Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Juarez Angered At President's Insensitivity

In Japan when asked by reporters to comment on the murder of 16 youths at a party last Saturday night, President Felipe Calderon dismissed the killings as "probably" a feud between rival gangs, apparently unaware that all evidence suggests a case of mistaken identity. Chihuahua Attorney General Patricia Gonzalez indicated in an interview yesterday that most of the youths killed clearly were students, innocent of any wrongdoing. They were killed she said, by a team of assassins from the La Linea organization who thought they were killing members of the "Double A" gang, apparently a group thought to be associated with Chapo Guzman, head of the Sinaloa cartel. She indicated that some of the adults at the festivities may have been part of that organization.

Hérika Martínez Prado, of Norte reported various comments made by family members of the victims reacting to the president's remarks. One comment: "We'd like President Calderon to show his face here. What would he do if one of these innocent boys were his child? He'd be moving earth, sky and sea to find those responsible, but since they have nothing to do with him he does nothing, nor Mayor Reyes Ferriz and Governor Baeza. Do they want us to arm our children?"

Thus far, one person has been arrested in connection with this crime, José Dolores Arroyo Chavarría, 30, who, police say, has admitted he was a "hawk" (lookout) for the La Linea organization during the massacre last Saturday night. Police told a Diario reporter they have identified other members of the assassination team and are hunting them down.

Compiled from stories in Norte and Diario, February 3, 2010.

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