The title of the article grabbed me pronto. A short story. A man and family moved across the street from me roughly ten years ago. In Houston in what could be described as an affluent neighborhood. I lived there since 2003. I presently enjoy life in North Texas with few neighbors that I can easily describe as very rural. I reached out to Orestes when I noticed his license plates were from Quintana Roo. They had just moved from Playa del Carmen where he had a beautiful house where in also he had his medical practice. He was a family doctor with many years in the practice. over time he explained why he moved away. Several years ago, he started receiving correspondence from some sketchy people. They wanted a floor tax or piso to continue his practice. He was adamant that he would not be extorted. In a short time the correspondence became violent and full of threats to himself and family and home. He landed in Houston. His medical credentials were worthless here so he worked on an off with hospitals in positions below his abilities. Definitely a rude transition from him.
Yes. The threats forced him to leave. Orestes was under no illusion that he could resume his Family Practice in Texas. The medical profession credentials in Mexico do not transfer to the United States. Our medical profession here is built on the Residency Program in Hospitals across the country. Residency can take up to four years after a recognized MD program in a Medical School here. Four years for a Bachelor's Degree the four years Med School and then the Residency. Twelve years. To become a Medical Doctor in Mexico that length of study is halved or even more. He gave up his lucrative career in Mexico to escape the extortion. Ge has no qualms that he did not do the correct thing. His home in Playa del Carmen became an Airbnb and even that requires local protection from the mafias.
On a larger scale. Cuba. I understand you've returned recently from a visit there. The word piso and extortion strongly compares to the reasons for the exodus of the brain trust on the island. The extortion is at an institutional level there. The students and professionals leave, and their families left behind daily are extorted of the ability to grow and prosper at home by their absence. Venezuela is a telling example of the flight of the learned and nobody is left to repair the damage of the earthquake. Cuba and Venezuelan experts have fled the country for years. And now no expertise remains. Socialism itself is an extortion that leaves this in its wake.
What an excellent piece, Ioan. All encapsulated from the sad Michoacan start to present. Whew. And the extortion -- simply everywhere. On MX east coast occasionally they'll shut a gang down, but it takes forever to do so. And you're so right. This problem certainly is under-addressed. A not so secret secret.
I have heard countless stories. A cleaning lady sold jewelry and had to shut down her business because of extortion (and now she's a cleaning lady). Friends of friends tell stories of people opening restaurants and cafes and doing well only to shut down after extortion demands. At my previous place of employment, Tec de Monterrey, a co-worked was kidnapped for ransom. Countless parents of students have been kidnapped for ransom or extorted because of their wealth. I just heard of someone having to flee the state because of serious extortion. Someone told me their car had been stolen but they had a GPS locator. The cops told them they'd retrieve it only for 40,000 pesos. A Spanish tourist was just extorted by Mexican police on the highway. A young Mexican truck driver was just extorted by Mexican police on the highway. On and on...I can tell stories all day. It is sad and pathetic.
I was arrested in Puerto Vallarta after an accident where I bear no fault. The arresting officer and I conversed as he pointed at his holster that held no pistol. He asked if I could help with 40 USD to help him. I gladly did. His empty holster was a cash cow,
Security is the essential component to any plan to combat extortion. Without any security plan or even the discussion about security will doom any efforts at all to eliminate extortion. Enacting new penalty laws for extortion is a complete government copout and a plan only for show and political gain. There must be a ground up discussion and establishment of a protection plan for small and medium businesses and the people who try to make these businesses successful. Large businesses have been part of the problem who are able to finance their way through the extortion and criminality. Acquiescing to the extortion is their business plan of avoiding conflict and accepting the idea that this is the way to do business. Private equity funds have made social equity projects as a way to find new ideas and businesses to exploit and profit from. Partnerships with big businesses and private equity funds is just another disguised ticket to economic exploitation. These entrepreneurs running small and medium businesses are the success stories that should be protected. A new type of security blanket is all they need to thrive. They know how to run their businesses but lack any type of security to be able function in the future.
Police and military units need to patrol in very small units, walking and driving, day and night in the neighborhoods. These units cannot be called upon through a central dispatching office. There has to be a model of ground up community policing at the start. This type of policing not only provides a visible sign of security but also attempts at establishing trust among the businesses. Neighborhood information and complaints has to be protected and whistleblowers also have to be protected, not only with force but also with a very good government insurance plan to cover the costs of violence against them, an insurance plan that can be implemented immediately and on the spot. The businesses must know that they will be protected at all costs. There must be an immediate consequence for any extortion attempt whether by immediate incarceration in a special prison or immediate extra judicial judgement by the security forces. There must be consequences for the acts of extortion and those consequences must be publicized throughout the country. The transport of supplies and goods to these businesses and the transport of their products to customers should be closely guarded with extremely armed security forces and drones. This type of protection can be provided and implemented by any governmental power whether a city, state of federal government. The security force should be the highest paid employees in Mexico and their benefits including death benefits should defy what is provided for in Mexico. This security force is the front line for change in Mexico and provides the beginning foundations for a just and free society. Anybody who complains about the cost should be immediately looked upon in a very suspicious manner for not wanting to support at all costs a real plan for the citizens of Mexico. Continuing the putrid spread of corruption and extortion throughout the system in Mexico could ultimately result into a violent, decentralized and fractured state with no dreams of success and any real future.
There are many who promise change through AI, digitalization of the money, benevolence of large corporations, a liberal economy and embracing of globalism and many other programs designed only for control, surveillance and continued dominance by those elites who have benefitted from this system of corruption. But none of them offer a comprehensive security plan for the average Mexican citizen who are the real victims of extortion and the rot of corruption . Security is the cornerstone for any real change in Mexico.
Fine ideas there Tom - and this what I have been hoping for with a proper comprehensive anti extortion plan. I wonder if the government holds back on something like because of lack of will, lack of imagination, fear of failure, complicity at some levels, or what. Will it ever happen eventually? Maybe. As you say, this gets to a very fundamental question of government and society. And agreed it is the small and medium businesses that suffer, while big business has more power to avoid it.
In the United States, crime became so bad that cities adopted many of these ideas to combat crime and extortion. There will be a flash point in Mexico, like in El Salvador and African nations like Burkina Faso where change will appear out of nowhere to some people to combat problems in a new way. Local community leaders in Mexican town and cities can promote these ideas. El Salvador suffered greatly from the economic collapse due to gang extortion and that quickly created the pressure for change. It seems though like in the United States, Mexico suffers from the same two party disease.
World Cup update- England has been a disaster and the same old Tuchel tactics reared it's ugly head. So static and rigid and afraid to take any chances. Absolutely no outside winger threat. Don't tell me about Djed Spence who was inconsistent and no scoring threat with Tottenham. Also a complete misuse of Ollie Watkins. Brazil is really so, so and Mexico is not impressive and the match with Ecuador could amount to a real dud. Columbia has been impressive. A real physical team with old fashion English football attributes which Argentina was raised on. US up in the air and the physical brutality of Bosnia will be an interesting test. Germany I knew would suck and knocked out by Paraguay of all teams. Germany has no real striker. I was looking forward to the Netherlands and Morocco match until the Netherlands showed real fear with a 5-2-3-1 formation. They deserved to lose. Scotland, another example of trying to implement tactics that cannot work with the players you have. You expect Scotland's back to play out the back when their speed does not match up to that type of tactic. No passing in the box wasting Shankland who is the old type of a strong striker in the middle of the box, who can head the ball, take immediate snap shots and is aggressive but not very fast. He has either been ignored or misused by Clark for the past 3 years. Goodbye Clark and please don't look back. France looks the strongest and probably can beat Argentina but Morocco is in the wings and I like Columbia as an outside threat.
Yeah, it is interesting to look at the countries that have gone through the problem of extortion and come out of it. I didn't know about Burkina Faso so I will look that one up.
Getting ready for Mexico tonight. People here are getting pretty wired and nuts with the games. Hoping for Mexico-England on Sunday, which will be dramatic stuff. Overall, I have been enjoying the cup, I must admit, although 104 games is just exhausting (but I see it will only bigger not smaller in the future...)
Great article! I know of a village in EdoMex / Tierra Caliente where pharmacia chains gave up there local presence due to extortion. Villagers have now to go to Toluca for their pharamcies which is a 90 minutes car ride. Up to now the governement did not respond to this.
That is a very strong anecdote my friend - and really shows the social impact of this and how it is such a big deal. All best there Juan and great to have your voice here.
Wow is that some great reporting of a scary situation. I wonder how you gauge an opportunity to report in situations where your personal safety is at risk?
thanks for this series Ioan; very important to discuss. I had a business here in Agua Prieta for 20 years and never got extorted by the local cartel. Mexican friends would say to me: that's because the local cartel here knew you were writing for a U.S. newspaper! Nevertheless, I have many friends in business here and never have they complained about having to pay to do business. Go 3 hours to the east, into the state of Chihuahua where La Linea/Juarez Cartel is in charge---it is a whole different ballgame. What has me scratching my head now is: all the folks that were raking in the bucks from the pollero business -- now that it has disappeared how are they making up for the lost revenue?
That is very interesting Keoki. I for long felt Sonora was a "softer" plaza, in that the Sinaloa Cartel were more benevolent, but I think that began to change a couple of years ago. There is a lot of questions about the cartel in the mining and fishing industries there for example. And yes, the loss of the pollero business is a big ol' blow. Best there friend.
In January the federal government announced a nationwide mandate to register all cellphones, using biometric and other data, as a method of combating telephone extortion. Despite a penalty of having one's cellphone service suspended, fewer than half were registered as the June 30 deadline approached. On June 25, the government extended the deadline. It is an ill-conceived plan that has no hope of making a dent in phone extortion, for so many obvious reasons. Did I register my phone? Sí, ¿como no?
Yes, the phone registry is a funny one. I wonder what the government's think was on this, or where pressure might be coming from. Best there Mags Maggee.
sadly, i no longer buy mexican (organic) avocados, berries or produce...quality has plummeted over the past several years (wonder why..)
aside from that i feel like it's $$ diverted to the cartels from the actual/original growers - but does this make any difference, should u.s. consumers en masse redirect their purchasing power?
or am i merely salving my conscience, an empty gesture - sheesh
Thanks for the comment and this is an interesting one. I personally am against a boycott of avocados on this ground as I think the producers who pay extortion are themselves victims. I think there needs to be security given to these farmers - although it is tough to know how to apply that pressure. That is my personal opinion but happy to listen to an argument for a boycott. Thanks so much for being here and all best there my friend.
It is nothing short of a tragedy that Mexicans keep voting for politicians that don’t address the problem head on. Sheinbaum and Harfuch are clearly not as irresponsible as AMLO was, but still hide behind rhetoric to justify mediocre gains that seldom translate to tangible, everyday improvements. Not the World Cup because then even the metro gets a chandelier!
Thanks for the reporting. And congrats to England for winning - even though I wish we had absolutely destroyed you haha!!
The title of the article grabbed me pronto. A short story. A man and family moved across the street from me roughly ten years ago. In Houston in what could be described as an affluent neighborhood. I lived there since 2003. I presently enjoy life in North Texas with few neighbors that I can easily describe as very rural. I reached out to Orestes when I noticed his license plates were from Quintana Roo. They had just moved from Playa del Carmen where he had a beautiful house where in also he had his medical practice. He was a family doctor with many years in the practice. over time he explained why he moved away. Several years ago, he started receiving correspondence from some sketchy people. They wanted a floor tax or piso to continue his practice. He was adamant that he would not be extorted. In a short time the correspondence became violent and full of threats to himself and family and home. He landed in Houston. His medical credentials were worthless here so he worked on an off with hospitals in positions below his abilities. Definitely a rude transition from him.
So was that extortion in Playa del Carmen and he moved to Texas to escape? A tragically frequent occurrence I think. Best there Greg.
Yes. The threats forced him to leave. Orestes was under no illusion that he could resume his Family Practice in Texas. The medical profession credentials in Mexico do not transfer to the United States. Our medical profession here is built on the Residency Program in Hospitals across the country. Residency can take up to four years after a recognized MD program in a Medical School here. Four years for a Bachelor's Degree the four years Med School and then the Residency. Twelve years. To become a Medical Doctor in Mexico that length of study is halved or even more. He gave up his lucrative career in Mexico to escape the extortion. Ge has no qualms that he did not do the correct thing. His home in Playa del Carmen became an Airbnb and even that requires local protection from the mafias.
A tragic loss of human, and physical, capital as a result of this...
On a larger scale. Cuba. I understand you've returned recently from a visit there. The word piso and extortion strongly compares to the reasons for the exodus of the brain trust on the island. The extortion is at an institutional level there. The students and professionals leave, and their families left behind daily are extorted of the ability to grow and prosper at home by their absence. Venezuela is a telling example of the flight of the learned and nobody is left to repair the damage of the earthquake. Cuba and Venezuelan experts have fled the country for years. And now no expertise remains. Socialism itself is an extortion that leaves this in its wake.
Yes, Cuba is very sad right now - a US blockade adding hurt to people suffering from an already dysfunctional economy...
What an excellent piece, Ioan. All encapsulated from the sad Michoacan start to present. Whew. And the extortion -- simply everywhere. On MX east coast occasionally they'll shut a gang down, but it takes forever to do so. And you're so right. This problem certainly is under-addressed. A not so secret secret.
Thanks so much there Jeanine. And yeah, the coasts have really suffered on this issue. All best and take care there friend.
I have heard countless stories. A cleaning lady sold jewelry and had to shut down her business because of extortion (and now she's a cleaning lady). Friends of friends tell stories of people opening restaurants and cafes and doing well only to shut down after extortion demands. At my previous place of employment, Tec de Monterrey, a co-worked was kidnapped for ransom. Countless parents of students have been kidnapped for ransom or extorted because of their wealth. I just heard of someone having to flee the state because of serious extortion. Someone told me their car had been stolen but they had a GPS locator. The cops told them they'd retrieve it only for 40,000 pesos. A Spanish tourist was just extorted by Mexican police on the highway. A young Mexican truck driver was just extorted by Mexican police on the highway. On and on...I can tell stories all day. It is sad and pathetic.
Tragic and real abdication of the basic function of government. All best there Geopolitics & Empire and great to have your voice here.
I was arrested in Puerto Vallarta after an accident where I bear no fault. The arresting officer and I conversed as he pointed at his holster that held no pistol. He asked if I could help with 40 USD to help him. I gladly did. His empty holster was a cash cow,
The old empty holster trick. Better than a loaded gun really.
Security is the essential component to any plan to combat extortion. Without any security plan or even the discussion about security will doom any efforts at all to eliminate extortion. Enacting new penalty laws for extortion is a complete government copout and a plan only for show and political gain. There must be a ground up discussion and establishment of a protection plan for small and medium businesses and the people who try to make these businesses successful. Large businesses have been part of the problem who are able to finance their way through the extortion and criminality. Acquiescing to the extortion is their business plan of avoiding conflict and accepting the idea that this is the way to do business. Private equity funds have made social equity projects as a way to find new ideas and businesses to exploit and profit from. Partnerships with big businesses and private equity funds is just another disguised ticket to economic exploitation. These entrepreneurs running small and medium businesses are the success stories that should be protected. A new type of security blanket is all they need to thrive. They know how to run their businesses but lack any type of security to be able function in the future.
Police and military units need to patrol in very small units, walking and driving, day and night in the neighborhoods. These units cannot be called upon through a central dispatching office. There has to be a model of ground up community policing at the start. This type of policing not only provides a visible sign of security but also attempts at establishing trust among the businesses. Neighborhood information and complaints has to be protected and whistleblowers also have to be protected, not only with force but also with a very good government insurance plan to cover the costs of violence against them, an insurance plan that can be implemented immediately and on the spot. The businesses must know that they will be protected at all costs. There must be an immediate consequence for any extortion attempt whether by immediate incarceration in a special prison or immediate extra judicial judgement by the security forces. There must be consequences for the acts of extortion and those consequences must be publicized throughout the country. The transport of supplies and goods to these businesses and the transport of their products to customers should be closely guarded with extremely armed security forces and drones. This type of protection can be provided and implemented by any governmental power whether a city, state of federal government. The security force should be the highest paid employees in Mexico and their benefits including death benefits should defy what is provided for in Mexico. This security force is the front line for change in Mexico and provides the beginning foundations for a just and free society. Anybody who complains about the cost should be immediately looked upon in a very suspicious manner for not wanting to support at all costs a real plan for the citizens of Mexico. Continuing the putrid spread of corruption and extortion throughout the system in Mexico could ultimately result into a violent, decentralized and fractured state with no dreams of success and any real future.
There are many who promise change through AI, digitalization of the money, benevolence of large corporations, a liberal economy and embracing of globalism and many other programs designed only for control, surveillance and continued dominance by those elites who have benefitted from this system of corruption. But none of them offer a comprehensive security plan for the average Mexican citizen who are the real victims of extortion and the rot of corruption . Security is the cornerstone for any real change in Mexico.
Fine ideas there Tom - and this what I have been hoping for with a proper comprehensive anti extortion plan. I wonder if the government holds back on something like because of lack of will, lack of imagination, fear of failure, complicity at some levels, or what. Will it ever happen eventually? Maybe. As you say, this gets to a very fundamental question of government and society. And agreed it is the small and medium businesses that suffer, while big business has more power to avoid it.
In the United States, crime became so bad that cities adopted many of these ideas to combat crime and extortion. There will be a flash point in Mexico, like in El Salvador and African nations like Burkina Faso where change will appear out of nowhere to some people to combat problems in a new way. Local community leaders in Mexican town and cities can promote these ideas. El Salvador suffered greatly from the economic collapse due to gang extortion and that quickly created the pressure for change. It seems though like in the United States, Mexico suffers from the same two party disease.
World Cup update- England has been a disaster and the same old Tuchel tactics reared it's ugly head. So static and rigid and afraid to take any chances. Absolutely no outside winger threat. Don't tell me about Djed Spence who was inconsistent and no scoring threat with Tottenham. Also a complete misuse of Ollie Watkins. Brazil is really so, so and Mexico is not impressive and the match with Ecuador could amount to a real dud. Columbia has been impressive. A real physical team with old fashion English football attributes which Argentina was raised on. US up in the air and the physical brutality of Bosnia will be an interesting test. Germany I knew would suck and knocked out by Paraguay of all teams. Germany has no real striker. I was looking forward to the Netherlands and Morocco match until the Netherlands showed real fear with a 5-2-3-1 formation. They deserved to lose. Scotland, another example of trying to implement tactics that cannot work with the players you have. You expect Scotland's back to play out the back when their speed does not match up to that type of tactic. No passing in the box wasting Shankland who is the old type of a strong striker in the middle of the box, who can head the ball, take immediate snap shots and is aggressive but not very fast. He has either been ignored or misused by Clark for the past 3 years. Goodbye Clark and please don't look back. France looks the strongest and probably can beat Argentina but Morocco is in the wings and I like Columbia as an outside threat.
Yeah, it is interesting to look at the countries that have gone through the problem of extortion and come out of it. I didn't know about Burkina Faso so I will look that one up.
Getting ready for Mexico tonight. People here are getting pretty wired and nuts with the games. Hoping for Mexico-England on Sunday, which will be dramatic stuff. Overall, I have been enjoying the cup, I must admit, although 104 games is just exhausting (but I see it will only bigger not smaller in the future...)
Great article! I know of a village in EdoMex / Tierra Caliente where pharmacia chains gave up there local presence due to extortion. Villagers have now to go to Toluca for their pharamcies which is a 90 minutes car ride. Up to now the governement did not respond to this.
That is a very strong anecdote my friend - and really shows the social impact of this and how it is such a big deal. All best there Juan and great to have your voice here.
Wow is that some great reporting of a scary situation. I wonder how you gauge an opportunity to report in situations where your personal safety is at risk?
Thanks much there Jerry. It's a constant and tough calculation trying to figure out how to report in Mexico. All best there my friend.
thanks for this series Ioan; very important to discuss. I had a business here in Agua Prieta for 20 years and never got extorted by the local cartel. Mexican friends would say to me: that's because the local cartel here knew you were writing for a U.S. newspaper! Nevertheless, I have many friends in business here and never have they complained about having to pay to do business. Go 3 hours to the east, into the state of Chihuahua where La Linea/Juarez Cartel is in charge---it is a whole different ballgame. What has me scratching my head now is: all the folks that were raking in the bucks from the pollero business -- now that it has disappeared how are they making up for the lost revenue?
That is very interesting Keoki. I for long felt Sonora was a "softer" plaza, in that the Sinaloa Cartel were more benevolent, but I think that began to change a couple of years ago. There is a lot of questions about the cartel in the mining and fishing industries there for example. And yes, the loss of the pollero business is a big ol' blow. Best there friend.
In January the federal government announced a nationwide mandate to register all cellphones, using biometric and other data, as a method of combating telephone extortion. Despite a penalty of having one's cellphone service suspended, fewer than half were registered as the June 30 deadline approached. On June 25, the government extended the deadline. It is an ill-conceived plan that has no hope of making a dent in phone extortion, for so many obvious reasons. Did I register my phone? Sí, ¿como no?
Yes, the phone registry is a funny one. I wonder what the government's think was on this, or where pressure might be coming from. Best there Mags Maggee.
Good writing. Thanks to your collaborators, too!
Well appreciated there John and best back to you.
sadly, i no longer buy mexican (organic) avocados, berries or produce...quality has plummeted over the past several years (wonder why..)
aside from that i feel like it's $$ diverted to the cartels from the actual/original growers - but does this make any difference, should u.s. consumers en masse redirect their purchasing power?
or am i merely salving my conscience, an empty gesture - sheesh
excellent work, as always, Mr. G
Thanks for the comment and this is an interesting one. I personally am against a boycott of avocados on this ground as I think the producers who pay extortion are themselves victims. I think there needs to be security given to these farmers - although it is tough to know how to apply that pressure. That is my personal opinion but happy to listen to an argument for a boycott. Thanks so much for being here and all best there my friend.
It is nothing short of a tragedy that Mexicans keep voting for politicians that don’t address the problem head on. Sheinbaum and Harfuch are clearly not as irresponsible as AMLO was, but still hide behind rhetoric to justify mediocre gains that seldom translate to tangible, everyday improvements. Not the World Cup because then even the metro gets a chandelier!
Thanks for the reporting. And congrats to England for winning - even though I wish we had absolutely destroyed you haha!!