New Consul For Mexican Consulate In Chicago Named After Multiple Community Protests To Oust Current Consul Arriaga Prevailed

Consul Eduardo Arnal Palomera

(Photo: Denver Mexican Consulate)

Mexican President Felipe Calderon named new consul to head troubled Chicago Consulate

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 14, 2011

Chicago, Illinois - On Friday, Mexican President Felipe Calderon finally confirmed that Eduardo Arnal Palomera, the current Consul in Denver, Colorado has been named to take over the Mexican Consulate in Chicago, according to sources at the Chicago Consulate. The Nuevo Siglo Newspaper in Chicago reported that Palomera was selected by Calderon several weeks ago and is expected to go before the Mexican Congress for approval. Palomera is an attorney and a former Mexican Congressman with the National Action Party (PAN). He been the Denver Consul since August 15, 2007, when he was approved by the Congress.
The Nuevo Siglo also reported, once approved, Palomera could be in Chicago within a month and will be replacing the current Consul Manuel Rodríguez Arriaga, according to Denver's Consulate Adscribed Consul José Luis Cuevas. President Calderon has named Arriaga as the new Mexican Embassador to Peru. Calderon did not provide information why Arriaga was being replaced, but news and information of numerous protests against Arriaga had reached Calderon.
The Chicago Mexican Consulate provides services to Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois Mexican nationals. The Consulate under Arriaga has been under protest for weeks and as far back to several years by numerous Mexican groups and organizations for not working and recognizing community groups.
In early August, the Mexican Civic Society of Illinois in Chicago (MCS) and organizations had protested in front of the Chicago Consulate for leaving the MCS out from participating in the official Bicentennial "El Grito" event. 
Before midnight on September 15, they even protested at the night of El Grito Bicentennial Mexican Independence at the Millenium Park in Chicago. The protesters boo and continued to boo Consul Arriaga during his presentation and even yelled "¡Fuera, fuera, fuera Consul Arriaga!" (Out, out, out Consul Arriaga!). The protesters displayed large signs denouncing Arriaga and calling for President Calderon to remove Arriaga from his post.
Protesters alleged, Consul Arriaga was practicing depotism at the Mexican Consulate, lacked transparency in the Grito event, lacked to provide legal representation or condemn publicaly the deportation of thousands of undocumented Mexican immigrants from Chicago and two other states, slow and inedaquate services to Mexican nationals seeking services at the Consulate.
It seems, the Mexican community finally got their wish and Consul Arraiga will soon be history. 

Related article: Second Protest At Mexican Consul In Chicago Over Bicentennial "El Grito" Ouster Of Mexican Civic Society http://bit.ly/9ESaRF

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Beltran Leyva's Drug Cartel Second In Command Arrested

Carlos Beltran Leyva

200 tons of cocaine and large amounts of heroin worth $40 Billion have been imported from South America via Mexico to the U.S. by drug cartels

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 3, 2010

Mexico -Mexican federal police have confirmed that Carlos Beltran Leyva, 40, an alleged drug lord in the State of Sinaloa had been arrested in Cultacan the capitol city of Sinaloa on December 30. Carlos aka Carlos Gamez Orpineda was sought by Mexican police in connection and operating the Betran Leyva drug cartel. A tip from someone who saw an armed man in the Canadas neighborhood in Culiacan led federal police to Carlos arrest.
A federal judge in Mexico ordered Carlos detained without bail for 40 days until federal prosecutors prepare their criminal case against the reputed drug lord.
On Sunday, the Attorney General's Office released a statement saying they are currently preparing a case against Mr. Carlos Beltran Leyva accused of organized crime, llegal arms possession, and using illicit funds. Prosecutors now have 40 days to charge Carlos.
On December 16, his brother Arturo Beltran Leyva was gunned down and killed in a two-hour shoot out in Cuernavaca with federal police and special Mexican Marine Security forces. One Marine was reported killed. Mexican authorities gave credit to intelligence information provided by the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA) on the whereabouts of Arturo.
As a revenge killing, gang members of La Zeta and local police were involved in killing the mother and three family members of the only Marine Angulo Cordóva who was killed in the shoot out with Arturo and his body guards. Cordóva was declared a hero by President Felipe Calderon.
Mexican federal police later arrested Julio Acosta Saucedo, Yesenia Hernandez Valencia, Azael Jesus Garcia Reyes, and Julio Acosta Vargas in connection with killing Cordóva's family just hours after his funeral, said Rafael Gonzalez Lastra, Attorney General for the southern Mexican state of Tabasco. Two other suspects are being sought and believed to be the shooters who killed Cordóva's family.
The USDEA and Mexican authorities say that the Beltran Leyva brothers had worked along side with Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, the druglord of the Sinaloa Cartel before breaking away in recent years and began operating their own drug cartel enterprise in northeastern Mexico.

Wanted Mario Beltran Leyva, $2 Million reward

Mexican authorities are now seeking both Mario Beltran Leyva and Hector Beltran Leyva, the new alleged leader of the Beltran Leyva Cartel and a $2 million reward for each has been offered for their capture. Another brother, Alfredo Beltran Leyva was arrested in January 2008.
The Sinaloa, Betran Leyva and other drug cartels in Mexico are responsible for importing into the U.S.A. and distributing 200 tons of cocaine and large amounts of heroin between 1990-2008 worth $40 Billion, according to the USDEA.
Since 2007, about 15,000 victims have been killed in connection to the drug violence in Mexico.

Wanted Hector Beltran Leyva, $2 Million reward

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