Mexico & Nafta - February 2009 (ISSN 1741-444X)

At least 21 people were killed in a fire-fight between the army and criminal gang members in Chihuahua, northern Mexico on 10 February. This was the biggest military incident so far this year. Although the military operation was not entirely successful, it does suggest that its intelligence operations are improving.

The operation was not successful because six hostages taken by the gangsters were all killed. The evidence that military intelligence is improving lies in the fact that the army appears to have been expecting the attack.

The mixed results of the operation, however, are likely to put further questionmarks against the government's continued use of the army against the drug gangs. Over the past couple of years Chihuahua has become by far the most violent state in Mexico. The army has been deployed in the state for the past two years, but to little effect. The president of the senate, Gustavo Madero, who comes from both the Partido Acción Nacional and Chihuahua, called for “extreme solutions to an extreme problem".

Businessmen and ranchers in Chihuahua have already threatened to set up their own deathsquads in response to the gang violence. Madero recoiled from such ideas when asked to explain what he meant by “extreme measures." He said that the authorities (federal, state and municipal) should “close ranks and ignore party politics and party advantage because that is what ordinary people are demanding that we should do." Madero specifically ruled out the idea that the government should declare martial law (Estado de Sitio) in Chihuahua. He implied that the authorities still had sufficient resources and policies which could be employed to remedy the situation. In particular he wants congress to approve the government's proposal to increase the budgets for those agencies combating drug-trafficking, narco-terrorism and organised crime.

The 10 February killings occurred at Villa Ahumada. Gangsters apparently moved into the municipality at about 3am to kidnap six people. The army was quickly deployed and four helicopters were used, despite cold, snowy weather. The army first confronted the gangsters as they were leaving the municipality in five pickups with their hostages.  The first attack by the army killed three gang members. The army and the helicopters then attacked again, on three separate occasions, killing another 11 gangsters, with the loss of an army sergeant. The army did not admit to taking any prisoners.