America’s anti-gunners vilify gun owners who dare suggest that armed citizens are a bulwark against government tyranny. Maybe back in the late 1700’s, but not today. They scoff at the idea, arguing that these latter day self-styled armed American patriots wouldn’t stand a chance against the might of a modern military, should such a thing come to pass. Well it has come to pass, just across our southern border . . .
Mexico is a case study of exactly what happens to a disarmed populace faced with a tyrannical government, backed by military force.
Suffering from decades of kidnapping, rape, torture, mutilation, murder and mass murder; brutalized by drug cartels and their government enablers, Mexico’s disarmed rural populations have taken up arms in their own defense – illegally – and formed citizen militias. These autodefensas are locked in battle with vicious drug cartels, corrupt local police, the Mexican military and the recently formed faux citizens’ police force called Fuerza Rural.
The following borderlandbeat.com article provides a roughly translated update on the growing tension between the increasingly rural Mexican population and the central government. In the aftermath of the disappearance of 43 students at the hands of local police in Iguala, retired Army General José Francisco Gallardo Rodríguez [above] warns of a civil war to come. He’s not exaggerating.
As one commentator puts it, “there is just no other way than to take arms, otherwise nothing will change.” The exact same words spoken during the American revolution. Hopefully, we will never again find ourselves in this position. Regardless of Mexico’s history of corruption and the role billionaire narco-terrorists play in this conflict, when Mexico disarmed its populace, it sealed its fate.
Mex. Army General: “The only way an event (Iguala) of this magnitude could happen is collusion and participation of the Army. …. may cause a civil war”
COLIMA, Col. From his personal experience in the militia, where he tried without success to create the office of military ombudsman within the army (to protect the public from human rights abuses), the general in retirement José Francisco Gallardo Rodríguez affirms that, his attitude after looking at the facts of Tlatlaya and Ayotzinapa, is that president Enrique Peña Nieto is betting on repression.
What we see” – he says -” is a sign, an escape valve for the people through active participation in dissent and social mobilization, which these two serious developments show. Paradoxically the only support that Enrique Peña Nieto has as the President of the Republic are the armed forces’
In an interview, the retired General indicates that according to the Geopolitical Observatory of Armed Groups in Latin America there exists 42 such groups in Mexico.
“The Government must be very careful because it may cause a civil war in the country: we are seeing it in Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Guerrero; there are 16 states with the presence of self-defense groups”.
These groups, he adds, were not created to ask for the resignation of Peña Nieto or with the purpose of dismissing and supplanting the government, but because “there is no government, there are no institutions and there is a power vacuum that has been created because we have authorities of illegitimate origin, who have come through fraudulent elections”.
Gallardo Rodriguez, who, for nearly nine years, was detained in a military prison for having proposed the creation of an ombudsman within the army, says that in Mexico there is currently a Pact of impunity that tends to break political, legal and social structures.
‘This Government – no longer can I bear it; – we need, (hesitation)… I don’t know..(hesitation)… that Enrique Peña Nieto resign, then convene free elections, not letting anyone buy votes and that people vote freely to bring authentic authorities, authorities that are representatives of society,” he says.
In the opinion of Gallardo, “the government is very clever, it calculates the collateral damage, but here what is happening is that the situation is out of it’s hands. In light of the current state of things in Mexico, he adds, the authorities are considering as a “laboratory” what is happening in Guerrero, where repression led to a mobilization of a very important part of society that it had abandoned – the young people.
And he reveals a decision that some of the parents of the missing teacher training students told him.
“I had reservations, but I am going to tell you this because it is a fact and I want you and the government to know: I was told by the parents ‘if our children do not appear, we are going to rise up with arms’, i was told by them. ‘We are going to lift arms, general, because this is not worth it, we are not criminals, we want our children to appear’.
I approached the group and I said ‘how can I help’. And they told me ‘appear our children, general. We do not want handouts from the government, do not want it to give us nothing, we want our children’. Do you see? How then to throw the government? “.
General Gallardo believes that the federal government is preparing to repress the population. It labeled the burning of the doors of the National Palace and the destruction of a unit of the Metrobus in University City as actions of “provocateurs” (that the same government encourages and/or incites), this latter fact led police to enter the University and violate it’s autonomy.
At the same time, the budget for defense spending “has increased scandalously: in an era of Felipe Calderon grew by 600% for police, army and navy, and now has just been increased again, that is, when all of these resources should be used in health, education, roads, etc”.
The foregoing, showing the strength in the military, shows that Mexico is experiencing a situation of de-facto state, in which there is a breakdown of social structures, although there are entities of the Republic that maintain a certain balance.
Gallardo Rodriguez is convinced that the one ultimately responsible for the bloody events of Tlatlaya and Iguala is President Enrique Peña Nieto because according to the Constitution he is head of State, head of Government, head of the federal public administration, head of the public security and the supreme commander of the armed forces.
‘Furthermore, in a state like Mexico, with a vertical structure, where a leaf does not move unless otherwise ordered by the President, who is responsible?
The president of the republic, nothing more. ‘
Remember that legally there is a thesis which has been researched pertaining to the States or criminal Governments, called ‘domain of the fact’.
‘What did Enrique Peña Nieto say when he became President: ‘The army will continue in the streets’.?’
That is a policy domain of the fact, because he is allowing soldiers to act against the civilian population through a public security policy’, he asks.
However, Jose Francisco Gallardo feels that it is impossible that in the current circumstances to have a political trial (impeachment) of Enrique Peña Nieto, because there are many interests that the political class conceals. He contends that the only way to solve the problem of violence is that it reaches up to the political party leaders and “already that is coming”.
It also requires that the International Criminal Court, the Organization of the United Nations and other institutions of that level to do a review of the security policy that is being implemented in Mexico, as has been requested from the government of Calderon and now in the current administration n Mexico.
It is very necessary to intervene if you are not going to continue to having massacres such as those we have just witnessed in Guerrero and Tlatlaya”, concludes Gallardo.
PARTICIPATION OF THE ARMY AND FEDERAL POLICE IN IGUALA
The disclosure provided by Proceso magazine on the participation of the Army and the Federal Police (PF) in the attack on normalistas from Ayotzinapa strengthens the hypothesis that it was a crime of State, which “will be very difficult for the government to explain away,” said General Jose Francisco Gallardo Rodríguez.
However, he felt that international pressure can contribute to the resolution of this case because the role of “the government of the Republic, the army and all institutions that matter However, he felt that international pressure can contribute to the resolution of this case because the role of ‘the government of the Republic, the army and all institutions that matter should be clarified and that those responsible are brought to justice; that’s the only solution, no other.
Gallardo, who was nearly nine years in a military prison for having proposed an ombudsman for members of the armed forces, said that even before the appearance of the report of Anabel Hernandez and Steve Fisher he had said many times that “the only way can make an event of this magnitude (the operating against students) is to collusion and participation of the Army, as Guerrero is the most militarized state of the Republic, and there is a high presence of the Federal Police. ”
[DD note; . Many human rights organizations considered him a political prisoner.]
In an interview with Apro, retired General explains: “It was impossible that the Army did not what was happening; the intelligence services of the Secretariat of National Defense have monitored any movement that dissents make, in this case students from the Ayotzinapa School; the Army knows in real-time where they go, if they took a bus or not, and at one point it is a possibility Army could have prevented this disappearance. ”
He also said it is illogical that although the young people were arrested in front of their local headquarters, the head of the Department of Defense said that the institution had no knowledge of that action.
“Now it comes out, yes, they had knowledge and that there was a close communication, as is in the whole Republic, the National System of Public Security with the military commanders or with the barracks; so it is true the C4 was in direct communication with the commander of 27 Battalion of Infantry ”.
According to general Gallardo, what must be done is to break the ‘cloak of impunity’, because ‘here it is clear that there is a collusion by military and civilian authorities that allowed these events to happen, either by omission or action’.
TLA reforms that were made to the jurisdiction of the military last April must lead to the high command of the Sedena putting at the disposal of civil authority all the military involved in this matter, because in reforms to article 13 of the Constitution it was established that any military element that violates human rights, as is this case, it must be judged by the civil authority, because otherwise they could be hidden by the military authority.
In addition, he said, military commanders cannot absolve themselves of responsibility for what their subordinates do or stop doing, since the internal laws of the Army show that the commander is responsible for the organization and operation of his troops.
According to Gallardo Rodríguez, following the events of Iguala we should review the policies for the public security system in Guerrero and on the other hand, systematic review of operating procedures that the army has about this issue, since it is serving outside the barracks in a function that is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the civil authority.
‘It is also what are the orders that the staff has given the military based in Guerrero, and at the national level I think that it is the same, and how they should operate in a situation in which we are currently living in Mexico, especially Guerrero, since these policies are drawn up in Mexico City and become information, design and operation of public safety at the national level’, he explained.
So that there is no repeat of the situation as the Iguala, Jose Francisco Gallardo proposed a legal reform to take from the Army the function of internal order, since the Mexican “is one of the few armies or the only one in Latin America that has functions of internal order, i.e. police.”
It would be refreshing to see the populace establish order and remove from power (government and cartels) those who have been killing their own citizens.
Mexico is a power vacuum waiting to implode. Unfortunately, their mess WILL spill into the U.S.
Well technically it already has in a number of incidents. But if they do have a complete implosion of governmental authority it’ll almost certainly spill over into the US. And given the current occupant of the White House’s complete refuse to even consider securing the border we’ll probably start to see the rebirth of the militia movement here in the US.
Which might not be so bad…
Violence is always bad. But it’s sometimes necessary.
They already have violence, at least now it might start working towards a more positive end.
A while back I read a lot on Mexican History and the current situation. As such things always are, there heavily connected, if not indistinguishable from one another. I’m not an expert in Mexico in any since of the term, but form what I have read and people I have talked to, armed revolt has been brewing for a long time. This greatly concerns me. Will it spread north? I hope not, but it is a very likely prospect given the amount Mexican nationals in the US and the influence the drug trade has in all walks of life. And what would be the end result of a full on Civil War? We would all hope that Mexico would emerge a truly free and prosperous nation. Its just as, if not more likely to devolve into a totalitarian dictatorship. Or a Narco-State. Or a Somalia like Anarchy. What would the US government’s response be to any stage of a Civil War? I would think that it would have to be heavy and fast as the US can not risk a major civil war in Mexico as it may destabilize the US. Or inspire the population to replace the existing US government. Revolts are contagious.
I hope that this ends well for Mexico. I hope that all of the bloodshed will end, the people can become truly free, and that as such they can improve there economy and there future I don’t really see it in the cards. If they come to Civil War, we in the north will feel the effects.
“May you live in interesting times.”
Immigration into the United States will continue at a historic pace for the next several decades, bringing the total number of foreign-born citizens to 78 million by 2060, according to the Census Bureau.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/census-projects-81-surge-in-immigrants-78-million-by-2060/article/2557635
“Immigration” the pot will boil over LONG before that if their projections are correct.
Mexico is in a pickle, and Im curious how many Illegals would abandon the US and go back home and fight for a better homeland.. I would think it would be the perfect time to show the allegiance and patriotism for Mexico, they are always demonstrating here in the US.
They’re fair weather patriots. They abandon Mexico rather than fight, then put on the facade of pride here where there’s no risk of reprisal. They’re cowards who pretend to be patriots to further their own means.
Why do you think they and leftists get along so well?
It’s easy to talk about fighting but if you stand up agaisnt the cartels you will be targeted, and not only you but your whole family, and these cartel folks don’t mess around, they will burn people alive or throw whole families into a pot of boiling oil, an act called a “guisado” would you be willing to put your family at risk like that? When you have a family it gives you a reason for pause, since removing drug dealers from towns is not easy nor does it happen overnight especially when the doc is not on your side. Would you take that chance?
Yeah, bunch of cowards for not wanting to be beheaded slowly with a chainsaw, or skinned alive, or raped literally to death, or dismembered, or a number of other equally bad things.
Bunch of pussies. Not nearly as brave as you are, sir.
If our military cant manage to finish the job against a few thousand armed muslims what makes them think they stand a chance against at a minimum of 50 million well armed Americans? Also why do they assume all of the military and police would follow orders to bomb or drone strike their fellow Americans?
That would be Obuma and the dimtards Martha.
Because leftists are incapable of rational thought. Why else can’t they seem to grasp the fact that being armed protects one’s life?
In Short, Propaganda. And the fact that no one in history has ever thought themselves to be on the losing side of events. It’s simply a though that does not and will not dawn on humans until its to late. It’s otherwise known as hope.
TTAG is awful, just awful at breaking news. The story right now is not in Mexico, and all it would take is a simple “Breaking: 2 NYC police executed,” just drop it and go and watch a million comments start adding up but no, the most popular gun blog in the world must lag while the story explodes everywhere else. Don’t delete this post, either. Let it sit here and burn a hole in your screen.
You know that it actually takes time to make these articles, right? They don’t whip them up in five minutes.
I won’t link to them, but for example daily kos has had a story up since around 3pm, with hundreds of comments already piled up, mostly trying to reassure their readers that the cops are still racist and warning them that we will be coming to attack them over this. Well, 4 hours later, where are we?
meh, I’d rather wait a few hours or a day and get more facts than oooo, I heard about it first, nananana. Journalism/media and the public would be so much better off if we forgo the “BREAKING NEWS BREAKING NEWS!!” and the rampant speculation it entails.
The difference is that TTAG tries to be responsible in their reporting and gather facts. The DailyKrap is a gathering of leftists…what part of responsibility and ethical behavior could one possible expect from them?
Chances are that post was written weeks or months ago and was just waiting for the right disaster. I’d rather have the correct information instead of some manner of race to see who can spew BS the fastest. Is that what you’re suggesting?
Rue, the story is effectively *over*.
The cop-killer offed himself, saving NYC a ton of cash.
+10
Just posted on the goofball of the day thing. I’m sure RF etall are aware of NYC…and Mexico ain’t going away.
Because it has more to do with revenge that was incited by radical leftists. This was inevitable considering the messaging and vile contempt for police after weeks of propaganda coming directly from the race hustler and SJW crowd. Unfortunately as sick as it may seem in certain circles the shooter is going to be seen as a martyr.
Don’t delete this post, either. Let it sit here and burn a hole in your screen.
Wow. You are a self-important little twit, aren’t you.
Well he did put all that effort in supporting, writing for and building this site… Oh no? Sorry I meant he helped it financially with donations or click-throughs… No?… Never mind then.
Here’s an idea, contribute and write an article
TTAG is not the AP or CNN. They don’t have hundreds of reporters looking for the next breaking story to drum up viewers/page clicks.
If you want really breaking news there are venues for that. If you want gun news,
(not always breaking) come here.
You will rue the c0ck, or, um, pluck the ruester, or… hmmm? Hmmm.
Oh, never mind.
ruester, The NYPD cop killing story will get plenty of coverage from the national media which it certainly should. The story of the Mexican militias gets virtually no coverage in the media here including the disappearance of those students. Conditions south of our border are ripe for a real life shooting match civil war and all we hear on the matter from our media is crickets. TTAG covers stories such as this and is one of the reasons I like the site.
The NY cop killing story is over other than the proper application of bloody shirts. I find this story on Mexico extremely informative and I have wondered for several decades how Mexico could be a third world countryso close by the example of the US, I’m beginning to see. Keep up the good work, TTAG.
Until Mexican patriots band together and completely overthrow both the corrupt government and the narco-gangs they will never have peace. They need more men like this cowboy, Don Alejo. A badass for sure.
http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2010/11/mexican-marines-reconstruct-death-of.html
Please read this account if you have not I promise it is worth your time.
I respect him very much. He reminds me that there are still men willing to defend what is noble even at the cost of their lives. Still, the Franklin quote about hanging together or hanging separately comes to mind.
I’m loath to describe the Mexican military as modern. I’ll bet at least half the money appropriated for the military budget lines pockets and never gets to the military.
You know, like all that money intended to end poverty in the inner cities here in the US. Once jesse and al and barry and crony’s get done skimming, what’s left?
I suspect that the “rebels” in Mexico are more likely to end up aligned with Communist Cuba and Venezuela than with the USA. The new guv will be just as oppressive and corrupt as the current guv. Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.
The only thing worse than our government is the Mexican government. Which gives Obola something to strive for.
Que los hijos de puta ahogarse en la sangre que han derramado. La vida a la Revolución!
We have to stop assuming that just because America’s revolution ended with freedom, that that’s what everyone wants. Face it, if Mexicans topple their government and the cartels, they won’t be putting libertarians into power. They’ll insert another corrupt socialist administration, except this one oppresses people in the name of the revolution, so…victory?
It’s like Scotland. There was that big push to separate from the UK. Power to them, right? No. They wanted to break because the UK wasn’t ENOUGH of a socialist police state for them.
Stop applying American exceptionalism to other countries. Not all revolutions are for freedom. Some just want to be the oppressors for a change.
Well said, but I think that it goes further that that. There is a part of the population that feels that any free will is to much to handle. About 10 years ago, there was a radio ad that ran for a long time in the DFW area, where a owner of a business complained that there where too many choices in life. Who to marry, where to work, and the like. The point was to come in to there business and they would chose for you. Granted it was a mundane business (jewelry I think). But it’s the people with the same view point that are the real threat to free will and liberty. There are some who are not just OK with oppression but seek it. It’s just easier that way.
It’s old history but when the USSR was falling apart there was an old babushka who made a brief appearance on the news. Her lament was translated something like “this is terrible, now who will tell us what to think”. That has been embraced as the Progressive anthem.
oprah.
I always contend that most revolutions end up more like the French then American. I might write an essay or book about that one day.
If the U.S.A. was not the ever present pressure valve for Mexico (and other third world nations) via legal & Illegal immigration, a revolution would have happened decades ago. The aristocracy in Mexico wants everyone not them to seek a better life abroad. When fleeing is no longer an option fighting is only left. Maybe if our neighbors to the south start to settle their stuff maybe we would be inspired to settle ours?
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