Mexico's narco blog: Drug deaths in real time. As mainstream media agrees to guidelines for covering the drug war, an anonymous blogger is breaking gory stories. --aljazeera--
Chris Arsenault - Modified: 25 Apr 2011 14:02

The images are gruesome and unedited: a dead man in a sports jersey with his face covered in dried red blood and grey sand; a woman hanging from a rope above a busy urban over-pass and naked bodies lined up on the ground displaying clear, uncensored, signs of torture.

You have reached Mexico's narco blog: Click to continue.

"The narco blog uses much of the information citizens upload to other social networking sites," says Pedro Perez, president of the democratic union of journalists in Tamaulipas, one of the states on the US-Mexico border hit hardest by drug violence. "Organised crime gangs don’t use it [social media] to inform, they use it for issuing threats."

Some recent headlines from the site include: "Entire town taken hostage by Gunmen in Chihuahua"; "Eleven year old arrested in Acapulco with AK 47"; "Sinaloa cartel welcomes new police chief with tortured body"; and "Mass narco grave, 60 bodies found, total 148 corpses". Al Jazeera decided against publishing pictures from the blog.

Violence linked to Mexico's drug war has claimed more than 36,000 lives since President Felipe Calderon declared all-out war on cartels in December 2006.

Media criticism

While much of Mexico's mainstream media, especially television stations and local newspapers, has shied away from covering killings and naming the cartels involved, the narco blog and its anonymous curator, publish graphic details of spiraling violence.

"Individuals journalists are doing the best they can, but in general I don't think the media has done a fair job in covering drug violence," says Lucila Vargas, a professor of journalism at the University of North Carolina who studies Mexico's media landscape. "The media in Mexico are commercial enterprises and their first concern is with the bottom line," she told Al Jazeera.

Like most large scale industries in Mexico, the media - particularly television stations - are highly concentrated in a few hands. Mexicans are more likely to own a television set than to have access to running water but two TV stations - Televisa and TV Azteca - control 94 per cent of television entertainment content, according to the Mexican Right to Information Association.

While experts and average people criticise the mainstream press, there is clearly an appetite for the narco blog's coverage.

"International media outlets use the images and information from the site to report on what is happening," Perez told Al Jazeera. And that isn't surprising; followers of the Twitter page and Facebook group linked to the site include the US FBI, Mexico's Department of Defence and major international news outlets.

The narco blog has broken some major stories, including a video where a prison warden exposed her alleged system for setting inmates free at night to carry out murders for a drug gang. Security forces arrested the warden after the blog published the video.

"I was very impressed with it [the blog], it seems realistic," says Homero Gil de Zúñiga, director of community, journalism and communication research at the University of Texas in Austin, adding that verifying information posted on this and other blogs is difficult.

The curator is allegedly a computer security student in his twenties from northern Mexico, Associated Press reported, based on an interview with the man who answered the blog’s e-mail address.

"We decided to tell people what is actually happening and tell the stories exactly as they happen, without alteration or modifications of convenience," the blog's alleged author told the website Boing Boing.

But that raw methodology has many critics. "The narco blog is available to anyone, even my grandchildren," professor Vargas told Al Jazeera. "It has definitely crossed the line. I don’t know what else you can do that is more graphic.

There is plenty of research showing that prolonged exposure to violence de-sensitises people."

A narco salon

In addition to the occasional scoop, and pictures of pop stars attending lavish parties with alleged drug lords, the blog has plenty of claims and counter-claims from people purporting to represent various cartels.

In mid-April, gunmen exchanged fire and burned buildings in the border towns of Miguel Aleman and Ciudad Mier.

In a message posted on the blog, a purported spokesman for the Gulf cartel blamed soldiers linked to the Zetas - a gang comprised of former military operatives who once provided security and muscle for the Gulf cartel - for the shootings.

"We don’t brag about being brave," said a member of the Gulf Cartel in a separate posting aimed at Heriberto Lazcano, an alleged Zetas leader. "You are the ones who brag [that] roosters are tested [by] fighting, not speaking."

Think of the blog as a 19th century French salon where hit men, bandits, dealers - and the people affected by their violence – congregate to discuss ideas and actions. It is Mexico’s deadly version of "he said, she said". But since other media sources don't usually quote cartel members, citizens seem interested in what the digital hit men are saying.

In March, most of Mexico's news media, including the two leading TV stations Televisa and TV Azteca, agreed to a series of guidelines for reporting on the drug war. The news organisations promised not glorify drug violence, publish cartel propaganda or broadcast information that endangers the operations of security forces.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, (CPJ) supports the reporting guidelines, but three leading Mexican publications, Reforma, Proceso, and La Journada, refused to sign onto the deal, as reporters said it paved the way for self-censorship.

"In terms of the profession, probably the decision [to implement guidelines] was the right one," says Zúñiga from the University of Texas. "But there is going to be a niche for information [about cartel violence] and I’d anticipate that the blog is going to increase its followers."

Felipe Calderon, Mexico’s president, welcomed the agreement, stating that: "Media participation is crucial in building state security policy."

Bad news

Mexico has become one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists: Between 2005 and 2010 at least 66 reporters were killed, with 12 more disappeared, according to a report by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). There have only been convictions in 10 per cent of the cases.

Violence, fear and impunity don’t just hurt reporters and their families, they decimates the quality of coverage.

"Local journalists have made a pact to just cover official acts like government activities, local policemen and local activities, things that are not dangerous," says Perez, who has been threatened by cartels while working with journalists in one of the most violent border-states. "We would like to be heroes, but we are being shot at by criminals."

A 2010 analysis of drug war coverage from the Fundacion MEPI, and investigate journalism center, found that regional newspapers in Mexico are failing to report most execution style killings linked to cartels. Journalists interviewed for the study said threats, bribes and other forms of pressure influenced their decisions not to cover killings or name the suspected cartels involved.

"Organised crime members have tried to bribe or influence traditional media [and] that is the importance of social media," says Raul Trejo Delabre, an independent media analyst in Mexico City.

"Thirty three million Mexicans use the Internet everyday," he told Al Jazeera, adding that average people use Twitter, Facebook and cellphone text messages to warn their friends about shoot-outs in the neighbourhood. The blog gets at least three million hits per week, the anonymous author told Associated Press in 2010 and the stats are likely higher now.

Regardless of the role of citizen journalism in keeping people informed or the journalistic ethics behind drug war coverage guidelines, Lucila Vargas doesn't think the policy will make much of a dent in the violence engulfing Mexico. "Journalism is only part of the popular culture landscape, which includes film, music and TV programmes and all of these have been glorifying the violence," she told Al Jazeera.

And, as parts of Mexico descend into a real-time version of an uber-violent Quentin Tarintino film, the popularity of sites like the narco blog seems to be increasing.

"Bad news sells newspapers," says Zúñiga, "but good news won't sell as many."

You can follow Chris Arsenault on twitter @AJEchris

Official High Times Kind Bud Price Index by half ounce 
(including popular strain)

National U.S.  Kind Bud Average - $203 ($214 last month)
Florida
 *Tallahassee- $200 (Purple Derb)

Colorado
 *Denver-  $150 (UK Cheese)
*Pueblo-   $175 (Sour Kush)
                 $150 (Cherry Window)
New York

 *New York- $210 (Chemdog)
California
 *San Fransisco- $125 (Blue Dream)

Hawaii
 *Big Island- $200 (Grape Ape)
             $175(G-13)
        
Canada

 *Montreal- $127 (Pineapple Kush)
                   $127 (Master Kush)
 *Ottawa-  $157 (Beasters)
 *Sydney-  $157 (Chernobyl)
*Windsor-  $157 (Tutti Frutti)

- Courtesy of High Times; prices from February 2011- June 2011
(stats listed are from the April 2011 issue)

Fleecing of America takes aim at Morocco
--USTRADEandAIDREPORT--

Posted on 04/19/2011 at 11:30 PM

U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) is embarking upon a project to offer training in the Kingdom of Morocco in advanced intelligence-analysis techniques, and intends to outsource that training to a private contractor. The aim of this DHS initiative, which the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Office of International Affairs will oversee, is to reverse Morocco’s position as “the third largest producer of cannabis” and as “the major transit country for transnational criminal organizations moving South American cocaine through Northwest Africa to Europe.”

According to a updated solicitation released late today (April 19) that U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor (USTRAM) located via database research, DHS is calling companies who can deploy instructors with have law enforcement experience in major cities, preferably with an emphasis on organized crime investigation. Vendors also must have significant experience working in conjunction with federal law enforcement agencies as well as a demonstrable record conducting instruction in foreign settings. Ideally, the contractor will already have on hand suitable training materials “ready for CBP to translate into French.”

The selected contractor will travel to Morocco to train that nation’s customs agents in basic intelligence gathering, inferential and critical thinking strategies, and analysis of trends, patterns and relationships, and financial records. DHS will provide air travel, but the contractor “is required to purchase Emergency Evacuation Insurance coverage prior to departure for its instructors,” the solicitation document says.
DHS did not disclose the estimated cost of the endeavor.

...to End Marijuana Prohibition!
By Tony Newman, AlterNet
Posted on April 19, 2011, Printed on April 20, 2011

April 20th is a special day for millions of people around the world, the unofficial “holiday” for marijuana smokers.

Many people mark April 20th, especially at 4:20 pm, with a toke. Some people will mark the day and the occasion with close friends. Others, in cities like Santa Cruz or Boulder, will be part of gatherings of thousands of people to celebrate the occasion. Both the intimate and mass gatherings are fun. It is special to be with a small group smoking a joint: the laughing, discussing, playing and chilling. It is also exhilarating being with thousands of others, all smoking, usually at a beautiful outdoor spot, often with some music.

On 4/20, in certain towns there is an open truce. The police allow the 4/20 gatherings to happen and are reluctant to arrest people. It is worth noting that at these mass gatherings of hundreds or thousands of people smoking marijuana, there is none of the rowdiness or, violence that we often see at alcohol-fueled gatherings.

In addition to the good times, 4/20 is also a time where many people feel free to be open about their marijuana use. There is still stigma and real fear that you may get arrested or lose you job for smoking marijuana. The power-in-numbers, celebratory feel of 4/20 allows people to enjoy their marijuana in the open and with friends and see that there are more of us than we realize.

This is significant because many marijuana smokers don’t feel comfortable admitting to the world that they use marijuana – and this is one reason why marijuana is still illegal and almost a million people get arrested for it every year.

While I appreciate the good times on 4/20 as much as the next toker, I would like to put out a challenge: We Need YOU to Help End Marijuana Prohibition.

While many people associate marijuana with fun times, it also happens to be at the epicenter of a catastrophic war on drugs that is destroying as many lives as ever. If the current rate holds, more than 760,000 people in the U.S. will be arrested for just possessing a small amount of marijuana in 2011 -- twice the amount of marijuana possession arrests as in the 1980s. Once you’re arrested, even for just a small amount of marijuana, you can lose much more than just your freedom – you can lose your job, financial aid, housing, and even custody of your children.
Sometimes it might feel like marijuana is already legal – but it isn’t, especially if you’re black or Latino. Nationally, in virtually every town and city, marijuana arrests reveal stark racial disparities. In 2010, 86 percent of those charged for marijuana possession in New York were black or Latino, even though these groups represent only about half of the city's population. Is this because blacks and Latinos are more likely to use or sell drugs? Not at all – contrary to myths perpetuated in the media, the government’s own data shows that white people are just as likely to use or sell marijuana as black or Latino people. Marijuana use doesn't discriminate, but our marijuana policies do.

In addition to the lives harmed by arrests and incarceration, there are enormous economic costs. The war on drugs costs the government at least $51 billion every year at the state and federal level. And that’s not counting costs at the local level. For instance, according to a recent DPA report, New York City alone spent $75 million dollars arresting more than 50,000 people for marijuana possession in 2010.

The harms of marijuana prohibition are even more devastating to our neighbors to the South. In Mexico, more than 37,000 people have been killed since President Calderon declared war on the drug cartels, who make about half their profits in the marijuana business. It is not marijuana itself that causes violence on U.S. streets or the bloody war in Mexico – it is the policy of marijuana prohibition.

This June will mark the 40th anniversary of Richard Nixon launching the war on drugs. The Drug Policy Alliance will be teaming up with organizations across the country to protest this disgraceful anniversary in cities and towns across the country.

We need you to join us! This war on marijuana – and the people who use it – needs to end!



Tony Newman is communications director for the Drug Policy Alliance.

Robert Nesta on The Herb

Drug Policy Alliance Call To Action

Last month, the DEA raided at least 28 medical marijuana dispensaries in Montana and California. These raids – and many before them – break President Obama's promise that he would not use "justice department resources to circumvent state laws" on medical marijuana. Their changes in rhetoric aren't enough. It's time to end the war on drugs and legalize marijuana.

Their changes in rhetoric aren't enough. It's time to end the war on drugs and legalize marijuana. Show your support by signing our petition demanding No More Drug War!

The war on drugs isn't over – in fact, it hasn't skipped a beat. Every year, the federal government still spends billions of dollars to arrest, prosecute and lock up people for nonviolent drug offenses. But that can change. Momentum is growing to end the irresponsible policies that treat responsible citizens as criminals. Public opinion increasingly favors legalization. States are questioning whether money for arrests and incarceration might be better spent on education or infrastructure or even on putting the money back in taxpayers' pockets. Now it's up to us to make sure Congress is asking those same questions. Over the next few months, as we approach the 40th Anniversary of the war on drugs, DPA will build a critical mass of support through local events in communities across the country, release a hard-hitting report detailing an exit strategy, and work with the media and high-profile leaders to embolden them to speak out against the war on drugs.

Ethan Nadelmann - Executive Director - Drug Policy Alliance