Mexico Review Hits the Stands!

Need to get in-depth information about what is going on in Mexico. Mexico Review hits the stands!  You can download a free copy at www.mexico-review.com  Check it out!

News Summary for September 13th, 2011

++ The Nuevo León Congress approved a measure to set up a special committee to investigate the attack on the Casino Royale.  Local PRI deputy César Garza Villarreal said that if the local Attorney General’s Office finds evidence inculpating mayor Fernando Larrazábal, either directly or indirectly on the Red casino case, the state Congress will impeach the mayor.

++ PRD national leader Jesús Zambrano called on PAN national chairman  Gustavo Madero to punish Fernando Larrazábal, the Monterrey mayor, because he refused to take a leave of absence during investigations. Security spokesman in Nuevo León, Jorge Domene, announced that the Attorney General’s Office might release more information about the investigation into attack on the Casino Royale.

++ Nuevo León Governor Rodrigo Medina asked the Interior Secretariat to speed up the process to close down 30 casinos operating illegally in Nuevo León.

News Summary for September 8th, 2011

++ Nuevo León Governor Rodrigo Medina denied that he would ask for a leave of absence as governor during investigations into the attack on the Casino Royale as requested by the PAN.

++ Monterrey Mayor Fernando Larrazabal said he would stay on the job and orders a survey to see what citizens think about him asking for a leave of absence.

++  The Attorney General’s Office identified another 18 suspects in the attack on the Casino Royale that killed 52 people… The Attorney General’s Office is offering a reward of 15 million pesos for each one for information leading to their arrest.

++ Among the suspects believed to have ordered and carried out the attack are commanders "Quemado" and "Mataperro", identified as heads of the Monterrey section of the Los Zetas drug cartel.

++ Raúl Rocha Cantú, owner of the casino Royale, presented an affidavit at a Mexican government office abroad, said Nuevo León Governor Rodrigo Medina.

News Summary for September 6th, 2011

++ UNAM rector José Narro presented a security strategy designed by UNAM academicians to President Felipe Calderón. The president said he was willing to adopt new methods to guarantee the safety of Mexicans but he said that facing up to crime was not a matter of choice. Later, at a conference with citizens on security, Calderón expressed frustration at the legal system, since he said the government arrests criminals and judges set them free on technicalities.

++ A federal judge in Nuevo León rejected an amparo sought by the former Operations Director at the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE)… The former electricity commission operations director, Néstor Félix Moreno Díaz, who is accused of illegal enrichment, could be arrested…

++ Investigations began at the Eurodólar currency exchange house… Murdered journalist Rocío González Trápaga was a shareholder in the currency exchange center. Chief justice of the Federal District Superior Tribunal Edgar Elías Azar said that an autopsy showed that both female reporters died from strangulation and gunshot wounds.

Conversation with former President of Colombia

I was interviewed by @NTN24.  Also participating was former President of Colombia Cesar Gaviria, who had very interesting comments regarding Mexico. Please watch.

News Summary for September 5th, 2011

­PAN politician Josefina Vázquez Mota said she will step down on Tuesday from her position as leader of PAN deputies to seek her party’s nomination for the presidency…

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Senator Manlio Fabio Beltrones called on his fellow lawmakers to approve political, fiscal and security amendments to move forward in attacking corruption and impunity.

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The Monterrey Human Development secretary Miguel Ángel García Domínguez was caught on video together with the brother of the mayor, Manuel Jonás Larrazabal, negotiating the re-opening of the Red Casino with its owner, Sergio Gil. Civil groups and citizens gathered together at the Macro-plaza to demand that Nuevo León Governor Rodrigo Median and Mayor Fernando Larrazabal resign… Their slogan was “Monterrey Says Enough”.

The Catholic Church charged that behind the tragedy in the Casino Royale lie not only criminals, but also public servants who fail to carry out their tasks.

News Summary for September 2d, 2011

++ The Nuevo León Attorney General’s Office initiated an investigation against Jonás Larrazabal Bretón, brother of the Mayor of Monterrey, Fernando Larrazabal, on suspicions he was charging extortion money to casinos operating illegally in Monterrey. Operations director for the Nuevo León Firefighters Andrés Molina said that if the Casino Royale had installed appropriate security measures the arson attack would not have spread so quickly nor would 53 people would have been killed. He said he only saw one emergency exit and the other one was false one, even though security requirements stipulate six emergency doors.

++ Unknown assailants lobbed two smoke grenades in a betting hall belonging to Grupo Caliente in Tijuana, Baja California.

++ Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said there is no evidence of extortion operations in Mexico City in connection to Casino businesses.

++ Authorities found the bodies of two women linked to Contralinea investigative journalism magazine. The naked bodies of Contralinea founder Ana Maria Marcela Yarce Viveros and independent journalist Rocio Gonzalez Trapaga, were found in a park in Iztapalapa borough in Mexico City…

News Summary for August 29th, 2011

The Defense Secretariat sent 800 additional troops to Monterrey as reinforcements to assist local authorities.  The full deployment of an additional 1,500 soldiers is expected within the next couple of days. State and local authorities in Monterrey denied that two of the suspects in Friday’s attack on the Casino Royale had been arrested.  Authorities said that 45 of the fatal 52 victims of the attack on the Casino Royale had been identified and their bodies delivered to their relatives… Funerals for the victims began over the weekend…  

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The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development sent a condolence message from secretary general Mexican José Ángel Gurria whose remarks joined the chorus of national and international outrage at the attack on the casino in Monterrey. Fifty civic groups joined together in Monterey to launch a campaign for Peace and Justice with the “Peace Is Ours” slogan… Youth groups said they would stage a rally on Saturday October 8^th at the Angel of Independence