine check by the vector control section of the health department as they do periodically. "Nothing had turned up all summer until now," Magaña said. Tests were run on October 4, although no reports have indicated human infection.

For precaution, Environmental Inspectors from El Paso have been spraying pond areas and the public has been advised to clean any areas that could serve as mosquito breeding grounds. Also, people should stay indoors during the evenings if possible, keep their grass cut low, get rid of any stationary water containers and add chlorine to any standing water that can't be removed.

Source: El Paso Times, El Diario

Tuesday, October 12, 1999: Information Workshop To Address School Security

A campaign addressing school security in Cd. Juárez began yesterday among supervisors, directors and teachers of Education Services in the North Zone.

In order to promote safer school life, Humberto Morales Moreno, general director of the State Department of Culture and Education for the North Zone, held the informative campaign to publicize the efforts of officials in maintaining safety at educational facilities. Moreno stated that parents, as well as instructors, must be made aware of the protocol required when handling emergency situations and when utilizing the current officers.

In addition to scheduling the workshop, information fliers will be included in the payroll checks of inspectors, directors and professors. These individuals will then be responsible for conveying safety information to parents. Other information that parents will be made aware of will include procedures on how to access insurance funds for their children's medical expenses.

Source: El Diario

Monday, October 11, 1999: American Beans Are The Demand

The importation of beans into Mexican communities continues to ignite disagreements between Commerce officials and Mexican bean-growers.

Following a protest staged by the "Barzonistas" on the free bridge between El Paso and Juárez on October 6, the Secretariat of Commerce and Industry (SECOFI) has attempted to pacify the bean-growers with the reasoning behind the increasing importation.

According to Albertico Ibarra Espino, subdirector of SECOFI, the preference for the consumption of American-grown beans in Mexican communities is the primary reason for the growing commerce and importation.

"The frontera community is accustomed to buying imported beans because they are from the United States, meet the quality standards there, and although Mexican-grown beans are of superior quality, people will buy what they are used to buying," added Antonio Rodríguez, proprietor of "Super San Angel."

Approximately fifty thousand tons of beans are imported into México each year. This figure varies accordingly consumer demand. "Whenever we do not have the imported beans, people ask for them," stated Francisco Rojas Moreno, director of the Supermercado in Juárez.

When asked why she bought the American import instead of the Mexican product, consumer María Morales said, "I know that whenever I buy the imported beans I have the guarantee that they will be cleaner, without pebbles, and will cook much faster and easier," adding that this is not the case with Mexican beans.

Source: El Diario

Friday, October 8, 1999: INS Will Increase Border Zone

The Immigration and Naturalization Service of the United States will increase the U.S. zone along the border that Mexicans are able to travel through without having to get special permission. The zone will increase from 25 to 65 miles allowing Mexicans to do business or shop according to this new project to be announced today.

This will allow travel into the cities of Las Cruces and Mesilla, as well as Doña Ana County, three major areas in New Mexico just northwest of the Cd. Juárez/El Paso border crossing.

Details on this new project will be released today from Doris Meissner, commissioner of the INS, however it was reported by Gannett News Service that this plan will include only those Mexicans who possess border crossing cards or non-immigrant visas, and not undocumented workers.

It was also reported that the expected start date for this plan is December 1 of this year, just in time for the heavy traffic typical across the borders during the holiday season.

Source: El Diario, El Paso Times, AP and Gannett News Service

Thursday, October 7, 1999: Farmworkers Block Bridge To Protest Import Regulations

More than 200 farmworkers, known as the "Barzonistas," blocked the free bridge between El Paso and Cd. Juárez for almost two hours yesterday and then took over the offices of Banrural which oversees agricultural imports. The campesinos are protesting another increase in allowed product imports which has forced them to lower their prices.

Farmworkers from all over the state of Chihuahua, mostly bean growers, some on horseback, some on foot, shouted protest slogans such as "No more repression," and "Don't kill our families!" as they stood on bridge.

Roberto Cázares, agriculture director of the Barzonistas, said, "It is important to know that we have been adversely effected by the new import regulations. México has gone from being an exporter to an importer, and that includes the agricultural markets for which we had already established business here."

The bean growers can't sell current harvests and in the state 22 thousand tons of beans are sitting in warehouses from last year. Nonetheless, an import of 48 thousand tons was allowed by the department of Commerce and Industrial Promotion over the last three months.

Martin Alonzo Cisneros, director of the Chamber of Commerce (Canaco), believes that these issues should have been solved before it got to the point of a public protest which interrupted international traffic. "We all have the right to protest, but without affecting third parties. We have learned over the years that these types of protests only leave a bad impression with foreign countries, particularly the U.S." Many bystanders were in awe of the spectacle and just took pictures.

However, Cázares said he is pleased that this protest, part of a democracy movement which started in México 13 years ago, was initiated in Cd. Juárez yesterday.

Source: El Diario

Wednesday, October 6, 1999: City Council Grants Nancy Tuition Scholarship

The Cd. Juárez City Council reviewed and awarded a $10,000 grant to Nancy, the survivor of a sexual assault and assassination attempt last March, to assure the continuation of her studies and her medical care. The motion will be reviewed for final approval today in the council's regular session.

Nancy, a former employee of Motores Eléctricos, was attacked by the bus driver on her bus ride home from work on March 17, 1999. The Ciudad Juárez maquila has also provided Nancy with a $25,000 settlement. The Chihuahua State government has provided Nancy's family with land and utilities to build a new home.

"After working through some psychological difficulties, Nancy has decided she definitely wants to finish school and the Council had decided to support her with this grant for $10,000 so she can continue studying," said council woman Carmen Bueno, PAN.

Jesús Manuel Guardado Márquez, the alleged attacker, is currently imprisoned and awaiting trial along with an alleged gang of other bus drivers who were reported to murder young woman under the direction of Abdel Latif Sharif Sharif, a convicted murderer serving a 30-year sentence.

Source: El Diario

Tuesday, October 5, 1999: Surprise Raids May Expose Illegal Weapons

According to Alejandro Astudillo Sánchez, assistant attorney general in the North Zone, surprise raids will be implemented in trouble areas of Cd. Juárez in order to expose illegal weapons and thus reduce violence.

"The recent increase in violence has served as evidence of the amount of weapons that are hidden in all over the city; because of this we are forced to undertake actions that will effectively remove illegal arms before grave situations arise," stated Sánchez.

The new operations will begin at a moments' notice in order to allow criminals no time to plan the hiding of illegal weapons.

"We have to understand that some of the events--particularly assassinations--have to do with geography and drug trafficking; and that although not all residents are guilty, the responsible parties are in their colonias," added Chihuahua Attorney General, Arturo González Rascón, justifying the surprise raids.

Source: El Diario