Photos: EFE
Mayor Jaime Rodríguez Calderón targetted by drug cartels
By H. Nelson Goodson
March 30, 2011
Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico - On Tuesday, Mayor Jaime Rodríguez Calderón during a televised interview acknowledege a second attempt on his life. Rodríguez Calderón said, that a group of 40 men in ten vehicles engaged in a gun battle against his own bodyguards late Tuesday night. He said, that he was scared and pissed off at the same time, calling the suspects cowards and drug dealers who are trying to poison his community and the 70,000 school children in public schools.
Rodríguez Calderón was travelling in several vehicles along Abraham Lincoln Avenue in the Municipality of García in the outskirts of Monterrey when ten other vehicles intercepted Rodríguez' vehicle and a body guard escort of eight in another vehicle. Two of his bodyguards were injured, including Rodríguez Calderón. No suspects were reported killed.
Rodríguez Calderón said, he had just left a late afternoon grand opening of a soccer field for students in the Valle neighborhood in Lincoln Avenue and was heading back to García when the attack occurred. He noticed that ten vehicles were following them after the event and began to fire upon the escort vehicles. His escorts were pinned down in a gun battle, when he ordered his driver to return and was able to help repell the attack. Rodríguez Calderón managed to get his injured men into his SUV to protect them from gun fire.
His escorts had about six high caliber weapons and were running out of ammunition. The gun battle lasted about 20 minutes, according to Rodríguez Calderón.
He had requested the government for heavier caliber weapons, but was denied by the military. With the few guns that the escorts had, Rodríguez Calderón said, his escorts managed to repell the attack. He is planning to armed his bodyguards with heavier weapons with or without permission of the government.
He has been fighting and keeping the drug cartels from trying to sell drugs in public schools and believes he was targetted for doing the right thing. He vowed to continue to fight the criminal element in García and to keep drugs away from the 70,000 school children in the community.
Rodríguez Calderón recognized his bodyguards as heroes who are helping to keep children and his city safe and out of drugs. He requested aid to help fight the drug cartels from the state governor, Federal Police and the military.
On Wednesday, Mayor Rodríguez Calderón announced that an agreement between Nuevo Leon state authorities and the Mexican federal military has been reached. The military will take over security at García and they will also provide protection for the mayor.
The mayor said, most of the García police force had been replaced or fired and there were few men who wanted the job because of the danger involved.
With the new added military security, Mayor Rodríguez Calderón is confident García Municipality will strive and eventually become a safe place to live.
The municipality of García is growing socially and economically, according to Rodríguez Calderón.
In February 25, Rodríguez Calderón had his first attempt against his life and bodyguards were able to repell the attack and killed four suspects.
News Spanish video of interview with Mayor Rodríguez Calderón at http://bit.ly/heLraS
Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile
Mayor Jaime Rodríguez Calderón targetted by drug cartels
By H. Nelson Goodson
March 30, 2011
Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico - On Tuesday, Mayor Jaime Rodríguez Calderón during a televised interview acknowledege a second attempt on his life. Rodríguez Calderón said, that a group of 40 men in ten vehicles engaged in a gun battle against his own bodyguards late Tuesday night. He said, that he was scared and pissed off at the same time, calling the suspects cowards and drug dealers who are trying to poison his community and the 70,000 school children in public schools.
Rodríguez Calderón was travelling in several vehicles along Abraham Lincoln Avenue in the Municipality of García in the outskirts of Monterrey when ten other vehicles intercepted Rodríguez' vehicle and a body guard escort of eight in another vehicle. Two of his bodyguards were injured, including Rodríguez Calderón. No suspects were reported killed.
Rodríguez Calderón said, he had just left a late afternoon grand opening of a soccer field for students in the Valle neighborhood in Lincoln Avenue and was heading back to García when the attack occurred. He noticed that ten vehicles were following them after the event and began to fire upon the escort vehicles. His escorts were pinned down in a gun battle, when he ordered his driver to return and was able to help repell the attack. Rodríguez Calderón managed to get his injured men into his SUV to protect them from gun fire.
His escorts had about six high caliber weapons and were running out of ammunition. The gun battle lasted about 20 minutes, according to Rodríguez Calderón.
He had requested the government for heavier caliber weapons, but was denied by the military. With the few guns that the escorts had, Rodríguez Calderón said, his escorts managed to repell the attack. He is planning to armed his bodyguards with heavier weapons with or without permission of the government.
He has been fighting and keeping the drug cartels from trying to sell drugs in public schools and believes he was targetted for doing the right thing. He vowed to continue to fight the criminal element in García and to keep drugs away from the 70,000 school children in the community.
Rodríguez Calderón recognized his bodyguards as heroes who are helping to keep children and his city safe and out of drugs. He requested aid to help fight the drug cartels from the state governor, Federal Police and the military.
On Wednesday, Mayor Rodríguez Calderón announced that an agreement between Nuevo Leon state authorities and the Mexican federal military has been reached. The military will take over security at García and they will also provide protection for the mayor.
The mayor said, most of the García police force had been replaced or fired and there were few men who wanted the job because of the danger involved.
With the new added military security, Mayor Rodríguez Calderón is confident García Municipality will strive and eventually become a safe place to live.
The municipality of García is growing socially and economically, according to Rodríguez Calderón.
In February 25, Rodríguez Calderón had his first attempt against his life and bodyguards were able to repell the attack and killed four suspects.
News Spanish video of interview with Mayor Rodríguez Calderón at http://bit.ly/heLraS
Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile
this is the kind of man we need in our mexican gobermant, que tengan huevos.
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