Year: 2005

Violence along the border

Violence along the border has dominated the headlines this week. La Jornada has had over 20 news articles about the violence and government responses (or lack of responses) over the last three days alone. I can’t even begin to link to all the stories. But, I can summarize the main points.

First, the flurry of news coverage seems to have begun with the assassination of several (I mean seven or eight) people (public officials, bystanders, police, narcos) over the weekend. Gangland style. (I had the misfortune of accidently clicking on one of the stories that came with photos.) And it has only gotten worse throughout the week. There were 11 assassinations just yesterday in border states. Yesterday they reported 7 from the day before. The U.S. DEA attributes the violence to a war between cartels. Some of the deaths are due to street gun battles between police and narcos that leave univolved citizens dead or wounded.

What do the politicians do in response? Fox blames the Congress for not passng his judicial reform, and Congress blames Fox for his lack of leadership.

The other big story about violence on the border relates to the femicidios in the sister city of El Paso, Ciudad Juarez.

For years, hundreds of women have been killed and left in the desert. The last two women to be found brings the total to 19 so far for the year, which is more than last year at this time. (One of the two was a murder suicide.) Many young single women move to Ciudad Juarez looking for work in the border factories.

For a while, the U.S. FBI was assisting in the investigation. Some believe that the murders are the result of one or more serial killers or copycats. Some think it began with a cult of wealthy Mexicans who raped, killed, or hunted their servant women for sport. Others think that some are instances where husbands take advantage of the high murder rate to get rid of their wives. Apparently, some men use the murders to threaten their own wives.

In response to the recent public outcry, there will be another special investigation by the attorney general’s office. Fox has sent a new initiative to Congress. Secretary of State Creel is trying to promote the initiative. The Senate claims the President’s initiative will do little to solve the problem. And in the Chamber of Deputies, they criticized the President’s inability to stop the violence. ONGs, experts, and the Human Rights Commission all criticized Fox’s plan.

So what is Fox’s plan. One main part of his judicial reform calls for oral arguments in front of judges to expedite the trying of cases. Now, everything is done with piles and piles of papers, that all must be read by the judges. The criticism from others is that speeding up court cases will not help reduce violence if the penalties are not reformed (increased) and if the government cannot catch the killers.

Fox and Al Sharpton

In the midst of a slew of bad news and press due to increased violence and assassinations along the border, Fox took time to meet with Al Sharpton this week. The photo-op was much less jovial than that of Jesse Jackson.

From La Jornada, click on pic to go to story.

In fact, Al Sharpton left the meeting disappointed that he did not receivethe apology he came for. According to Sharpton, Fox still didn’t accept that he had offended anyone, and that regrets are not an apology. From the story in La Jornada:

El reverendo Al Sharpton salió ayer de su cita con el presidente Vicente Fox visiblemente insatisfecho, porque no recibió la disculpa formal que vino a buscar. “Fuimos ofendidos por el comentario”, insistió el luchador por los derechos civiles en Estados Unidos. “Entendí claramente la expresión y no estoy de acuerdo con lo que está argumentando el presidente en su defensa, porque nos está llamando estúpidos.”

A diferencia de la semana pasada, cuando vino a México el reverendo Jesse Jackson, a invitación del mandatario -quien lo convidó como parte de una estrategia para acallar susceptibilidades lastimadas a raíz de sus dichos sobre los negros-, ayer, en Los Pinos, no se programó conferencia de prensa para Al Sharpton….

“No aceptó que haya ofendido a nadie, pero esto no es aceptable para mí, porque pienso que la declaración fue ofensiva (…) La expresión es muy clara y así de clara debe ser la disculpa; el arrepentimiento no es disculpa”, insistió.

Well, at least Fox admits regrets, unlike some other Presidents we know.

Graffiti in Coyoacan

Snapped this picture a few weeks back.

In the interest of being fair and balanced, I should note that there’s a fountain near my house with anti-Lopez Obrador graffiti. I just haven’t gotten around to taking a picture of it yet. (It’s the one can, single line, done in the middle of the night variety. Whereas the graffiti in the picture above was done by the neighborhood committee.)

My students can be funny

So today was the final exam in my stats class. I gave the students the statistical results from Table 3 of this paper on beauty and teacher evaluations.

One of the questions was: In Model 1, explain the substantive and statical significance of the effect of Beauty on Teacher Ratings.

This was the answer (translated into English):
The effect of the variable beauty is positive on the grade that is given to teachers. For each additional point that a teacher earns in beauty, they will obrain .275 points more on their grade for teacher performance. The effect is very impressive, that if Lindsay Lohan gave me class (Beauty=100) although she may be a lousy teacher, the model would predict a great increase in her evaluations.

[Unfortunately, he forgot to mention the statistical significance of beauty.]

Short car update

Called #8 again. This time a woman said that I don’t have to do anything. According to the Reglamento de Comercio Exterior (Foreign trade regulation), # 3.2.6 (which is what the other girl cited me), published in the Diario Oficial on March 23, 2005 (pages 168-170), I don’t have to do anything. The car permit is automatically extended to conform with my visa.

There is some language about notifying customs of the change in my migratory status within 14 days of the change, but the woman said that doesn’t apply to people who paid their import fees with a credit card. It only applies to people who paid a deposit in cash, and who want their cash back. According to her, they can’t charge my credit card because I did not leave an open voucher (which is true). So, I guess that means that they have no way to penalize you for overstaying your car’s visa if you pay with a credit card and return late or without ‘checking in’. But they can keep you from improting another car.

In any event, I must now photocopy my visa and print the regulation to carry in the car so that I can explain the new law to any police officers that try to stop me after my permit expires. Joy. I would almost rather wait in line somewhere or drive all the back to Texas to avoid dealing with the Mexican police.

They are trying, though, to make it easier for foreigners to enter the country and bring their vehicles.

Now about the car…

We entered Mexico again in January as tourists because my official (Fulbright) visa as a researcher was still not ready. (We had been waiting since August.) Because we entered as tourists, they gave us a 180 day permit for our car. This permit expires at the beginning of July. We do not plan to leave until late July.

Last week, after 2 trips to the Immigration offices (and 8 months of waiting), I finally picked up my official visa–less than 8 weeks before we are ready to leave the country.

Now, I have to figure out how to extend the permit on my car for an additional 2-3 weeks.

Call 1: I call the main government information number. They give me a number. I call. They can’t help me at that number.

Call 2: I call the main information number again. They try to tell me that I can’t get an extension. I don’t believe them. Ask for another number. They give me another number.

Call 3: I call the new number which is the Secretary of the Economy. They give me another number. (I have no idea where this number is.)

Call 4: I call this new number. They tell me that I handle these things at an office at Hidalgo 77, Col. Guerrero, Window #5. I ask for the Hidalgo phone number. They don’t have it, but say try these other ones.

Call 5: I call this new number. After I explain my situation twice, the woman puts me on hold. She tells me that according to Article 106 of the Customs Law, I am entitled to bring my car into the country for 180 days. But, she says that I am able to override the original permit if my migratory status changes, and then, I can keep the car as long as my visa is valid. All this is according to section 4, part a of article 106 of the customs law. (Ok, this I already knew….not the exact law, but I knew I could extend the permit.)

I ask the woman, so how do I go about changing my car’s papers. She tells me that I can do it according to regulation 3.2.6 at any one of the 48 customs offices in the country.

But what do I need to bring with me? My migratory document, car papers, and a “escrito libre” with (in rapid fire spanish) my name, address, acitivities in Mexico, the authority to whom I address the request, the request citing the law and regulations that she already told me.

Ok. But what exactly is a “escrito libre.” Forgive me, I don’t understand. Is it something a lawyer has to write? Can I write it myself? Should it be notarized? Could you tell me again exactly what it needs to include, otherwise they will reject me?

She tells me again, more slowly this time. And in a monotone.

So where is the closest of the 48 customs offices established by law?

She gives me an address on Avenida Cuitlahuac in Colonia Cosmopolita. Of course, she does not offer a phone number. Her name is Elaine (??) Torres. I ask, what about Hidalgo #77, is that one of the 48 customs offices established by law? No, it is not, she says.

Call 6: I call Telmex information to get the number for Mexican customs on Cuitlahuac. I get the correct number on the first try.

Call 7: I call customs on Cuitlahuac and explain what I need. The person tells me that they handle such requests at the Hidalgo #77 office. I ask for that number.

Call 8: I call Hidalgo #77. The person who answers says that I have the wrong extension, but they will transfer me. Another woman answers. Yes, this is the area that handles such paperwork, but it is lunchtime (3:20). Could you call back after 4pm? Fine. Sigh. Smile. Could you give me the exact extension? Yes: 9157-3394; 9157-6569; 9157-3893.

We’ll see if they can help me after lunch on call #9.

If you want to read about a similar experience that I had with Migracion, check out this post on the slow burn.

Why I wish I were still a Texan

Well, I will always be a Texan at heart.

But, this is another reason to wish I were still a legal Texan. I want to vote for Kinky. Kinky Friedman, the original Jewish Cowboy, is running for gubnor, if he can get on the ballot, that is. His campaign slogan is “Why the hell not?”

In Texas, you have to have a party, and though the Texas legislature is considering a Kinky bill, to enable him to run as an independent. (See the Libertarian Party of Texas’s view on the law.)

His campaign site has a blog, where the most recent post is about the need to do something about immigrants dying to cross the border. But, his real campaign issue is in this post about animal rights. Kinky runs a pet rescue ranch, which Laura Bush has financially supported. (Kinky has visited the White House, too. Bush claims he’s one of his favorite authors, but we won’t hold that against Kinky.) Kinky wants to pass laws to require all animals to be spayed or neutered and to outlaw the de-clawing of cats. You’ll find his politics (like his mystery novels) eclectic.

I think I’ll keep tabs on this election as well as the Mexican presidential election in 2006. Thanks to Brian for keeping me posted.

Pikza, pikza!

Or at least, that’s how most people in Mexico pronounce pizza. Anyway, thought I’d share the packet of ingredients that comes with your Pizza Hut pizza here in Mexico.

From left to right: worcestershire sauce, catsup, hot sauce. Yummy.

Heading toward 2006

Several stories from today’s paper discuss not only candidate selection in the PRD, but also the potential candidates or alliance strategies of smaller parties like the PT or Convergencia.

Basically, Cardenas is ready to debate Lopez Obrador in anticipation of the PRD nomination process. Convergencia has had talks with the PRD but also with former Secretary (and political scientist) Jorge Casteneda. The PT is leading toward the PRD or the PRI. Essentially, the small parties that have formal registration can become vehicles for candidates that can’t win the nomination of either the PRD, PRI, or the PAN. An alliance with one of the three large parties would really preclude having an alternative candidate, but might pay off by guaranteeing more PR seats in the legislature. So small parties have to consider whether the cast-off candidates from the big three that might run under their mantle are really strong enough to have a chance. Otherwise, they are probably better off forming an alliance where they not only get their own PR seats but also get to put some of their leaders on the PR list of the other party.

John Williams and Star Wars

Morning Edition Sunday has a great story about Williams’s score for Star Wars. My favorite of his scores are those for Indiana Jones and Harry Potter.

Mexican movers

On Division del Norte in Mexico City. A fairly large north-south thoroughfare.

Pozolin and me

Pozolin is the mascot for a Mexican chain restaurant, Potzollcalli.

Happy Birthday Morrissey!

Stephen Patrick turns 46 today. I think it’s really funny how many women post comments on Morrissey’s My Space telling him how handsome he is. As if he cares. Well, it feeds his ego anyway.

Lucha Libre

Last night we took our guest to see LUCHA LIBRE in Arena Mexico. It was great fun, though some of the Stars have changed in the 3 years since we last went.

Last night, a new luchador named Metro had his debut at Arena Mexico. He’s sponsored by the free newspaper put out by the Mexico City Metro, called El Metro. His outfit had large M’s on the legs. We received two of those annoying inflatable clapper things with Metro on them when we got to the stadium (which of course, the small kid next to me proceeded to wave wildly). And they threw at least 100 free t-shirts into the crowd. It’s an interesting marketing ploy since most of the true Lucha Libre fans are moderate to low income and probably take the subway. I’ve never known a Mexican wrestler to have corporate sponsorship before, and certainly not to derive their name from the sponsor. According to a post on a CMLL discussion board, Metro fought first in Guadalajara under the name of Dr. Quen and is a relative of Bestia Salvaje.

The full program, from big fight to opening fight:

Dos Caras Jr. VS Ultimo Guerrero

Heavy Metal – Negro Casas – Mistico
VS
Perro Aguayo Jr. – Tarzan Boy – Hector Garza

Universo 2000 – Mascara Magica – Apolo Dantes
VS
Damian 666 – Hallowen – Terrible

Allan Stone – Zumbido – METRO
VS
Sangre Azteca – Dr. X – Nitro

Shockercito – Mini Olimpico
VS
Pierrothito – Fire

My new favorite, to replace Olimpico who doesn’t seem to wrestle now, is Mistico (the one in the mask). He was very good at playing to the crowd.

Al Sharpton to arrive in Mexico Monday

Al Sharpton will travel to Mexico City Monday to meet with President Fox to receive an apology for his comments about undocumented workers and African Americans in the United States last week. Here’s the New York Daily News story.

On tenure, redux

A mini-discussion on tenure and academia continues. Paul has a follow-up with necessary links to responses by other people. I did not reply to the Five Myths laid out by Munger because after reading them, I realized that I only have one paper under review right now (ugh, since October), one sitting R&R, and one rejection that I need to turn around and send to an even crappier journal. So I dug up the rejection and made a list of revisions. (I already have the list for the R&R.)

Since I don’t have the requisite three under review (though I have 2 more waiting in the wings that need minor tweaks before heading out…), I figured I should get with it. Nevermind the 2 invited papers for edited volume and journal special issue and the book review essay for LARR that I need to write.

I will, I will have closure on these projects. And, I will get tenure. Someday. I think. I hope.

Oh, and I interviewed 5 people for my next project this week. All this with visitors from Texas and the requisite trip to the artisan market and pyramids.

Tonight, I’m going to see real wrestling. None of that pansy stuff K Grease is into. (Unfortunately, there won’t be photos since last time the security guard tried to take my camera batteries.)

Supreme Court on the desafuero

Actually, that should be “Supreme Court decides not to rule on the desafuero.” According to today’s La Jornada, the Supreme Court decided that it could not rule on the case brought by the General Assembly of the Federal District (i.e., governing body of Mexico City). The General Assembly had claimed that they should have the same rights as states, and that AMLO should be treated as a governor. In those cases, if a governor loses his or her immunity, the case is passed to the local legislature for handling. The legal status of the D.F. has been in dispute for a while since the Constitution is vague. In the court’s decision to not hear the case, they have cited that since the D.F. is not a state, and Lopez Obrador not a governor, they have not right to decide the case. Here’s a direct quote:

Al resolver los recursos de reclamación interpuestos por la Cámara de Diputados y la Procuraduría General de la República (PGR) en contra del acuerdo de la ministra instructora, Olga Sánchez Cordero, en el que se admitió la citada demanda, predominó el criterio de la mayoría de que la Constitución no considera al Distrito Federal como un estado, ni a su jefe de Gobierno como gobernador, por lo que no había argumentos para analizar la controversia constitucional.

…

Sin embargo, el ministro Genaro Góngora Pimentel cuestionó la falta de consistencia del pleno en la toma de decisiones, al recordar que apenas el pasado martes, por votación de seis contra cinco -en donde el ministro presidente Mariano Azuela fue también el fiel de la balanza-, la Corte hizo una ”interpretación constitucional” que no está prevista en la Carta Magna, lo que dio lugar a la figura del ”veto parcial” que tiene el Presidente de la República en materia de presupuesto.

It’s not clear from the article what this means for Lopez Obrador’s status. For his part, AMLO has said the issue is still open until the Supreme Court rules on the counter suit brought by the Chamber of Deputies.

At the same time, the new Attorney General says that they are still reviewing the case against AMLO to determine whether or not to press charges. According to the AG, the AG’s office “applies the law and does not make political agreements.” From El Universal:

El procurador general de la República, Daniel Cabeza de Vaca, aseguró que en la Procuraduría General de la República (PGR) se aplica la Ley y no se hacen acuerdos políticos, al hablar sobre el caso del jefe de Gobierno del DF, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

De hecho, adelantó que el 3 de junio se vence el plazo para que la Subprocuraduría de Delitos Federales determine finalmente si acepta o no la propuesta del Ministerio Público de la Federación por el no ejercicio de la acción contra el político tabasqueño.

En su primer conferencia de prensa el funcionario federal indicó que está en proceso de revisión la resolución el Ministerio Público de no ejercitar acción penal en contra del político tabasqueño por presunto desacato a una orden judicial.

At his first press conference since taking office, the AG says that they are reviewing the recommendation of the Ministerio Publico to not press charges.

This runs counter to the early interpretations that all charges would be dropped. But is consistent with more recent declarations from the new AG.

Is this another case of one of the President’s cabinet running amuck of the President’s policy? (The first case would be several conflicting statements made by Fox’s spokesperson and the Secretary of State Creel.) Certainly, several of the leaders that I have interviewed recently (running the gamut from dissident labor union leader, to PRIista, to business association rep) express the personal opinion that Fox has little control over his cabinet and he does not make firm decisions. That his administration is uncoordinated and heads off in several different directions at once. In the old days, the buck stopped with the President; apparently that is not so with Fox.

Ok. So that interpretation seems consistent with the inconsistencies that come out of his administration. His spokesperson says one thing, but his Ministers say another.

But could it be more devious than that? Are these guys renegade Ministers, or are they carefully deflecting criticism from the President (though of course at the price of making him look like an ineffective bobo )? What’s worse for the PAN, that their party seem politically ineffective and incoherent, or that they seem out to get AMLO?

I’m not sure which scenario is more likely; I’m just wondering out loud. Could a man that manipulated his own party enough to get the nomination and win in 2000 really be unable to corral (a fitting word, considering his rancher image) his Ministers, including one only just recently appointed as AG?

Fox and Jesse Jackson

Thought this was a good picture and would direct you to it.

From La Jornada.

Full story is here, but I’m too tired to write about it. Jackson also met with religious leaders.

A day in the life of a comparativist in Mexico

08:00 Leave for US-Mexico Commission to pick up tiny note card needed to pick up visa.

08:30 At Commission, learn that members of the U.S. Embassy visa department have read my blog post about new delays for Mexicans. Apparently, they think I’m an “equal opportunity discriminator.” Not sure what that means. Learn that my blog will now be circulated among the Fulbright staff. (Maybe I should take down those pictures of the drag show???)

9:00 Return to house to pick up passport because they may want it at Migracion when I pick up my visa. Kiss husband.

9:30 Arrive at Migracion in Polanco. Wait in line to ask what line I should wait in. Wait in another line, only to be told I can return at 12:00 or tomorrow, even though I have a “ficha” for an appointment today to pick up my visa. The visa is not ready.

10:30 Arrive two neighborhoods away for my appointment with a union leader at 11:30. Park. Look for cafe. Buy yogurt drink from grocery. Wait.

11:10 Go to Union offices to wait for appointment. There is no waiting room. Chat with young man who registers visits and the coming and going of cars.

11:30 My appointment date has not shown up. I continue to wait.

11:50 Ask if there might be a secretary that knows how to reach my appointment. Go find her. She calls my contact. He will arrive in 15 minutes.

12:10 Appointment arrives. Kisses all the secretaries (this is custom, not lechery). Takes me to his office. I explain that I have to leave at 12:45 for another appointment. We have short interview.

12:40 I apologize for having to leave, and we schedule another meeting next week.

12:55 Arrive one neighborhood over at the headquarters of the CNOP. Park on street. Think about moving car for fear of it being towed; cannot find a cuidacoche. Decide to leave it.

13:00 Arrive at offices of second appointment. Learn that the appointment has been cancelled, and a message left on my cell phone while I was in the other meeting. Offered only one option to reschedule: tomorrow at 12:00. Explain that I have another appointment scheduled at 11:00 that I need to confirm. Will call back.

13:30 Arrive home. Call to confirm other appointment. My assistant calls later to say they called her to cancel. Call one that cancelled on me today to confirm for tomorrow.

13:50 Sit down to review schedule of future interviews. Blog. And then make phone calls for interviews for next week.

Jesse Jackson in Mexico City

Jesse Jackson arrived last night and will meet with President Fox today to receive an apology in person. There will be a short press conference with Jackson and the President’s spokesperon after.

From La Jornada.

Darn. I wish Jesse were speaking in public. I once saw him speak at my high school in Austin, Texas (which tells you a lot about the type of public school that I attended….it was definitely on the “wrong” side of town and I wan’t part of a bussing (sp?) program). He was pretty amazing in person.

Fox is scheduled to meet with Al Sharpton later this week. I’d love to be a fly on the wall for that meeting.