Conversation with an old Mexican man about Life in Mexico

So talking to an old man who immigrated from mexico tonight about the conditions down there and had some eye opening discussions.

Apparently down there if the cartel needs a skilled worker, they idenifty one, say an electrician. Then they watch him over a period of weeks and learn everything about him. His habits, where he goes, where he lives, where his children go to school, where his wife shops.

Then they approach him one day with an “offer”. To come work for them doing whatever they need, and they’ll pay him.

Then they ask if he wants to talk to his children and hold the phone to his ear so he can hear them. Then another one with his wife, etc.

Basically no choice.

plata o plomo

Silver, or lead.

Then he told me another story about the cartel. Some politician decided he was going to push back against the cartel.

The cartel went to a police station, threw grenades inside, opened fire with automatic weapons and rocket launchers. Even shot down a police chopper with a rocket launcher.
Then they took two greyhound buses full of women and children and killed them and burned their bodies in barrels, just to send a message.

He told me that they have Mexican special forces, military, some that trained at fort Benning for some anti-terrorism stuff, to fight the cartels.

Well once they returned, the cartel started to recruit them, offer them a lot of money, and slowly but surely they recruited the special forces into the cartel.

And they just “disappear” anyone who crosses them.

He told me they have so much money, one higher up bought 10 luxury vehicles and then set them on fire just to show how much money he had.

That they’ll round up people that cross them, their families, and bring them out somewhere. Then tie them down and chainsaw their limbs off while they are still alive, making the others watch.

I knew it was bad but this was eye opening.