Ciudad Juarez is a city of unsettled debts, never-ending negotiations, and corrupt politics. Once a beautiful tourist destination, it is currently the vacation site of many wealthy drug barons. Nowadays, gun violence is an ongoing condition: almost a daily spectacle in this city. The place is famous not only its drug cartel, but also for the suffering of its citizens.
On Sunday, October 24th, killers walked into a drug rehabilitation centre, murdered thirteen men and wounded many others. Two days before, a gang of drug dealers massacred thirteen teenagers at a birthday party in Ciudad Juarez, now one of Mexico’s most dangerous cities. The youngest among the dead was a 13-year-old girl.
Drug cartels not only target police and rival cartels, but also innocent civilians. Citizens of Ciudad Juarez live with the recurring fear that they will wake to find their loved ones on the ground: shot, tortured, beaten, or even decapitated. From time to time, men and women march in the streets demanding an end to these massacres. They mourn the loss of brothers, sons, and fathers. The message from citizens is clear: End the violence. Stop the killings. “We want our Mexico back”.
Though Mexican president, Felipe Calderon, engages in a daily struggle with various drug cartels, there are no indications that he is succeeding. Police officers have even admitted to taking bribes from dealers. Mexico’s police chief explains the dilemma, “I can’t fight two enemies: one on the inside and one on the outside.”
While some hope can be placed in the recent arrest of two high-ranking drug lords, much remains to be done if Mexico is to take back control of its future. International politicians, civilians, and armed forces will need to set a standard of unprecedented cooperation to overcome this problem.
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