Violencia

Planning to write a little about what I'm experiencing as far as the violence here on the US/American border. Some people are not effected yet but others are slowly becoming submerged in it. A few Mexican drug cartels along with the crooked mexican police (la linea) are killing each other off in droves over this little city's drug trade. The frightening part is hundreds of innocent people are also being murdered for just being in the way or witnessing the murders.

The total today is 600 killing since the beginning of the year. The latest thing is the gangsters are hijacking cars-killing the innocent people inside- and then going out to complete their hit. The killing are now six deaths a day. And the murders are very ugly most the time, burnings, decapitations, skin being pulled off, bodies wrapped in plastic, real ugly. The head of the mexican police has retired and left the city. In his place a retired military officer has taken charge. The government has sent mass amounts of military troops to help the civilians . But there are many sets up and illegal planting of drugs for whatever reason. Most of my fellow employees and workers who are Americans but living over there because its very inexpensive are coming back to the American side out of fear.

I had one employee who gunned down, lived, and is now in protective custody. He was shot when a handful of people were gunned down in a drive by. The pistoleros then got out of their car and shot each person one by one in the head. They got to this kid and realized he wasn't involved, not on their list and left him. After healing he came to this side and began to work for this company. After a few weeks he disappeared and his supervisor told me he was in protective custody. That week or two was tense.

The supervisors started to notice brand new SUV's parked in the alley, full dark shaded windows, very strange. We knew these were pistoleros looking for this kid but couldn't do anything about it. The police are crooked even on this side and its best to not fuck around. We took the shotgun and rifles out of the work safe and armed ourself for a few days just in case. We just had to wait it out until they realized the kid was not here or did what they had to do.

My former secretary was dumb enough to go party in Juarez one night with her friend who owned a few bars over there. Allegedly, this was her excuse for not showing up to work for a few days, they left one of the bars at 2am. She went out the front door with some other girls as they were locking up the bar. The guy friend went through the back door to retrieve his car and pick them up. An unknown truck drove up and shot him dead in the street and kidnapped his right-hand man before speeding away. She was taken to a hotel and kept there for a day or so with the other girls until the guys holding them thought it was “safe.” I’m sure whether to believe this or not but its an example of what happens there daily.

He is gone now, I have no idea where to, but we would not let him work for us and endanger all. The secretary left two weeks ago to live in Arizona. Probably a smart move on her part. We have to be very careful of who gets hired now. I won't lie I was nervous, scared, and not liking this way of life at all. This is how some of us are living in El Paso. I kinda hope one side or the other wins so order can come back to this wild west story.