Mexico bomb suspects let go?
Reports started circulating in the Mexican media last night that the local police arrested on the scene, but then let go, three men suspected of being involved in the bombings in Morelia, the capital of Michoacan state last Monday.
Seven people were killed and more than a hundred injured in the center of the city when two grenades went off during the independence celebrations. An eighth person -- a 13-year-old boy -- died in hospital over the weekend.
According to reports in this morning's El Universal, Michoacan's head of public security Mario Bautista Ramirez confirmed that three men were arrested in the city center but then released "because there was no problem with them."
These were not the same three suspects that we reported arrested and released last week.
Both El Universal and Milenio are also reporting that 10 police officers who were ordered to attend the independence celebrations in the city -- dressed in plain clothes rather than uniform -- never turned up.
Bautista Ramirez said that those 10 officers are being investigated.
A telephone survey of 500 people in Mexico City by Milenio found that 67% of respondents are now afraid to go to public places because they fear that they could be the victims of a terrorist attack. More than eight of 10 respondents (83%) said that they think the wave of violence could continue -- that the two grenade explosions were not isolated events.
Those surveyed were undecided about the cause of the violence. Forty percent said that they don't think President Felipe Calderon's government, which has assigned 40,000 soldiers and more than 5,000 federal police to fight the country's powerful drug cartels, knows how to control the narcotraffickers.
On the other hand, 42% said that the increase of violence in Mexico is because Calderon's efforts are hitting the narcos where it hurts.
-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City
Image: Officials inspect the scene where a grenade was detonated in Morelia last week during the city's independence day celebrations. Credit: Deborah Bonello / Los Angeles Times
El problema no empezo el dia del grito en michoacan
el problema a estado desde mucho antes con tanta
gente violenta en mexico. con tantos carteles en todo mexico dios acompane a toda mi gente en michoacan
yo tengo 12 anos que no veo mi tierra y con estas noticias no creo que me den muchas ganas de regresas.
es triste que te pregunte de donde eres y cuando dices que de michoacan te ligen con mafiosos. esto no va a terminar es un sistema de nuestra sociedad que implica mucha gente poderosa los zetas, narcos,govierno y esta carrera por los verdes...
Posted by: chuch | September 28, 2008 at 03:36 PM
When I heard about this incident I wanted to cry. My whole family lives in Morelia, even my little brother who is just staying there for a year. I live in the US, and when I heard this I thought that my brother was dead because he went to the grito. Thank God that he wasnt hurt and God be with the people that are still injured and rest in peace to the ones that unfortunately lost there lives.
Posted by: Maggie | September 23, 2008 at 05:18 PM
I'm from and born in Morelia, and i just cant believe its gotten this bad.. i live in the U.S and i havent been there for almost 2 years now and its where all my family lives, i called all of them that night and heard about this, thank god they all were all safe but still very close to the accident. i knew the government wasnt the greatest over there but in one of the citys that i felt pretty safe was in was Morelia, yeah i know there has always been some type of crime cause it is Mexico, but still.. dont know how its gonna be when i visit this coming december.. hopefully nothing too horrible..
my regards to the people who lost their love ones or the ones that are recovering.
con mucho amor
Sandra.
Posted by: Sandra Karla Hutchings | September 23, 2008 at 01:07 PM
As long as most of the nation's law enforcement community is corrupt, the drug cartels will have their way in Mexico. Mexico is challenged now because it has never invested the money and resources into creating a professional, honest, law enforcement community. As long as Mexico employs people from the uneducated, poorly trained, unmotivated sectors of society, it will be faced with the continuing problem of inept, corrupt law enfocement and the organized criminal elements will grow in strength. "The chickens have come home to roost."
Posted by: Stephen | September 23, 2008 at 08:06 AM