Important - RE: New Curfew in Nuevo Laredo

[geezer]

This is fucked up. This is really fucked up, man. I can not believe this shit. A freakin curfew in the freakin Zona. Well, I guess it had to happen. What are you gonna do? Nothing we can do but deal with it!! I guess it is in everbody best interest. I was thinking about going next wee. But now I will probably not go until the curfew is lifted. Hell, most of the time when I go I usually arrive in B.T. around midnight or later. So, what's the point in going right now. The damn drug cartels are really fuckin it up for everybody.


Anyone else have any thoughts on this issue please post replys. I really want to hear. Also, if anyone has any suggestions of where we could go in the meantime. I went to Piedras Negras across from Eagle Pass one time. It was allright, but it sure as hell is no Nuevo Laredo. It is smaller, a lot less girls to choose from and more expensive. The ones that they had to choose from were pretty decent and the price was not that bad. But, still less girls for more money. I also did not see any door girls. I do not think they have them in Piedras. I think there is really only one club that is worth shit and that is Studio 54 or Club 54. It is kind of like the Papagayos of Piedrsa. They don't even have any decent tacos in Piedras. Noone had fajita tacos like in Nuevo. They look at you like you are crazy if you ask for fajita.


Peace Out,

Pancho "Can't get no Pussy after Midnite" Pantera

 

[Nicoke<3]

I'm going to go ahead and post the whole newspaper article rather than just the link since this subject will be important for many of you. This information is real and it came out this week in NL and Laredo newspapers. Note that per the news releases, all bars to begin closing at MIDNIGHT / 12AM "for at least 30 days." This includes the zona aka Boystown!

By MIGUEL TIMOSHENKOV
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

NUEVO LAREDO - Struggling to quell the ceaseless violence in this border city, federal authorities have imposed a midnight curfew effective Thursday on bars, nightclubs and most restaurants - with the complete support of local business owners.

Even the fabled "Zone of Tolerance," where prostitution is legal, will close its gates at midnight.

"We are in solidarity with the proposal that the mayor has made," said José Luis Ortiz Cلrdenas, president of the Association of Bars and Cantinas. "Reducing hours will benefit us because we will be able to curtail expenses at a time when the tourist presence has been devastated."

The curfew will continue for at least 30 days.

Ortiz Cلrdenas said the chaos caused by the violence has caused the economy to be turned upside down, and order must be restored.

Martha Cuéllar, representing the businesses that operate in the Zone of Tolerance, said what's most important is that city life return to normal, for the sake of all the people, residents and visitors alike.

At its regular Wednesday meeting, the City Council is expected to formally approve the midnight closing for all establishments that sell alcoholic beverages, which is about 1,200 businesses. By law, these places are required to close at 2 a.m., or 4 a.m., with special permits, but in practice, are usually open as long as they have customers.

"We accept the change in business hours," said Francisco Romلn Partida Robledo, president of the Nuevo Laredo Chamber of Commerce, saying his members are in complete support of the anti-crime efforts. "Obviously, security measures are not subject to debate. We want to once again have peace."

Mayor Daniel Peٌa Treviٌo said the federal government had wanted the businesses to close at 10 p.m., but in defense of business owners, he successfully argued for the midnight closing.

"In these times, businesses are not producing," he said, adding that federal, state and local officers will be sweeping the city after midnight.

"After the businesses are closed, we will emphasize surveillance," Peٌa said. "We will prevent vandalism and burglaries - that's a promise."

Despite the much-vaunted launching of Phase II of Mexico Seguro, President Vicente Fox's major anti-crime initiative, death continues in the Sister City and the mayor's personal security has been increased dramatically.

Sunday, two teens were raked with machine-gun fire at about 3 p.m. near the corner of Amado Nervo and Zaragoza streets by unknown assailants.

Eduardo Gonzلlez Quintero, 17, died at a local hospital. His friend, 16-year-old Diego Franquis Yacotu, was in serious condition.

As in most of the 109 homicides to date, no arrests have been made.

Meanwhile, Peٌa Treviٌo confirmed that security around his person has been augmented at the insistence of Fox's National Security Cabinet, as well as of Tamaulipas Gov. Eugenio Hernلndez.

"The federal government told me that I am not Daniel Peٌa; what I represent is the institution of city government," the mayor said. "They (federal authorities) don't want an attack on the institution."

Friday morning, Councilman Leopoldo Ramos Ortega, head of the city's Public Safety Commission, was shot dead near City Hall along with one of his bodyguards.

Peٌa Treviٌo is now traveling in a Grand Cherokee with bulletproof windows. In addition to the bodyguard with him at all times, there are now two vehicles with additional officers that travel in front of the Cherokee and two more vehicles with officers behind the Cherokee.

He said any city officials who feel threatened also would have additional security assigned to them. As for the sudden resignation of attorney José Guadalupe Valdez, the city secretary who was responsible for many of the city's major departments, Peٌa Treviٌo said he wasn't aware of any threats against Valdez.

"He could have resigned because he was a good friend of Polo, perhaps he was saddened," Peٌa Treviٌo.

On a related matter, Peٌa Treviٌo said that the city's Public Safety Commission will no longer be headed by a council member, and that council members would no longer sit on the commission.

"We will simply say that the commission's work will be handled by the police chief, without saying that X person or X councilman (suggested the change) to avoid any misinterpretation," the mayor said.

Later, some council members said they had met with the mayor to say that they didn't want to take any unnecessary risks, especially since it appears that the criminals invading the city are now targeting government institutions, such as City Hall.

Vicente Rangel contributed to this report.

(To reach Miguel Timoshenkov, call (956) 728-2583 or e-mail timo1@lmtonline.com)

08/09/05