ACAPULCO AND THE SNAPSHOT OF WHERE THINGS CONTINUE TO HEAD.

            Yesterday, I made the point the US needed to walk away from Europe and begin to repair its badly broken relationship with Central and South America. So, today, I need to start practicing what I preach. Towards the end of my career, I had the privilege of working with some of the finest professionals I’ve ever shared a mission with. They were both Civilian, Federal and locals. The mission was overwhelming, but extremely important. Our task was to find ways to make the border of Texas and Mexico safer. My teams position was one based on support to the State of Texas and I can say it was my dream task as I ended by 32yrs of service with Uncle Sam. I’ve written about Mexico in the past and I’ve even started a separate blog site, before I realized it was just easier to keep up with one instead of two, but times continue to change and that means Mexico continues to change as well.

Same Old….Same Old:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-45648199

When I read about the events in Acapulco yesterday, It didn’t stand out to me as anything new. I had watched and talked about civilian police departments being taken over by the Mexican Military for years, so nothing new right? Wrong. This process of relieving of a whole department had taken place before throughout Mexico, but typically in the smaller towns of more remote regions. This was Acapulco, this is a major city and that made this story catch my eye. Now, I could have picked up the phone and asked a few old friends what was going on, but I already knew the answer. It’s the same answer that has been taking place all over Mexico for decades. Poorly trained, poorly paid and a broken legal system. That is what the people of Mexico must rely on when it comes to civilian law enforcement. I know I’ve said this before, but it needs to be repeated. Depending what country you live in as your read this, can you imagine having your regular military placed into the streets as your day to day law enforcement? Some may not find that too unusual, but most would find that more than alarming. Yet, you can bet, tons of people, tourist, are planning trips to Acapulco as I write this. Imagine coming off the aircraft or cruise ship and seeing the US Marines or US Army patrolling the streets of San Francisco or New York. Here is the sad part. To the people of Mexico, it’s the new normal. Most don’t even bat an eye at the site of armored vehicles instead of police squad cars. In the end, the most dangerous answer or response the US can have to the story of Acapulco is, “ So what? It’s Mexico and it’s always like that”.

Times are Changing:

            When I was a Commander, the one thing I couldn’t stand was complacency. If we were looking at a bad situation and someone said, “so what. It’s always like that”, well, they usually didn’t, at least not where I could hear them. When we look at Mexico and other troubled nations to the South of the US, we typically forget one key issue, especially at the US political level. “Others” are looking as well. Does anyone think it’s a coincidence a Chinese Medical Ship made a Port of Call in Venezuela? What government in Central or South America hates the US the most, at least at this moment in time? Are the Chinese there to make the people of Venezuela feel better? If you just answered yes, then stop here and go read the sports page.

            Okay, it’s broken record time, but let’s go over this again. The concept of the US’s enemies wishing to leverage weakness in the US’s “backyard” is nothing new. What is new is the way that “leverage” can now take place. Social Media is now a very powerful weapon. Blending Fake News with Real News has become a great way to distort reality. But, when you add all the ways the enemies of the US can now influence events in Central and South America and mix it with good old fashion US complacency, you have a recipe for disaster. The end-bound President of Mexico is going to be looking for new friends, friends with money. Who would that be? Venezuela’s government will sell their Socialist Soul for economic support and if that support came from a nation that upset the US, then they will double down on their desire for help.  

            The people of Mexico have no desire to see their military patrolling the streets of any town or city. They want what everyone else in this world wants. They want the same thing the folks in Venezuela want. If it continues to be obvious the US’s stance is “ so what, It’s always been like that”, then someday soon, perhaps too soon, the topic will be how China is now running a National Police Academy for Mexico, or, how China is conducting joint military exercises with Venezuela. If you don’t think that is possible, then pick up that sport’s page and keep reading.