What's on the other side of El Paso?

[Carol]

El Paso, TX. Population 700,000. 4th largest city in Texas.

Directly across the Rio Grand from El Paso, Texas is Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Population: 2,000,000.

Juarez is a large city of industry, home to manufacturing sites for several US companies that have relocated their operations south of the border. Together with El Paso this makes for the most populated center on any country's border in the entire world.

Its also home to staggeringly high levels of crime. 2008 saw a murder rate climbing well in to the thousands (compare: 500 murders in NYC, with over 8 Million people)

14 days in to the new year, there have been more than 35 deaths in Juarez.

2000 additional Mexican troops sent to the area:
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_11448257

A prominent Mexican congressman warns that efforts to stop the violence and drug trafficking have failed, and that corrupt Mexican customs will continue to feed the flow of crime in to the US (Spanish)
http://www.oem.com.mx/elsoldecuautla/notas/n1004351.htm

Feds "have a plan" if violence spills across border; 5,000 killed in Juarez last year
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ivNbIwMtQTgwPcKIGQUdhnjE10pAD95K8IMO0

U.S. Joint forces concerned about the collapse of the entire country:
http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_11444354
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_11447730


What's on the other side of El Paso, again?

 

[David Weatherly]

So moving to El Paso is probably not a great idea?

 

[grydth]

Who else wishes that all those 'patriotic' execs who moved American jobs down south had to live in Juarez themselves?

 

[Andy Moynihan]

Oh me! ME! Oh pick me!

 

[David Weatherly]

Who else wishes that all those 'patriotic' execs who moved American jobs down south had to live in Juarez themselves?

Can we send the politicians with them?

 

[Phoenix44]

Who else wishes that all those 'patriotic' execs who moved American jobs down south had to live in Juarez themselves?

Not a chance. They're happy living in the U.S. hiring the folks who come up from Juarez.

 

[arnisador]

Juarez is the only Mexican locale I've ever visited--from El Paso--and at the time we knew of the crime problem. It's especially bad there, but the overall crime and law enforcement situation there means instability...bad for them, and potentially problematic for us.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Jaurez is a bad place for killings and theft.

Those that travel there for work stay in El Paso and go across the border for the day.

Many take their wives across as well.

What ?!?

Yes, they take their wives or husbands with them.

The demographics in Juarez is the the killing is Gang or more to the point Drug Gang related. There is a large number there and they want the territory. They kill each other. From my understanding is that they ignore the the tourists by and large because it is bad business for them. It means the locals and the Federals have to get involved.

As to the Locals, it was reported the chief was driving around in a stolen SUV from El Paso he bought for a song. The problem with this is there an issue with local corruption and those after the money present.

Was New York or Detroit/Flint/Pontiac or Chicago any different during their growth periods of industry?


The arguement of moving jobs is a different subject than this post.


I have driven the Monterrey to Ramos/Saltillo that is reported to be the busiest Drug Road in Mexico. I have driven it many times and at night as well. The road is full of trucks and people moving through the area. It is the only major road to the area given terran.

Now, given the above it does not mean there is no risk at all, it means that one needs to look at the system and the data of the system to understand what is going on. But I agree the numbers are hard to ignore.