Mexico: Conspiring For God and Country

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July 14, 2007: Now get this. The source of this report is a Dallas Morning News story. The newspaper wrote that Luis Paredes Moctezuma, the former mayor of the city of Puebla, claims that the government of President Felipe Calderon and the PAN party have been "infiltrated" by a conspiratorial "radical group." The infiltration has taken "decades" to accomplish. Paredes belongs to the PAN. He also said he is a member of a secret group named El Yunque (The Anvil). El Yunque is committed "to restore the rule of God." Local commentators say that even if El Yunque doesn't exist, divisions do exist between moderates like Calderon and more conservative Panistas. Those who claim El Yunque exists say it was established in 1953 as a student movement "to fight communism." It is also "anti-liberal" and wants to create "a Roman Catholic state." El Yunque expanded onto college campuses in the 1970s. An El Yunque-like organization has appeared in at least one novel involving a conspiratorial organization (David Lindsey's "Spiral"). The "vast conspiracy" story appeals to people everywhere (remember Hillary Clinton's "vast right wing conspiracy").

July 10, 2007: From 1996 through 2000 the Peoples Revolutionary Army (EPR) launched several attacks in Mexico. Most of the attacks were in rugged areas of Mexico's Guerrero state. They also attacked towns in Oaxaca state. Then, like a lot of allegedly left-wing outfits, it disappeared. Some former EPR members may have been part of the demonstrations that shutdown Oaxaca City for several months. That may have been an indication the EPR was getting back into the revolution game. The EPR is claiming its guerrillas have attacked Pemex pipelines. Apparently, attacks on gas and oil pipelines near a refinery in the town of Salamanca have occurred, but Pemex and the government are not yet commenting on the rebel's claims.

July 9, 2007: Drug gang related incidents, between January 1 and June 22, 2007, left 1,429 people dead. This was blamed on "inter cartel territorial warfare." In the week of April 23 through 29 alone, 249 people died.

July 2, 2007: President Felipe Calderon announced a new program called "Let's Clean Up Mexico: Recovery Zone." He described the program as an important part of Mexico's new security strategy. The Mexican government promises to tackle organized crime. Calderon promises that the state will take action to clean up schools and public areas. Calderon wants the Mexican people to play a role by stopping kids from using drugs and helping protect schools. This is very savvy politics. Calderon is trying to give the Mexican population a stake in his "counter-drug gang" war. This is an example of a smart politician energizing the public will.

 

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