Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 6 december 2019
Northern Mexico fears return to dark past after gunfights

By MARIA VERZA “It is about protecting the
Associated Press civilian population.”
VILLA UNION, Mexico (AP) Riquelme announced plans
— Mexico’s president says to set up at least three mili-
he wants to fight drug car- tary posts with about 40 sol-
tels with “hugs, not bullets,” diers apiece and said more
but after 23 people were would be added if neces-
killed in a weekend gun- sary. He said with apparent
battle in the border state of satisfaction that some of
Coahuila, some communi- the 10 suspects detained
ties want a more forceful in the weekend attack
strategy to prevent cartel — several of whom are
assailants from reimposing adolescents — said they
a reign of terror. had been forced into par-
Residents of the small town ticipating, and said they
of Villa Union said Tues- feared the Coahuila state
day that they fear a return police.
to the days of 2010-2013, While President Andres
when the old Zetas cartel Manuel Lopez Obrador
killed, burned and abduct- wants to avoid confronta-
ed Coahuila citizens. This tions with drug cartels, they
past weekend, the Cartel appear unavoidable.
del Noreste — an offshoot And although the president
of the Zetas — invaded Vil- A former policeman walks through an abandoned home, torched by the Zetas cartel eight years claims the policy of detain-
la Union to try to reassert a back, in Allende, Coahuila state, Mexico, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. ing drug lords and the 2006-
claim to the turf. Associated Press 2012 government offensive
Villa Union is 12 miles (20 ki- against the cartels were
lometers) from the town of for a while in 2011 in the used, said old fears were said the man, who lived failures, those initiatives
Allende, the site of a 2011 face of Zeta threats. He stirred up by the weekend through the previous round weakened the Zetas and
massacre in which the Ze- doesn’t want to have to invasion in which dozens of of violence. “This is what reduced violence in some
tas killed at least 70 people. flee again. Many others ex- Cartel de Noreste pickup happened with the Zetas. parts of the border states of
Residents said they have pressed similar fears. trucks shot up the town They said they wouldn’t Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and
learned from experience Sandra Zedillo, a municipal hall, killed two municipal stay, but they stayed.” Tamaulipas.
that the Zetas must be employee in Villa Union, workers and four state po- For his part, Coahuila Gov. Now locals fear the cartels
fought. said “it doesn’t look good. lice officers, before battling Miguel Riquelme is plan- may be resurgent. Some
“You can’t give a drug We are afraid they will re- soldiers and police and ning to fight the cartel’s long for the days when
trafficker a hug and not turn.” The atmosphere of fleeing. Some of the sus- move into the state. The Mexican marines success-
expect to receive a bul- dread was underscored by pected gunmen were later Cartel del Noreste, like the fully patrolled the area until
let in return,” said a former the funeral procession held arrested and described the Zetas, is based in the bor- Lopez Obrador reassigned
policeman in Allende who Tuesday for a local firefight- incursion as a hit-and-run der city of Nuevo Laredo, them to other duties. They
would not give his name er who was abducted and operation aimed at stak- across from Laredo, Texas, were known for not getting
for fear of reprisals. “That is killed by the gang. ing a claim to the territory to the east. Nuevo Laredo corrupted by the cartels
the only way to fight them “This hurts,” a rancher said. for use as a drug-trafficking is in Tamaulipas state. and not yielding in battle
off, to prevent them from “The firefighter paid for route to the U.S. border. But “This isn’t a question of issu- with them. “The marines
returning to our towns and something that he didn’t many thought the gang ing a challenge to the crim- are the only ones I trust,”
ruling them, is with bullets.” have any part in.” wanted to rule the border inal groups,” Riquelme said said one local mechanic.
The ex-policeman and his Another resident who area, not just use its routes. following a meeting with “The rest are going to take
family had to flee Allende asked that his name not be “This is going to get worse,” army officers in Villa Union. a bribe.”q
Rights group: Venezuela migrant kids left at risk in Brazil

Associated Press gency is driving children to Rights Watch found that
CARACAS, Venezuela flee Venezuela alone,” said many of the shelters there
(AP) — Hundreds of Ven- César Muñoz, senior Brazil are overcrowded, mean-
ezuelan children are flee- researcher at Human Rights ing children often end up
ing into Brazil alone and Watch. An estimated 4.6 living on the streets and
at risk of becoming home- million Venezuelans have unable to access govern-
less, abused or recruited fled their country’s eco- ment services.
by gangs, Human Rights nomic and political turmoil, One 16-year-old boy was
Watch said Thursday. a figure that the United Na- found choked to death in
The human rights group cit- tions believes could reach October, his body left in a
ed government figures in- 6.5 million by the end of plastic bag.
dicating that over 500 chil- 2020, making it one of the “While Brazilian authorities
dren have crossed into the In this Feb. 23, 2019 file photo, Venezuelans stand behind the largest mass migrations on are making a great effort to
Spanish sign: “Venezuela-Brazil Limit” near a border checkpoint
Brazilian state of Roraima in Pacaraima, Roraima state, Brazil, on Venezuela’s southern the planet today. accommodate hundreds
since May. border. More than 224,000 have of Venezuelans crossing
Ninety percent of the Ven- Associated Press fled to Brazil, where many daily into Brazil, they are
ezuelan children were be- remain in the border state failing to give these chil-
tween 13 and 17 and trav- legal guardian. Many were ailments or trying to find of Roraima because of its dren the protection they
eled alone or with an adult fleeing hunger, looking for work in Brazil. relative isolation from the desperately need,” Muñoz
who was not a relative or healthcare to treat serious “The humanitarian emer- rest of the country. Human said. q