International human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe says he’s safe and calm following the violence that broke out in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico after the government’s takedown of that nation’s most violent drug warlord.
The Mexican military killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes (“El Mencho”) on Sunday, decapitating what had become Mexico’s most powerful cartel and giving the government its biggest prize yet to show the Trump administration its efforts.
Says Ogebe: “it’s an amazing coincidence that I happen to be trapped here at this significant moment in the life of Mexico. Everyone knows the notoriety of the powerful drug cartels here.
“What we’re hearing is that the cartels primarily funnel drugs into America so they’re not necessarily destroying their own communities in Mexico with addiction.
“Rather they run community projects with the illicit drug trafficking money from America so they have some sympathy amongst the populace. Nevertheless their extortion of protection money from small businesses, kidnapping, assassinations and high handedness are some of their sticky points.
“This is in stark contrast to Nigeria where the Lakurawa terrorists who were imported and invited to protect communities from bandits became the worst bandits themselves. No one in northern Nigeria can point to any benefit or communal project sponsored by the terrorists. Rather they pay terrorists just to be able to farm and then pay taxes on top. Yet some will say their killers are their “brothers.”
“While Mexican cartels essentially import foreign exchange capital into the country, northerners are importing foreign terrorists to oppress them. There’s no basis for sympathy for people who slaughtered 170 Muslims and Christians in one day.”
The U.S.-based lawyer who came to Mexico for the weekend added: “We’re now in day three of the lockdown and the total casualties from violence across 20 States is reportedly less than 50 with the majority being military personnel followed by cartel gangsters and only one civilian confirmed killed. It’s still less than the 170 killed in one day in Kwara in a random attack not even capture of a warlord.
“Incidentally the fatalities the first Sunday in Puerto Vallarta were less than the death toll of attacks in Benue, Plateau and Enugu states incidents that same day. Human life is too cheap in Nigeria.”
Oseguera Cervantes was wounded in an operation to capture him Sunday in Tapalpa, Jalisco about a two-hour drive Southwest of Guadalajara and he died while being flown to Mexico City, the Defense Department said in a statement. The State is the base of the cartel known for trafficking huge quantities of fentanyl and other drugs to the United States.
During the operation, troops came under fire and killed four people at the location. Three more people, including Oseguera Cervantes, were wounded and later died, the statement said. Two others were arrested and armoured vehicles, rocket launchers and other arms were seized. Three members of the armed forces were wounded and receiving medical treatment.
The killing of the powerful drug lord set off several hours of roadblocks with burning vehicles in Jalisco and other states. Such tactics are commonly used by the cartels to block military operations. Jalisco cancelled school in the state for Monday.
Videos circulating on social media showed plumes of smoke billowing over the tourist city of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco, and people sprinting through the airport of the state’s capital in panic. On Sunday afternoon, Air Canada announced it was suspending flights to Puerto Vallarta “due to an ongoing security situation” and advised customers not to go to their airport.
Puerto Vallarta, is one of Mexico’s top tourist destinations, welcoming a record-breaking 6.3 million visitors last year.
Today, it’s a war zone following the take out of the Mexican CJNG cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes by the military, reportedly assisted by US forces.