OPINION: The Leon situation, that’s how things started in Monterrey

Pablo César Carrillo is a Journalist and Editorial Director at Milenio newspaper in Leon, Guanajuato. On Thursday June 7 he wrote an article named “That’s how things started in Monterrey”

That’s what people tell me: That’s how Monterrey started.

The violence Leon, Guanajuato is living today is similar to the situation that Monterrey, Nuevo Leon lived 7 years ago.

People from Monterrey, say that history repeats itself in Guanajuato. That’s how it all started up there.

It all starts with a dead body here and there, an execution in this neighborhood, a beheading in that other. The dispute began with the invasion of territories by the narco related gangs.

People thought these were random incidents, and then, the level of violence went up. Shootings in public places began, and blockades (narcobloqueos), armed people on the streets, boulevards closed with burning cars. A time came when narcos and gangs controlled several neighborhoods in Monterrey.

Burning vehicle in San Juan Bosco, Leon Guanajuato 2015 (Photo: AM leon)

Monterrey lived a difficult moment several years ago. To the extent that they had to create a whole new law enforcement organization, the Civil Force. This new corporation monitored and controlled the streets, regaining safety and security. Today the city is relatively in calm again.

Yes, there are executions, but there is no war in the streets.

Leon is on time to correct this situation, if we learn from what happened in other cities such as Monterrey and Torreon. If we make the right decisions, we will be able to prevent unnecesary violence and avoid the narcos.

People from Monterrey tell me that things are getting “ugly” in Leon, that they have gone through the same situation and they ask me if narcos are already here. And so, the question is: What is happening in Leon? we don’t have the answer.

Source: Milenio

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