2013 News from Veracruz

In full, the Veracruz Plan unsafe

REGINA MARTINEZ

​​April 10th of 2013

SPECIAL REPORT

Translation by EGMConsult

Saynez and Duarte. Collaboration.

Photo: Hermann Canseco

In the metropolitan area Veracruz-Boca del Rio have occurred, in less than a month, two killings allegedly carried out by paramilitaries, forcing government state to launch the Veracruz Secure Plan, in which federal agencies are trying to take control of the public safety. Despite this, the governor of Veracruz, Javier Duarte, expressed his intention to continue hiding information on these mass murders.

XALAPA, VER. (Process) .- While Veracruz and federal authorities trying to agree on media management over mass murders committed by organized crime and/or paramilitary groups, people continues to live in panic and psychosis of unprecedented violence in the state.

In the most recent event, Thursday 6, social networks announced the appearance of more than 30 corpses in "safe houses" in three exclusive subdivisions in the metropolitan area Veracruz-Boca del Rio.

Although after noon on Thursday, the news of the discovery of corpses posted in twitter, face book and local media released unofficially on internet portals, the state government denied the facts. "It is not true, not true, there is nothing about it," insisted Michael James, Director of Information of the General Coordination of Social Communication (Coordination general de communication social (CGCS), who heads Georgina Dominguez) to the questions from this reporter.

In an effort to hide the information, the wrongs of Social Communication and the judicial authorities of the state have been evident, in a single day issued three different statements about the facts.

Firstly CGCS claimed that only four people were killed and not 30 or 40, as indicated by the users of social networks, reported around Thursday.

The statement added that bodies were find the morning of that day in a house in the port of Veracruz and experts from the Attorney General of the State (PGJE) had begun to "investigate the identity" of the four bodies, "then report that a citizen led authorities to the ministry scene."

Experts also noted that Attorney General's Office (PGR) and investigators of Veracruzana Research Agency "came to the place appointed for initiating investigations, study bodies and causes of death."

A second statement issued at five p.m. stated, "The state government does not have any official confirmation from the armed forces or the federal government over the alleged discovery of bodies in the metropolitan area, as referred by some media with sources that do not identify themselves."

Adding, "Members of the federal forces conducted an operation in the area according to Veracruz Secure Plan and continue providing protection to citizens," not mentioning the discovery of massive fatalities.

By then, some local media were reporting the findings - in "a safe houses" in Costa Verde and Jardines de Mocambo residential areas- of at least 31 bodies bearing signs of torture, citing police sources as Intermunicipal Veracruz-Boca del Rio. Social networks reported 40 bodies.

Some web sites claimed as "unofficial sources" had confirmed it was in a house in Jardines de Mocambo where they found the remains of 17 men and three women. They explained that according to some sources, another anonymous caller had reported a similar finding in a deserted house in Costa Verde, where police took the remains of nine men and two women.

Hours later, the state government had to back down. A statement issued after 10 pm that Thursday by the Secretary of the Navy (Semar) confirmed the mass murder. Dependency Newsletter 313 lamented the "report of 32 dead bodies found" in the Veracruz-Boca del Rio.

The Semar said that from information obtained by the Naval Intelligence "The day Marine personnel went to a home in Jardines de Mocambo" and in the place "was located the State Police personnel who reported the marines the discovery of 20 dead bodies inside the house, which had already been withdrawn by prosecutors of Public Ministry of Common Law. "

On a visit to a second home in Costa Verde subdivision, based on the same intelligence, Semar official said, "The naval marines personnel located 11 dead bodies inside the house," the (prosecutor) of Public Ministry of Common Law said, came "to perform the corresponding actions." The Navy said that unit staff had located another dead body in a residential subdivision of Costa de Oro

After the release of Semar and that the nightly news had already begun to criticize the governor of Veracruz, Javier Duarte, for concealment of information, CGCS was forced to spread their third release "to endorse" the report of the Navy.

"For more than 18 hours many operations were developed leading to find more bodies in three, attested to the ministerial authorities at 21:30 pm," said.

Given the nature and circumstances of this case, said the third statement, "Authorities responsible for investigation proceedings held secrecy until the conclusion of the operation that started early Thursday morning." He added that he had "information of safe houses in various parts of the city, where the crime allegedly operated."

Capture of "Matazetas"

On Friday 7, Semar informing the media in Mexico City on the operating results of the first Veracruz Secure Plan. Jose Luis Vergara, spokesperson for the Semar, reported the arrest of eight members of the cartel Jalisco New Generation, armed and hiding in a house in Costa de Oro, Boca del Rio, and calling them The Matazetas.

"This is another organized crime group, antagonistic to the criminal organization Los Zetas", with which the dispute over "illegal activities and resources of Veracruz to the commission of offenses offensive to society, such as murder, kidnapping, extortion and the call charging floor, "said Vergara.

According to this, the detainees, "said that apart from the house where they had been found, there were other three safe houses, where there were 32 abandoned human bodies, which conducted to an immediate mobilization." Confirming that in a residential home in Jardines de Mocambo, "state personnel (who) were present," announced Navy personnel the discovery of 20 bodies that were withdraw by the Public Ministry prosecutor.

For information on these detainees, Vergara continued, "there is a presumption and evidence that this is linked to the murder of 35 people" whose bodies were dumped on September 20 in Ruiz Cortines Boulevard in Boca del Rio.

He said that in both episodes, September 20 and Thursday 6 - leads to "a total of 67 people killed" allegedly by the New Generation Jalisco cartel. In the list of prisoners, highlights the chief criminal cell in the city of Veracruz, Alfredo Landa Carmona, El Capi, and Guillermo Aparicio Gaudeano, Juan Adrián de la Cruz, Alfonso Richard Sanel, Mario Alberto Cruz Torres, Federico Fabian Santos Ruiz, Jose Refugio Estrada Rojas and Juan Antonio de la Cruz Trenado.

Also due to Veracruz Secure Plan 12 Zetas were capture, including Aquiles Amaranto Cruz Hurtado, alleged the leader of the city of Veracruz.

Governor Duarte said, in another statement, merely to express his joy "Veracruz Secure coordinated operation," and that his administration "is working every day for peace and harmony of Veracruz society." The government of Veracruz, along with federal and armed forces, Duarte said, "will continue this coordinated operations" against crime and against "all those who violate the law and the rule of law."

Georgina Dominguez, in interviews with national media, denied that the state authorities have withheld information about the facts, "simply we not had official confirmation" about the discovery of 32 corpses.

"The legal diligence was done in total secrecy due the nature of this case and we posted it later, while Navy Department, posted around 9 or 9:30 PM, as ministerial authorities proceeding concluded, "she argued.

Colophon:

In last Friday interview, governor Duarte denied he had plans to fire state general attorney. Today, the governor of Veracruz fires his security strongman- Reynaldo Escobar.