Thursday, March 30, 2017

AZMEX POLICY 30-3-17

AZMEX POLICY 30 MAR 2017


Note: Arizonacentric. Of course. BTW, the Phoenix vote was more about "de jure" than "de facto".
Thx


Rollout of Phoenix municipal ID cards delayed
BY GRISELDA ZETINO |
March 30, 2017 @ 5:05 am

https://ktar.com/story/1511391/rollout-phoenix-municipal-id-cards-delayed-phoenix/

Municipal ID cards were supposed to be made available to Phoenix residents by now, but there's been a delay.

Supporters of the ID cards say the rollout was delayed because there are concerns over whether or not the city will retain the personal information of card holders.

Viridiana Hernandez, executive director of the Center for Neighborhood Leadership, said she and other supporters are worried authorities could access the information and use it against card holders, especially those who are undocumented.

"Someone's name or someone's address – all of that information we feel will be very sensitive and could be used if there aren't any protections," Hernandez said.

She added that the concerns are even more pressing now that President Donald Trump is in office and could direct federal authorities to access the data. Similar concerns are brewing in California, where thousands of undocumented immigrants have applied for driver's licenses and, in doing so, have shared their personal information.

But David Urbinato, a spokesman for the Phoenix City Council, said the delay was not due to concerns over personal information being retained. He said the delay was "solely" to account for any possible changes to municipal ID cards or services made in the state Legislature.

"There have been several bills considered in the current legislative session that would impact how, or even if, municipalities can offer cards," he said, adding that the delay "ensured that any Phoenix city services card program would comply with any changes mandated in state legislation."
"The date change is solely driven by that," he said.

Now, the Phoenix municipal ID cards are projected to be made available in late spring or early summer.

END




Former Gov. Jan Brewer says politicians who support sanctuary cities should be jailed
BY KTAR.COM | March 30, 2017 @ 4:53 am

https://ktar.com/story/1510798/former-gov-jan-brewer-says-politicians-support-sanctuary-cities-jailed/

PHOENIX — Former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said politicians who support sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants, particularly those who commit crimes, should be jailed.

"What are they thinking? They ought to be in jail, really," Brewer told Fox News' "America's Newsroom" this week. "They're harboring and protecting criminals. It's unbelievable that they would get away with this."

Though there is no agreed upon definition of a sanctuary city, the general consensus defines them as a city that will, in some way, protect illegal immigrants.

In some cases, these cities tell police not to inquire about the immigration status of those they encounter, or they decline requests from immigration officials to keep defendants in custody while they await deportation.

Others say they do cooperate with such "detainer" requests as long as they're backed by court-issued warrants, but won't allow local officers to enforce federal immigration law.

Brewer said her biggest concern is with cities who allow illegal immigrants with criminal records to walk free.
"People want to feel safe. They're making our cities and our states dangerous (by) releasing these criminals, these murderers, rapists, child abusers back out into our streets," she said, later adding that not all illegal immigrants commit crimes.

She also said it is "absolutely wrong" that politicians would choose the safety of the community over their political agenda. "It makes absolutely no sense," she said. "I don't even think it makes sense to them other than that they want to poke people in the eyes."

Earlier this year, the Phoenix City Council voted against becoming a sanctuary city in a 7-2 vote.

END

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

AZMEX UPDATE 28-3-17

AZMEX UPDATE 28 MAR 2017


SONORA
Military Police to strengthen security in Sonora
By: Jorge López | 3/28/2017 6:35
HERMOSILLO, Sonora (GH)

Http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Sonora/28032017/1195188-Policia-Militar-reforzara-seguridad-en-Sonora.html

During the next two months, a thousand soldiers of the Fifth Brigade of the Military Police will remain in the municipalities of Hermosillo, Cajeme, Huatabampo, as well as in the valleys of Yaqui and Mayo, to reinforce security in the state.

Norberto Cortés Rodríguez, commander of the Fourth Military Zone, explained that until the end of May, a thousand military police will remain in the state to maintain the peace and tranquility of Sonora.

"They come to join the efforts that are being made to continue maintaining the tranquility here in the State; Are effective that arrive in addition to those that already existed here in the Central and Southern part of the State of Sonora, "he said.

REGIONS WITH PROBLEMS

Adolfo García Morales, Secretary of Public Security, acknowledged that although Sonora is considered to be safe, there are regions where there are some problems, and this is where it will be strengthened by the military presence.

"There are regions such as the Sierra Alta, the Sierra Media, the southern part of the state, where more deployment is required and obviously the number of soldiers, and those thousand soldiers will make great support to continue maintaining the levels of security And improve them, especially, "he said.

There will also be a military presence on the Sonora border with the states of Sinaloa and Chihuahua, he said, and at the overnight center located at Estacion Don.

It will be a coordinated work with the different security corporations in the State, he added, and a strategy based on the operating group and restricting criminal mobility will be defined.

NO RED FOCUS

The Secretary of Public Security clarified that the presence of the Military Police was an agreement between the governor Claudia Pavlovich and the Secretary of National Defense, Salvador Cienfuegos to strengthen security in the State, worse not because it is in the red spotlight.

"Even if they see the statistics," he said, "the state of Sonora compared to the Northeast and the Northwest of the Republic, we have numbers that do not put us in a red spotlight on any of the high impact crimes that we have and that are product Of the analysis of the Executive Secretariat of the National Commission of Public Security ".

Call to avoid militarization of public security

It is necessary to specify the tasks that will be carried out in the State by the elements of the Military Police and to restrict the contact with the citizenship to avoid human rights violations, assured the specialists in public affairs.

Guillermo Noriega Esparza, a specialist in transparency issues, said that before the arrival of a thousand elements of the Army, he worried that it could give a impression of militarization of public security.

For Germán Palafox Moyers, director of the Citizen Observatory for Coexistence and Security, the presence of the Military Police in the State should be exclusively dedicated to specific areas that help fight organized crime.

end



Mexico governor says Chihuahua too weak to fight cartels
4 hours ago
From the section Latin America & Caribbean
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-39413080

Javier Corral, Governor of the state of Chihuahua, gestures during a news conference about the killing of journalist Miroslava Breach, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico March 27, 2017Image copyrightREUTERS

Mr Corral was speaking days after a local journalist was shot dead in her car
The governor of Mexico's northern state of Chihuahua, Javier Corral, has said his government does not have the means to tackle organised crime.
He said he had requested federal resources to help local police fight the drug cartels.

Mr Corral's comments come four days after the murder of a local journalist, Miroslava Breach, in Chihuahua City. Ms Breach had reported extensively on the links between organised crime and politicians in the state.
She was shot in her car on Thursday outside her house in Chihuahua City, becoming the third journalist killed in Mexico this month. One of her children, who was in the vehicle, was not hurt.
'For being a loud mouth'
Mr Corral said there had been "significant progress" in the investigation since Sunday.

Journalists and activist protest against the murder of the Mexican journalist Miroslava Breach, outside the Attorney General's Office (PGR) in Mexico City, Mexico, March 25, 2017Image copyrightREUTERS
Image caption

Several protests have been held across Mexico since the journalist's murder on Thursday
Police have released a surveillance camera image of one of the men suspected of shooting her. But no arrest warrants have been issued so far.

Mr Corral said that Chihuahua will not be able to combat the powerful criminal organisations operating in the state without federal help. "The Federal Government is notably absent in the fight against violence in Chihuahua, even though 75% of the murders that happen here are in the remit of the federal authorities," he told La Jornada newspaper. Ms Breach worked for La Jornada and a regional newspaper, Norte de Juarez.

The gunmen left a note at the crime scene that read: "For being a loud-mouth."
On Friday and Saturday, dozens of her colleagues and other demonstrators took part in protests calling for justice and demanding a thorough investigation.
The Committee to Protect Journalists says 38 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 1992.

end

Monday, March 27, 2017

AZMEX EXTRA 27-3-17

AZMEX EXTRA 27 MAR 2017

Note: Fed charges? Mug shots at link.

Police: Phoenix couple buys $10,000 'sniper rifle' for Mexican drug cartel
Joe Enea
3:41 PM, Mar 27, 2017
54 mins ago
central phoenix | phoenix metro

http://www.abc15.com/news/crime/pd-phx-couple-buys-10k-sniper-rifle-for-mexican-drug-cartel

PHOENIX - A Phoenix couple is accused of buying a sniper rifle for the Sinaloa Mexican drug cartel.

Another weapon of this type was found in Mexico in January and traced to a straw buy in Phoenix.

Phoenix police report that on March 20 Jonathan Ibarra Alarcon, 31, had his wife, 22-year-old Erica Jean Ibarra-Alarcon, purchase a Barrett 82A1 sniper rifle for $10,000 from a licensed gun store in Phoenix.

The weapon is capable of firing .50-caliber rounds, according to the manufacturer's website, and is currently used by the U.S. and other military forces.

Police soon pulled over their car near 7th Street and Bethany Home Road, where police say Jonathan told them he was given $13,000 to buy the gun and was allowed to keep the remainder of the money as payment for the purchase. He allegedly admitted the rifle would be, "going south to Mexico and the Sinaloa cartel."

Police say Erica has a false address and lied on an ATF form stating the gun was for her. Jonathan reportedly said he was approached about a week before the straw sale and after finding the rifle on the internet, had his wife make the purchase.

The Alarcons have been charged with forgery and weapons misconduct charges.

END

Friday, March 24, 2017

AZMEX POLICY 24-3-17

AZMEX POLICY 24 MAR 2017

Note: more from Mex. Foreign Sec. Videgaray.
thx

Technology, not a wall: Videgaray; Indicates an integral relationship
ECONOMY 24 MAR, 2017
BY: DAVID PÁRAMO | EXPERT
Columnist of Excélsior.

Http://www.dineroenimagen.com/2017-03-24/84922

ACAPULCO.- According to Luis Videgaray, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, debating a wall is a mere distraction to what Mexico and the United States really need to combat such evils as drugs, weapons and "dirty" money: customs technology And migratory.

"The fundamental issue of the relationship between Mexico and the United States goes far beyond how borders are protected, and perhaps the most important thing for us is that we see the whole as a relationship, that we do not just look at one aspect that, Is an aggravation, but let's look at the whole of the relationship and go in that direction, "says Videgaray on the so-called Trump Wall.

Although he says that if the flow of arms and drugs really decreases, it would of course help Mexico, even though he sees it far from fulfilling that objective.

"If it made it less attractive to bring the drugs to the US, of course it would have a positive result. The big question is whether it will work. What we believe is that we have to put more technology in the customs, that you can check the load in a way that does not stop the trade, and that it is effective to detect if they are passing drugs, weapons or cash, "he reiterates In an interview within the framework of the 80th Banking Convention of the ABM.

For the Mexican chancellor, perhaps one of the negative elements of the wall is that it distracts attention on the true investment that should be making in the border. "I think the real discussion should be about betting on technology."

He explains that in terms of customs control, what is wanted is that trans border trade is done as fast as possible, so that perishable goods do not wait in a long line at the border. "But on the other hand you have to make sure the cargo does not carry other things."

"If you try with a manual review, then you have to do it with a few or resign yourself to seeing very long queues. Technology already exists to make quicker and more effective revisions. The problem is that Mexico, and to a lesser extent the US, has not invested in this type of developments. It is a negative consequence of this discussion, setting aside technological investment, to build a wall. "

NO TO POPULISM

Regarding the main theme of the annual banking meeting, which has to do with freedom against populism, Videgaray is emphatic in pointing out that the populist wants something that is noticed tomorrow, no matter what happens in the future.

"The big difference between the statesman and the populist is just that. The demagogue is not thinking about what is going to happen later, wants the fast applause, wants to satisfy the concern of the moment. The statesman is willing to assume costs, to take decisions that are not necessarily going to be the most popular at the time, and yet they are the ones that best fit the country.

"In the end, the great legacy of this government is that of a president who dared, who took very important political costs, but who dared to make changes, which today are already evident and that give Mexico a perspective Of very encouraging growth, "he says.

NEGOTIATION

Regarding what has happened in the Mexico-United States relationship since Trump's arrival, Videgaray explains that there is a very rapid evolution. "We first set the communication parameters. The only way to resolve the public and notorious differences that we have with the US government is to have the channels of direct communication with the White House, the State Department, but also between secretaries who speak to each other. "

"The process is underway. There is clarity in the rhythms and the times. Particularly in the commercial negotiation, which will imply that by the middle of the year, around July, formal talks will begin for the trade theme. "

END







Tecnologías, no un muro: Videgaray; señala una relación integral
ECONOMÍA 24 MAR, 2017
POR: DAVID PÁRAMO | EXPERTO
Columnista de Excélsior.

http://www.dineroenimagen.com/2017-03-24/84922

ACAPULCO.- Para Luis Videgaray, secretario de Relaciones Exteriores, la razón de debatir sobre un muro es un mero distractor a lo que realmente requieren México y Estados Unidos para combatir males como el paso de droga, armas y dinero "sucio": tecnología aduanera y migratoria.

"El tema fundamental de la relación entre México y Estados Unidos va mucho más allá de cómo se protegen las fronteras, y tal vez lo más importante para nosotros es que veamos el conjunto como una relación, que no nos quedemos mirando sólo un aspecto que además es un agraviante, sino que veamos el conjunto de la relación y vayamos en ese sentido", explica Videgaray sobre el llamado Muro de Trump.

Aunque asegura que si realmente disminuye el flujo de armas y droga, claro que ayudaría a México, aunque ve lejos que ese objetivo se cumpla.

"Si hiciera a México menos atractivo para llevar la droga a EU, claro que tendría un resultado positivo. La gran pregunta es si les va a funcionar. Lo que creemos nosotros es que hay que meter más tecnología en las aduanas, que puedas revisar la carga de una manera en que no detengas el comercio, y que sea eficaz para detectar si se está pasando droga, armas o dinero en efectivo", reitera en entrevista en el marco de la 80 Convención Bancaria de la ABM.

Para el canciller mexicano, tal vez uno de los elementos negativos del muro es que distrae la atención sobre la verdadera inversión que debería estar haciéndose en la frontera. "Creo que la verdadera discusión debe estar en apostar a la tecnología".

Explica que en materia de control aduanero, lo que se quiere es que el comercio sea lo más rápido posible, incluso que los bienes perecederos no hagan una larga fila en la frontera. "Pero por otro lado tienes que asegurarte que la carga no lleve otras cosas".

"Si se intenta con una revisión manual, entonces tienes que hacerlo con algunos pocos o resignarte a ver colas muy largas. Ya existe tecnología para hacer revisiones más rápidas y eficaces. El problema es que México, y menos EU, ha invertido en este tipo de desarrollos. Es una consecuencia negativa de esta discusión, que se deje de lado la inversión tecnológica, para construir una pared".

NO AL POPULISMO

Respecto al tema principal de la reunión anual bancaria, que tiene que ver sobre la libertad frente al populismo, Videgaray es enfático al señalar que el populista quiere algo que se note mañana, no importando qué pase en el futuro.

"La gran diferencia entre el estadista y el populista es precisamente eso. El demagogo no está pensando en que va a pasar más adelante, quiere el aplauso rápido, quiere satisfacer la preocupación del momento. El hombre de Estado está dispuesto a asumir costos, a asumir decisiones que no necesariamente van a ser las más populares en ese momento, y que sin embargo son las que más convienen al país.

"A la postre, el gran legado de este gobierno es ése, el de un presidente que se atrevió, que tomó costos políticos muy importantes, pero que se atrevió a hacer cambios, los cuales hoy ya son evidentes y que le dan México una perspectiva de crecimiento muy alentador", asegura.

NEGOCIACIÓN

Respecto a qué ha pasado en la relación México-Estados Unidos desde la llegada de Trump, Videgaray explica que hay una evolución muy rápida. "Primero establecimos los parámetros de comunicación. La única manera de resolver las diferencias públicas y notorias que tenemos con el gobierno estadunidense es tener los canales de comunicación directos con la Casa Blanca, con el departamento de Estados, pero también entre secretarías que hablan entre sí".

"El proceso está en marcha. Se tiene claridad en los ritmos y los tiempos. Particularmente en la negociación comercial, la cual va a implicar que hacia mediados de año, por ahí de julio, iniciarán las pláticas formales para el tema de comercio".


END

AZMEX UPDATE 24-3-17

AZMEX UPDATE 24 MAR 2017



Former U.S,. Border Patrol agent sentenced to over 13 years in prison for bribery, drug trafficking
Submitted Mar 22, 2017

http://www.douglasdispatch.com/news/former-u-s-border-patrol-agent-sentenced-to-over-years/article_760a409c-0f19-11e7-9a2b-9fa984c58cb5.html

On March 17, 2017, Juan Ramon Pimentel, 48, of Rio Rico, Ariz., was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Raner Collins to 160 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Pimentel had previously pleaded guilty to attempted possession with intent to distribute 50 kilograms of cocaine and accepting bribes as a public official.

"Law enforcement officers take an oath to enforce the law, and Mr. Pimentel repeatedly violated that oath by taking bribes and trafficking drugs across the country," said Acting U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. "Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute any official who crosses the line to engage in criminal acts."

The drug charges stem from a traffic stop on Nov. 18, 2015.

Pimentel's vehicle contained 50 kilograms of a white powdery substance, a Glock .40 caliber handgun, and his Border Patrol Badge and credentials. Pimentel admitted he knew there were drugs in the vehicle and he was taking them to Chicago. He also admitted that he agreed to make the trip for a fee of a $1,000 per kilogram.

The bribery charges relate to an occasion on Feb. 13, 2015, where Pimentel received cash for distributing license plate information he had obtained from a law enforcement database. Pimentel had been employed as a U.S. Border Patrol Agent since 2001, with the Nogales Border Patrol Station.

END




Local school district taking steps to protect undocumented students

POSTED:MAR 23 2017 08:51PM MST
UPDATED:MAR 23 2017 08:51PM MST

http://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/arizona-news/243623883-story

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A local school district is taking steps to protect students who are undocumented.

According to a letter sent to the student's parents, officials with the the Phoenix Elementary School District #1 will not allow immigration officers on school grounds, without a warrant.

Sara Bresnahan with the school district outlined the steps.

Local school district taking steps to protect undocumented students

"It's important that that person would go through the CEOs office," said Bresnahan. "We would work with our legal counsel to make sure the right legal documents were in order before someone was allowed to go on campus."

School officials said there was no changes made to their policy, but they heard there were some concerns of how things were, after Donald Trump became President. In response, the district wanted to reassure parents their children are safe at school.

The letter was sent out to parents on Monday, and was in English and Spanish. The letter was also sent out to members of staff, the Phoenix Police Department, and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

"We're just always trying to make sure our parents know, get your kids to school, don't keep them at home, they need to be in class being educated everyday," said Bresnahan . She said that schools are considered safe places, and that has not changed.

"We are not going to just let people on the campuses without very good reason, or without our legal counsel advising us," said Bresnahan.

Officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said on its website that schools are sensitive locations, and their policies state that enforcement actions at schools should generally be avoided, and is only done with "prior approval from an appropriate supervisory official".

However, the same website also states that ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers may carry out enforcement actions at a sensitive location, without prior approval from a supervisor, if there is exigent circumstances related to national security, terrorism, or public safety, or where there is "an imminent risk of destruction of evidence material to an ongoing criminal case".

end

AZMEX SPECIAL Convención Bancaria 23-7-17

AZMEX SPECIAL Convención Bancaria 23 MAR 2017

Comment: " liberalismo contra el populismo."
For "Policy Wonks" and "Populists" mostly.
It is anticipated that pitchforks and torches will be added to the UN Small Arms Treaty.

Long, most computer translations.

Also: Interview with Luis Videgaray ( in English )

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2017-03-23/videgaray-mexico-u-s-relations-go-beyond-trade-video

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mexico-top-diplomat-says-nation-205756690.html;_ylt=A0SO8yumQNRYgi8A7SZXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyODJmMTJzBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjM2MjZfMQRzZWMDc2M-

Thx


Peña Nieto inaugurates the 80th Banking Convention in Acapulco

• Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Https://www.elsoldeacapulco.com.mx/estado/pena-nieto-inaugura-la-80-convencion-bancaria-en-acapulco

With information from Carlos Lara / Envoy

ACAPULCO .- President Enrique Peña Nieto inaugurates the work of the 80th Banking Convention in Acapulco, Guerrero, where the global dilemma will be analyzed: liberalism against populism.
With this event, it will be reiterated that Mexico has maintained its economic growth despite international adversities.
It is the last convention with Luis Robles Miaja as President of the ABM and for that reason the President recognized Miaja for being an enthusiastic promoter of advances achieved as a country.

"He is widely recognized because he has had courage, with great clarity in the face of the challenges, advances, risks and threats we face," he said.
Prior to the message of Peña Nieto, the Convention handed the honorific gavel to Agustín Carstens, president of the Bank of Mexico. "Their performance will be remembered as an important piece of macroeconomic stability in the country," said the President.

The Convention is organized by the Association of Banks of Mexico (ABM) and takes place from 22 to 24 March, in the port of Guerrero.
The event that will leave Acapulco an economic boost of 4.5 million pesos, according to expectations of the same government authorities,
takes place in an area in the Acapulco Diamante area.

You can also read: It's a good time to acquire mortgages, says the ABM

What is the Mexican Banks Association?
The Bank of Mexico Association (ABM) was founded on November 12, 1928, to represent the general interests of the Bank of the country. It was created with the participation of 26 banks.
Currently, it has 49 multiple banking institutions in the country as partners. It has collaborated with its partners in the achievement of its objectives and in the activities of providing the banking, credit and modernization of the payment system.

It has played a fundamental role in the relations of credit institutions with each other, with the Government of Mexico, with non-bank financial intermediaries, with other representative bodies and with international institutions.

Also read: Analyze liberalism and populism in the Banking Convention

It will be until Friday, March 24th that the area of ​​Punta Diamante will remain under a great security shield, due to the attendance of the financial leaders.
Undoubtedly, the National Banking Convention also gives an important economic boost to the port, a great media impact, and will increase the good reputation of Acapulco as a beach destination for the realization of transcendent events.

end


Analyze liberalism and populism in the Banking Convention
• EFE Agency
• Wednesday, March 22, 2017
• in Finance
Https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/finanzas/622358-banca-debatira-sobre-liberalismo-y-populismo-inicia-la-convencion-bancaria

ACAPULCO, Calif. - Today, the Mexican banking sector will begin its 80th annual meeting, a three-day meeting that will bring together important figures who will discuss the current complex economic environment and the dialectic between liberalism and populism.

The plenary and opening session of this 80th Banking Convention of the Association of Banks of Mexico (ABM) will take place this afternoon, and will have the presence and inaugural message of President Enrique Peña Nieto.

Also participating in the event are the
Secretary of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP), José Antonio Meade;
The governor of the Bank of Mexico (Banxico), Agustín Carstens;
The president of the Association of Banks of Mexico (ABM), Luis Robles Miaja,
and the president of the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV), Jaime González Aguadé.

On the second day, the program offers a series of interesting papers to delve into the issues on which this convention, named "The Global Dilemma: Liberalism vs Populism", will be based this year.
As this title suggests, a good deal of the debates and conferences will revolve around the advent of populism in politics, which counts among its top representatives with President Donald Trump, which has led to the relationship between the United States and Mexico to its worst moment in decades.

Mexico's Foreign Minister, Luis Videgaray, will give a lecture, as well as US economist Larry Summers, who was president of Harvard University (2001-2006) and US Treasury Secretary (1999-2001), and will give a macro view Of the current economic landscape.

President of the United States Council on Foreign Relations, Richard N. Haass, is scheduled to give a conference, as well as a panel discussion with former US, Canada and Mexico Trade representatives.

Acapulco will host
The three countries share the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), in the process of being renegotiated because the US president considers that it harms the industry, trade and employment of his nation for the benefit of Mexico.

On the last day of the convention, Venezuelan economist Ricardo Hausmann, current director of the Center for International Development at Harvard, will give the talk "Implications of populism", and then Professor of Economics and Public Policy Harvard Kenneth Rogoff will offer the paper " Productivity: The Big Challenge ".

The highlight of the day comes to former General Colin Powell, who was Secretary of State between 2001 and 2005 during the George W. Bush Administration.

In the closing ceremony will assume as new president of the ABM Marcos Martínez Gavica for the period 2017-18.

The chairman of the Board of Directors of Grupo Financiero Santander in Mexico will replace Luis Robles Miaja in charge of this association since 2014 and chairman of the Board of Directors at BBVA Bacomer.

After a few words from the new president, the message and the declaration of closure will be the responsibility of the undersecretary of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP), Vanessa Rubio.

Founded in 1928, ABM currently has 51 associate banking institutions in the country and its purpose is to represent the general interests of the sector.

It plays a fundamental role in the framework of the relations of credit institutions with each other and with the Mexican Government, non-bank financial intermediaries, other representative bodies and international institutions.

End



Strong Institutions, 'antidote' against populism: Carstens
Roberto González Amador and Israel Rodríguez J., envoys | Thursday, 23 Mar 2017 11:12

Http://www.jornada.unam.mx/ultimas/2017/03/23/instituciones-fuertes-el-2018antidoto2019-contra-populismo-carstens

Acapulco, Gro. The "best antidote" to contain populist intentions is to build strong institutions with clear mandates and accountability, said Agustín Carstens Carstens, governor of the Bank of Mexico (BdeM), on Thursday.

"The best antidote to populism is precisely that there are strong institutions. The Bank of Mexico is a strong institution and, in that sense, is an example for many other instances that could increase the depth of the facilities, "said Carstens to the press as part of the second day of work of the 80th Banking Convention.

The bankers' annual meeting kicked off Wednesday with a coincidental speech between officials - including President Enrique Peña Nieto - and the Mexican Banking Association (ABM) against what they called "an advance of populism that puts values ​​at risk Which defends liberalism. " President Peña said: "By populism I mean the dogmatic positions that postulate seemingly easy solutions, but that actually close spaces to the citizens."

On Thursday, prior to the start of a convention session on "The Global Dilemma: Liberalism versus Populism," Carstens told reporters that "institutions with clear mandates, with accountability, help the country's governance And at the end of the day, actions do not depend so much on people but on the institutions themselves. "

Inflation is more or less at the expected pace

The governor of the Bank of Mexico commented that inflation is "more or less than expected, still are seen some remnants of increases in prices of gasoline and other energy" at the beginning of the year.

This Thursday, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography reported that in the first half of March inflation was 0.35 percent. While, in annual terms, it was 5.29 percent, the highest in eight years.

"As the Bank of Mexico has anticipated, we will see levels above our upper bound for a few more months and later, towards the end of this year, annual inflation will drop," Carstens said.

The central bank has a permanent inflation target of 3 percent annually, with an interval of plus or minus 1 percentage point.

Yesterday, during the inauguration of the Banking Convention, Carstens considered that the recent appreciation of the peso in its quotation against the dollar will contribute to reduce inflation.

"What is important is that it should be noted that the inflation variation was 0.35 percent in the first half of March, much more in line with what we have normally seen. The arithmetic effect of January, the increase in gasoline, is what gives us these high annual readings, "added Carstens Thursday.

"What I would expect is that this bubble in inflation will dissipate by the end of this year," he added.

end

AZMEX POLICY 22-3-17

AZMEX POLICY 22 MAR 2017

Note: Cemex has a major presence in AZ.


Mexico warns firms not in their interest to build border wall
Wed Mar 22, 2017

Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal, Mexico's Economy Minister, addresses the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., March 3, 2017. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook

By Anthony Esposito | MEXICO CITY
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mexico-wall-idUSKBN16T0DV?il=0

Mexico's government on Tuesday warned Mexican companies that it would not be in their best "interests" to participate in the construction of U.S. President Donald Trump's border wall, though there will be no legal restrictions or sanctions to stop them if they tried.

While some Mexican companies stand to potentially benefit from the controversial infrastructure project, residents south of the border view the wall and Trump's repeated calls to have Mexico pay for it as offensive. That is putting public pressure on firms to abstain from participating.

"We're not going to have laws to restrict (companies), but I believe considering your reputation it would undoubtedly be in your interest to not participate in the construction of the wall," said Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo.

"There won't be a law with sanctions, but Mexicans and Mexican consumers will know how to value those companies that are loyal to our national identity and those that are not," Guajardo added.

His comments echo those of Mexico's foreign minister Luis Videgaray, who said on Friday that Mexican companies that see a business opportunity in the wall should "check their conscience" first.

Mexico's Cemex (CMXCPO.MX), one of the world's largest cement producers, has said it is open to providing quotes to supply the raw materials for the border wall. Competitor Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua (GCC.MX) has also signaled a readiness to work on the project.

Both companies have a strong presence in the United States.

Commenting on a media report published last week that stated Cemex will not participate in construction of the border wall, company spokesman Jorge Perez told Reuters: "I confirmed that we will not participate in the bidding process. That is all we have said."

Asked if Cemex would be willing to provide raw materials, such as cement, to the companies eventually selected to build the wall, Perez said he could not comment.

The only Mexican company, out of some 720 in total, to put its name down on the U.S. government's website for business opportunities as an interested vendor for the wall construction, is a small, four-member concern from the central city of Puebla that wants to provide LED lights that it imports mostly from China.

Mexican activists have called on consumers and local government officials to boycott that company, Ecovelocity.

END

Also:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/22/calif-lawmakers-look-punish-companies-build-wall/

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/22/trump-border-wall-firms-would-face-penalty-under-san-francisco-law.html

Calexit?

Thursday, March 23, 2017

AZMEX SPECIAL 23-3-17

AZMEX SPECIAL 23 MAR 2017

Comment: The shortage of shooting ranges in AZ continues.
Root cause? The Feds own way too much of AZ land.
Example? Several years ago now, the USFS closed the Tucson Rod & Gun Club range in Sabino Canyon. To this day they never manage a replacement site.
Additional mitigation would be more ranges on state owned lands, including state trust lands.
"The project is estimated to cost $3.7 million."
Thx


BP accused of trespassing, using man's property as firing range
By Paulina Pineda
Nogales International Mar 21, 2017

http://www.nogalesinternational.com/news/bp-accused-of-trespassing-using-man-s-property-as-firing/article_049fe504-0dd6-11e7-b57e-2f6c8662fd23.html

Border Patrol target range
Contributed photo
This photo taken in late February by Joe Barr shows Nogales Border Patrol agents trespassing on property owned by Nohe Garcia in Western Nogales. Barr said the group was using the land to target practice without permission.
Border Patrol target range
Contributed photo


Nohe Garcia said Border Patrol agents spray-painted this figure on his property, which he is developing into an industrial park.

Less than a year after a judge found that the U.S. Border Patrol was negligent in operating a firing range in Western Nogales, which led to severe contamination on a local landowner's property, the law enforcement agency trespassed onto another piece of property owned by the same man and allegedly used it for target practice.

Nohe Garcia, who owns property on Calle Plata that he's developing into an industrial park, said he found rubber bullets and other items scattered on the ground while walking through the property late last month, but he wasn't sure who it belonged to.

The next day, Garcia said, he spotted a group of Border Patrol agents, who did not have permission to be on the property, and confronted them.

"They said they thought it was (U.S. Forest Service) land," Garcia said. "It's well marked, there are wooden stakes with engravings all around where they were parked. I don't know what they were thinking, you could clearly see that there's a (construction) project going on."

Because he had an appointment in Mexico, Garcia asked friend and local landowner Joe Barr of Mariposa Properties to make contact with the agents and document the incident. Photos dated Feb. 22 that were provided to the NI purport to show at least a dozen agents and three patrol vehicles on the property. Another photo shows a figure that was spray painted onto the bank of a slope that agents were allegedly firing at.

Barr said the group was packing up their belongings and cleaning up the area when he arrived.

The two property owners later met with a supervisor at the Nogales Border Patrol Station, but Barr said the supervisor offered no reasons for why the agency thought it was OK for agents to use the property as a firing range.

"There wasn't a whole lot of feedback," he said. "It was more like, 'We made a mistake, we won't do it again.' But for us it's a big concern because we've had issues with them before."

Garcia also filed a report with the Nogales Police Department.

According to Arizona state law, firing a weapon within city limits is considered a Class 6 felony, unless it's on a properly supervised range that's operated by a club affiliated with a nationally recognized shooting organization or school or approved by a local, state or federal agency.

Asked about policies regarding where the agency can conduct firearms training, a Border Patrol spokesman said trainings are only held at approved sites.

"We do not ever do any kind of firearms training except at a range that is specific to our needs, an approved range at an indoor facility or a pre-approved outdoor range," the spokesman said.

A follow-up email seeking further information about the incident was not returned by press time.

Remediation project

This isn't the first dispute between Garcia and the Border Patrol regarding the proper use of a firing range.

On July 26, 2016, Garcia was awarded $542,355 after a federal judge found that the agency was negligent in operating a firing range off Target Range Road, which led to contamination on roughly 98 acres of land that Garcia was attempting to develop.

Despite ruling in Garcia's favor, the judge refused to award Garcia the full amount sought, which was more than $11.8 million. She also did not specify when the federal government will have to carry out cleanup efforts on his land.

Barr, who owns land adjacent to the firing range, said he reached out in February to Paul Enriquez, environmental branch chief for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, requesting an update on the cleanup project.

In an emailed response, which Barr provided to the NI, Enriquez wrote that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently awarded a contract for the cleanup at the firing range and remediation work was slated to begin this summer or fall "once we have coordinated and received approval from the state." The project is estimated to cost $3.7 million.

"The initial goal is to remove the primary source area on the Arbo property then focus on the secondary areas to include your property and Mr. Garcia's property," Enriquez wrote. "I don't yet have a schedule for the removal actions on your property and Mr. Garcia's but will have a better sense of a likely schedule once this initial phase is executed."

Barr said the lack of urgency by CBP was concerning.

"I am greatly concerned that after six years we don't have a schedule to take even the very first step to determine the extent of contamination on surrounding properties," he wrote in an email. "Meanwhile, for more than six years this contamination has tied up 218 acres of land owned by three different families.

"And then we see the recent event where (Border Patrol) commandeered another piece of private property for use as a shooting range. Again, without any permission from the landowner," he added. "It is most unfortunate that our federal government treats its own citizens with such disregard for their welfare."

end

AZMEX POLICY 21-3-17

AZMEX POLICY 21 MAR 2017

Note: "AMLO" Andrés Manuel López Obrador is the far left candidate for President of Mexico.
Morena is his new political party.
Comment: The "next president" of Mexico interfering in the next U.S. election?
From his photos, does he not look somewhat Russian? Some resemblance to the late Boris Yeltsin?
Gracias


AMLO in San Francisco Recognized as 'Outstanding Leader'
Morena's leader received an acknowledgment from the San Francisco Mission district in San Francisco California for his fight to defend migrants, democracy and human rights

03/20/2017 21:39 ISABEL GONZÁLEZ

Http://www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/2017/03/20/1153138

Hillary Ronen, supervisor of the San Francisco government in the 9th district, handed the certificate of honor to Andrés Manuel López Obrador (Photo: @ lopezobrador_)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Andrés Manuel López Obrador was recognized as "an exceptional leader" in the struggle for democracy, the defense of migrants and human rights, and was recognized by the authorities of the San Francisco California Mission District, which houses the Latino and Hispanic communities most representative of that city.

Hillary Ronen, supervisor of the San Francisco government in the 9th district, handed the certificate of honor to the presidential candidate to the president of Morena given the struggle she is leading in defense of the migrants of that sanctuary city and others of the US.

At the time, Hillary Ronen announced that they will "fight like crazy" to avoid injustices and Tuesday will promote an initiative that prohibits the San Francisco government to contract any company that participates in the construction of the wall in the border with Mexico promoted by Donald Trump , President of the United States of America.

"Forgive me, I know that they want to hear the next president of Mexico, everyone here in this room knows that now more than ever we need leaders who fight more for people, for immigrants, for women, for workers than for big companies and That's why it's a tremendous love to welcome you here, I know you're going to fight hard," she said in the main hall of The Grand Theater where he held the meeting with migrants.

López Obrador expressed his gratitude for the distinction made by the local government of San Francisco, highlighting the presence of migrants of various nationalities in the event, including African, Salvadoran, Mexican and American countries.

Addressing the audience, he said the United States government should not be blaming others when "something is wrong with the most powerful nation in the world" that keeps its inhabitants at levels of welfare and development below other nations.

The United States ranks 36 among the countries of the world in terms of corruption; Also reaches an unfortunate level of inequality; There is a very important social deficit, expressed in a lamentable way, in the 45 million poor that exist in the United States, about 15 percent of its population, "he warned.

On the contrary, US $ 522 billion a year is earmarked for arms spending, Morena's leader criticized, noting that within two months of assuming the presidency of the United States, Trump has fallen sharply in popularity because Americans They realized the deception and "they do not want stridency in the government".

With that campaign he will not be able to govern and will not be able to be reelected because the American people is an intelligent people, liberal, democratic that can not always be fooled, that campaign is not prospering because Americans do not want stridency, so much confrontation , They want justice and well-being, "he told a full theater.

Unlike previous meetings with migrants, this meeting noted a higher level of organization in the requirements of entry to the event and the security to lead López Obrador to the presidium and then the departure from the meeting.

He also highlighted the presence of high-ranking representatives of the Latin American Anglican churches as well as the African Orthodox Church.

López Obrador will return to Mexico City on Tuesday and will resume his activities in the state of Veracruz next Thursday.

END

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

AZMEX UPDATE 21-3-17

AZMEX UPDATE 21 MAR 2017

Comment: Future cross border trade? Young dudes with backpacks of pot going north, and returning with backpacks of corn. BTW, the NAFTA imports of corn have been a disaster for many small Mexican farmers. Graphics, etc. at link.
Gracias


Mexico threatens to ditch US corn imports
AFP
Yussel GONZALEZ
AFPMarch 20, 2017

https://www.yahoo.com/news/mexico-threatens-ditch-us-corn-imports-060237927.html

Mexico imports billions of dollars' worth of corn from the US to feed its livestockView photos

Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico has identified a potential weapon in its trade wrangle with US President Donald Trump: lucrative yellow cobs of American corn.

The Latin American nation imports billions of dollars' worth of the yellow grain from the United States to feed its livestock.

But with Trump pushing to shake up the countries' trade ties, Mexico is now threatening to buy from elsewhere.

That is worrying corn growers in some of the very same US states that voted heavily in favor of Trump: Iowa, North Dakota, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.

Trump has vowed to restrict free trade with Mexico in order to protect US jobs and industry.

But with Mexico gearing up for a potential trade battle, the effect could be the opposite -- at least when it comes to corn.

"For US corn producers, Mexico is their number one export customer," Thomas Sleight, president of the US Grains Council, told AFP. "They are concerned about maintaining excellent relationships with long standing customers that they've built over generations."

- Leverage for NAFTA talks -

Mexico's Agriculture Secretary Jose Calzada said Mexico is in advanced talks with two other corn producers, Brazil and Argentina.

The US grain is cheaper than those countries' corn at $198 a ton, says Juan Carlos Anaya, head of the Agricultural Markets Consulting Group, a Mexican research firm.

Brazilian corn costs $210 a ton and Argentine corn $217, Anaya said.

Buying corn from other countries would drive up the price of certain products in Mexico, he warned.

But Mexico needs alternative sources of corn to gain leverage in trade negotiations.

Trump has vowed to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada.

He wants new conditions that will help shift manufacturing jobs back to the United States and boost US production and exports.

Talks are expected to start this year.

"We do not know what the United States will propose," said Calzada.
"We have to act first to be sure that when we arrive at that negotiating table we are starting from a position of total strength."

One leftist opposition senator, Armando Rios Piter, has launched a legislative proposal to buy corn from Brazil and Argentina. US "corn producers may have been fooled by Donald Trump when he said that Mexico was the only one benefiting from NAFTA," Rios told AFP. "Now that they see what is at stake, they will have to change their minds."

- US farmers concerned -

Corn is Mexico's fourth-biggest import from the United States, after gasoline, diesel and natural gas.

Mexico imported $2.32 billion worth of corn in 2016 -- 10 percent more than the previous year, according to Mexican government figures.

By comparison, it imported just $17.7 million of corn from Argentina and $10 million from Brazil.

Mexico is also a major importer of US dairy products, pork, rice, wheat and soya.

Sleight said producers in five big corn-exporting US states have been lobbying lawmakers in Washington to stress how important NAFTA is for their business.

On January 23, agriculture industry leaders wrote to Trump saying that US food exports had quadrupled since NAFTA came into force in 1994.

"The sector in the US is struggling under the weight of low prices, reduced land values and rising interest rates, meaning farm profitability has declined", said analysis firm BMI Research.
"US farmers would suffer considerably from trade disruption with Mexico."

end

AZMEX I3 21-3-17

AZMEX I3 21 MAR 2017

The link to the report: Weekly Declined Detainer Outcome Report From ICE.
https://www.ice.gov/doclib/ddor/ddor2017_01-28to02-03.pdf

end


Homeland Security singles out 118 sanctuary jurisdictions that thwart ICE
DHS identifies 118 sanctuary cities in first name-and-shame report

By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times - Monday, March 20, 2017

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/20/sanctuary-city-slip-ups-as-la-released-arsonist-ph/

Homeland Security officials on Monday released their first edition of President Trump's name-and-shame list of sanctuary cities, singling out 118 jurisdictions that thwart federal immigration agents and put one murder suspect and a convicted arsonist back on the streets this year.

All told, at least 200 illegal immigrants whom agents sought to deport were instead released by prisons and jails from Jan. 28 to Feb. 3 — the first week of data under Mr. Trump's shaming policy.
Four metropolitan-area jurisdictions — the District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland and Arlington in Virginia — are on the list as sanctuaries, putting them in danger of losing federal money if they don't revise their policies.

Nationally, Travis County in Texas was the worst offender. The city and state jails there released 142 illegal immigrants that week, according to the data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"It is not acceptable for jurisdictions to refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement by releasing criminal aliens back into our communities when our law required them to be deported," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. He vowed to have his prosecutors pursue the criminal aliens and to "hold accountable" the cities and counties that are protecting them.

Sanctuary cities became front-page news after the death in 2015 of Kate Steinle, who was shot while walking along the waterfront in San Francisco with her father. The man standing trial for her slaying is an illegal immigrant who had been deported repeatedly but who was living in San Francisco because of its sanctuary policy.

Mr. Trump seized on that tragedy and promised to crack down on sanctuaries. During his first week in office, he signed an executive order demanding that the Department of Homeland Security produce a regular list of communities that are thwarting agents and detail the charges or convictions against the illegal immigrants released.

According to the list, Los Angeles refused to turn over a convicted arsonist from Mexico and Philadelphia balked at cooperating on a Jamaican man accused of murder.

Perhaps hundreds of other illegal immigrants don't even show up in the records because jurisdictions such as Philadelphia and Chicago's Cook County in Illinois refuse to talk to ICE at all, meaning agents sometimes don't know when wanted people are detained.

The numbers in the report already show a major change from the Obama administration, which required illegal immigrants to have major convictions on their records to be targets for deportation. Under Mr. Trump, those charged with crimes — but not yet convicted — are targeted, and the bar for criminal behavior earning deportation is lower.

Domestic violence, drunken driving, drug offenses and sexual or aggravated assaults dominated the list. There were some striking cases as well, including the Riverside Regional Jail in Hopewell City, Virginia, which released a convicted rapist, and three men — two in Texas and one in Oregon — convicted of indecent exposure.

In Maryland, Montgomery County and Prince George's County each released men from El Salvador charged with assault. Both counties are on ICE's sanctuary city list.

In Virginia, Arlington County is deemed a sanctuary, as is Chesterfield County, near Richmond.
The District of Columbia is also on the list by dint of its 2012 policy limiting cooperation only to cases in which ICE promises to pay the costs of holding the illegal immigrant and in which the person was convicted of a violent or dangerous crime.

Susana Castillo, a spokeswoman for D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, said the city embraces the sanctuary title and has no plans to change the policy.

Neither Prince George's nor Montgomery County provided responses to The Washington Times. Arlington, meanwhile, said its policy is dictated by its understanding of the law, not by a desire to thwart federal agents.

"While Arlington County cannot hold any person past their release date without a judicial warrant, ICE is notified in advance of the person's release so that they can be transferred into federal custody," Assistant County Manager Bryna Helfer said. "Arlington's policies make certain that ICE is able to fulfill their obligations while at the same time making sure the county is also following the law."

Travis County in Texas came under scrutiny for what one observer said looked like a mass jailbreak — 142 immigrants released onto the streets rather than turned over to ICE.
"Today's report from DHS is deeply disturbing and highlights the urgent need for a statewide sanctuary city ban in Texas," said Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican.
The Travis County Sheriff's Office didn't respond to a request for comment.

ICE issues what it calls a detainer to local jurisdictions. Sometimes the detainer is a request that someone be held for pickup, and other times it's a request that ICE be notified when someone is to be released so agents can be on hand to take custody.

The 118 jurisdictions identified by ICE as sanctuaries is far fewer than some other public accounts. The Ohio Jobs and Justice Political Action Committee, which has maintained a count for more than a decade, said it figures there are nearly 500 sanctuary jurisdictions.

The Center for Immigration Studies has obtained ICE documents in the past that detail more than 200 cities and counties covered by sanctuary policies.
Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the center, said part of the difference is that states such as California have policies that apply to every jurisdiction — though not every county is listed in the report.
Overall, ICE issued more than 3,000 detainer requests from Jan. 28 through Feb. 3. Ms. Vaughan said that was nearly double the average number of detainers per week issued by the Obama administration last year, but it's still shy of the more than 6,000 detainers issued in 2011, when the administration was trying to boost its numbers.

"That's pretty good progress for the second week of the administration," she said.

end

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

AZMEX EMIGRATION SPECIAL 21-3-17

AZMEX EMIGRATION SPECIAL 21 MAR 2017


Note: Several charts, etc. at link.
Orig. lLink to AZMEX I3 19-3-17 seems to be intermittent.
Alt. link for AZMEX POLICY 19-3-17
https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/mexico/620022-vulnerables-5-5-millones-de-indocumentados

Comment: Also in the news that Carlos Slim is 6th richest man in the world. Ironic?
One of several links:
https://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=https://www.forbes.com/sites/doliaestevez/2017/03/20/better-year-for-mexicos-billionaires-as-fortunes-climbed-17-carlos-slim-4-5-billion-richer/&refURL=&referrer=

thx


Migration, a fundamental component of Mexico.
Mayra Hernández Tuesday, March 21, 2017 in Republica

Https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/republica/621417-migracion-componente-fundamental-de-mexicano

There are Mexicans around the world, it is certain, but the link with the United States, whether for geography or economic circuits, has resulted in a constant flow and has become the main destination in the eyes of compatriots. The stories of each trip, also true, are different, there is success and misfortune

Almost 20 percent of our population lives in another country; A vast majority reside in the United States

Up to 18.5 percent of Mexicans live in another country and the main reasons for leaving Mexico are work and reunion with their family, and the United States is the first destination with 86.3 percent of the emigrants, followed by Canada with 2.2 Percent, and Spain third with 2.1 percent.

According to the National Demographic Dynamics Survey (ENADID), aspects related to work (working, changing or looking for work) and reuniting with the family are the most important causes, the first with 67.8% and the second with 14.4% .

On the other hand, among the other recent causes for migration to other countries, public insecurity or violence stands out, as six out of 100 migrants mentioned it.

It is worth mentioning that working or looking for work resulted in the reasons for leaving the country of eight out of 10 men, while reuniting with the family is the most important reason of nine out of 10 women.

The average length of stay abroad of people who left and returned to Mexico during the ENADID 2014 period is 13 months; Men stay for longer periods in another country, for periods of 14 months, compared to women, who reside for 11 months.

Among the entities that stand out for having the largest immigrant population in the United States are Michoacán, Guerrero, Nayarit and Guanajuato; In contrast, Yucatan, Tabasco, Baja California Sur and Campeche barely make 1.9 percent.

Between August 2009 and September 2014, 719,000 people left Mexico for another country. The United States of America (86.3 percent), Canada (2.2 percent) and Spain (2.1 percent) are the main destinations for those who decide to go abroad; While 9.2 percent went to a country in the rest of the world.

The states of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Mexico, and Jalisco are the largest expulsion entities, together they accumulate (31%) of the total international emigrants; While at the opposite extreme are Yucatan, Tabasco, Baja California Sur and Campeche with 1.9 percent.

The average length of stay abroad of people who left and returned to Mexico during the ENADID 2014 period is

13 months
Men stay for longer seasons.
Women average residences for 11 months.

end

Monday, March 20, 2017

AZMEX EXTRA 20-3-17

AZMEX EXTRA 20 MAR 2017

Note: Update from earlier post.



Ammo smuggler sentenced to long federal prison term
Nogales International Mar 16, 2017

http://www.nogalesinternational.com/news/ammo-smuggler-sentenced-to-long-federal-prison-term/article_52352e9e-0a95-11e7-b646-c39e4561ed7b.html

A 41-year-old Nogales man was sentenced to nearly eight years in federal prison for trying to smuggle 5,517 rounds of pistol and rifle ammunition into Mexico.

Gabriel Rivero was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Frank Zapata to a 92-month prison term followed by three years of supervised release during a hearing Monday in Tucson. Rivero had been convicted by a jury in December 2016 of one count of smuggling goods from the United States.

Court records show that on Feb. 11, 2016, Rivero was driving a pickup truck through the Mariposa Port of Entry toward Mexico when a spare tire fell from under the truck approximately 75 yards from the border. Rivero reportedly stopped the truck and tried to pick up the tire, but couldn't. Instead, he got back in the vehicle and drove into Mexico, leaving the tire behind.

When U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers inspected the tire, they found the ammunition hidden inside.

The incident was captured on surveillance video, which CBP officers used to identify Rivero. He was arrested when he tried to enter the United States on March 12, 2016, through the Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry.

During an interview following his arrest, Rivero reportedly told investigators that he had expected to be paid $500 to transport the ammunition hidden in the spare tire from the United States to Mexico. However, in a pre-sentence memorandum, defense lawyer Christopher Scileppi cited evidence at trial showing that Rivero did not know that the spare tire contained ammunition, and instead thought it contained "a different type of contraband."

In a pre-sentence memo filed by the prosecution, Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Woolridge noted the seriousness of the offense as well as Rivero's lengthy criminal record.

"The potential for injury and death from the defendant's offense, had he been successful, is staggering. Adding to the severity of the offense is that by virtue of his prior felony convictions, the defendant was prohibited from possessing ammunition," she wrote.

Those prior convictions included two aggravated assault offenses that stemmed from a 1993 Santa Cruz County case that involved a drive-by shooting and included additional charges of attempted murder and weapons offenses, Woolridge wrote.

After completing an eight-year prison sentence in that case, Rivero was convicted on Jan. 20, 2009, at Santa Cruz County Superior Court of attempted kidnapping and sentenced to 4.5 years in prison. "The defendant held a victim hostage in connection to a drug debt, and when rescued, the victim was covered in blood and reported that the defendant hit and kicked him in the face," Woolridge wrote.

In August 2009, Rivero was convicted in federal court of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute approximately 274 kilograms of marijuana after he and three other men were busted with the load in May 2008 at a home in the Monte Carlo neighborhood. He was sentenced to five years in prison followed by four years of supervised release, and was on supervised release at the time of his attempt to smuggle the ammunition into Mexico.

In his pre-sentence memo, Scileppi asked Judge Zapata to impose a maximum sentence of 72 months for the ammo-smuggling conviction. After the judge gave Rivero a 92-month prison term, Scilieppi notified the court of his intent to appeal, court records show. (???)

end

AZMEX POLICY 19-3-17

AZMEX POLICY 19 MAR 2017


5.5 million undocumented vulnerable,: Consul of Mexico in Tucson
Bertha Becerra
Sunday March 19, 2017 in Mexico

Https://www.tribunadesanluis.com.mx/mexico/vulnerables-5-5-millions-of-indocumentados-consul-de-mexico-en-tucson

Of the 34 million Mexicans in the United States, 12 million were born in Mexico.
Of this total 5.5 million do not have documents.

"And towards them, the consular attention and protection is concentrated.
They are highly vulnerable nationals because of the lack of documents and to whom we provide our services, "says the career diplomat, since June 2013 as the Consul of Mexico in Tucson, Arizona,
Ricardo Pineda Albarrán.

In a telephone interview he maintains that all the Consular Network in the United States has a record of all the dreamers. In all the American Union are over 700 thousand, the great majority are of Mexican descent. "So far, there is no guidance from President Trump's administration and its status is not affected. But we are aware of their situation.

And with respect to Mexicans detained, there are more than 8,000 people in the 18 detention centers served by the Consulate. "The majority for the so-called 'migratory crimes'. They are not the 'bad men', the criminals President Trump says, he says.

You can also read: Migration will report rejected foreigners in the AICM

He is a diplomat with ministerial rank that attends the consular needs of the Mexicans through the Information and Assistance Center to Mexicans -IAM-, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year:

Since the hardening, increased immigration control of the new administration, with this increase in consular services, "we have achieved closeness with our compatriots and also doubled the consular assistance activities both in the offices in Tucson and in the Mobile Consulates and On Wheels. The number of personnel increased, that is, human resources were doubled and electronic means were raised to provide the best care to our nationals, "he emphasizes.

Of the hundred percent of the requests are of diverse concerns of information, of localization of relatives, about consular procedures and of the multiple services that the Consular Network in the United States offers. Calls increased from 400 to 700 to 1,300 to 1,600 daily.

70% are about consular procedures and 30% are calls for protection, when they have doubts about their situation and need access to lawyers and advice from the consulate and are referred to the consulates depending on their location and law professionals and To information workshops and seminars, whose dates are published in social networks and media. He said that 30% of calls are from Mexico.

He comments that since the tightening of measures, the greater immigration control of the new administration in the United States, there has not been a substantial increase in the number of returnees. "It has stayed more or less the same."

He recalled that in the administration of President Barack Obama were 3 million returnees of which 2 million were Mexican citizens. Monthly numbers have not changed. We do not have any important leaps. The general levels are maintained.

The information and care covers the entire spectrum of legal protection for nationals. From assistance on how to act if police or immigration authorities arrive to knock on their doors, that is, they are advised that they must demand identification of authorities; Which must be ordered by a judge; Let them not speak to anyone, let them be silent; But above all, do not open the doors of their houses.

And he emphasizes: "They are informed about what the consular notification is. It is a tool through which consulates protect rights when Mexican citizens have been detained or arrested.

"They are reminded that they have the right to have the authorities give notice to the nearest consulate about their legal status. They are told: "It is your right, if they detain or arrest you."

More information: Immigration is a privilege, not a right: Trump

In this way, the consulate can provide guidance and consular services and ensure that their rights are respected at all times according to local laws. Workshops are organized to enable them to make informed decisions about their rights, such as dual nationality and migratory diagnoses.

In addition, the Center of Defense offers direct counseling and legal advice with the support of a strengthened network of local and national allies. The legal representation needs of the nationals are met and are offered at the consular headquarters and at mobile and wheeled consulates.

It provides preventive information about its possible return and matters such as the temporary custody of children and the management of their assets.

In addition there are Mobile Consulates and On Wheels, whose operation is scheduled 5 to 10 times per year. And they go to remote places that are 3 to 6 hours away. "And this is done not to leave helpless the compatriots who work or live in remote places far from the consular offices.

There are also Sabbath days. "The idea is to provide service for all those nationals who can not go to the Consulate on business days," he says.

He emphasized that what prevails is the service mystique. "In the CIAM, part of the training to all the consular staff that attends is to go out on the field, to know the avatars of for example migrants crossing dangerous lands, so that they are aware of the vicissitudes that our compatriots face."


PATRIMONIAL PROTECTION
What about the assets such as bank accounts, household and electronic goods as well as real estate that the Mexicans can leave if they are repatriated in those operations carried out by United States Migration Officers?

-When leaving assets or pending issues in the United States are served through the program "We are Mexican." At the border crossing there are officers with whom you can communicate. They support us all the way and these officers communicate all the time with the Consular Network to help them.

When a person is detained and their belongings remain in the United States they can communicate with us via CIAM to regular telephones. We have specific departments of recovery of belongings throughout the Consular Network and for this we have a daily dialogue with the United States authorities that allows us to recover their belongings ranging from securities, money, documents, electronics, he refers.

These requests are addressed throughout the Mexican Consular Network here in the United States, says Consul Pineda.


For any doubt and information you have specific phone numbers. To call from Mexico is 001 520 623 7874 and from the United States on 1 855 463 6395.

It also supports the Mexican community in the United States in the search for detainees. Counseling focuses on explaining criminal and legal proceedings as well as general guidance on how to keep in touch with family members.

How many Mexicans are in prisons?

- In the case of the Consulate in Tucson, we have 18 detention centers in the Pima and Pinal counties which are the counties to which the Consulate has jurisdiction. Arizona has 15 counties and we serve two; But we have 4 other consulates that serve all of Arizona: Yuma, Douglas, Phoenix and Tucson.

In these 18 detention centers: local and federal, there are more than 8 thousand people detained. The majority for the so-called "migratory crimes".

Are not the 'bad men', the criminals Trump says?

- Not in any way. They are people who have charges for their immigration status, for recidivism in the paperless entry to this country. And corporal punishment has been imposed on these detention centers.

There we make frequent visits: we talk to all people who require services, who have health care needs, communication with their families; That have had a situation of abuse by the authority. We are very anxious to present these complaints, to demand good treatment and at all times respect for their human rights. We have a right to consular access and we exercise it firmly, he emphasizes.


BIRTH REGISTRATION
In the course of the interview, the Mexican consul in Tucson reports that in his jurisdiction he increased the number of applications by compatriots who have no documents at all by 100 percent.

The documents that are issued more in the Consular Network are identifications: passports, consular matriculas, but there is ample requests for birth registtration. There are number of people who require a birth registration to complete their documents.

"Today we are fortunate that the Birth Records can already be issued by the consulates, thanks to the agreements reached by the Ministry of the Interior, with the States of the Federation, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which enables us to print them, Request the information to the instances in Mexico to issue the records of the Civil Registry.

Also read: EU will send immigration judges to 12 cities to expedite deportations

These are birth records of children and young people born in the United States of Mexican parents. "We have had a significant increase in people seeking to have their dual citizenship as a precaution if there is any situation of being returned to our country.

There is talk that there are 200,000 Mexicans who do not have a birth certificate or records in the United States?

-It refers to records of people who were brought to the United States by their parents without having been registered in Mexico. And not being registered in Mexico we could not do it here, previously. This implied a difficult situation for them, faced with the impossibility of returning; But the new provisions of law enabled the consulates, through a case-by-case analysis and with the specific tests, to issue a birth record abroad. This changes the status of stateless to full citizenship, he explains.

In the case of dangerous situations, "we spread information all the time. We went to radio, television, social networks, newspapers in English and Spanish. On the radio, all the time informing the compatriots that the Consulate is here to help them. It is the function for which we are and the prime reason for the entire Consular Network. "



THEY DID NOT TOUCH THE DREAMERS
And what about the dreamers, what is their situation?

-Fortunately there is no guidance to the program of Deferred Action for children arrivals (DACA), which tells us there is a concrete measure of this administration. What has happened is that they have arrested some people and are looking for background and problems.

But there is no guideline that affects the status of dreamers. There is nothing published until this moment. What we do is to disseminate information, inviting them to approach the Consulate.

In the case of Tucson as is the case of the entire Consular Network in the United States, we have a record of the youths in these circumstances; But above all, we try to have availabilty when something is presented to give them immediate assistance.

More information: Migration verifies that US returnees are Mexican

https://www.elsoldemexico.com.mx/mexico/600545-migracion-verifica-que-repatriados-de-eu-sean-mexicanos

We have a recent case of a young man arrested. We had an immediate participation. It was proved that this young man was accepted as a DACA and that condition was recognized. Fortunately he was delivered to his family on the same day he was arrested for a traffic offense. There is no action at least that we have registered in Tucson for the young DACA, he stressed.

How many young Mexicans are dreamers?

"They're over 700,000 in the United States.
The vast majority are of Mexican descent, in a recognized way. There are about 700 thousand that reached this condition of all nationalities, but the vast majority of Mexicans. There is no executive order or provision that refers to them, for the time being.

How does the mood feel, the feeling of the Mexican population. Are they having uncertainty, fear, tension?

-In the Mexican community there is much uncertainty, but not panic. There is definitely interest in having more information. We spread information and tell them: Get closer! We are here to serve you! We have succeeded in awakening this closeness with our people.

And he insists vehemently: "What we try to infuse is an idea of ​​service. All the effort goes in that direction ".

END

Friday, March 17, 2017

AZMEX I3 16-3-17

AZMEX I3 16 MAR 2017


Note: CIDH - IACHR http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/
"Morena" is his new political org.
As always, it's about illegal immigrants.
"The principle of presumption of innocence" Not in Mexico.
thx


López Obrador calls on the IACHR to protect migrants from Trump
The leader of Morena filed a complaint before the IACHR before the Republican immigration policies; Delivered 12 thousand signatures against the wall
03/15/2017 14:29 ISABEL GONZÁLEZ / ENVIADA

Http://www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/2017/03/15/1152197

WASHINGTON, United States.

Andrés Manuel López Obrador formally denounced the US President Donald Trump's government for violating the human rights of Mexican migrants and the world.

Together with law professor Netzaí Sandoval, López Obrador went to the headquarters of the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Washington to file a petition requesting precautionary measures to stop executive orders issued by Trump regarding the construction of a Wall in the border with Mexico and the massive and immediate deportation of civilians even with minor offenses.

According to the complaint that gathered the support of 12 thousand Mexican and American citizens, to a staff of Trump on January 25 of this year, violates various rights, including:

Not to be discriminated against
The principle of presumption of innocence
the access to justice
Due process
As well as the right to family reunification
Right to wages and private property.

When detailing before the US press what the complaint presented and that includes the case of a Mexican woman deported and separated from her children for, the leader of MORENA said that if he wins the presidential elections in 2018 " he will go before The UN "as head of state to defend the migrants.

If the persecution of Mexicans and migrants continues on the part of the Donald Trump administration and we succeed, we will proceed legally to the UN, "said the former presidential candidate, criticizing that the Mexican government" has been slow "to file a complaint as And they have only delivered speeches and no actions before human rights organizations.


The issue of the 43 disappeared in Iguala, Guerrero was again the subject of questions to Lopez Obrador by the communicators in a press conference that lasted for more than an hour.

When asked to clarify whether or not he had links with former governor of Guerrero, Ángel Aguirre and ex-mayor of Iguala, José Luis Abarca . Antonio Tizapa, the father of one of the disappeared, who he rebuked in New York, Lopez Obrador emphasized that he has nothing to do with them and that it is "a lamentable confusion" in which the Mexican state must be demanded and not to clarify what happened to the students.

He also explained that he understands the father of the disappeared student "but that he was wrong" in his procedure because it was an act of provocation.

I have nothing to do with Mr. Abarca or with Mr. Aguirre, that I have moral authority, I have nothing to be ashamed of, I have nothing to do with this lamentable case, "he remarked, remembering that they always wanted to involve him in the case Of the 43 missing to affect their image.

We face the regime against this barbarity, we are reproached, I am convinced that it was an act of provocation, I understand the desperation that may have the father of this young man, I understand but I do not agree with that procedure because it is unfair, the Claim is against the state, not to us, to the regime, is a very serious, unfortunate confusion. "


Issues such as structural reforms, the Free Trade Agreement and the fight against insecurity were also addressed by the president of Morena.

At the end of his meeting with the journalists, López Obrador went to Washington airport to take the flight back to Mexico City to resume his tours of the state of Veracruz, Oaxaca, Querétaro and San Luis Potosí.

Mym

AZMEX I3 17-3-17

AZMEX I3 17 MAR 2017


Border agents arrest deportee in southern Arizona
KTAR.COM | March 17, 2017 @ 9:34 am
http://ktar.com/story/1495275/border-agents-arrest-deportee-in-southern-arizona/

PHOENIX — A man who had recently been deported from America was arrested this week at the Arizona-Mexico border.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said Genaro Galvan-Mora, 26, was taken into custody Wednesday near Nogales, Arizona.
He had been sent back to Mexico last month after finishing a prison stint in Tennessee.

Galvan-Mora had been convicted of reckless homicide in May 2016. Border agents said the Mexican national been deported from the United States last month after serving a nine-month prison term for reckless homicide in Tennessee.

Authorities in the Tucson Sector found out about his previous conviction while they were processing him.

Galvan-Mora was deported on Feb. 27. He faces felony immigration charges for illegal re-entry into the country.

END



Note: ¿¿¿ "With more than 3,000 unfilled positions at local maquiladoras" ???

Even with job offer, stranded Haitians can't get Mexican work visa
By Kendal Blust
Nogales International 13 hrs ago (1)

http://www.nogalesinternational.com/news/even-with-job-offer-stranded-haitians-can-t-get-mexican/article_021cf536-0aa9-11e7-b6ed-1b855f1d2ba8.html

Haitians
Photo by Kendal Blust
In October, more than 65 Haitians camped out in Nogales, Sonora south of the Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry trying to gain humanitarian parole in the United States. Though eventually more than 200 Haitians came to the border in Nogales, Sonora, only 21 remain in the city.

After waiting as long as five months without work and relying on local charities for food and shelter, 21 Haitians still living in Nogales, Sonora hope the support of a local assembly plant, known as a maquila, will be the push Mexican immigration authorities need to grant their requests for humanitarian visas, allowing them to work legally in Mexico.

While the Haitian migrants initially came to the border seeking access to the United States, hardened U.S. policies led some to stay in Mexico instead. Though they have so far been denied Mexican visas as well, Hipolito Sedano Ruiz, a spokesperson for the local Rotary Club, which is housing some of the migrants, said this mutually beneficial agreement could change that, not only helping a company struggling to find enough workers, but also providing the Haitians a chance to build their lives in Nogales, Sonora.

"All they are asking is for a chance to work," Sedano said, "It's an injustice not to help them."

Like thousands of Haitians who arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border last fall, the 21 migrants remaining in Nogales, Sonora made a months-long journey from Brazil, where they settled after fleeing Haiti in 2010, when the country was devastated by an earthquake. When construction work dried up in Brazil after the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, many decided to head north to the United States, where Haitians had been granted humanitarian parole.

However, as an increasing number of Haitians sought entry at the southern border, the U.S. government revoked that protected status, and apart from a short reprieve in October after Hurricane Matthew once again brought destruction to the poorest country in the Americas, has resumed deportations to Haiti.

With little chance of gaining legal status in the United States, some Haitians applied for humanitarian visas in Mexico instead. However, while other Mexican states – including Baja California, which has had the greatest influx of Haitian migrants – have agreed to grant the visas, Sonoran delegates from the National Institute of Migration (INM by its Spanish acronym) have denied all of the at least 50 applications made in the state, according to Marla Conrad, an advocacy coordinator with the Kino Border Initiative (KNB), a humanitarian aid group that works with migrants in Ambos Nogales.

"Sonora is the glaring exception," said Joanna Williams, a spokeswoman for KBI, who called humanitarian visas the "key for them to be self-sustaining and able to integrate into Nogales."
"The ideal is that we don't have to give them food, because they are more than happy to work, they just need work permits," Williams added.

All of the Haitians in Nogales, Sonora have applied for the visas a second or third time, or have chosen to appeal their cases, Conrad said. However, Sonoran immigration delegates have said they will only reverse the decision if they receive an order from headquarters in Mexico City.

The visa application process has also been complicated in part, Sedano said, because the Haitians claimed to be migrants from Africa when they arrived at Mexico's southern border.

KBI is asking community members to sign a petition urging the Sonoran delegates to grant humanitarian relief, but while there was a surge of support for the Haitians when they first arrived, Williams said, that has largely been forgotten as the months wear on.
"There's no longer local political will," she said.

Job offer

With more than 3,000 unfilled positions at local maquiladoras, as internationally owned factories on Mexico's northern border are called, one U.S.-based company has agreed to contract Haitians in Nogales, Sonora, promising not only to give them work if their visas are approved, but agreeing to petition immigration authorities on their behalf, Sedano said.

"They have agreed to send a letter to the migration delegation here in Sonora," he said. "They also promised they would pay for the cost of the work visas."

The factory, which makes medical products, could hire as many as 60 Haitian migrants and would offer them training in French, one of Haiti's two official languages, he said.



Many factories in Nogales, Sonora would like to hire Haitian workers, said Richard Rubin, a member of the Sonoran Maquiladora Association and President of the Sonora-based company Javid de Mexico. He said he had heard that a factory hired Haitians, though he wasn't sure which one. And while Rubin's company has tried to hire Haitian migrants, he said: "It's quite an involved process."

"Mexico is a closed-border country, especially when it comes to working," he said, but added: "The fact is there are Haitians stuck here in Nogales. I would love to hire 500 if I could."



However, while any support is appreciated, Conrad said she is doubtful that a letter from a maquila will persuade immigration authorities, who have staunchly refused to use their discretion to give Haitian migrants work permits.

Sedano also said they are still looking at other options, just in case, including contacting the Canadian government to learn of any possibilities for finding work further north. But staying in Nogales, Sonora still seems like the most viable option, he said.

"They don't have many possibilities," he said. "This may be their best chance."

END

Thursday, March 16, 2017

AZMEX EXTRA 16-3-17

AZMEX EXTRA 16 MAR 2017


Man sentenced for trying to smuggle ammo into Mexico
Tuesday, March 14th 2017, 2:38 pm MST
Tuesday, March 14th 2017, 2:52 pm MST
By Tucson News Now Staff

NOGALES, AZ (Tucson News Now) -

http://www.tucsonnewsnow.com/story/34847242/man-sentenced-for-trying-to-smuggle-ammo-into-mexico

A Nogales man with an extensive criminal history has been sentenced for trying to smuggle more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition into Mexico,
federal authorities said.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Gabriel Rivero, 41, was sentenced to 7.6 years in prison with three years' of supervised release.

Authorities said Rivero was arrested at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales on Feb. 11, 2016.

A spare tire, which had 5,517 rounds of pistol and rifle ammunition hidden inside, fell off a truck Rivero was driving.
Rivero tried to put the tire back into his truck but was not able to lift it so he abandoned it and drove through the port.

Authorities checked the tire, found the ammo and arrested Rivero.

According to court documents, Rivero has prior convictions including aggravated assault (1994), attempted kidnapping (January 2009)
and felony drug charges (August 2009).

end

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

AZMEX EXTRA 15-3-15

AZMEX EXTRA 15 MAR 2017

Note: might want to read this one a couple times.
For those not familiar with the area, it is on the west side of I-10, roughly between Marana and Tucson.
Conveniently located near the the Ironwood NM, the Tohono O'odham Nation, and the Altar Valley.
Area with a long history of drug and human trafficking.
thx


Cache of weapons found in Picture Rocks at home of man on probation, officials say
Posted: Mar 15, 2017 12:01 PM MST
Updated: Mar 15, 2017 12:46 PM MST
Written By Lupita Murillo

http://www.kvoa.com/story/34873380/cache-of-weapons-found-in-picture-rocks-at-home-of-man-on-probation-officials-say


PICTURE ROCKS - A routine search of a probationer's house turned out to be the largest weapon seizure in recent history for the Pima County Adult Probation Department.

Officers said there was enough firepower to outfit a small army.

Hand guns, rifles, ammunition, and an empty hand grenade were found on the Picture Rocks property where Michael Ninnemann lives, officers said.

Steve Armenta, unit supervisor for the Adult Probation Department, told News 4 Tucson "Until you see it, you can't imagine somebody can amass that amount of weapons and ammunition."

More than 100 firearms were seized, including high-powered rifles, and a magazine round. Officers also found several pounds of marijuana. It was located in a plastic container topped with tortillas. Officers said it's to keep the pot moist.

Armenta added, "It's mind blowing, all the officers, ATF agents, everybody was in awe of the amount of weapons."


(Also very interesting)
Ninnemann is on probation on Minnesota drug charges but he's serving his five-year probation in Arizona because he's from here.
He was sentenced eight months ago.


Arementa said, "We had received information that he was possibly involved in some criminal activity."
The probation officer handling the case said they had some idea he had weapons but never imagined there were this many.
Armenta added, "As probation officers, we do random home visits. It's tough for us because we know we are dealing with felons on a daily basis."

Neighbors were shocked to discover a cache of weapons near her home.
"That's a lot of weapons for one person to have especially if he's on probation," said a mother of two.
Another added, "I think it's kind of scary that something like that is possible."
"It puts everybody in the community at risk," Armenta said.

Ninnemann may also face theft charges as some of the weapons may have been stolen.
He posted a $25,000 bond, and will get a day in court to face the charges.

end