PBH / colombia (travelguide, pictures) / post

What's up with this?

Every so often I read something and it's like "WTF!?!?". Here is a little article that appeared last summer and was basically submerged in the press. While everybody in the US has this image of Colombia which as we know is far from accurate, Mexico seems to get a free ride. I'm not anti-Mexican but fair's fair. In just ONE city alone in Mexico there have been over 400 kidnappings in one year including 41 Americans. Like I said, "WTF?!?!?":

"Kidnapping, Murder Sweep Nuevo Laredo Friday, August 05, 2005 • Blood and Glass Everywhere • Drug Lords Overrun Mexican Border Town • Lawless Nuevo Laredo NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico — A city official in charge of public security was gunned down along with another man in the downtown area of the embattled city of Nuevo Laredo on Friday. According to reports, it appeared to be an organized hit involving two cars. Nuevo Laredo, just across the border from the United States, has become one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Rival drug cartels have turned the city into a war zone as they battle for control of the lucrative illegal drug market in the U.S. Gun battles in broad daylight are common, and the U.S. Consulate has shut down, at least temporarily. The drug gangs have killed the city's last two police chiefs, the second of whom lasted only six hours on the job. Widespread police corruption has compounded the problem. The entire 700-officer force was fired for corruption this summer, though many were hired back. In addition to the killings, there has been an epidemic of kidnappings. There have been over 400 in the past year, including dozens of Americans. FOX News’ Steve Harrigan talked to the families of one of the kidnapping victims. “You could be walking down the street with your daughter and somebody comes up with an AK-47 and says, ‘I am taking your daughter, what are you going to do?'�? said one man whose daughter was kidnapped 11 months ago. Often, there are no ransom demands. Both of Rosita Gonzalez' sons were kidnapped, and she has no idea why. "It's a pain that you can't have no appeal for it," said Gonzalez. The Nuevo Laredo story that has gone largely unreported, as many journalists say the drug wars in there are too dangerous to cover, especially after a number of their colleagues have been gunned down. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, says it's time Americans became aware of what's going on just south of the border. "We need to let the American public know about this particular situation," Cuellar said. "Forty-one missing Americans is just too much."

By utopiacowboy on Dec 26, 2005, 22:09 in Friendly Talkzone.

elmodefoque says on Dec 27, 2005, 06:17:

I also I agree that they shou I also I agree, they should put a wall, but it should had been done 200 years ago when Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and California was all part of Mexico. If the Mexicans had put up walls all around northern edges of all those state they would not have to be sneaking in, those dumb f--ks

any colombianita willing to date me, IS UP TO NO GOOD

0 funny, 0 helpful.

elmodefoque says on Dec 27, 2005, 06:51:

healthcare? those modefoque don't know what that means. i saw a mexican making pizza with out any arms, you gotta see this, he works in Ray's pizza at 71's and broadway.

any colombianita willing to date me, IS UP TO NO GOOD

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elmodefoque says on Dec 27, 2005, 07:07:

He flips the flat doe with his latex covered feet and it lands on his latex covered head. At fist sight some get grossed out but not me, I like his feet smelling pizza.

any colombianita willing to date me, IS UP TO NO GOOD

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ColombiaBoard says on Dec 27, 2005, 19:17:

Another viewpoint You all got lost in discussing Mexico alone and leaving out the main point of Utopiacowboy's comment which is the fact that while Colombia gets all the bad press available Mexico doesn't, even though the kidnapping problem there is really bad.

The immigration issue between Mexico and the US is not really the point here, the point Utopiacowboy made was about the internal situation in Mexico and how it's displayed by the media internationally.

But it's not only Mexico, do you guys follow what's been happening in Bali in the last years?, first that huge bombing where more than 300 mostly australians, europeans and americans died, then late this year another bombing and it's still tourism business as usual, of course, without tourism they'll be screwed there. Something like that happens in Colombia and the emabassies would vacate their employees and the world's media would scream bloody hell...so I always wonder...why does Colombia get all the bad press? and don't tell me it's the long story of violence and bla bla bla.

There's something going on here more important ... it's called business interests....Mexico has enjoyed a long free ride because of the free trade agreement with the US. No matter what happens in Mexico or in other parts.... they'll "clean up" the slate as fast as they can because the business interests don't want their investments to go down the toilet. The day that Colombia has ten Hilton Hotels, five Marriotts, ten production facilities owned by major american or european industries that day "suddenly" the overall situation of the country will improve.

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utopiacowboy says on Dec 27, 2005, 21:24:

Exactamente, Senor.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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