Breitbart Texas traveled to the Mexican States of Tamaulipas and Coahuila to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities. The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by guest writer @MrCruzStar.
The hard interrogation of a woman at the hands of military and police forces and the photographs of a Mexican marine who dressed top drug lords in women’s lingerie; both events went viral sparking much controversy on social media. While in Mexico the views expressed were divided between those in favor and those against, in the border state of Tamaulipas the large majority of voiced their approval at the measures.
Analyzing social media posts on pages that deal primarily with keeping track of the chronology tied to border violence , the comments primarily favor the actions undertaken by Mexican authorities.
The social think surrounding the events does not seem to show any outrage at what can be considred a vioaltion of human rights, the reactions range from approval to celebrating the act with the public calling the military and police officers avenging heroes. The small number of individuals who reacted negatively or with outrage to the actions by authorities were promptly accused by the community at large of being part or having relatives involved in organized crime.
In Tamaulipas, a state that has been hit hard by organized crime, the mistreatment of cartel members is largely perceived as revenge or retribution by a society that has been pushed to the point of insensibility. Comments like “They deserve it” — “They must have done something” or They deserve worse” point to that.
Insensibility or dehumanization? Contrary to the first assertion, the insensibility felt in this region is a for of self-protection. When the reality of border life sets in and the impotence felt by living in a state submerged in cartel violence, insensibility becomes a shield against the suffering.
The communities in this state have been subjected to widespread violence, kidnapping, extortion, mass disappearances and property damage. At some point every resident in this state has lived up close through one of these events. Seeing the actors such acts be victimized themselves channels the outrage and dissipates the need to carry out those acts in person.
The constant exposure to violence has taken us from being shocked into something that is commonplace. Currently residents complain that is a criminal was not arrested or killed, the firefight was “a waste of bullets”. The impunity in this state has made us complicit in a way to the violence.