This one for the gunny's, confirming once again the desperate need
and desire to be armed against the criminal elements running wild in
Mexico. Another strong case for restoration of firearms and self
defense rights to the Mexican people.
Plazuela de Acuña, 'lawless land' where women are armed
Staff
EL DIARIO | April 2, 2012 | 7:28 AM
http://eldiariodechihuahua.mx/notas.php?f=2012/04/02/
&id=af9b124bb76925b2c68aaa2246b9e137
Ciudad Juarez. - "Weapons? we would like to make a tour of the area
and tell us if they are necessary to protect us, "says Eva.
For five years, the difference between living and surviving in
Plazuela de Acuna is the caliber of the weapon to behave at home or
hidden to protect from local criminals and those arriving from nearby
colonies.
Most people who carry these weapons, handguns and even assault
rifles, are women. Women who were left alone by migration, the simple
abandonment or death of their husbands at the hands of crime.
'The last time we saw the police was 3 months'
Women who head their households with minor children, not so easy can
ask for help from the authority because the cell phone signal, the
only means of communication-sector is weak, erratic, and because some
cases, their nearest neighbors are more than 500 feet away in a
hamlet where to leave the premises and belongings to safety is common
in recent years.
"What if a weapon is required to live in Acuña Square? I can assure
you. They have stolen, they have offended, they have killed family
members. So now is we who bear arms in the paths and in homes. On the
road or to Juarez almost not carry. We know it's a crime but we risk.
If the carrying legal, how many we had not thrown and women who have
been victims of thieves. I have a (pistol) with six nine-millimeter
cartridges gladly I will use if they attack my house, "says Eva while
carefully observed a vehicle traveling on a street near the site of
the interview.
Before leaving eight years ago, her husband taught her to use the
weapon he recalls.
That is the daily sight of safety of women in the settlement of Acuña
Square looks like a lawless territory, an area of land located
between kilometers 30 and 35 of the Casas Grandes highway, flanked by
the cavalcade to the international crossing of Jeronimo -Santa
Teresa, and crowned by the Cerro del Caballo, the extreme east of the
city.
Plazuela de Acuña is intersected by at least 200 paths that lead to
ranches, farms and former colonies drug haven. These roads, closer to
the backyard of the Sierra de Juarez, today they are little because
they are now busy transfer point and transfer of narcotics, with
armed men to the side.
"In a small square out in the morning to work and when you return in
the evening and need a door, window, things inside the house, missing
a pig or a goat.
At night they come and leave on land stolen vehicles for
decommissioning. The next day they take them up in parts of trucks or
cranes. The shells of the cars when they leave, is in the streams.
Look for them by the former Customs and at the foot of the hills,
between the paths will find enough, "says one woman added to the
interview at the request of Eve.
This woman claims to have in her home two pistols, one .45 caliber
and a 22 "little girls to carry anywhere," she jokes.
"The last time we saw the municipal police was about three months
ago. The Army is passing through but found nothing, there have been
no arrest. Violence has hardened five years now and not has stopped.
" Thirteen years ago, when I got here, there was nothing of this,
says Eva.
Abandonment
"Here come three or four cars to dismantle every day. That is
unstoppable. Six months here heard shots and the next day they wake
up dead. We have had to see bodies of those poor men in the streams
and on the streets. Sometimes even the press finds out, but until
then, "reveals the woman who would not give her name and discreetly
hiding her face under a cap.
The increase of crime in Plazuela de Acuña, which reached its peak
with the collection of "quota" to breeders of farm animals, and in
some cases to not pay were killed, has prompted dozens of farms are
abandoned . Some were burnt, others plundered. A few more are walls.
"People have been because at night to steal their animals. To the
former trace the former Customs and there are no homes that have been
abandoned, burned and vandalized. People fear is gone" she says.
A few weeks ago an elderly man he had burned his farm where cows. The
bodies of these two animals are in a gap close to the body along the
front of a transport truck that was stolen a year ago, respondents
agree.
At the bottom of the village there is a stone crusher to seven years
it operated, provided work for locals.
"In this business nothing is left. Were gradually dismantling
fierreros. The last thing they took was the hopper parts that looked
really nice from a distance, imposing "describes Eve.
For this neglect, the sale of land of 5 thousand to 12 thousand
square meters between 30 thousand and 70 thousand U.S. dollars,
according to online ads when they got to be worth almost triple. Not
even be close to what will be the development Jeronimo-Santa Teresa
has held the cost of land due to insecurity.
Landfill Theft
paths are marked by heavy truck tires and trucks double shot.
Among the desert scrub include dozens of auto dump areas were taken
from the vehicles, they say, are dismantled on Square de Acuña.
Fenders, bumpers, doors complete, sectioned bodies, broken
windshields, fenders, headlights, panels, fuel tanks and skulls are
scattered from the streams at the foot of Cerro del Caballo to the
edge of the road.
In some places there are stones and scorched earth where the "strip"
copper and other metal wiring and electrical and electronic shells
which also accumulate there.
The dismantling of stolen cars has caused neighbors Acuña Square have
been killed by the riskiness of the activity.
Children click
In Acuña Square walking is the key to take home food or water that is
not networked. The promise of six-year terms of three years ago and
has not materialized for the supply that is piped through pipes. The
route has stopped running for some streets in the absence of passage,
forcing many to walk several kilometers.
These conditions allow crime to proliferate, and those who came as
babies or born in Square, are now members of gangs in the area.
"The guys are tattooed and pierced everywhere. Last night I got out
of the car to take it off, but because they recognized me, slapped me
on the shoulder and asked me not to walk down the street so late. 'Go
pa' home ', said one of them a teenager between 15 and 17 years of
age, "said Lily, another woman interviewed on Market Street.
Azucena was a few months ago a neighbor shot a teenager who tried to
assault her at home. "He broke his leg shot, I called the police and
when they reached the patrol asked him to take out the shot to hand
them over to the road because at night do not enter Square 'because
it is dangerous.' After five hours of waiting and when the thief was
very sorry for the loss of blood, had to upload it to a truck and
take it to the Office where she was arrested. He posted bail and
compensation for injuries thief to go free. Now it's offense to give
the thief to take care of the same, but we will not stand with folded
arms, "he said.
From hero to 'hit man'
Rafael Reyes Renteria is the primary caretaker at the school Socorro
Rodriguez Vazquez, at kilometer 33. 46-year-old Rafa, as they call
him, was arrested Tuesday by agents of the State Attorney within the
school, in possession of a .22 caliber pistol.
Given the media, the detainee said that children, affection,
nicknamed "El Sicario" in Plazuela de Acuña.
The weapon, said school staff, was used to protect the students from
criminals and the school has recorded several attacks and robberies.
Also, Rafa has another function in the village: a sort of armed guard
who takes care of single women from attack.
"Rafael is a person that sees if someone has no water, he goes. If
someone has no way to get to the clinic, he takes you. He has gotten
to defend property and even received threats from criminals. Maybe
his detention as a revenge for someone caught stealing, by calling
for some attention or envy. Here most of us are single mothers and
Rafael stood up for us. Six months ago, burned cars and school. He
captured the thugs, 15 and 16. The retained delinquents but their
moms came and jumped him to release their delinquent children. Police
to date has not yet, "said Eva.
He says that as he said Reyes Renteria to the authorities, "the
weapons used to scare dogs and coyotes so they do not eat their
animals, so the criminals know that carries a weapon and that
protects us." As is released, people are bringing food to his wife
and son "because their only income is his salary at the school. The
22 gauge brings it stolen at school and classrooms, computer
equipment and even water tanks, burned cars and caused damage. "
"Rafael is very nice. When we wanted to hit the thugs outside always
defended us, "noted one student.
"We called the army to seek out the crooks, but it has not succeeded
in stopping this criminal presence and who now helps us stop." So we
are unhappy, revealed one of the teachers.
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