El Financiero (Mexico City) 3/1/10
Passports required
The Mexican immigration agency (INM) reported that as of March 1, US and Canadian citizens will have to present a valid passport to enter the country. The report from INM explained that the requirement applies to those who enter by air or travel beyond 20 kilometers [approx. 12 mi.] from the border. The agency specified that foreigners who arrive on cruise ships or visit the border area are exempt the requirement if they enter as local visitors. The INM pointed out that, for about three years, practically all US and Canadian citizens have been entering with passports.
Smugglers unite on the border
Despite enforcement activities by both the US and Mexico to slow down the smuggling of humans and drugs across the border, the smugglers have increased their network and use the undocumented human traffic to transport drugs. According to information from the US Border Patrol (BP), the human trafficking is dominated by some three dozen bands who use the same corridors as the narcotraffickers and use the people being smuggled to carry drugs across the border. The payoff for the illegal crossers is that they are promised lower fees for being brought into the US. When caught, the porters are reluctant to betray their smugglers for fear of retribution. "The 'coyotes' continue being a problem; they trick and threaten death to the undocumented, but now they have gone over to narcotraffic, which becomes a major threat for our security", the BP pointed out.
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El Universal (Mexico City) 3/1/10
Remittances continue downward
The economic resources that entered Mexico through remittances amounted to $1.320 billion [US dollars ] in January, 2010. This was 15.78% lower than the annual rate, according to Banco Central. It was about $248 million under the same period last year. The total for all of 2009 was $21.181 billion. Most of the remittances come from the US.
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El Debate (Sinaloa) 3/1/10
Exciting night in Los Mochis
At least eight gunfights were reported during the night and early this morning in Los Mochis, Sinaloa. The gun battles took place in various parts of the city and some were prolonged, terrifying the neighbors. One of them lasted 15 minutes as high-powered gunfire riddled a home and destroyed a car parked in front. In the night of confusion, no arrests were made and no deaths were reported, although one possible abduction may have occurred. The police were unable to get much information about who was doing what to whom. Eyewitnesses were scarce.
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-end of report-
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The National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers (NAFBPO) extracts and condenses the material that follows from Mexican and Central and South American on-line media sources on a daily basis.
