LATIN AMERICAN TIMES

Ricky Martin granted Spanish citizenship

Puerto Rican pop singer Ricky Martin was given Spanish citizenship today, the country’s government said. The star, who came out in 2009 reportedly wants to take advantage of Spain’s gay marriage laws. Spokesman Jose Blanco told a news conference that ministers had agreed to grant him a “letter of naturalization”, issued in special circumstances, because of his “personal and professional links with Spain”. Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that Martin sought citizenship in order to marry boyfriend Carlos Gonzalez Abella, with whom he is bringing up his twin three-year-old sons. Spain passed legislation allowing same-sex marriages in 2005, only the third country to do so at the time, with 20,000 gay couples entering into marriage since. Appearing on the Larry King show last year, he had said: “I would get married… There are many countries around the world where same-sex marriage is a right. Not in Puerto Rico, unfortunately. And not in many states in America. “Yes, we could go to Spain and get married. We can go to Argentina and get married. But why do we have to go somewhere else? Why can’t I do it in my country where the laws are – you know, protecting me?” He added: “I can go to Spain. I have many friends in Spain. And get married. And make it very beautiful and symbolic. But… I [can't] do it in the backyard of my house. I want to have that option. I don’t want to be a second class citizen anymore. I pay my taxes. Why can’t I have that right?

Ricky Martin granted Spanish citizenship

Puerto Rican pop singer Ricky Martin was given Spanish citizenship today, the country’s government said. The star, who came out in 2009 r...

Man arrested over alleged police payments named as Sun journalist

A Sun journalist has been arrested as part of Scotland Yard's investigation into alleged payments to police officers by newspapers. The reporter is believed to be Jamie Pyatt, district editor of the paper. The arrested journalist was taken to a South West London police station at 10.30am on Friday. Pyatt, 48, has been working at the Sun since 1987. He is the sixth person arrested by detectives working in Operation Elveden, which was set up in July following allegations that police officers had received up to £130,000 over several years from the News of the World for information, including contact details of the royal family. News International refused to comment on the arrest and saying it had "a very clear duty of care to employees and would not be making any comment on individuals". Scotland Yard also refused to confirm the identity of the person it arrested, but said in a statement earlier that it had arrested a 48-year-old man in connection with Operation Elveden. Its statement said: "He was arrested outside London on suspicion of corruption allegations in contravention of section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, and is being brought to a south-west London police station." Operation Elveden is one of three Met investigations relating to alleged illegal activities by newspapers. The others are Operation Weeting and Operation Tuleta, set up to examine phone hacking and computer hacking, respectively. On Thursday, Scotland Yard confirmed to the Guardian that the number of people whose phones may have been hacked had reached 5,800 – 2,000 more than previously stated. So far 16 people have been arrested and bailed on allegations of phone hacking.

Man arrested over alleged police payments named as Sun journalist

A Sun journalist has been arrested as part of Scotland Yard's investigation into alleged payments to police officers by newspapers. T...

Italy government hangs by thread as coalition crumbles

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's fate hung by a thread Friday and desertions from his crumbling centre-right coalition may have already robbed him of the parliamentary numbers he needs to survive. Berlusconi, caught in the crossfire from European powers and a party revolt at home, agreed at a G20 summit in France to IMF monitoring of economic reforms which he has long promised but failed to implement. But this may soon be irrelevant for the Italian leader, who will return to Rome later Friday to face what looks increasingly like a deadly rebellion by his own supporters. With financial markets in turmoil over the situation in Greece and Italy viewed as the next domino to fall in the euro zone crisis, calls are mounting for a new government to carry through reforms convincing enough to regain international confidence. Berlusconi has consistently rejected calls to resign and says the only alternative to him is an early election next spring, rather than the technocrat or national unity government urged by many politicians and commentators. Yields on 10-year Italian bonds reached 6.36 percent by early afternoon, creeping closer to 7 percent, a level which could trigger a so-called "buyers' strike" where investors take fright and refuse to buy the paper. Two deputies from Berlusconi's PDL party this week defected to the centrist UDC, taking his support in the 630-seat lower house of parliament to 314 compared with the 316 he needed to win a confidence vote last month. But at least seven other former loyalists have called for a new government and could vote against the 75-year-old media magnate. "The (ruling) majority seems to be dissolving like a snowman in spring," said respected commentator Stefano Folli in the financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore. Other commentators spoke of an "inexorable" revolt against Berlusconi. Even Defence Ministry undersecretary Guido Crosetto, a Berlusconi loyalist, said on television: "I don't know how many days or weeks the government has left. Certainly a majority relying on a few votes cannot continue for long." PATRONAGE Berlusconi, one of Italy's richest men, still has significant powers of patronage and he and his closest aides are expected to spend the weekend trying to win back support for a parliamentary showdown Tuesday. Some rebels have already threatened to vote against Berlusconi in the vote to sign off on the 2010 budget. Berlusconi faced concerted calls to resign when he lost a previous vote on this routine measure, which was almost unprecedented. Although it is not a confidence motion, he would come under huge pressure if he suffered a second defeat. "Unpopular prescriptions are necessary and this challenge cannot be faced with a 51 percent government," said UDC leader Pier Ferdinando Casini, in a reference to Berlusconi's weakness and a widespread feeling that the reforms can only be passed with a broad consensus. The premier has promised European leaders that he will call a formal confidence motion within 15 days to pass amendments to a budget bill incorporating new measures to stimulate growth and cut Italy's huge debt. That will be in the Senate where he has a more solid majority but it could still bring him down. Berlusconi, beset by a string of sex scandals and court cases, has consistently resisted pressure from groups ranging from a powerful business lobby to the Catholic Church to stand down.

Italy government hangs by thread as coalition crumbles

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's fate hung by a thread Friday and desertions from his crumbling centre-right coalition may h...

Wall Street markets are suffering huge falls this morning as fears grow that Europe's plan to save the euro will unravel

Wall Street markets are suffering huge falls this morning as fears grow that Europe's plan to save the euro will unravel before it can even kick in.Greek Premier George Papandreou said he will put Greece's bailout through a referendum, throwing the long-awaited deal into disarray.Financial markets around the world have tumbled in reaction to the shock announcement today and U.S. stocks have also fallen at the open.<div class="artSplitter" style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><img alt="Wall Street: Financial markets around the world have tumbled in reaction to the shock announcement and U.S. stock futures are down on Tuesday" class="blkBorder" height="492" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/11/01/article-2056123-0E9D8C7E00000578-893_634x492.jpg" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 1px solid black;" width="634" />Wall Street: Financial markets around the world have tumbled in reaction to the shock announcement and U.S. stock futures are down on Tuesday</div>The Dow Jones opened down 258 points, or 2.2 per cent; the Nasdaq fell 78 points, or 2.9 per cent, and the S&P fell 33 points, or 2.7 per cent. ‘The market did not see this Greek referendum coming, which is potentially a killer,’ said Vermont investment strategist Paul Mendelsohn. <div class="relatedItemsTopBorder" style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"> </div><div class="relatedItems" style="min-height: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; text-align: left; background-color: #ffffff; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><h4 style="min-height: 1px; font-size: 1em; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"></h4></div> ‘It could knock the wheels off the bus of the whole (Europe rescue) plan.’

Wall Street markets are suffering huge falls this morning as fears grow that Europe's plan to save the euro will unravel

Wall Street markets are suffering huge falls this morning as fears grow that Europe's plan to save the euro will unravel before it can e...

Welcome to Oculto Café – Cordoba’s infamous Satanic saloon.

GLASSES shoot across tabletops, busty vamps serve blood-red cocktails, and twisted locals raise a toast to an image of Aleister Crowley. Welcome to Oculto Café – Cordoba’s infamous Satanic saloon. The bar is situated in a maze of narrow, winding streets in the ancient ‘Old Town’ district. Stepping outside for a Marlboro, I scan my surroundings. It’s a chilly, moonlit night and the streets are deserted. Strain your ears, however, and you’ll hear muffled voices coming from dark balconies. It’s like a scene from Interview with the Vampire. As I re-enter, the room falls silent. A cross-eyed chap stares at me… well, I think it’s me… it’s hard to tell. Had my gothic guy-liner run, or had he caught a whiff of fresh meat? In this insular atmosphere, I feel as welcome as Gary Glitter at Tivoli World! Forget fruit machines and pool tables, it’s ouija boards and tarot cards that keep these punters amused. A little weakened, I seize a newspaper and hide in the corner. Alongside ads for ‘Black Angels’ and ‘Colombian Swallowers’, the classifieds are swarming with clairvoyants. I’m shocked! Isn’t Spain supposed to be a God-fearing country? But the truth is, up until the Inquisition (1478), Iberia was a hotbed of magic and sorcery. With the coming of Catholicism, however, mystics – including ‘witches’ and ‘healers’ were round-up and executed. For survival’s sake, Spaniards severed their ties with the ‘other side.’ Today, however, there is growing evidence that Spain is returning to its supernatural roots. Church-going is down (just 14.4%), and stories of Satanism are everywhere. In March 2011, an Almerian church was littered with satanic scrawls. Investigators claimed that the site had been used for a “black mass.” Tenerife’s Arona Cemetery has also been targeted by sinister cults. In 2008, graves were desecrated and animals sacrificed during “bizarre nocturnal rituals”. For sceptics, it’s easy to blame rebellious youth or drug-addicts for these atrocities. However, as someone who’s experienced dark forces – first hand – I try to keep an open mind. It all started in 2001 when I was filming a documentary at Devon’s Berry Pomeroy. In the castle grounds, I indivertibly captured an inhuman figure on camera.  Whilst replaying the footage to BBC colleagues, the office computers went wild. In 2009, I moved my family to a 15th century cottage on the West Pennine Moors. Unbeknown to us, our ‘dream house’ was built on a Quaker burial site. During our six-month stay – we endured stamping noises, icy chills and orbs zipping round the lounge. At night, the constant thumping would deprive us of sleep, and we’d trudge into work like a couple of zombies. However, my most recent spooking occurred right here in Andalucia. One evening, I watched a can of Asturiana cider move sideways, hover and then drop off the table! Earlier that day, an old drinking buddy had been buried in Devon – was this his final ‘chin-chin’? Whatever it was, it scared the bejesus out of my missus and she hasn’t slept properly since. Two weeks on, and we’re sitting in Oculto, trying not to blush at orgy paintings. After some Dutch courage, I enquire about a séance at the bar. A black-toothed midget points towards a battered wooden door. Timidly, I wander down the corridor and knock on wood. It’s opened by a raven-haired gypsy. She’s both beautiful and grotesque: Penelope Cruz’s mum meets the Bride of Chucky. Without speaking – she beckons me in with a long, black talon. With low ceilings, purple walls and an absence of windows – the room is claustrophobic and unsettling. Under flickering candlelight, the Victorian death portraits seem to eyeball you from the walls. But it’s the cold air and fetid stench that’s really sending shivers down my spine. The woman glides over to a monolithic Ouija board and orders me to sit. She lays out a clutch of cards, including The Hanged Man, The Fool, The Stig, Jeremy Clarkson, Dog the Bounty Hunter, The Archbishop of Canterbury and Boy George. Okay… I lied about Boy George – but it’s all the scary ones! Suddenly, my stomach churns and I shout ‘Stop!’ I apologise for wasting her time – but I’ve got the heebie-jeebies. A floating cider is hardly The Ring – so why risk opening a fresh can of worms? I chat to Jose, a Pepe Reina lookalike in his late 20s. Around us, weirdoes chuck darts at an image of the Pope (only joking….it’s Desmond Tutu!) Jose is erudite and speaks fine English. Over Osbourne brandies, I pose the question: “So….Are you a Satanist?” “Of course”! Jose replies: Usually, I’d grab my coat, but by now, I’m immune to the madness. After dispelling myths of “priest-beating” and “baby-eating”, Jose insists that Satanists are “Perfectly normal.” Apparently, the only difference is they choose “indulgence over abstinence’, and prefer “vengeance” to forgiveness. Oh…..and they enjoy kinky sex and coke-snorting – but hey… so does the cast of Skins. By 1am I’m craving a Horlicks and a late night snack. I thank Jose and wish him a “hell-of-a-life.” We leave Occulto and hot-foot it to the Corredera for a greasy kebab. After filling our faces, we clamber into a taxi. We’re only 10-minutes from the hotel – but I’m bloated on beer and lamb offal. Back at the room, Jose’s words haunt me. Having spent the last five hours binge-drinking, ogling rude pictures and eating crap – could I be accused of “indulgence”? If Christianity equals modesty, chastity and turning the other cheek, what about all those times I’ve bought designer togs, belted a thug or lusted over lesbians? Perhaps I’m more Satanic than I thought? By bedtime, I’d seen no demons, virgin sacrifices or people snacking on goats’ head soup. This said, not everyone was as friendly as Jose, and the yokels at the bar seemed quite menacing. I’ve yet to decide whether Satanists are ordinary folk – daring to be different, or psychopaths to be avoided at all costs. I DO know, however, that pentangles are not for me. For one – I like animals too much to put their heads on sticks – and secondly, I root for the “goodies” when it kicks off on Buffy. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my time at Occulto and found the experience enlightening. Whatever they are (or aren’t), there’s a pub full of them in Cordoba, and if you ever feel like taking a walk on the wild side, you know where to head.

Welcome to Oculto Café – Cordoba’s infamous Satanic saloon.

GLASSES shoot across tabletops, busty vamps serve blood-red cocktails, and twisted locals raise a toast to an image of Aleister Crowley. W...

Body found in boot of crashed car on Alicante motorway

Firemen called out to an accident on the A-31 Alicante-Madrid motorway early on Monday found an unidentified body in the boot of a car whi...

Hells Angels have had a rough year in California.

The Hells Angels have had a rough year in California. Three Northern California members have died violently in the last month amid a turf battle with a rival biker gang. And law enforcement officials on both ends of the motorcycle club's home state are pursuing and jailing members, with 26 Angels and their associates arrested recently in San Diego. The violence spilled into public view in the unlikeliest of places two weeks ago when thousands of Harley-Davidsons rolled up to a San Jose cemetery on a sunny Saturday afternoon to bury a Hells Angels leader who was gunned down weeks earlier in a Nevada casino. A Hells Angel allegedly shot and killed a fellow member at the cemetery and fled — the latest sign of the in-fighting and violence that has plagued the gang in recent months. And if the deadly gunfire were not enough, a member was plowed down by a van a week later near Oakland, the alleged the victim of road rage. While no one is predicting the demise of the notorious outlaw motorcycle club, law enforcement officials and gang experts said the Hells Angels' recent woes still stand out for an organization they describe as violent, sophisticated and disciplined with loyal-to-the-death members. "They are the heavyweight champions of the biker gang culture," said Jay Dobyns, an agent with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who infiltrated the Hells Angels in Arizona for two years beginning in 2001. "And every other biker gang wants the belt." The organization has a long history in California, dating to its founding in 1948 by returning World War II veterans in the dusty town of Fontana and including a notorious incident during a Rolling Stones show in Altamont in 1969 in which a spectator was stabbed by a Hells Angel working security. A jury later acquitted the killer, finding he acted in self defense. The U.S. Department of Justice says the Hells Angels now have as many as 2,500 members in 230 chapters in 26 countries, and are a major source of drug-trafficking. Federal, state and local police have pursued the club for decades, infiltrating it with undercover agents, prosecuting suspects with harsh charges once reserved for the Mafia and indicting members on charges ranging from drug trafficking to mortgage fraud. Yet the club flourished. They opened chapters worldwide, aggressively enforced their trademarks in court like a responsible Wall Street corporation and won high-profile acquittals and other legal battles with law enforcement. The ATF, which handles many federal biker cases, said it arrested more outlaw motorcycle gang members last year than any other since 2003. Police in Germany, Canada and elsewhere also report a surge in motorcycle gang violence, with much of it connected to the Hells Angels. The California Hells Angels' current problems are partly rooted in a battle with the Vagos, a California-based motorcycle club founded in the 1960s. The clubs have been bitter enemies dating at least back a decade to a violent 2001 confrontation at a Costa Mesa swap meet. "These groups are trying to expand their membership and dominance," said Kent Shaw, the California Attorney General's acting head of law enforcement. "There's going to be a number of clashes and it seems to have gotten worse over the last couple years. It seems to be coming to a flash point." After dozens of Vagos took over a bar in Lakeport, Calif., and rode their motorcycles up and down the main drag, officials went so far as to close the downtown to traffic on May 14. Lake County Sheriff Frank Rivero said the Vagos were making a statement about controlling the region after one of its members was allegedly beaten by Hells Angels earlier in the year. So Rivero put up a road block that day after the California Highway Patrol and FBI warned that Hells Angels were traveling toward town. The Angels turned back before reaching the road block. But now the district attorney is investigating whether the sheriff violated the club members' civil rights with his plans to stop them. The sheriff is unapologetic. "It's a basic response," Rivero said. "I'm not going to tolerate gang violence in Lake County." A month later, a Vagos member and a friend were severely beaten in a casino. Four Hells Angels have been charged with assault. Three were arrested and the sheriff said they were bailed out by fellow Angel Steve Tausan, who owned a bail bonds company. A fourth is being sought. In September, the two gangs fought again. San Jose Angels leader Jeffrey "Jethro" Pettigrew was slain during a wild shootout with rival Vagos in a Reno-area casino on Sept. 23. It was at Pettigrew's burial where more violence occurred. Two shots were fired, and Tausan, Pettigrew's good friend and high-ranking Angel, lay bleeding with a mortal wound. Police suspect fellow Angel Steve Ruiz of firing on Tausan after they argued over the casino shooting and whether enough was done to protect Pettigrew, the president of the San Jose chapter. Police are now searching for Ruiz, who reportedly was hustled into a waiting car, leaving behind his motorcycle. Investigators initially feared Ruiz was killed and went so far as to dig up Pettigrew's grave in search of a body. But now police believe he is on the run with his girlfriend. San Jose police were out in force Saturday as Tausan was laid to rest at the same cemetery where he was killed during the Oct. 15 funeral. A police spokesman said there were no reports of any disturbances or violence. The Hells Angels didn't respond to numerous phone calls and email messages sent to their clubhouses in San Jose and Santa Cruz, where Tausan served as the chapter's sergeant at arms. The Angels have always maintained they are a club of motorcycle enthusiasts who are unfairly regarded as an organized crime syndicate because of the crimes of a few members acting independently. The club participates in charity events, such as "Toys for Tots" motorcycle runs and blood drives. "When we do right, nobody remembers," the club's Web site states. "When we do wrong, nobody forgets." Karen Snell, a lawyer who won a $1.8 million settlement in 2005 after the San Jose chapter filed a lawsuit claiming illegal police searches during a murder investigation, said Pettigrew, Tausan and the others involved with the case were serious businessmen with families. "They were really responsible clients," Snell said. "In my all my interactions with them, they were always gentlemen." Now Pettigrew and Tausan are dead. "We lost our brother, our father, our son and our friend," said Karen Tausan, Steve's sister. "He left a big hole in our family and we can only hope this will come to an end now."

Hells Angels have had a rough year in California.

The Hells Angels have had a rough year in California. Three Northern California members have died violently in the last month amid a turf ...

Authorities detained one of Mexico's most controversial and wealthiest politicians on suspicion of illegally keeping an arsenal of over 80 guns and automatic rifles in his house

Authorities detained one of Mexico's most controversial and wealthiest politicians on suspicion of illegally keeping an arsenal of over 80 guns and automatic rifles in his house, setting off a political furor. Soldiers acting on a tip burst into the Tijuana home of Jorge Hank, 55, a former mayor and a pillar of the Mexico's former ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party's establishment, and detained him and 10 employees in the early hours of Saturday morning. On Sunday, Mr. Hank was flown to Mexico City and was being questioned by police officials in charge of investigating organized crime. Mr. Hank's detention sparked demonstrations in his favor by supporters in Tijuana, as well as a flurry of angry statements from PRI party barons. In a letter written to Mexico's human rights commission, Mr. Hank claimed Sunday he had been set up by the army after eight hooded men burst into his bedroom as he slept. "Around 5 am, they told me to stand by some weapons that were on the floor and they took photographs," he wrote in the letter which was shown on Mexican television channel Milenio TV. "The weapons were on the floor and I had never seen them before nor do I recognize them." Mr. Hank's lawyer Oscar Téllez did not immediately return a telephone call left at his office. Earlier, Mr. Téllez told reporters he had not been able to consult with his client, and Mr. Hank's wife told reporters the guns, which according to Mexico's Defense Ministry included 48 automatic rifles, had been legally acquired. "We will not allow political witch hunts, repressive acts or intimidation," said PRI president Humberto Moreira. Mr. Hank is closely linked to the PRI's political machine in the State of Mexico where the party's candidate for governor, Eruviel Ávila is poised to win the governor's seat in key elections next month. The state of Mexico elections will serve as a run-up to next year's presidential election in which the PRI's presumed candidate Enrique Peña Nieto, the current governor of the state, also holds a wide lead in the polls over potential rivals. Mr. Ávila's campaign manager quickly distanced the candidate from Mr. Hank. "There is not one cent of Mr. Jorge Hank Rhon's money in the campaign of Eruviel Ávila," said campaign manager Luis Videgaray. In a statement, the ruling conservative National Action or PAN party defended Mr. Hank's detention and said the government was simply applying the law and preventing acts of "impunity." But despite the PAN's disclaimers, some analysts did see an overt political motive in Mr. Hank's detention. "This is a scalp that President Felipe Calderón wants to hang on his wall before he leaves office," said George Grayson, an expert on Mexican politics at the College of William and Mary. "I suspect it's the first of several scalps he will place on his wall before elections as a way of discrediting the PRI." Mr Grayson said Mr. Hank was an easy target. "He doesn't have a closet full of skeletons, he has a warehouse full of skeletons," he said. A self-proclaimed billionaire, whose company Grupo Caliente, or "Hot Group," operates a Tijuana dog track as well as a string of casinos and off-track betting parlors all over the country, Mr. Hank is one of Mexico's most colorful—and notorious—politicians. The father of 19 children, Mr. Hank is also known for operating a private zoo stocked with exotic animals. Mr. Hank has been the frequent target of accusations of political corruption, drug ties and even of murder. His bodyguard and another employee were convicted for the 1988 killing of a reporter who worked for Tijuana's investigative weekly Zeta magazine. In full page advertisements, Zeta still continues to accuse Mr. Hank of being the mastermind behind the murder, although Mr. Hank was never charged with the murder. A 2009 WikiLeaks cable signed by the U.S. consul in Tijuana says "Hank is widely believed to have been a corrupt mayor and to be still involved in narco-trafficking." The cable recounts how Baja California state police refused to follow an alleged drug trafficker who took refuge in Mr. Hank's Tijuana dog racing track, right across from the consulate. "There are still plenty of safe havens for organized crime in the border region," the diplomatic cable says. In the past, Mr. Hank has said accusations against him are lies. The former mayor is the son of the late legendary PRI politician Carlos Hank, known as "The Professor." The late Mr. Hank rose from being a humble school teacher to being governor of the state of Mexico as well as mayor of Mexico City. He is most remembered for coining a famous aphorism, which described the corruption of the PRI, the political party that ran Mexico for seven decades before losing power in 2000: "A politician who is poor is a poor politician."

Authorities detained one of Mexico's most controversial and wealthiest politicians on suspicion of illegally keeping an arsenal of over 80 guns and automatic rifles in his house

Authorities detained one of Mexico's most controversial and wealthiest politicians on suspicion of illegally keeping an arsenal of over ...

member of the powerful Zetas gang cartel arrested in connection with the deaths of more than 140 people.

The Mexican Navy has said it has captured a suspected leader of the Zetas drug gang allegedly behind the mass killings of more than 100 people in northeastern Mexico. Martin Omaar Estrada Luna, said to be the local leader of the gang, was captured on Saturday. He is accused of masterminding the murders of 145 people in Tamaulipas state near the US border. Their remains were discovered in a mass grave earlier this month. A navy statement said Estrada Luna, alias "El Kilo", is also the main suspect in the massacre of 72 central and south American migrants last August, also in the same township of San Fernando in Tamaulipas. He was one of six people arrested in a navy operation on Saturday, the statement added. A series of bus hijackings alerted authorities to the killings. Since April 1, officials have found about 20 mass graves in San Fernando alone. The Zetas, a notorious gang formed in the 1990s by ex-military commandos, is now engaged in a fight to death with its former bosses. Seven major drug gangs are operating in Mexico, and over 34,000 people have been killed since December 2006 in the raging wars for control over smuggling routes and government efforts to crack down on illegal activities.

member of the powerful Zetas gang cartel arrested in connection with the deaths of more than 140 people.

The Mexican Navy has said it has captured a suspected leader of the Zetas drug gang allegedly behind the mass killings of more than 100 peop...

Interpol launches an operation to target 203 fugitives in South America

The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) has launched an operation targeting 203 fugitives wanted for serious offenses, inc...

Venezuela has deported a Colombian wanted by the United States for drug trafficking.

Venezuela has deported a Colombian wanted by the United States for drug trafficking. Officials say 53-year-old Gloria Rojas Valencia was han...

Organized crime gangs equipped with automatic weapons and tractor trailers are branching out into raids on huge grain silos, in a sign of growing lawlessness in parts of Mexico's north.

Organized crime gangs equipped with automatic weapons and tractor trailers are branching out into raids on huge grain silos, in a sign of growing lawlessness in parts of Mexico's north. Attacks on warehouses and cargo trucks have multiplied into a near-weekly affair in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, where one of the worst cold snaps in decades wiped out corn and vegetable plots last month, pushing up prices of the remaining harvest and making it more attractive to thieves. The unusual crime wave in major agricultural exporting states is a new headache for the Mexican government struggling to maintain the country's image as a top emerging market. Mexico's national warehousing association AAGEDE said the spike in thefts began a year or two ago, but its members are only recently coming forward and many are still too scared to report details on the number or scale of the incidents. Jose Jimenez, director of Mexican storage company ALMER, told of one robbery last year in a tiny town in the central state of Zacatecas where an armed commando emptied a warehouse of 900 tonnes of beans, worth around $750,000, loading up 30 trucks over the course of an entire day.

Organized crime gangs equipped with automatic weapons and tractor trailers are branching out into raids on huge grain silos, in a sign of growing lawlessness in parts of Mexico's north.

Organized crime gangs equipped with automatic weapons and tractor trailers are branching out into raids on huge grain silos, in a sign of gr...

Juárez Business Leaders Hired Former Zetas

Leaked State Department Cable Claims Juárez Business Leaders Hired Former Zetas for “Protection” The drug war in Mexico has been depicted in the mainstream media, for the most part, as a conflict between brutal, rival “drug cartels” that are in a pitched battle over territory and for survival as the Mexican military seeks to restore order under the leadership of the brave and resolute President Felipe Calderón. A U.S. State Department cable released last week through WikiLeaks pokes yet another hole in that bogus narrative, however. Given that fact, it is no surprise that the cable has been essentially ignored by the mainstream media, save one small daily, the El Paso Times — located in a U.S. border city across from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, which registered more than 3,100 drug-war murders last year alone. Diana Washington Valdez, a veteran drug-war reporter for the El Paso Times, in a March 16 story about the WikiLeaks cable, reported that a syndicate of Juárez businessmen hired a group of former Zetas (a paramilitary narco-trafficking group) to “protect themselves against kidnappings and extortions.” The acknowledgement in an official U.S. document of the existence of this vigilante paramilitary group, which is funded by wealthy Juárez businessmen and has close ties to the Mexican military (the Zetas were founded by former Mexican special forces operatives), provides us with an important insight into the dynamics of the violence of the drug war in Mexico.

Juárez Business Leaders Hired Former Zetas

Leaked State Department Cable Claims Juárez Business Leaders Hired Former Zetas for “Protection” The drug war in Mexico has been depicted in...

one of the six suspects is accused of being a member of the brutal "Los Zetas" group.

Venezuela, long accused by the United States of being lax in the fight against drugs, deported six "highly dangerous" suspects on ...

El Salvador has witnessed the way drug money corrupts institutions, including the police and military, and the highest levels of government

El Salvador has witnessed the way drug money corrupts institutions, including the police and military, and the highest levels of government. Capt. Hector Guillen was a ranking officer in the Salvadoran army's elite special forces. He had access to enormous supplies of military-grade weaponry, much of it, like one cache of half a million U.S.-supplied grenades and shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, left over from the war. In November, just outside Washington, he allegedly offered to trade 3,000 assault rifles, 20 pounds of C-4 plastic explosives and scores of grenades for drugs and money to people he thought were representing leftist Colombian guerrillas. Instead, Guillen, 32, was trapped in a sting operation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. He was arrested and last month indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury on charges of attempting to provide material support to what Washington has designated as a terrorist organization, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. A trial was set for May. It was the most significant case yet in establishing the depths of drug corruption in the Salvadoran military and might have reached higher levels had a press leak not shut down the investigation. In another case, Salvadoran intelligence officials have identified 16 police and 10 military officers they suspect of working with an L.A.-born gangster known as El Burro, who has also affiliated himself with the Zetas. He controls much of the trafficking through western El Salvador and has laundered his money through hotels, resorts and car washes, the officials allege. Mexican drug traffickers first made inroads in El Salvador with the Mara Salvatrucha, the country's oldest and most receptive gang, eager to hire itself out. The other major group, the 18th Street gang, was more suspicious of the Mexicans and resisted outside pressure until early this year, according to Salvadoran intelligence sources. An attack on a passenger bus last month in which seven people were killed may have been an initiation test for the 18th Street gangsters to prove themselves to the Zetas, the sources said. Salvadoran gangs also have started delivering unsuspecting immigrants trying to cross into the United States into the waiting hands of Zetas, who then try to extort money from the victims' families upon pain of death. Police say they recently discovered what they believe to be a Zetas training ground hidden in coffee fields on the edge of the Guazapa volcano, which dominates San Salvador's skyline. Few discoveries, however, could match the plastic barrels discovered last fall buried on properties that authorities have tied to Jorge Mario Paredes-Cordova, who was convicted in the United States in April on drug charges and sentenced to 31 years in prison. The U.S. federal attorney handling the case described the Guatemalan as one of the world's most dangerous drug traffickers. Paredes-Cordova liked to visit El Salvador and, apparently, thought it a good place to hide some of his millions. His numerous houses were full of trap doors and walls that moved with the touch of a button to reveal secret compartments, according to people who inspected the properties. On an unoccupied farm, authorities acting on DEA intelligence discovered plastic water barrels with $100 bills and 500-euro notes — more than $10 million in cash.

El Salvador has witnessed the way drug money corrupts institutions, including the police and military, and the highest levels of government

El Salvador has witnessed the way drug money corrupts institutions, including the police and military, and the highest levels of government....

Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila state: Seven people had been killed and four police officers were injured in a series of firefights that caused alarm throughout the city

Amanda Garcia's peaceful life in Saltillo, Mexico, was shaken this past March when she witnessed a military convoy heading at full speed and against traffic on one of the city's important avenues. The lawyer had taken an alternate route to get home sooner and be with her 7-year-old son. It had been a difficult day in Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila state: Seven people had been killed and four police officers were injured in a series of firefights that caused alarm throughout the city, the state attorney general's office said. A few yards from reaching her home, she was stopped at a military checkpoint. "When I parked I saw at least six soldiers in front of my car, getting out of their vehicle and aiming at me, asking me to get out. One came close to my door and I heard a sound I had never heard before, apparently of a weapon when you take the safety off. Few times in my life had I felt so scared," she said. After an inspection, the soldiers told Amanda that they were looking for a vehicle similar to hers and that she was free to return home. "Usually, the presence of the army does not make me nervous at all, to the contrary. But that day, I really thought they were going to shoot at me," she said. "I've never seen the city so empty." Two days later, a soldier died and another was injured in a confrontation with suspected drug traffickers, after four cartel roadblocks were reported in various parts of the city, according to the attorney general's office. Saltillo, with some 700,000 residents, is a colonial city that until recently was known for its auto industry -- General Motors, Chrysler and Freightliner have plants there -- and construction. However, the situation has changed progressively until the city has reached notoriety for other reasons. According to a report from intelligence company Stratfor, the Gulf and Sinaloa cartels formed the New Federation, an alliance combating the Zetas cartel, and launched an offensive to control the trafficking routes in Mexico's northeast. "There were pacts here, and now those pacts are broken and a battle has begun between various criminal groups for this territory. This is evident," said Raul Vera, the Catholic bishop of Saltillo.

Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila state: Seven people had been killed and four police officers were injured in a series of firefights that caused alarm throughout the city

Amanda Garcia's peaceful life in Saltillo, Mexico, was shaken this past March when she witnessed a military convoy heading at full speed...

Mexican lawmakers complained about the drone flights into Mexico, saying they violated the sovereignty of the nation

well known that the United States routinely uses military drone aircraft in the Middle East with great success to monitor the movement of our enemies. Now it has come to light that the same technology is being used by the United States to help fight the drug gangs in Mexico. The revelation came when some Mexican lawmakers complained about the drone flights into Mexico, saying they violated the sovereignty of the nation. It turns out, however, that the Mexican government is actively encouraging the flights. There are apparently two types of drone flights going into Mexico. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency has been flying Predator drones into Mexico since 2009 and the U.S. Air Force has been sending in Global Hawk drones for the past month, according to an Associated Press report. Mexico's Foreign Relations Secretary Patricia Espinosa said neither of the drones is armed and they are requested and “controlled” by Mexico and therefore cannot violate that nation's sovereignty. According to the AP report, a Mexico representative is always present at the U.S. flight center during operations. This opens a new window into the kind of cooperation that is taking place between the two nations in the effort to battle drug activity in Mexico. Undoubtedly there are other activities taking place of which we are not yet aware. We have long urged the United States to take an active role in helping Mexico battle the drug lords and are pleased to see Mexican officials taking advantage of our nation's technological abilities.<a href="http://www.yumasun.com/opinion/mexico-68601-drug-drones.html"> </a>Whether the drones are tracking terrorists or drug runners, the goal is the same: to get rid of the “bad guys.”

Mexican lawmakers complained about the drone flights into Mexico, saying they violated the sovereignty of the nation

well known that the United States routinely uses military drone aircraft in the Middle East with great success to monitor the movement of o...

A place called ‘Hell’

A place called ‘Hell’ | PRI's The World: "For today’s Geo Quiz, we’re looking for hell on earth. Actually, it’s the Spanish word fo...

Spain's Santander to sell majority stake in Latin American insurance units to Zurich Financial | Markets | Market News | Canadian Business Online

Spain's Santander to sell majority stake in Latin American insurance units to Zurich Financial | Markets | Market News | Canadian Business Online: "Spain's Santander bank says it will a sell majority stake in its Latin American insurance units to Zurich Financial Services Group. 
 
In a statement Tuesday, Santander said it would create a holding company made up of its insurance units in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Argentina and Uruguay, which it said were valued at $3.275 billion. 
 
Zurich will acquire 51 percent of the company for $1.67 billion (euro1.22 billion). Santander will retain a 49 percent stake. 
 
Banco Santander S.A. is the largest bank in the eurozone by market capitalization and is the largest financial institution in Latin America, where its growth in recent years has helped it weather the financial crisis." 
 
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Spain's Santander to sell majority stake in Latin American insurance units to Zurich Financial | Markets | Market News | Canadian Business Online

Spain's Santander to sell majority stake in Latin American insurance units to Zurich Financial | Markets | Market News | Canadian Busine...

Brazilian Sandina Took Title for South America’s Best Toush! | Newstabulous - Headlines

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reef-Miss-2010-Calendar-Limited/dp/B0048H0B5A?ie=UTF8&tag=cosdelcri-21&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Reef Miss Reef 2010 - 2011 Calendar (Limited Supply)" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B0048H0B5A&tag=cosdelcri-21" /></a>Brazilian Sandina Took Title for South America’s Best Toush! | Newstabulous - Headlines: "Everybody who found themselves attending surfers championship that’s being held in the beautiful vacation getaway, Vina Del Mar in Chile, were thrilled to witness an even more exciting event: The International competition for Miss Reef 2011!<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=cosdelcri-21&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0048H0B5A" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /> 
Competitors wore revealing gear showing their perfect body lines in super tight and tiny shirts and thong bikinis. The audience got an eyeful of playful models, sun kissed skin and tight, moon shaped lower backs! 
Competitors get judged on their body in this competition so they really had to spice things up, giving judges something to sweat about."

Brazilian Sandina Took Title for South America’s Best Toush! | Newstabulous - Headlines

Brazilian Sandina Took Title for South America’s Best Toush! | Newstabulous - Headlines: "Everybody who found themselves attending surf...