by John P Lintz, freelance Writer in Chapala, Mexico
The craziness comes to Chapala, Mexico. One criminal incident of drug distribution and kidnapping crime in Chapala was highlighted when two men were arrested May 12, 2009 in the quiet lakeside community of La Floresta. The state police and law enforcement officers from five different local police agencies took part in the operation.
The two men arrested , Aurelio Gomez Gastelum, 41 of Los Mochis Sinaloa, and Manuel Efrain Amador, age 26, a US Citizen with a valid passport, had been living in the residential community at Calle Las Canoas # 26 in La Floresta, a mixed community of mostly retired foreigners and Mexican citizens. The arrest freed a man only identified as a kidnapped businessman from the Chapala area.
The police recovered one AR-15 rifle, two .45 caliber semi automatic pistols, ammunition, 800 grams of cocaine, 25 kilos of marijuana, plastic bags, two digital scales, four thousand five hundred US dollars and seven thousand pesos. Police confiscated two late model Dodge Ram ¾ ton pickups, a favorite of narcotraficantes. One of the trucks was registered in Jalisco, the other in Michocoan.
Although this is big news in the area of Lake Chapala where over thirty thousand American and Canadians reside in the "Land of Eternal Spring," this kind of small time drug distribution is common even in rural American and Canadian towns.
Seeking to avoid the high fares on international flights, I have found that the cross border buses provide the most economical alternative. However, the long international bus ride from Phoenix (26 to 30 hours, depending on traffic and border crossing time) is tiresome. It is priced at less than $150 USD and is a bargain.
I investigated Mexican airline flights from the Hermosillo, Mexico airport to Guadalajara, and found a flight for $1207 pesos MXN, less than $120 USD total. I used an American VISA card, bought the E-ticket and printed it. So here is my travelogue:
I left the Phoenix TUFESA bus terminal on a Primera Clase ride to Nogales, Sonora, Mexico at 10:00 pm, October 08, 2008. The cost of this leg of the journey was only $32. The bus stopped on the US side of the border and for the first time since I have ridden cross border buses heading South, two American CBP officers came aboard and checked everyone else's visas and my passport. "What cha got in the bag?" one asked. This is something new. Maybe it is the new procedure, looking for those who have overstayed visas or maybe they were looking for fugitives.
We arrived at the Nogales TUFESA Terminal at 2:00 am. The terminal is brightly lit and busy even at night. Often, the Urban camouflaged Policia Estatal (State Police) stopped in to use the restroom and to purchase fresh cups of coffee at a nearby refreshment stand. I saw eight different officers come and go. They wore "Plastic" pistols, probably GLOCKs in belt holsters. In spite of recent US State Department Travel warnings which include Nogales, I felt perfectly safe. However, I waited in the terminal and did not go prowling the darkened streets of the small city.
It was a long wait for the 5:30 am TUFESA bus to the Hermosillo Airport. The cost of the ticket was $190 pesos MXN. The bus let us eight passengers off at the small airport terminal entrance at 10:00 am. The next flight to Guadalajara was 11:15, but I had booked the later flight which left at 12:15, just to be sure of sufficient time. Buses do not always arrive on schedule.
As I made the long walk from the terminal to the aircraft parked on the taxiway apron, I noted the Airbus 318 was newly painted with the colorful Volaris logo and website on the sides. Two portable stairways allowed passengers to board through front and rear doors whichever was most convenient to the chosen seating row.
The three hour flight was comfortable and only three quarters full. Most middle seats were open.
Summary:
Total cost of combined bus air trip (dollars) = $32.00 Bus to Nogales
$14.42 Bus to Hermosillo airport
$91.61 Air fare to Guadalajara
Total = $138.03 Total: Phoenix to Guadalajara
Total time = 17 hours
Alternative:
TUFESA bus direct from Phoenix to Guadalajara: $144.00
Total time = 28 hours
UPDATE, Oct. 23, 2008: Ten Die in Nogales Gun Battle
So they had some gun play! It could have happened in Phoenix. However, since I already have my no-return tickets for another trip, Nov. 03 to Phoenix & return on Nov. 13, I will be doing the trip again. However, I may sit where there is not a direct shot into the Nogales bus station waiting room, as the Sonoran State cops drink their coffee outside.
This is a contemporary
novel which skillfully weaves together several head-line grabbing topics:
a foiled Al Queda terrorist plot, C.I.A. operatives disguised as computer
specialists working in Mexico, and a Christian religious cult which has an
armed militia who clash with drug dealers at the Rio Grande border between
Texas and Mexico. John P. Lintz, Sr writes a powerful and dynamic novel of
suspense, romance, and a mysterious murder, involving two C.I.A. agents
who uncover a terrorist plot while working in Mexico. I read this book in
one sitting and could not put it down. The author demonstrates his great
understanding of the international relations between the United States and
Mexico and what a delicate balance it is to maintain border patrol while
respecting the laws of both nations. The author provides light-hearted
moments as the romance between the two C.I.A. agents blossoms into an
affair and eventually into serious plans for a wedding. He opens a window
into understanding the contrasting cultural views of being engaged and
having a marriage suitor ... The mystery murder is an unexpected twist and
golden hook which keeps the reader glued to every page, anticipating and
wanting more.
The author creates a highly plausible scenario where
the terrorists store their weapons at the very busy seaport, the Puerto
Altamira on the Gulf of Mexico near the city of Tampico. Their plans are
to cross the border into the U.S. to create a surprise attack at a
designated target. The plot unraveled by serendipity. The identities of
the terrorists were accidentally discovered due to the foresight of JJ
(Juan Jose) Ibarra (undercover C.I.A.). He used his cell phone camera to
photograph three Arab men who had lunch at the same restaurant where he
and his coworker/girlfriend were dining. He immediately sent the photo to
C.I.A. headquarters where the wheels were set into motion to foil the plot
before it got off the ground. The manner in which the events went down
makes for a great reading experience. Sadly, this is not so far from
reality, as the 9-1-1 pilots learned to fly at a flight school located at
small airport in Southwest Florida before pulling off one of the worst
terrorists attacks to ever occur on American soil. Imagine what a
difference it would have made, how many lives would have been saved, had
the flight instructor followed his gut instincts, and reported to a higher
authority, the fact that he had foreign students of Middle Eastern
extraction who wanted to learn to fly but were not interested in learning
how to land ...
The author's writing style is dynamic, flowing and
flawless. He is a master of his craft. His unique knowledge about weapons
and their effectiveness spills off the pages. I love how he occasionally
intersperses the Spanish language throughout the novel creating an
authenticity to the scenes and events. He has a great understanding of
modern technology and media coverage. His knowledge of the political
dynamics between the United States and Mexico is enviable. His ability to
show how a religious cult who uses peyote as a sacrament could emass a
militia and weapons and then twist the scenario into looking acceptable via
media coverage when they use their military expertise is astonishing. The
author has tremendous knowledge and insight about world events and human
beings. This is an outstanding novel. Erika Borsos [pepper
flower]
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