A temple for human sacrifice was recently found in Mexico.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, modern temples for human sacrifice still exist. Back in February, police found a human skull adorning a backyard altar at a home in California. The owner practiced Santeria and neighbors claim to have seen the bloody remains of animal sacrifices.

Today’s story about temples and human sacrifice is not so recent. The Valley of Oaxaca in Mexico reveals hints of human sacrifices that took place thousands of years ago.

Archaeologists date the 9,150-square-foot temple for human sacrifice back to between 300 BC and 60 BC depending on the method used to estimate. The temple is part of a larger palace complex complete with a plaza.

Uncovering the temple, researchers found the area scattered with artifacts, including shell, mica and alabaster ornaments. They also found ceramic vessels, whistles, and incense braziers.

Obsidian blades and lances suggest that the priests engaged in ritual bloodletting and animal sacrifice. They also found the skeletal remains of turkeys, doves and other animals. The temple hearth, which was used to burn the sacrifices to the gods, contained human tooth and possible human limb bones. Researchers can’t say for certain whether these finds indicate human sacrifice at the temple, but it seems a strong possibility.

Archaeologists were also puzzled by a hastily buried body found in a temple firebox. Researchers say the skeleton was found ”in a cramped position that resulted in the skull resting at the firebox’s southeast corner and a knee poking about its northwest corner.”

Do you think this Mexican temple was used for human sacrifice?

Temple For Human Sacrifice Found In Mexico is a post from: The Inquisitr

Six people were killed during a bar shooting near a popular Mexican resort.

Two gunmen reportedly opened fire on people inside a bar on the outskirts of Cancun on Thursday. Initial reports stated that six people were killed and five were wounded during the attack.

However, other news outlets are reporting that seven people were killed and four were wounded during the shootout.

Public Safety Secretary Jesus Aiza said the suspects arrived near the pool area of the bar on Thursday evening. The individuals responsible for the murders reportedly used automatic rifles to kill at least six people during the bar shooting.

Those who survived the attack are currently under police protection at a nearby hospital. No suspects have been arrested for the shooting as of this writing. Authorities are also trying to determine a motive for the incident.

Cancun is a popular tourist destination for many US students during this time of year. Cancun tourism director Maximo Garcia Rocha stated that the resort expects around 43,000 people to show up during Spring Break. In an effort to protect tourists, Rocha said authorities will increase their presence.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said he plans to reduce the amount of violence that plagues the country on a regular basis.

This isn’t the first wave of violence to hit Mexico in recent weeks. Six Spanish women were reportedly attacked and raped by several individuals when suspects stormed a rented beach house in Acapulco. Nearly 70,000 people have died as a result of drug-related violence since 2007.

Although authorities are still looking for a motive in the shooting that claimed the lives of at least six people, it’s believed that the some of the victims were part of a taxi driver’s union.

An investigation into the shooting near Cancun is still underway. The individuals responsible for the bar shooting are still at-large as of this writing.

[Image by Shutterstock]

Six Killed In Bar Shooting Near Mexican Resort is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former Los Angeles Police Department officer Christopher Dorner, who is now a fugitive and a suspect in three killings, may have already fled the country, according to a federal court document.

In a criminal complaint filed in federal court on February 7, Dorner is charged with fleeing the country to avoid persecution, reports NBC News. It says that there was reason to believe that he had crossed into Mexico. Interestingly, an affidavit included with the complaint (pdf here) was written on the same day that the search for Dorner led to his abandoned and burned truck in the mountain resort of Big Bear.

US Marshals Service Inspector Craig McClusky writes in the affidavit that “the recent observations of a suspect matching Dorner’s description attempting to flee to Mexico” and said “there is probable cause to believe that Dorner has moved and traveled in interstate and foreign commerce from California to Mexico” to avoid arrest and prosecution.

The manhunt for Dorner continued Monday, with police chasing multiple leads and sightings only to come up with nothing. So far the LAPD has received more than 600 tips on Dorner’s possible location, probably because of the $1 million reward they’ve placed on his head. As it often the case with such a hefty reward, the number of fraudulent leads might be inhibiting good police work.

Also Monday, the Riverside County District Attorney’s office filed a charge of murder against Dorner for the death of Officer Michael Crain, who was shot in what was described as an ambush, reports NY Daily. “We felt the state of the evidence dictated there was no reason to withhold filing charges,” Riverside County District Attorney Paul Zellerbach said. “He’s a felon at large.”

Do you think that Christopher Dorner has already fled to Mexico?

Christopher Dorner In Mexico: Accused Killer May Already Be Gone is a post from: The Inquisitr

Yucaipa, CA – A tour bus crash has left eight people dead and 42 injured Sunday. The tour bus had gone out of control on a Southern California mountain road after it struck a car and flipped, plowing into a pickup truck.

The tour bus crash happened around 6:30 pm about two hours drive from Los Angeles, leaving State Route 38 littered with debris. The tour bus came to a stop sideways across the two lanes with its front end crushed. California Highway Patrol spokesman Mario Lopez said Emergency crews freed passengers who were trapped in the tour bus bound for Tijuana, Mexico,.

This comes less than a month after rapper Rick Ross crashed a Rolls Royce after a drive-by shooting, as previously reported by The Inquisitr.

Authorities had a difficult time getting an accurate count of the injured or dead due to the terrain. Lopez said the death toll could have been 10, though only eight could be confirmed.

California Department of Transportation spokeswoman Michelle Profant commented on the apparent carnage:

“It’s really a mess up there with body parts.”

InterBus Tours manager Jordi Garcia said his company ran Sunday’s trip. According to Yahoo News, Garcia reports that 38 people departed Tijuana at 5 am for a day of skiing at Big Bear. He adds:

“The information that we have is that the bus’ brakes failed and the accident occurred.”

The tour bus driver, who survived the chaos, stated that the tour bus had lost its brakes going down a mountain road. As he struggled with the brake failure, the tour bus rear-ended a sedan, and then hit a pickup truck with a trailer. According to CNN, the tour bus company had been accident free for the previous two years.  Their video report is below.

In Vancouver, according to The Inquisitr, a clothing store building isn’t so lucky, as it has suffered 10 cars crashing into it in spite of pleas to the city.

This California tour bus crash could be your friendly reminder to get your brakes checked before you head up or down a mountain.

Tour Bus Crash In California Leaves Eight Dead, 42 Hurt is a post from: The Inquisitr

Well, that diet escalated quickly.

Montezuma’s Revenge [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jon Hammar will be released from a Mexican prison today. The United States Marine has been kept a jail cell since August. The gun charges levied against Hammar relate to an antique weapon the he attempted to legally take into the country.

During a Friday morning interview with Fox News, Jon Hammar’s mother, Olivia Hammar, stated that a Mexican judge ruled in his favor at a hearing on the gun charges. The combat, Marine who had reportedly completed PTSD treatment recently, will be released at some time today.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, O’Reilly Factor host Bill O’Reilly was calling for a boycott of Mexico if Hammar was not released and sent home so he could spend Christmas with his family. Americans from coast to coast called and emailed their elected officials to voice support for the dedicated and heroic Marine.

Hammaer, 27, served his country in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The Mexican prison sits just 15 miles south of the United States border. Jon Hammar had attempted to declare his antique firearm upon entering the country and was arrested.

An excerpt from a letter penned by the Mexican ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan reads:

“This circumstance requires that he remain under detention during the duration of his trial. As you know well, Mexico has had very stringent gun-control laws in place for many years, and have reinforced their application as a result of the flow of weapons illicitly purchased in the U.S. and then trafficked into Mexico and into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.”

The letter was released yesterday before the hearing took place. The New York Daily News reported yesterday that Ambassador Sarukhan believes arresting Jon Hammar was the right decision because he attempted to bring a firearm into the country.

Check back with The Inquisitr for more details about this developing story.

Jon Hammar Released: The Marine Was Cleared Of Gun Charges And Is Coming Home is a post from: The Inquisitr

Commentary | Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly is prepared to call for a boycott of Mexico if combat Marine Jon Hammar is not released soon. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Hammar has been in a Mexican jail cell since September. The bogus gun charges the heroic Marine faces could keep him behind bars for up to 12 years.

Bill O’Reilly is an extremely intelligent and reasonable man who is not prone to calling for boycotts or any type of group protest against an individual, company, or foreign nation. He is as angry as most Americans about the false imprisonment of Jon Hammar and has a microphone and a massive viewing audience at his disposal.

The O’Reilly Factor just ended its 50^th consecutive quarter as the top cable news program, according to TV Week ratings statistics. All of the top 10 cable news programs in the third quarter were on Fox News.

During an interview on Bill Hemmer’s Thursday broadcast, O’Reilly called on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama to do far more the free Jon Hammar. The veteran newscaster noted that private behind the scenes negotiations could be ongoing between the Obama administration and the White House to help the imprisoned Marine. But, the O’Reilly Factor host also aptly noted that during a press conference earlier this week, Jay Carney stated he was not familiar with the lot of the combat Marine and therefore could not answer questions on the topic.

Jon Hammar’s parents are understandably worried about their son and want him home for Christmas. The United States sends millions of dollars in aid to Mexico, yet we apparently cannot get enough cooperation to secure the release of a Marine who attempted to follow the proper policy to take an antique firearm with him across the border.

Hammar hurt no one and was not even inside Mexico when he offered his weapon and paperwork for inspection. Bill O’Reilly is known to be a man of his word and it is doubtful that he will back down from his promise to call on all Americans to boycott any activity which would financially benefit the country holding Jon Hammar.

It is our patriotic duty to call and email our Senators to apply as much pressure as possible to help the combat veteran who struggled with PTSD and merely wanted to enjoy a peaceful trip down south as he eased back into civilian life.

Bill O’Reilly Calls For Boycott Of Mexico If Jon Hammar Isn’t Released Soon is a post from: The Inquisitr

Gomez Palacio, Mexico – Yesterday, we reported that an attempted prison break at Penal de Gomez Palacio resulted in 17 deaths. As of today, Mexico authorities said that the attempted jail break has claimed at least 22, a number which could continue to increase.

At least 22 are dead in a prison break that occurred at Cesero No. 2 facility in Gomez Palacio, Mexico on Wednesday. Fernando Rivas, a spokesman for Durango state police, said that of the 22 dead, nine were guards and 13 were inmates. A bloody shootout broke out late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning with 17 fatalities initially reported.

“The number of dead could increase although we hope not. A number of guards and prisoners are currently in a critical state,” Rivas said. He also noted that some of the guards could have been complicit in allowing weapons to fall into the hands of the inmates, reports Reuters.

LA Late reports that Public Safety Secretary for the state, Jesus Antonio Rosso Holguin, reported 23, not 22, dead earlier Wednesday, but that local reports put the death toll much higher.

One such report lists 25 individuals killed in the prison break, while others are reporting that 14 inmates were killed with the remaining number consisting of prison guards.

The official report continued: “The inmates started to shoot with firearms toward the guard towers and the guard areas.”

Officials said that the prison break was stopped by the swift response of state police, leaving news outlets to speculate as to how high the death toll could have been. Without such response, it could have easily been more than 22 dead in the prison break.

22 Dead In Prison Break: Bloody Shootout Culminates In Fatalities On Both Sides is a post from: The Inquisitr

Valeria Levitin, the “world’s skinniest woman” tried to educate others about the dangers of anorexia. The 39-year-old and 56-pound woman was reportedly horrified that she was being portrayed a role model for young women bent of being super skinny.

Levitin was originally from Russia but now lives in Monaco, Radar Online notes. She reportedly suppers from an extreme form of anorexia. Her skin resembles the look of leather and appears to be merely draped over her tiny skeleton.

She battled the possibly deadly disease that caused her body to begin wasting away. Experiencing daily physical pain has not deterred Valeria from continuing with her campaign to educate young girls about the dangers of becoming anorexic in an attempt to save the suffering of others.

The world’s thinnest woman had this to say during an interview with the Huffington Post:

“I am not going to teach them how to die. It is not a game, it is not a joke, it is your life. I want to share my story to help sufferers and their families from repeating my fate. Anorexia has made me lonely, unattractive, and repulsive for the people around me. My eating disorder has robbed me of so much. People don’t want to be around someone who is not in a good mood or not upbeat.”

A representative from the eating disorder charity Beat stated that the shock of looking at photos of an emaciated woman will not cure anorexia sufferers. The Beat spokeswoman fears that viewing the graphic photos could actually trigger the “competitive” nature of eating disorder sufferers and prompt them to eat even less food.

Looking at the photos of Valeria Levitan now it is difficult to imagine that she was once an extremely attractive and curvy young woman who enjoyed catching some rays on the beaches of Mexico.

World’s Skinniest Woman Tries To Educate Others About Anorexia is a post from: The Inquisitr

Durango, Mexico — At least 17 inmates and guards are dead after a prison break attempt in northern Mexico late Tuesday, according to an announcement by local authorities.

The escape attempt happened at the Cesero No. 2 facility in Gomez Palacio, reports Fox News. Durango state Public Safety Department stated that guards were able to foil “a massive prison escape,” reports The Washington Post.

The inmates apparently attempted to climb the prison’s back walls but guards fired into the air to stop them. A shootout ensued between the two groups, according to a statement, which added:

“The inmates started firing guns into the watchtowers and into custodian areas.”

The statement added that the prison was back under the control of authorities but that at least 17 people were killed during the escape attempt.

Mass prison breaks are not uncommon in Mexico, as over 120 inmates escaped from a prison in Piedras Negras in September, just across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas. CNN notes that the dead in the prison break attempted included 11 inmates and six guards.

Violence is also fairly common at the prison where Tuesday’s escape attempt took place. Just last year, a fight at the prison killed 11 inmates. Mexico’s attorney general’s office also claimed that inmates from the prison were let out in July 2010 to kill rival gang members.

The inmates were allegedly let out of the Sereso No. 2 prison in police vehicles. They proceeded to launch an attack on a birthday party that left 17 people dead.

Authorities have attributed the latest prison break attempt to drug gangs trying to swell their ranks as they act out bloody turf battles throughout Mexico. The Sinaloa and Zetas drug cartels are currently fighting for control of Durango.

At Least 17 Dead In Prison Break Attempt In Northern Mexico is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Mayan calendar has been the source of several Armageddon myths, but Mexico’s version is especially interesting, says Reuters.

The 5,125 year old calendar infers what we have all heard by now, that December 21st will be the end of the world.  However, Mexico adds a crumbling monument and American scholars to the phenomenon, adding weight to a tale that makes it that much more story friendly.

Droves of mystics, spiritual adventurers and profiteers are converging on ancient ruins in southern Mexico and Guatemala to see for themselves, and possibly net a profit.

Michael DiMartino, an American organizing a huge celebration at the Maya temple site of Chichen Itza on the Yucatan peninsula, says:

“No one knows what it will look like on the other side.”

He refers, of course, to a new idea that it is not the world that will end, but the way in which we perceive it, according to Yahoo News.

This event, planned as a huge party, coincides with several others worldwide, including mass hysteria in a Russian prison, a man in China building survival pods, and a French mountain village being a refuge for UFO lovers hoping for alien deliverance.  New Zealander Robert Bast wrote a book called “Survive 2012”, describing how to survive the possible catastrophe.

Bast states:

“The most likely thing for me is a solar storm, but that’s not going to kill you straight away. It’s more of a long term disaster.  I feel the world isn’t as safe as we think it is. The last couple of generations have had it very cozy.”

Mexico at least has a positive view on the whole phenomenon, not predicting the apocalypse as much as the end of an era, a spiritual rebirth.  With that view, they’re throwing a party.

Armageddon Fears Sparked By Mexican Monument And Mysticism is a post from: The Inquisitr

Following the death of Jenni Rivera and six others in a plane crash near Monterrey, Mexico on Sunday, a complication in the shape of Mexican businessman Christian E. Esquino Nuñez has entered the picture.

ABC News were the first to reveal Nuñez’s links to the company that owns the Lear jet that carried Rivera’s group.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nuñez was “charged in 2005 for falsifying documents and may now be questioned by investigators.”

Court records detail Nuñez’s criminal record as including multiple convictions for falsifying aircraft records, drug-trafficking charges and the counterfeiting of  government inspection stamps.

In addition, Univision News reports that the businessman also owes millions of dollars in state and federal taxes.

Mexico’s Secretary of Communications and Transportations identified the owner of the Lear Jet carrying Rivera’s party as a Nevada-based company called “Starwood Management.” In prior lawsuits filed against the company, Nuñez was listed as the head of “Starwood’s” business activities.

However, in a lawsuit filed by “Starwood” against the Drug Enforcement Agency in an aircraft retrieval case, the company said Nuñez was not part of “Starwood’s” personnel.

Reportedly, Nunez may now be required to answer questions from police and crash investigators from the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB).The NTSB has sent a team to Mexico to help the Mexican government in the Rivera investigation.

It’s believed those questions will center on possible causes of the crash.

On Monday, The Huffington Post reported that the 43-year-old Lear Jet carrying Rivera’s group had previously been involved in an accident in 2005. On that occasion, the jet hit a runway marker while attempting to land at an airstrip near Amarillo, Texas.

The report related to that 2005 incident revealed a fuel system malfunction caused one side of the plane to tilt out of balance.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nuñez and his alleged business associate Lance Z. Ricotta were convicted by a federal jury in 2005 on charges of “creating false and fictitious logbooks” for six aircraft that Nuñez bought from the Mexican government and sold on to US buyers.

“Forging the logbook is very dangerous given the lives of passengers [are] at risk,” aviation expert Hector Rotundo told Univision News.

Somewhat worryingly, in light of the Rivera crash, those 2005 court records reveal Nuñez altered flight viability and maintenance documents about the condition of the planes in order to sell them at inflated prices.

It should be noted that the jet in which Rivera’s group was travelling on Sunday was not included in the 2005 lawsuit.

Following charges in 2005, Nuñez was sentenced to 24 months in prison and later deported to Mexico. His rap sheet also includes a Florida indictment for drug trafficking charges and a prior 1993 charge of conspiring to conceal money from the Internal Revenue Service, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison.

Worldwide tributes to Rivera continue in the wake of Sunday’s tragedy.

Jenni Rivera: Mexican Businessman With Criminal Past May Be Questioned Over Jet Crash is a post from: The Inquisitr

MONTERREY, Mexico — Multi-million selling singer Jenny Rivera is missing feared dead after scattered wreckage of the plane that she was travelling on was found in northern Mexico on Sunday.

Transportation and Communications Minister Gerardo Ruiz Esparza said in a statement that “everything points toward” it being the Learjet 25 carrying Rivera and six others  (including the two pilots) from Monterrey en route to Toluca, Mexico.

Reuters reports that the US registered Learjet 25 went missing about 62 miles from Monterrey after taking off at 3:15 a.m. local time.

Rivera was on her way to Toluca in central Mexico following her performance at a concert in Monterrey on Saturday night.

Early reports of a missing plane have now morphed into a statement by Mexican authorities that there were “no survivors.”

Mexican-American superstar, Rivera, 43, and a mother of five has sold over 20 million albums worldwide and was the star in the reality show I Love Jenni — now entering its third season.

Today’s tragic news comes days after Rivera inked a deal to star in her own sitcom on ABC.

The sitcom — Jenni — would have also marked the return of leading Broadway producer Robert L. Boyett and Robert Horn. Both men were writing the series around Rivera and it would have showcased the singer as a positive Latina role-model juggling work, home and life.

Esparza told Mexican press that so little remained of the plane that he could not yet confirm Rivera’s death.

“This is what’s so regrettable, that it was so badly destroyed that there’s nothing recognizable,” he said.

A special investigation is now expected to follow in order to identify the remains of the plane and its passengers.

Jenni Rivera Presumed Dead After Plane Crashes In Mexico: Officials Say ‘No Survivors’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mexico City – Singer Jenni Rivera is missing after a plane that she was flying in lost contact with air traffic controllers in Mexico early Sunday morning, according to officials.

CNN reports that two pilots and four other passengers are also missing. According to Mexico’s transportation ministry, the plane is suspected to have crashed. The plane took off from Monterrey, Mexico, at 3:15am, and lost contact with air traffic controllers about 60 miles away from its initial point, said the statement.

According to a post on her website, the Mexican-American Rivera performed in the northern Mexican city on Saturday night. The website is currently down due to high volume, presumably due to fans who picked up the news on Twitter and are anxious for more information.

The 43-year-old singer is best known for her work within the banda and norteña music genres. She has been active in the industry since 1992, and her tenth studio album, Jenni, became her first number-one in the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart in the United States. It was released in 2008.

Rivera lives in Encino, California with her five children and grand-daughters. She is the sister of fellow singer Lupillo Rivera.

Every Mexican is flipping out right now cause of Jenni Rivera.

— Jigaboo. (@LovelyGoon_) December 9, 2012

I don’t understand why people are saying Jenni Rivera is dead . . . She’s missing but she can still be alive. — Esmeralda Bieber ♥ (@OhItsLoveex3) December 9, 2012

Rivera is herself a highly-active Twitter user, and boasts 1.3 million followers. This was her last tweet, 11 hours ago as of this posting:

RT @big_smashj390: La bateria de mi tablet muere y tu ni una pinche mentada neta que eso no es se dios he … m.tmi.me/C0Q0R

— Jenni Rivera (@jennirivera) December 9, 2012

There are still very few details in this breaking story, so it’s hard to speculate as to Rivera’s survival chances without knowing more about the suspected crash. Still, our thoughts are with Jenni Rivera, her friends, and her family in this difficult time. Hopefully we’ll have some good news for you soon. Check back for updates.

UPDATE: Mexico’s Civil Aeronautics authority (DGAC) confirmed on its website this afternoon that it has “initiated investigations about the alleged fall of a plane owned by Starwood Management with tags N345MC, which took place this morning in the state of Nueva León.” Rivera’s management told Billboard that “nothing is confirmed.”

UPDATE: AP is reporting that the plane carrying Jenni Rivera has been found by authorities in Mexico. While the wreckage has not officially been confirmed to be Rivera’s plane, which went missing earlier today, we must report with a heavy heart that there are no apparent survivors in the fuselage.

Transportation and communication minister Gerardo Ruiz Esparza tells Mexican television that the plane was found in Nuevo Leon state without survivors. He said that “everything points toward it being the plane” that Rivera was on. “The aircraft was destroyed, totally fragmented,” he said.

Jenni Rivera Missing: Latin Singer Presumed Killed In Plane Crash [UPDATED] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Marijuana legalization in Colorado and Washington may prompt Mexico to rethink its smuggling enforcement policies. Although the decriminalization of recreational use of marijuana in the two US states will likely face opposition from federal drug enforcement agents, the shift in public thinking may have an impact on border smuggling.

Mexico Competitiveness Institute analyst Alejandro Hope feels that a flourishing pot market in the United States would curtail the income of drug cartels south of the border, according to CBS News.

Luis Videgaray, the main adviser to Mexico’s president-elect, stated that the vote to approve marijuana legalization in the two states “complicates” is country’s commitment to quashing cannabis cultivation. Although Mexican president-elect Enrique Pena Nietos’ transition teams remains opposed to drug legalization, it appears officials are going to review the matter now that legal sales are slated to occur in the United States.

During an interview with Fox News Luis Videgaray had this to say about marijuana smuggling and growing in Mexico:

“Obviously we can’t handle a product that is illegal in Mexico, trying to stop its transfer to the United States, when in the United States, at least in part of the United States, it now has a different status. I believe this obliges us to think the relationship in regards to security … this is an unforeseen element.”

In less than three weeks Pena Nieto will visit the White House before taking his oath of office in Mexico. Videgaray stopped short of stating that Mexico will curtail its marijuana laws. Some political pundits feel that the Mexican president-elect will push the Obama administration to strictly enforce existing US federal law forbidding recreational pot use.

The Mexican presidential transition team member also had this to say about marijuana legalization policy consistency between the two bordering nations:

“These important modifications change somewhat the rules of the game in the relationship with the United States. I think that we have to carry out a review of our joint policies in regards to drug trafficking and security in general.”

Vice Minister of Coca in Bolivia Dionisio Nunez had this to say about the marijuana legalization laws in Colorado and Washington:

“The fact that two states in the United States have recognized the recreational use of marijuana makes us encouraged about possible changes.”

Cultivation of the coca plant is legal in Bolivia and frequently used as a stimulant by locals, but the production of cocaine remains a criminal offense.

Marijuana Legalization In Two States May Prompt Mexico To Rethink Smuggling Policies is a post from: The Inquisitr

In spite of the widespread anger, the owner of Cueto James Art Gallery, James Perez, anticipates the gallery will be filled on Friday for the opening of Picasso Vandal, Uriel Landeros’ show, the Associated Press reports.

The gallery has a limited guest list of 100, houston.culturemap.com reports.

According to Perez, the Picasso Vandal is considered to be a genius:

“I was one of the first people to congratulate Uriel on Facebook after the incident and I’m proud to represent him. It was a ballsy thing he did and I think he kind of started something. Just look at what happen to that Rothko over the weekend . . . I think he’s a genius, but he’s not always well-spoken about what he’s done. Hopefully, I can do that for him.”

Landeros has been charged with felony graffiti in addition to felony criminal mischief for the alleged defacing of the painting.

On June 13, a YouTube video was posted showing a man spray painting  ”Woman in a Red Armchair” with a stencil at Houston’s Menil Collection on June 13.

Landeros stenciled an image of a bullfighter with a bull, and the word  ”conquista,” which translates to conquest. He is now in Mexico and has been communicating with Perez via Skype.

The Picasso vandal will speak to audience members at the gallery on Friday via Skype, Perez said. Until that night, Landeros will not speak to the media.

Donna Hawkins, the  assistant district attorney in Harris County said  Landeros faces a prison sentence of two to ten years and a $10,000 fine.

Picasso Vandal Gets Art Show, Anger Spurs is a post from: The Inquisitr

Drug kingpin T-shirts featuring Colombian cocaine mastermind Pablo Escobar are a pretty big hit in Mexico, according to Reuters. Although Escobar died nearly two decades ago, his legend lives on, particularly in Mexican states currently engulfed in the country’s bloody drug wars. For those who fondly remember Escobar or just want to honor his legacy, the shirts are currently available for purchase.

These drug kingpin T-shirts were designed by Pablo Escobar’s son, who used his father’s student ID, driver’s license, and other photos for the apparel. However, interested parties should probably bring quite a bit of cash with them for the transaction as these shirts are going to set you back between $60 and $95 a piece. While that may be a hefty price tag for an impoverished country, it hasn’t stopped the T-shirts from becoming a huge hit for Escobar’s son.

According to Colombia Reports, the aforementioned drug kingpin T-shirts will not be sold in Colombia out of respect for those who lost their lives during Pablo Escobar’s rein of violence in the country.

Sebastian Marroquin, fashion designer and son of the drug kingpin, says that the shirts aren’t necessarily meant to glorify his father’s penchant for violence. Instead of encouraging the younger generation to get involved with the drug trade, Marroquin hopes the shirts will prevent history from repeating itself.

“It’s a self-criticism to the history of my father, and an invitation for the youth to be conscious of the dangers of entering the world of drugs and trafficking. It is the first product that has used the image of Pablo Escobar as a vehicle of communication that looks to avoid his history being repeated and to create a social conscience,” the T-shirt’s designer explained. “I’m absolutely aware of the irreparable damage that my father caused in society between the violence that he exerted and the trafficking of drugs.”

Produced by Escobar Henao, the drug kingpin T-shirts featuring images of Pablo Escobar are currently on sale in the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Spain, and Austria as well as across the internet. Do you think these T-shirts are in poor taste?

Drug Kingpin T-Shirts: Pablo Escobar Apparel A Hit In Mexico is a post from: The Inquisitr

Police in Mexico recently found a body that was burnt beyond recognition in a secluded patch of woods just off a country road.

According to NBC News, the victims hands and feet were missing, and there had been no physical evidence, of who the victim was, nearby except for a school graduation ring.

The burnt body was in such horrible shape that investigators could not even determine the gender of the victim. The only soft tissue available for genetic analysis was a burned fragment of liver, but attempts to get DNA profile from that small fragment proved to be a waste of time.

Forensic investigators did, however, find useful DNA samples in an unsual place, inside the guts of maggots that had infested the body’s neck and face.

“This is the first reported case of analysis of human DNA isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of maggots used to identify a victim in a criminal case,” researchers from Monterrey, Mexico wrote in a report this month in the Journal of Forensic Sciences.

A man claimed that his daughter had gone missing ten days before the body was found. When he looked at the burnt body, he recognized the ring, but couldn’t tell if the badly burned corpse was his daughter.

In order to determine whether or not it was his daughter, investigators took a DNA sample from the man and then looked at the gut contents of three blowfly maggots from the dead body. The researchers found traces of human DNA in the maggots’ stomachs.

With the DNA found in the maggots’ stomachs, the researchers were able to determine that the victim was female, and they were able to run a paternity test, which came back with a 99.68% match to the man, confirming that this was his abducted daughter.

Maggots are commonly used to develop timelines for crimes because the development of larva can indicate how long a victim has been dead.

Attracted by the gas escaping from a decomposing corpse, blowflies often appear within minutes of death, infesting parts of the body and laying their eggs there.

It’s the larva that are born from these eggs that serve as a timestamp. Depending on the temperature the larva can develop from egg to winged adult in a matter of 10 or so days.

But, in this case, the researchers were able to use this grim case to show how else the insects might be used as clues.

“If maggots are encountered in association with human remains, investigators could utilize this approach if the extraction of DNA from other sources is not possible,” wrote the researchers, led by Marta Ortega-Martínez, of Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León.

Maggots Help Police Identify Burnt Body is a post from: The Inquisitr

Savage internal fighting between with Zeta’s leader,  Miguel Angel Trevino Morales and Velázquez, known as El Talibán, has caused a rush of shootouts and massacres, mostly in the north of the country, The Guardian reports. 

Velázquez is one of the most-wanted men in Mexico and considered on the most senior, second-tier leaders in the Zeta cartel.

Only one day after Velázquez had allegedly split with Zeta and gone to rival Gulf Cartel, was he arrested, Al Jazeera reports.

A reward for up to $2.34 million was offered by the Mexican government for any information concerning the arrest.

The arrest was announced on Wednesday by naval officials:

“A person who is presumed to be, and acknowledges being, Iván Velázquez Caballero was captured in the state of San Luis Potosi”

A fight between gunmen and navy personnel broke out on Wednesday in Piedras Negras, a city which borders Eagle Pass, Texas.

The shootout was confirmed by officials in the border state of Coahuila. Sergio Cisbeles, the state security spokesman said the conflict was serious but was unable to say whether there were any deaths.

On Thursday, the Navy showed off Velázquez, cuffed and in the hands of armed soilder, to the press. As per usual, a table was filled with money, seized drugs and weapons, as President Felipe Calderon’s work to crack down on cartels was praised.

Velázquez’s identity has yet to be confirmed.

There is fear that the fighting will not seize and instead a new wave of violence may go through northern Mexico.

Major Mexican Drug Lord Captured is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Mexican teenager has allegedly murdered over 50 people while working for one of the country’s criminal organizations, Reuters reports. Authorities are currently investigating Francisco Miguel N., the 16-year-old who claims to have performed extensive assassin work for a gang known as Los Mazatlecos, a group with connections to the Beltran Leyva drug cartel.

The teen, who goes by the nickname “El Nino,” was arrested by police for carrying a loaded weapon and some drugs. Before long, Francisco had spilled the beans on his dirty little hobby, explaining to authorities that he was responsible for assassinating over 50 people. According to the boy, his bosses gave him a handgun and an AK-47 in order to accomplish his bullet-riddled missions.

Drug wars in Mexico have claimed the lives of thousands over the years, including many children. As the problem worsened, kids began joining up with various gangs, running drugs and performing various tasks given to them by their superiors. “El Nino,” for example, has admitted to killing police officers, musicians, and farmers, just to name a few.

According to the Christian Science Monitor, a lot of the blame for Mexico’s recent turmoil belongs to President Calderon whose policies have reportedly strengthened the gangs and cartels instead of cracking down on them.

“A bit more than five years after Calderon ordered the militarization of the country, the criminal networks of five cartels — the Zetas, the Familia Michoacana, and the Sinaloa, Juarez, and Gulf Cartels — now dominate more than half of the national territory. This expansion has occurred despite the blows these organizations have suffered through arrests or deaths of their leaders,” war chronicler Ricardo Ravelo explained.

Sinaloa, which shares its name with the gang who controls the territory, is considered to be one of the most dangerous areas in Mexico. According to Reuters, it is the home of Joaquin “Shorty” Guzman, also known as the most wanted man in the country. “El Nino,” the aforementioned teen assassin, reportedly performed several jobs for the cartels in this area alone.

Mexican Teen Assassin Suspected Of Murdering 50 People is a post from: The Inquisitr

The US Border Patrol will no longer send illegal immigrants back to Mexico aboard aircraft. The federal government has deported nearly 125,000 illegal immigrants by way of jetliner since 2004.

The program is being ditched because of its massive costs, which has led to nearly $100 million in taxpayer dollars being spent on deportation flights. According to the agency, the program is being removed because too few illegal immigrants are being arrested to make the flights cost effective.

A Border Patrol officer explains to the Associated Press:

“Everything comes down to dollars and cents. We’re running into a more budget-conscious society.”

With more illegal immigrants heading to Mexico than entering the US, the Border Patrol is seeing its lowest arrest and deportation records in 40 years.

The program, which was an exclusive effort by the state of Arizona, had aimed to fly illegal immigrants far enough into Mexico that they did not bother to attempt a cross country voyage in order to brave the deadly dessert heat and make their way back into the United States.

Border Patrol officials say the program could one day return, although they give no definitive time frame. In the meantime, approximately 70 people per day are being bused to a Tuscon court where they face potential imprisonment or a bus ride back into their own country.

The flights have operated only in the summer and only in Arizona and were largely used to help immigrants who would have died trying to trek back through the blistering head of the dessert sun.

US To End Deportation Flights Over Cost Structure is a post from: The Inquisitr

A theme park in Mexico will allow you to participate in a simulated border crossing, according to the Daily Mail. For those with a strong constitution and a penchant for faux danger, twenty American dollars will allow you to glimpse the dangers of illegal immigration. Not only will you be able to navigate perilous terrain in the dark, you’ll also be chased by a squadron of border guards who are extremely interested in preventing you from reaching your intended goal.

Tourists who decide to pay a visit to the Mexican town of El Alberto will be able to participate in La Caminata Nocturna, a four-hour journey into a nightmare most people cannot fathom. Over the course of one Saturday evening, curious parties will be able to glimpse what it’s like to evade immigration officials and border patrol agents as they make their way towards freedom. Over 100 people bring their talents to the table in an effort to make the experience as realistic as possible.

Although simulating such an experience might be considered tasteless, the town of El Alberto doesn’t seem to have a problem with it. The Los Angeles Times reports that La Caminata Nocturna — which translates to “night walk” in English — provides quite a few jobs to its residents as well as providing a much-needed boost to the local economy.

Those who sign on for the experience will spend several hours running through the dark with a tour guide, dodging Hollywood-style gunfire from border patrol agents as they make their way towards the border. Of course, participants in the simulation aren’t in any real danger; outside of a few scrapes, bruises, and the occasional sprained ankle, lives will never be on the line.

Those who oversee the attraction hope their so-called border-crossing theme park will bring attention to the perils of illegally entering the United States. Instead of encouraging citizens to flee the country, the experience is designed as a cautionary tale for those who may be contemplating migration.

Border Crossing Theme Park Simulates Illegal Immigration is a post from: The Inquisitr

In Mexico, the public is currently being faced with an extreme shortage of eggs, and the country has the highest-per-capita egg consumption on the planet. Troubling? Yes. But everyone seems to have a pretty decent sense of humor about it. Even Mexico.

An avian flu outbreak in June killed millions of chickens in Mexico, and subsequently, the price of feed soared. The Washington Post calls this the “Great Mexican Egg Crisis,” eggsplaining (see what I did there?) that while the shortage of eggs in Mexico is a serious problem, it’s okay to crack-wise about it (because that’s how the Mexican Press is handling it).

Seriously though, here are some facts: Mexicans consume an average of 350 to 400 eggs per person every year. This makes it one of the highest per-capita egg-eating nations in the world, according to Time. “The egg is essential,” said an anonymous egg broker in Los Mochis. “For 8 pesos, a person can eat two eggs, a sausage and three tortillas. It’s a very good breakfast, for the price of two cigarettes.”

However, the past month has seen an increase in the cost of eggs (from about $1.50 to $3 for a carton of 16 to 18 eggs. In some area, that number has even tripled. Adding fuel to the fire, nearly half of Mexico’s population lives below the poverty line, and eggs are a cheap source of protein. The government is doing what it can, from selling government-subsidized eggs to importing more from the US, to get the egg market back to stability.

“We will not allow Mexican families, especially those who have less, to see their pocketbooks affected by unjustified increases in the price of this basic commodity,” said Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon.

That’s eggsellent news, President Calderon!

Mexico Is Apparently Running Low On Eggs is a post from: The Inquisitr

Cesar Osuna impaled himself on a fence in a freak accident, ending a year-long manhunt for the man wanted in the beating death of 2-year-old Juan Felix.

Juan died in January 2011 after being taken to a hospital by Osuna, and an autopsy performed on the 2-year-old showed the cause of death as blunt force trauma. He suffered from multiple rib fractures, tearing of abdominal membranes, and a skull fracture, reports The San Francisco Chronicle.

Noemi Mendoza, Juan’s mother, was sentenced to six years in prison after she pleaded no contest to willful cruelty to a child, because she was accused of leaving her child in the custody of a dangerous person, since there were indications the boy had been abused before.

Osuna fled to Mexico following young Juan’s death, where he worked in construction. But unfortunately for Cesar Osuna, he was not home free. The criminal on the run touched a live wire while on the job, which caused him to fall and become impaled on a fence.

Delano police made a trip to Mexico where they met with federal police and identified Osuna’s body through the numerous tattoos adorning his body. It was not clear when he had died.

KERO-23 notes that Noemi Mendoza has two other boys, and is also pregnant with twins. She will be given prenatal care while in prison, and be allowed outside visits with an obstetrician/gynecologist, according to Nancy Kincaid, a California Correctional Health Care Services spokeswoman. Peter Kang, Mendoza’s attorney, noted that the family has had a long history with Child Protective Services.

Do you think that Cesar Osuna’s death is just, considering he is responsible for the death of 2-year-old Juan Felix?

Cesar Osuna Impaled On Fence: 1 Year After Beating 2-Year-Old To Death is a post from: The Inquisitr

Colorado Spanish teacher Rhonda Eisenberg, 44, was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a male student. An anonymous tip to the Greeley, Colorado police department landed the high school teacher in handcuffs and eventually behind bars. Rhonda Eisenberg’s police report states the teacher not only admitted to having sex with a 17-year-old male student while he lived in her home – but having the teenage student’s baby, according to excerpts republished by the Greeley Tribune.

Greeley Police Lt. Carl Alm told the local newspaper that several months prior to the student’s graduation from high school, Rhonda Eisenberg gave birth to a Hispanic baby.

“Her coworkers and family suspected she had a relationship with the victim, who was a minor in her care. The tip also stated the person was concerned because she continued to work with teenage boys,” Lt. Alm stated.

Eisenberg was the victim’s legal guardian when the sexual relationship occurred, his parents live in Mexico. The young man remained in the United States after the birth of the baby. The alleged student victim in the Rhonda Eisenberg case is now 19, but the Greeley Police Department is still withholding his name to protect his identity because he was a minor when the alleged sexual assault by his teacher occurred.

Rhonda Eisenberg taught Spanish at Northridge High School since 2000. Before moving to the high school, Eisenberg instructed foreign language classes at Heath Middle School from1991 to 2000.

The high school Spanish teacher was booked on two counts of sexual assault on a child; one count relating to a continued pattern of abuse and the other count pertaining to abuse of a position of trust. If convicted on charges of having sex with a student, Rhonda Eisenberg could face from four to 12 years in prison followed by a five year parole mandate. Eisenberg was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the case.

Colorado Teacher Admits To Having Her Student’s Baby is a post from: The Inquisitr

Justin Bieber might soon upstage a Beatle. Officials in Mexico City are predicting that Bieber’s upcoming free concert could end up attracting more visitors than Paul McCartney’s May 10 concert in the city’s central plaza. McCartney attracted more than 200,000 people when he performed his free concert.

In preparation for the Bieber concert 5,000 police officers will be on hand for the event in order to make sure the crowd of pre-teen and teenage girls does not get out of hand.

Also in attendance will be two helicopters, four rings of barriers and 500 portable toilets.

While only 80,000 people will be given direct access to the plaza, thousands more are expected to watch the Justin Bieber show from giant screens that will be erected on neighboring streets.

Putting the protection of Justin Bieber into perspective, Paul McCartney was guarded by 1,400 police officers when he performed his show in Bogota, Colombia.

Justin Bieber is no stranger to high stress gigs, several countries have threatened in recent months to cancel the singers performances after realizing the type of riots that could ensue when Justin Bieber lands in their region.

While all 6,000 police officers will not stand guard next to Justin Bieber they will be responsible for keeping the peace throughout the day and concert.

Justin Bieber is definitely not the Beatles but the attention he is receiving has not been witnessed in the entertainment industry for years.

Are you surprised by the massive size of the police force needed to watch over Mexico City while Justin Bieber performs?

Justin Bieber Heads To Mexico With 6,000 Police Officers Watching Over Him is a post from: The Inquisitr

Elizabeth Olivas, an 18-year-old honor student from Frankfort High School in Frankfort, Indianapolis, nearly missed out on her graduation after being forced to return to Mexico due to a technicality with her visa.

A day before her graduation, however, Olivas was issued a visa, and returned to Indianapolis just a few hours later, according to a report from the Indianapolis Star.

Olivas was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, but she moved to Indianapolis at the age of 4. U.S. immigration law required her to make a return trip to Mexico on her 18th birthday to acquire a visa, but she missed her flight by a day and, as a result, the U.S. Consulate banned her from applying for a visa for three years.

The decision to ban Elizabeth from returning to America for three years may have been overturned just in the nick of time, but appealing for an expedited waiver to return to Indianapolis was no easy task–it took seven weeks and the help of U.S. Sen. Richard Luga to make it happen.

“I never got angry as much as I was frustrated,” Olivas said at the airport upon returning to Indianapolis. “These people are the people I’ve known and lived with my whole life. [I've] never been back to Mexico since I came here 14 years ago. This is the only life I’ve known.”

Elizabeth Olivas Issued Visa In Time For Graduation is a post from: The Inquisitr

A disease like AIDS is scary enough by itself but what about a disease that can be just as deadly and is transmitted by insects, that disease is called Chagas and researchers are warning that its being quickly spread throughout the Americas, much in the same pattern as the early HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Chagas is caused by parasites carried by blood-sucking insects and so far more than 8 million people in the Americas have been infected, including people in Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, and Bolivia. It is also suspected that nearly 300,000 people in the United States, mostly immigrants, also carry the Chagas parasite.

Once infected many patients never know they have Chagas because symptoms never form for 75% of patients, however the remaining 25% can develop fatally enlarged hearts or intestines which can ultimately lead to a painful and unexpected death.

Aside from a simple animal bite Chagas can be transmitted in blood transfusions. According to researchers in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, like the AIDS virus, Chagas, also known as American trypanosomiasis, has a long incubation time, is hard if not impossible to cure and because it is a “disease of the poor” little money is spent on prevention or finding new treatments.

It’s not as if Chagas is a new parasite, some researchers believe a bug that bit Charles Darwin gave him the disease which eventually led to his death, how’s that for survival of the fittest.

While not quite the same as the AIDS virus which effects a larger number of people once inside their blood stream, Chagas is following a similarly scary pattern of infection and with its easier to transmit capabilities it could grow into an epidemic. Just take a look at the Central American bug Rhodnius Priloxius (shown above), that little insect is the main spreader of Chagas in Central America, proving that it doesn’t take much to spread the potentially deadly disease to one in four people it attacks.

Chagas Disease Becoming ‘New Aids’ Of The Americas is a post from: The Inquisitr

Forty-nine bodies were found in the early hours of Sunday morning on the side of a highway that connects the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border. According to officials at least some of the discovered bodies were mutilated before they were dumped on the side of the road.

According to Mexican law enforcement officers 43 men and six women were found in the town of San Juan and were dumped at the non-toll highway near the border city of Reynosa. Officials say the bodies were dumped at around 4 a.m. but officials are still investigating.

Several hundred motorists were blocked from the highway as authorities closed down the road so federal and state police could join Mexican troops in examining the sealed off scene.

Official reports are not being released at this time and the one law enforcement agent willing to speak did so under the promise of anonymity since information has not been authorized for public use.

Mexican drug gangs have been known to leave bodies scattered in public places as a warning to rivals stepping on their turf. In September 35 bodies were left at a freeway overpass in the city of Veracruz. Twenty-six bodies were also dumped in November in Guadalajara.

This recent dumping is not the first to occur in May, 23 bodies were dumped and left hanging in Nuevo Lareda and 18 more were found this month along a highway in Guadalajara.

Bodies are often found mutilated and even beheaded in various towns known for Mexican gangs and drug cartels.

49 Bodies Dumped On Mexican Highway is a post from: The Inquisitr

Record Yellowfin Tuna Disqualified Over A Technicality is a post from: The Inquisitr

Gunmen shot and killed eight taxi drivers just outside of the Mexican city of Monterrey on Tuesday, an area that has recently seen an increase in violent crimes due to a turf war between rival cartels.

The taxi drivers, all of which were male, were killed in two separate attacks in the suburb of Guadalupe, located roughly 4 miles from Monterrey’s center.

Jorge Domene Zambrano, a state public security spokesman, told Reuters that four men gunned down five of the eight taxi drivers outside of a taxi office base. The other three were killed a few minutes later, reportedly by the same group.

The fatal attack that left eight taxi drivers dead also reportedly injured three innocent bystanders, including an 8-year-old girl. Reports indicate that the injuries were not fatal.

Police in the region currently have no leads in the case, but Domene told the Associated Press that authorities are looking to question a former employee of the local taxi cab company.

The Associated Press reports:

“[Domene] said the victims were driving taxis without permits. Police are investigating a former driver who became enraged and threatened his co-workers when he was fired for selling drugs.”

Violence in and around Monterrey began to escalate further in the first quarter of the year; Nuevo Leon state, which includes Monterrey, reported a total of 516 homicides in only the first quarter of the year. The figure is up roughly 30 percent from the same time period last year.

Eight Taxi Drivers Shot And Killed In Monterrey, Mexico is a post from: The Inquisitr

Miguel De la Madrid helped lead Mexico through the country’s economic crisist in the 1980s and now he has passed away at 77 years old.

Madrid passed away in Mexico City on Sunday morning according to family members of the late President. Before his death President De La Madrid had been hospitalized because of complications stemming from pulmonary emphysema.  While officials details regarding his death have not pointed directly at his recent health issues his office did say his death was caused because of a “long illness.”

De la Madrid is responsible for the countries “anti-crisis” plan which focused on austerity, that plan was implemented after the Mexican President inherited a 1982 economic crisis. Miguel De La Madrid served a six-year term as the President of Mexico.

While Miguel worked to stabilize the country he was also criticized after an earthquake in 1985 devastated much of the country, leading to national and international criticism regarding the countries ability to maintain and repair Mexico’s infrastructure after thousands of people were killed.

In a statement released by Mexican President Felipe Calderon he said De la Madrid ”faced harsh adversities during his tenure.”

Felipe then described the former President as “a Mexican with a deep commitment to the country.”

Before becoming President of Mexico De la Madrid received his law degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico along with a master’s in public administration from Harvard University. In the public sector Madrid worked for Mexico’s central bank, the Bank of Mexico and for state-owned oil company Petroleos de Mexico, also known as Pemex. The former Mexican President also held various posts in the Treasury Ministry.

Former Mexico President Miguel De La Madrid Dead At 77 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Washington D.C. – President Obama’s campaign hit back at Rick Santorum after the Ex-Pennsylvania Senator called Obama out as a bad parent.

Stephanie Cutter, deputy campaign manager, told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell,

“I think that children, for candidate purposes, have always been off-limits in presidential campaigns, and really any campaign. I’m surprised that Rick Santorum wouldn’t agree with that.”

Santorum offered his critique of Obama’s parenting after news got out that Malia, 13, was vacationing in Mexico with classmates.

“What I would say is that the president’s actions should reflect what his administration is saying. If the administration is saying that it’s not safe to have people down there, then just because you can send 25 Secret Service agents doesn’t mean you should do it. You should set an example. I think that‘s what presidents do. They set an example. And when the government is saying this is not safe, then you don’t set the example by sending your kids down there.”

The State Department has issued travel warnings about parts of Mexico. Santorum didn’t realize that the part of Mexico that Malia is in was not under any type of advisory.  Santorum still pressed on by saying that President’s should be held to a higher standard.

Traditionally the White House does not comment on Presidential children.  They made the exception after a 7.9 on the Richter Scale earthquake hit Acapulco yesterday.

Rick Santorum is currently in the running to challenge Obama in 2012 but is starting to slip behind Mitt Romney in the primary.

Would you vote for Rick Santorum?

Santorum Questions Obama’s Parenting Skills, Obama Hits Back is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you’re going to take a cruise and get drunk it’s highly suggested that you stay away from the ships controls. Rick Ehlert, 45, proved that point when he drank martinis all night, stole a bottle of vodka when a cruise ships bar closed and then proceeded to drop anchor…literally.

The belligerent passenger snuck into an off-limits area of the MS Ryndam where he proceeded to release the ship’s 18-ton anchor which caused the vessel to grind to a halt for three-hours.

For his drunken efforts Ehlert was sentenced to two months in prison after a judge called his incident a “bothersome crime.” The judge overseeing Rick’s case also ordered him to take part in substance abuse counseling

In an apology letter written to the ship’s captain Ehlert proclaimed:

“Many people have asked me why I dropped the anchor. I believe that I was intrigued by the machinery, and curious to see if I could operate it. I do remember trying to stop the anchor once it started moving, but it just kept going faster.”

The anchor wasn’t Ehlert’s only misdeed, he also threw a life preserver overboard which forced the ships captain to summon all 1,600 cruise passengers to rise before dawn to stand at emergency stations while they were counted to ensure a true tragedy did not occur stemming from a passenger overboard situation.

Do you think the drunken passengers crime deserves two months in prison and an alcohol abuse program based on the troubles he created for crew members and passengers?

Cruise Ship Passenger Gets Drunk, Drops Anchor is a post from: The Inquisitr

In a strange event that’s not likely to happen again anytime soon a stray bullet from the city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico traveled across the United States border and hit a female who was shopping in downtown El Paso, Texas.

Immediately following the incident the city’s mayor John Cook urged citizens to remain calm over the incident telling the El Paso Times:

“People get struck by lightning, too, and that doesn’t make us stay indoors when there is a rainstorm.”

The believed accidental shooting took place half-a-mile from the U.S.-Mexico border, the same location where a carjacking was reported during the same time period.

It wasn’t just El Paso, Texas residents feeling the danger of the bullet, three schools in Ciudad Juarez were put on lockdown following the incident.

Police Chief Greg Allen told CBS affiliate KDBC-TV:

“We had a lady grazed by a stray bullet we (believed could) be from Mexico during a gun battle where a carjacking was perceived to be taking place.”

The 48-year-old mother was shot while pushing her baby in a stroller. The bullet passed right through the mothers leg after striking her upper right calf.

Bullets from the Mexican city have struck various buildings in El Paso, Texas over the years but this is the first reported case in which a person was hit by a stray bullet from the region.

Do you think a wall needs to be erected between the Mexican town and El Paso to ensure that no other citizens are hit by stray bullets from across the border?

Texas Woman Hit By Stray Bullet From Mexico is a post from: The Inquisitr

John and Wanda Casias moved to their home just to the north of the industrial city of Monterrey, Mexico in 1979 where they acted as missionaries until Wednesday when they were slain in their home.

According to eldest child Valerie Alirez the couple were found by one of her brothers in their Santiago, Nuevo Leon home.

Originally from Amarillo, Texas they moved to Mexico so John Casias could serve as a Baptist preacher. John and Wanda founded the First Fundamentalist Independent Baptist Church in Santiago.

Brother Shawn Casias who still lives in Monterrey said he went to his parents’ home at approximately 4 p.m. and when he entered the home Wanda Casias was lying on the floor with an electrical cord around her neck and a gash on her head.

The murders appear to have been part of a robbery with several computers missing along with a plasma TV and a safe that was chiseled out of the wall.  Also missing was the couple’s Chevrolet Suburban.

The body of John Casias was found several hours after investigators began examining the property. John’s body was discovered inside a small building on the property.

Violence in the area has grown to astronomical levels in the last several years as the Zetas and Gulf drug cartels battle for territory in the region.

According to Shawn it’s likely that the criminals saw him coming from the families winding road because they chose to leave behind three TV sets and other items of potential value.

This wasn’t the first time the family has had trouble in the area, their home was burglarized two years ago when the couple were visiting the United States to talk with other churches about their work in Mexico.

An official investigation is ongoing at this time.

Texas Missionary Couple Killed In Mexico is a post from: The Inquisitr

Swine Flu is making a comeback in Mexico the international media is reporting.  Fears of three years ago when the deadly virus shut down airports amid fears of a global pandemic are still fresh in people’s minds.  the Mexican government is saying there is no cause for alarm as federal and state health officials say the increase in cases in still within the normal range for a typical flu season.

The Mexican Health Ministry has not put the increase numbers on its page nor has it confirmed the increase to the Associated Press despite many inquiries.

The Unite States Centers for Disease Control have said even if there are a notcible increase in cases they are not seeing one in the United States.  There are other strains where the U.S. is noticing an increase but those strains as well as Swine flu are included in the yearly flu shot given across the country.

CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said in an email,

“We are not aware of any unusual changes in the virus in Mexico that would be concerning,”

The Mexican Health Ministry reported 637 cases of confirmed flu cases so far in 2012 along with 10 deaths.  573 of those reported cases were of the Swine Flu (H1N1) and 9 of the 10 deaths were associated with the strain.

On Jan. 15, it reported far lower numbers: 181 confirmed cases for all strains of flu and five deaths for 2012, meaning cases would have increased 250 percent in just one week.

Three years ago the World Health Organization issued a Global Pandemic warning as the cases of swine flu spread throughout the world. there were reports that the strain was killing one out of every fifteen cases.  This would be a higher death rate than the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918-19 which lasted for 2 years and killed between 50 and 100 million people around the world.

Do you think the Swine Flu is something to worry about this year?

Learn more about the Swine Flu by watching this video.

Additional Cases of Swine Flu in Mexico [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Officials at the United Nations offices in New York City were shocked recently when 35.5 pounds of cocaine was accidentally shipped to their office by Mexican drug traffickers who failed to properly fill out shipping labels for their counterfeit UN bag packages.

With a street value of nearly $2 million the cocaine was concealed inside fake UN bags which were sent to the organizations New York headquarters after the carrier DHL saw the UN logo at their Cincinnati, Ohio center while the packages contained no actual shipping address or return to sender information.

 Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne of the New York Police Department told Yahoo News:

“It is my understanding that because there was no addressee, the DHL just thought well that’s the UN symbol so we should ship it on to UN headquarters and let them figure out who it was supposed to go to.”

The moment the bags arrived at the UN security staff recognize them as “obvious fakes” and inspected them on January 16. Inside the bags contained 14 hard cover books which had been hollowed out to make space for the cocaine.

In the meantime officials said the bags looked nothing like official UN carrier bags but instead were made out of flour sacks or something of that nature.

The drugs have been confiscated but with no return address it’s likely the culprits will get away with their crime, although I would suspect that someone within the cartel has been killed given their inability to place a simple shipping label on an illegal $2 million package.

35 Pounds Worth Of Cocaine Accidentally Shipped To United Nations In New York City is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mexico’s Zeta cartel is a multi-billion dollar high tech operation and that fact has recently been revealed more openly with the realization that hidden on rooftops and in bushes the cartel has managed to create their own national public radio station where orders are given and plans carried out.

A former US Army colonel told the Associated Press this week:

“They’re doing what any sensible military unit would do, They’re branching out into as many forms of communications as possible.”

Confirmation of that communication was revealed when Jose Luis del Toro Estrada, nickname “Tecnico”, testified that he used legally-available parts to build the system which he says now spans across most of Mexico’s states.

In fact the network has become so robust that the cartel has allegedly hired communications specialists to run that part of their operations.

How technological is the network? Apparently it runs off a computer network that can direct signals to various radios with pinpoint accuracy, ensuring that messages are only received by the parties involved in the cartel’s various crimes.

In the meantime the Mexican government is disputing U.S. claims of a national network, saying the Zeta’s are only running a series of local systems that are not connected to a single base of operations in the country.

Regardless of the radio networks size one official sums it up best, “By going after command and communications you disrupt control.”

Do you think the Mexican government has allowed drug cartels in the country to extend further then they should be allowed?

[Image via ShutterStock.com]

Zeta Cartel Uses National Radio Network To Coordinate Illegal Business is a post from: The Inquisitr

As officials in Arizona continue to discuss a new border fence to keep out illegal Mexican immigrants a silent victim continues to roam through the areas forested areas. The Black Bears has recently been called out as one of the possible biggest victims of the border patrols efforts.

Using pieces of barbed wire to catch fur samples experts say that black bears in Arizona’s border area have close relatives living in northern Mexico. The researches also told the New York Times that the bear population near the border is less dense than up north.

According to the study northern black bears have a bigger habitat that is less affected by development which has led to more migration into the area making it a key spot for the animals.

Researchers also note that the border line is the northern limit for South American black bears.

While bear advocates are not asking the Arizona Border patrol to stop a fence project they would like them to consider border solutions that would still allow the bears to co-exist with efforts to protect the U.S-Mexico border. No solutions have been offered at this time but advocate groups are now hoping their research will lead to some novel ideas.

When asked to comment about immigration the research revealed: “We’re not weighing into that debate.”

Do you think special consideration should now be given at the Arizona border project locations based on the migratory of the black bear populations in both the south and north?

[Image via ShutterStock.com]

Black Bears Are The Real Victims Of An Arizona Border Fence [Study] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Car and industrial battery recycling from US providers is starting to get a bad reputation in Mexico where the practice has caused chronic lead poisoning in children.

In a report by the New York Times officials have revealed that crude methods used to extract lead from the batteries along with low or nonexistent safety standards has led to ground water and other contamination around battery recycling plants.

During one soil sample test researchers found lead levels near a Mexico City schoolyard that were five times over the generally accepted level in the United States.

The problem is exacerbated by the fact that Mexico lead imports to China have more than tripled in the last three years to 150 million tons. In comparison U.S. battery recycling plants have had to lay off staff because strict environmental controls have led to a shortage of old batteries.

According to the director of Occupation Knowledge International:

“If we export, we should only be sending batteries to countries with standards as strict as ours, and in Mexico that is not the case.”

Do you believe that the U.S. should stop exporting batteries to Mexico until such a time that their factories are properly regulated and in order to keep the U.S. recycling industry free of layoffs caused by the cheaper and less safe Mexico recycling plants?

[Image via ShutterStock.com]

US Battery Recycling Is Poisoning Children In Mexico is a post from: The Inquisitr

With all the talk about border fences, increased border patrol and other means for keeping out illegal immigrants fleeing into the country from Mexico one thing border supporters didn’t take into account was their good friend, the bad economy.

According to a recent release the US Border Patrol has arrested far less people in the last 11 months then they did at the turn of the century. The study found that just 305,755 border patrol arrests have been made in 2011, down from nearly 1.6 million arrests in 2000 (the peak of the illegal immigrant move).

The lower number of arrests come at a time when border patrol has a far further reach then they did in 2000 which shows exactly how few illegal immigrants are trying to enter the United States.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times one Princeton immigration scholar said of the news:

“We are at a new point in the history of migration between Mexico and the United States.”

That same scholar says his own studies have shown that almost none of the illegal immigrants coming into the country are doing so for the first time.

Among their reasons for not attempting the trip? Increased border control officers (who ironically now have less people to arrest) and the decreasing chance for economic prosperity.

In it’s most basic of terms the “migrant network” is simply telling Mexicans that their are no jobs in the United States and the risk of attempting to enter the country is simply too great to make the trek.

What do you think is keeping illegal immigrants from entering the United States.

[Image via ShutterStock.com]

Illegal Immigrants Don’t Find U.S. Worth The Trip Any Longer [Study] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Earlier in the week the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency boasted that they are now deporting more convicted criminals then ever before, most of whom are being sent back to Mexico. In response to the agencies message Mexico President Felipe Calderon delivered a scathing speech in response to the U.S. practice of criminal deportation.

In his speech Calderon said:

“The American authorities have gotten into the habit of simply deporting 60 (thousand) or 70,000 migrants per year to cities like Ciudad Juarez or Tijuana.”

Calderon then added:

“There are many who really are criminals … and it is cheaper to leave them on the Mexican side of the border than to prosecute them.”

According to Felipe because of this practice violence has escalated in Mexico.

US officials say they are attempting to come up with a better system that would warn Mexico officials if a potentially dangerous criminal is about to be released. At this time there is no system that tells Mexican officials about why certain individuals are being deported.

In response to Calderon’s speech it should be pointed out that deported individuals are typically in the United States illegally, if Mexico’s own border patrol officials did a better job of stopping border crossings in the first place those violent criminals would have already been committing crimes in their own country.

Essentially Calderon expects the U.S. court system to pay for his citizens criminal mistakes and if found guilt he expects the U.S. prison system to pay for the housing of those criminals who shouldn’t be in the United States in the first place.

Do you think the U.S. has the right to deport violent criminals back to their own country when they weren’t welcomed into the United States in the first place?

Felipe Calderon Upset Over U.S. Practice Of Deporting Criminals Back To Mexico is a post from: The Inquisitr

In yet another gruesome example of Mexican drug cartel control five severed heads were found outside of an elementary school in Acapulco this week.

At this time victims of the crime have not been identified. The “message” left by a powerful drug cartel comes at a time when teachers have went on strike rather than give up half of their salaries to local drug gangs who have threatened to harm them.

Conditions in the once popular tourist location have continued to worsen however one veteran educator believes the strike could be a pivotal turning point for the area, telling NPR:

“I believe that this fight that the teachers are making is a defining moment, because … I’m convinced that teachers have their finger on the pulse of what’s happening in every house, every neighborhood, every street, every family.”

Just last week I reported on another decapitation, in that case a female in a Mexico/Texas border town spoke out online against the deadly Zeta’s gang only to have her body and head put on display next to one another with a warning note to other social media users.

Mexican officials have addressed ways to deal with the problems drug cartels are inflicting on their country, unfortunately deep rooted corruption and a lack of a focused government has allowed local drug gangs to over run cities all the way to the U.S. border.

Mexican Drug Cartel Leaves Five Severed Heads Outside School is a post from: The Inquisitr

A female in Mexico was decapitated over the weekend when she chose to use a local social networking website to speak out about the Zetas drug cartel, a deadly group that occupies the Texas-Mexico border.

Marisol Macias Castaneda is believed to be the third person killed this month by the cartel for posting negative comments about the group online.

According to the Associated Press the head of Castaneda was discovered on a large stone near her body and the blood thirsty cartel posted a message alongside her corpse.

“Nuevo Laredo en Vivo and social networking sites, I’m The Laredo Girl, and I’m here because of my reports, and yours,” says the note. “For those who don’t want to believe, this happened to me because of my actions, for believing in the army and the navy. Thank you for your attention, respectfully, Laredo Girl…ZZZZ.”

The Z’s at the end of the letter are the signature of the Zetas Cartel.

Cartel killings are a huge problem in Mexico that is helped along by corrupt governmental officials and the guerrilla like approach the groups use to stay hidden and in control of their territories.

Mexican Drug Cartel Decapitates Woman Who Speaks Out Using Social Media is a post from: The Inquisitr

Mexico on Tuesday accidentally invaded the United States when four Humvees carrying 33 Mexican soldiers strayed into US territory, crossing the boundary line on a bridge across the Rio Grande, then continuing as far as the inspection area.

According to reports, it’s the largest “invasion” since the Japanese invasion of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.

Obviously Mexico wasn’t attempting to actually invade the United States, however it does show how easily crossing the border into U.S. can be accomplished.

According to a Customs and Border Protection rep speaking with Reuters:

“They were processed according to protocols, and they were released and returned to Mexico without incident or charges.”

According to Mexican officials, their soldiers were carrying out reconnaissance on the border when they accidentally crossed into United States territory, it apparently happens on a regular basis and after processing the troops no charges are given and the soldiers return home.

Perhaps it’s time for the Mexican army to invest in some Smartphones with Google Maps or maybe even ask Garmin to create a border map for those in-between areas.

I have this funny image in my head of some racist border patrol volunteer sitting by a border fence with his shotgun in hand when 33 Mexican soldiers come rolling up in four humvees.

Mexico Accidentally Invades U.S., Largest Incursion Since Japanese Invasion is a post from: The Inquisitr

Federal Police in Mexico have rescued 12 migrants in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The migrants had been capatured two months before the resuce and included eight Central Americans, three Brazilians and an Iranian.

The kidnapped migrants who were taken in Chiapas on the Guatemalan border were found in a safe house in Reynosa, a city that borders the McAllen, Texas border.

Police say when found the migrants admitted to being severely beaten.

The kidnapping came after theLos Zetas drug cartel massacred 72 migrants in  San Fernando, Tamaulipas, last August, leading many people to believe the kidnapped migrants had already been killed.

In early 2011 another 200 bodies were found in Tamaulipas graves, escalating concerns that the migrants had been murdered.

More than 40,000 people have been murdered in Mexico over drug-related wars since 2006 and many more people go missing thanks to dangerous roadways that are littered with corrupt politicians, drug cartel members and other dangerous individuals.

According to a recent report, nearly 20,000 Central Americans have been kidnapped by organized crime groups and forced to pay money for their “possible release” while other’s have been asked join drug cartel gangs to spare their lives and the lives of their loved ones.

Public Safety Secretariat: Mexico Police Have Rescued 12 Kidnapped Migrants is a post from: The Inquisitr

This, as they say, is where s**t gets real. Spain and Chile today became the final two teams to make it through the group phase of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, despite Chile losing to Spain in the last group game. David Villa (above) and Andres Iniesta scored in Spain’s 2-1 win over the Chileans, who had Marco Estrada sent off.

From tomorrow, the knockout phase begins, with the last 16 teams going up against one another as follows (please note all times are EST +6):

June 26
Uruguay vs South Korea, 15.00
USA vs Ghana, 19.30

June 27
England vs Germany, 15.00
Argentina vs Mexico, 19.30

June 28
Netherlands vs Slovakia, 15.00
Brazil vs Chile, 19.30

June 29
Paraguay vs Japan, 15.00
Spain vs Portugal, 19.30

Highlights of the round include the meeting of old rivals England and Germany, and a really tasty-looking Iberian derby between Spain and Portugal.

I imagine a few of you will also be keeping an eye on USA vs Ghana, especially after the dramatic last-minute Landon Donovan goal that secured USA’s progress from the groups. Should Team America get through, they’ll face either Uruguay or South Korea in the quarter-finals.

Spain, Chile join final 16 teams in World Cup knockout phase is a post from: The Inquisitr

The opening game of the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw host nation South Africa share the points with Mexico at a cacophonous Soccer City in Johannesburg. Only a late equalizer from Mexico’s Rafael Marquez ensured the Mexicans gained anything from a match that they dominated for long periods.

With the opening half controlled by Mexico, South Africa took only ten minutes of the second half to score against the run of play. After a thrilling break from defense, Siphiwe Tshabalala was fed a ball through the middle of the Mexican defense, and blasted an unstoppable left-foot strike high into the Mexican net from the left.

Soccer City duly exploded with noise, as Tshabalala led the choreographed celebrations (above).

Mexico were not to be denied, however, and on 78 minutes Marquez controlled an Andres Guardado cross and fired smartly past South Africa’s excellent goalkeeper, Itumeleng Khune.

The spoils were duly shared, yet Mexico will feel hard done by after outplaying the South Africans for much of the match. Just before half-time, Guillermo Franco had the ball in the net for the Mexicans, yet the goal was correctly ruled out for offside. Elsewhere, there was much profligacy on display from Mexico, with Giovani and Franco wasting gilt-edged chances.

Ironically, it was South Africa who came closest to snatching all three points in the last few moments, with striker Katlego Mphela rolling the ball against a post when it looked easier to score.

The other teams in Group A, France and Uruguay, play later this evening.

South Africa and Mexico kick off World Cup 2010 with a draw is a post from: The Inquisitr

Salvador Cabañas, prolific Club América football player for the Primera División de México, has been shot in the head at a bar in Mexico City, reports claim.

Cabañas, 29, is reportedly in critical condition after the shooting and being treated at a hospital in Mexico City. (Some reports claimed the striker was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Los Angeles.) An official spoke to Mexican newschannel Televisa about the incident:

“He was shot in the head… the first report is that the bullet entered the front of his head and did not exit,” Mexico City prosecutor, Miguel Angel Mancera, told the news channel Televisa.

Cabañas is reportedly in the intensive care unit at an unnamed hospital. The incident is said to have been an attempted robbery. There is no word on the player’s prognosis.

Reports: Paraguayan striker Salvador Cabañas shot in the head is a post from: The Inquisitr