News Summary for August 26th, 2010

++ Navy troops found in a mass grave 72 cadavers, 58 men and 14 women, in the town of San Fernando in Tamaulipas. The technical secretary of the National Security Council, Alejandro Poiré, said the 72 murdered people could have been illegal migrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Ecuador and Brazil.
He condemned the massacre and said that apparently the 72 victims were murdered by a criminal gang seeking to obtain money from them and force them to join the gang. The U.S. State Department called the killing and finding the corpses in Tamauipas “horribly tragic.”

++ Trying to win over mayors to support his project to promote 32 state police forces, who voiced objections since they would lose their autonomy, President Calderón said the true threat to municipal autonomy is not seeking a joint command strategy but the inroads criminals are making as they attempt to take over territories.

++ Nuevo León Governor Rodrigo Medina announced there would be a 20-percent increase to the wages of state police officers who pass confidence tests.

++ Ciudad Juárez City Hall announced that high rates of insecurity and violence forced authorities to cancel Independence day “Grito” celebrations.

++ Flight Attendants Union leader Lizete Clavel, warned Tenedora K holding company that it is not the only group interested in becoming a Mexicana de Aviación shareholder… She said there are other private groups willing to bet on the aviation industry without trying to impose conditions on workers.

++ District Judge María Magdalena Malpica agreed to consider the slander suit filed by Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard against cardinal Juan Sandoval Íñiguez and Mexico Archdiocese spokesman Hugo Valdemar Romero.

++ Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said no prelate from the Catholic Church or any other church is above the law.

++ The Federal Electoral Tribunal found that President Calderón’s nationally televised speeches on June 15 and 30 as well as on July 1, violated electoral laws because they promoted government achievements and programs.