MEXICO. DID SOMETHING JUST CHANGE WHEN NOBODY WAS LOOKING?

As much as I would love to follow up last night’s post on the topic of the US’s response to Russia and the information war the Russians are winning, I have to address one of my favorite topics; Mexico! Besides, the topic of Russian and US relations will be far more interesting after the Tsar responds to the US actions of today. Short answer, I’ll follow up tomorrow. Now, off to the topic at hand.

Back in 2013, after working on “issues” in relations to Mexico for over six years, I decided to post a separate blog site.  http://coldansviewpointmexico.blogspot.com/

My history of working Mexico “issues” is well known to some and my opinions of what the future held and holds for Mexico is almost as well known. To make a long story short, sometime around 2006, I began to observe the trend in the Mexican government to involve the Mexican Army and Marines into the day to day activities of civilian law enforcement. Those of you that know my background and or worked with me at the time can recall what a dangerous trend I found this to be. Bending the ear of some of my “coworkers”, some with Stars on their shoulders, was my first reaction. My theory then was the same that it is today, Mexico is perpetually on the edge of a Failed Nation State. Now grant you, saying such a thing when those you work with are in the business of working with the Mexican Military, well, that’s not a popular thing to do. Perhaps that’s why I was so adamant about my position then.

I’ve been “retired” for over two years now, but the ability to observe Mexico is not that difficult and it’s something I do on a daily schedule. So, what happened? What made me push away from my favorite area of interest and sit down to talk about Mexico again? I will tell you this, after I finished reading several sites that have a real sense for how things are going in Mexico, I had to wait a few hours before I patted myself on the back!

Almost Ten years ago! Hard to believe it’s been that long, but almost ten years ago, the Mexican government took the monumental leap of faith, an act of pure desperation, and authorized the Mexican Military to conduct day today law enforcement activities in several key areas of the country. I remember having a meeting and saying to several folks at my table, “This is the spiral Mexico need to avoid at all cost. This was the window our, US, Enemies will work hard to exploit”. Well, some of that conversation feel on deaf ears and some continued to engage in the issue. My point back then was simple, militaries are not designed, trained, equipped to conduct day to day, civilian law enforcement. For the Mexican government to take such a measure was nothing short of capitulation. How could any government, state, local, federal explain the failure of providing the most basic Tennent of a civil society? What message was sent to the Mexican people when this decision was made? Now, mind you, at the time, many of the Mexican Citizens were demanding action. So corrupt, so dysfunctional were the civilian law enforcement agencies of most of Mexico the people began to realize the only way they were going to feel safe was to form their own “Defense Teams”. Yes, When the Antidefense movement appeared, that was the second alarm bell some of us sounded on the topic of Mexico. Failed leadership. Failed Governance all overlooked or mostly ignored for the sake of “Relations”.   I could go on and on about Mexico and the concerns I’ve had for years, but my opening comment was that something happened, something changed. So, enough about the history of “looking” at Mexico, let me address the most dangerous decision that is about to be made by the failed organization called the Mexican government.

General Salvador Cienfuegos was not the Commander of the Mexican Military when it was placed on the streets of Mexico nearly ten years ago, but, from day one, the sentiment of most of the Mexican Generals was no different than Cienfuegos’. http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2016/12/mx-army-general-if-you-want-us-to-go.html .  Reluctance was the baseline reaction of most of the Mexican Military Leadership  ten years ago and that reluctance has now begun to change into anger and it is this anger that some of us predicted would become the end result of this failed attempt to ease the minds of the Mexican people. Simply put, the Mexican military is tired. It’s tired of being placed in a position where it’s critics blame them for every death that is unsolved. It’s tired of civilian leadership that is every bit as incompetent as the government that put them on the streets ten years ago.

Cienfuegos “Threats”?

http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2016/12/mexico-drug-war-proposed-law-of.html

Did General Cienfuegos “threaten” the leadership of Mexico? Did he really spell out “demands”? Where his words designed to instill even more authority into the Mexican Military or perhaps was he simply stating how exhausted Mexico’s Military has become? Were his words a warning more ominous than simply attempting to gain more power? Does Cienfuegos fear the last remaining tool to keep Mexico from becoming a Failed Nation State, the Mexican Military, is about to give up? ‘ I will be the first to raise my hands”! Such a strange statement from a man who has worked to save the streets of his nation for over ten years. His nation, not the streets of some far off land. Not the streets of some distant conquest. His streets, his land, his people?  

Ladies and Gentleman, for over ten years I’ve preached the troubles of Mexico. What laws the inept government of Mexico passes in the near future will seal the fate of Mexico. Nieto’s decision to keep the Mexican Military on the streets of Mexico must be backed by laws that support the Military. If not, and the military is still told to continue to conduct law enforcement duties, the breaking point will come. Not with the good people of Mexico, but with the last organization the Mexican people truly trust.

The same Mexican leaders who could not implement “change” for civilian law enforcement, who could not change a corrupt legal system, who could not stop filling off shore bank accounts with drug money is the same government the Mexican Military will finally have to turn on.

Nearly ten years ago, I told a good friend who had several Stars on his shoulders, the military move to the streets of Mexico was the beginning of the next revolution.  His response was more chilling than my comment. “Well Dan….it is Mexico”.