It's on the front page of the H - Chronicle this a.m. Apparently they were hunting about 30 miles NW of the Columbia bridge.

" Big coons walk at night !"

Like I said months ago, I can't think of one good reason to go to Mexico.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4366020.html

quote:

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HARLINGEN — Three U.S. citizens — including a prominent Laredo customs broker and a Sweetwater businessman — were kidnapped Sunday along with two others after going deer hunting in northern Mexico, U.S. authorities said Tuesday.
A gang of armed men swept into the 6,500-acre Rancho La Barranca in the northern state of Coahuila Sunday evening and abducted the five, including customs broker Librado Piña Jr., 49; his son, Librado Piña III, 25; Sweetwater businessman David Mueller, 45; and two Mexicans — ranch cook Marco Ortiz and Monterrey resident Fidel Rodriguez Cerdan.

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Makes me think twice about that fishing trip to El Salto or one of the other fantastic Mexican fishing locations.

But I understand the areas closest to the border are the more dangerous ones. The Mexican people as a whole are wonderful and have a great culture...but the drug influence near the border is strong.

I may be rethinking my trip to mexico in a month.

I thought all Mexican Americans knew not to go to Mexico!

I have traveled many times to Mexico on Hunting and Fishing trips and very rarely run into any problems. The border towns are typically more problematic but we are usually escorted from Texas into Mexico.

Kindapping use to be something you usually saw in South America with the Drug Cartels but it is moving north. When going to Mexico just ensure that you are aware of your surroundings and that you are going with a quality group.

Master Aggie is right about the Mexican Americans are not real welcome in Mexico. One of my co workers will not even go back to visit his family due to the problems he had the last time he was over there.

quote:

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The Mexican people as a whole are wonderful and have a great culture...but the drug influence near the border is strong.

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After my trip to Cabo san Lucas and Mexico City last week plus previous trips to the border, I'm gonna have to disagree.

I've had absolutely zero issues going anywhere.

quote: "The abductions of Piña Jr., his son and Mueller bring this year's tally of Americans kidnapped in Mexico to 33.

Of those, 14 Americans were kidnapped in the Nuevo Laredo area."


Jeez, I think I'll stick to Texas hunting...

Wow, I was wondering if buying some land in Mexico would be a good idea.... Maybe not...

Neuvo Laredo has been rife with issues for at least a couple of years. I'm probably understating that fact, but it is widely known that area has some major issues...mostly drug related murders and kidnappings.

quote:

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INVASION USA
Police chief murdered on 1st day
Troubled Mexican border town plagued by drug violence

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: June 10, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern



© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

Nuevo Laredo's new police chief was on the job nine hours before he was shot dozens of times and killed.

The dramatic murder of the top law enforcement officer in the increasingly violent Mexican border town, just across the river from Laredo, Texas, provided another stark illustration of the way the drug cartels are vying for power with law enforcement authorities.

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http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44694

If I were a US citizen living in Laredo, I would be super pissed that our government doesn't do more to fix the outlawishness that is going on down there. If the rest of the US knew what went on in these border towns they would be shocked.

Ag97

Texas Rangers can't just go easily across the borders like they used too.

quote:

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I've had absolutely zero issues going anywhere.

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Well if you're actually Mexican American then you're one of the few that hasn't or doesn't have problems in Mexico. They do not like the type at all.

I am. And like I've said, no issues at all. I will say that I blend in very well.

F*** Mexico

Their already beyond corrupt govt is currently in a state of total chaos.

Leftists are gaining momentum. Whole cities and areas are controlled by gangs and drug cartels.

Mexico has made an entire industry out of exporting their criminals to the US. F*** em, I'd rather vacation in Pakistan then spend a penny down there.




here's a scene from old mex congress today. what a joke.

moses - what was the problem with Cabo? I ask because my girlfriend is being sent there for work soon and always thought Cabo was one of the safer/nicer part of Mexico

Have spent the last couple of months with a bridge construction crew out of the Roma area--they were building a small bridge on a county road thru my place. These guys all live on this side and are legal, but grew up in Mexico and still have family there--I believe they said the Progresso area. At any rate, one stated he would not go back for fear of the gangs--stated that they ARE the LAW. All of these guys had stories --life means little to these gangs. I called them "setas"--not sure of the spelling here, but sounds like I spelled it.

At any rate, I dont think its going to get better any time soon and I would not consider going across for whatever reason...I like to stay where I still have a few rights !

Zetas are ex-military.

BCA so you're in the Valley? I've got relative in Harlingen and San Benito.

Since you mentioned bridge construction, do you have and dealings with IBWC?

[This message has been edited by pedro_martinez (edited 11/29/2006 12:08p).]

quote:

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I am. And like I've said, no issues at all. I will say that I blend in very well.

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I'm sure that helps. My wife's whole family is very light skinned therefore they do not blend well until much further into Mexico.

I also have cousins that live in Oaxaca and they've been having a great time the last few months!

Although I'm dark, my wife is a blonde originally from Mississippi. However she speaks Spanish rather fluently and the locals we encounter often get a kick out of somebody like her that can converse with them at their level. Helps a bunch. We've travelled quite a bit down there and in other southern locales. No issues to report.

Some places we stay with relatives (I have numerous throughout MX) and others we've been solo.

I'm usually on my guard no matter whether with my relatives or on our own. Same as when I'm downtown in any major metro area here in the US or in Europe.

Pedro--out of pocket for awhile...No, I live on a ranch in southern LaSalle County. The bridge crew is out of the valley, but had a contract to construct a bridge on a county road that runs through my property. I visited with them daily for the past few months while they finished their project and , in doing so, learned a lot about these guys. Good workers and got here the LEGAL way. They told me the stories on the "Zetas"--sound like some bad dudes and stated that they are the law across the river.

Note: They took home quite a bit of venison during Oct (they are finished now). We are MLD, and it is tamale season.

I'm going Friday. We hunt about 40 miles as a crow flies from that ranch. We hunted a few miles past that ranch a couple of years ago and passed the La Barranca gate to get there. WOW! The kidnappings are money related. Pina is a Corona distributor in Laredo, a customs agent, and high ranking official in the ANGADI if I recall. This was a calculated kidnapping. I feel pretty safe because we're just a bunch of drunk poor bohemians hunting far off the highway on a secluded ranch. But you never know what can happen. I'm about ready to call it quits down there though. I think I'd rather pay the bigger $$$'s and have some peace of mind.

I was just told by a friend that he heard on some local news station that the American hunter Mueller had been released and is safe. No word on Pina Jr, Pina III, the cook or the Mexican national from Monterey.

Witnesses at the ranch where they were kidnapped were told to stay inside for two days or they would be killed. I'd be like, "OK".

Triple--you know any Slezinksy's around El Campo ?? Old coots that bale a lot of hay.

Dont drive a newer vehicle across--according to those bridge guys, that draws the attention of the bad guys.

I've heard of them. Can't say I know them though. I know they are some hay bailing muthers. Have you bought hay from them before?

I have a newer vehicle that I take down there because I don't anything else that I could take that would make it safely. I try not to wash it though during deer season so it's not all blinged out when I go across. It's a risk I'm taking but I think you have just about a good a chance of getting your vehicle stolen, getting shot, or kidnapped in Houston.

riple - I wouldn't go. CHeck the latest State Department travel advisories first. Your life isn't worth it, or is it?

Just got back from Mexico. I was a little tense at first but after a few days down there it was just the same. A few things I've heard from locals and others "in-the-know" down there. From what we've heard, the Pina's are still being held and everyone says that drugs were involved and the Pina Jr. owed the wrong people money. About 5 years ago some guy went to jail and took the fall for Pina in some drug deal gone wrong. About a month ago he was released. Coincidence? Not a chance. Why was Mueller released so quickly when the guy obviously has deep pockets? Because they weren't after him. They were after Pina and was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Am I saying that anyone else hunting down there couldn't get caught between some crossfire and wind up in worse shape or even dead? No. But keep track of your surroundings and don't wonder off into places you shouldn't.

The hunting was decent to slow at times. The antlers were obviously hurt by the summer drought but the ranch couldn't be greener, the tanks be fuller, and the deer couldn't be fatter from the rains they've received in the last couple of months. It rained all day yesterday and was sleeting in Laredo when I crossed the border. I just about got stuck coming out of the ranch, thank God for my new mud grips. I'll let yall know how the rest of the season is going from time to time.

interesting bit of information, especially if proven to be true

I know Librado Pina.....

I was shocked at first when my family told me the news, but this is only one of many you hear about in the news down in Laredo. This was the first time I had actually known someone who was kidnapped. He was a good friend of the family and he had a son 2 years older than me who attended my highschool. he was also kidnapped with his father. To give yal a little bit of information....

Librado gives off the appearance of being a bodybuilder. He owns several gyms in Laredo and I had the oppurtunity to be on a hunting lease with him in North Laredo. He has a brother who I had the luxury of playing golf with on several occasions and both of them were U.S. custom brokers who at one point, was responsible for importing all of the Corona beers into the United States.... So you can say, him and his brother were very successful businessmen!

One of the men released was named Mueller and was known as the "mexican businessman". supposeably, he offered the kidnappers money for his release and the armed men turned it down. They stated that they weren't there for his money,..... but for Librado Pina's money!

I have no idea whether or not drugs were involved, but all I know is that Librado came off as being a warm hearted family man. I found him to be a very nice guy, who would always intiated a conversion and never seemed to forget who I was! This is a sad tradegy and coming from someone who grew up in Laredo and read about this type of violence on a day to day basis....I am skeptical on him and his sons outcome.

here is an updated article...
http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=17545965&BRD=2290&PAG=461&dept_id=473478&rfi=8

here is the full story...
http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=17524817&BRD=2290&PAG=461&dept_id=473478&rfi=8

I've heard nothing but good things about Librado from the people I've talked to in Mexico and Laredo that knew him and his family. But from the things I've heard, and I don't know if any of it is really true (who knows?), Librado must of had some problems in the past with the wrong people.

I'm just relaying some things I've heard. No one but Librado and his captors know what is really going on.

ttt for all you border types --Any news on this group??

UrbanAG nailed it. I completely aggree.

Can't we just invade Mexico?.... I mean, that would be the cheapest route if we're gonna take over a country.... We could just go state by state, till we're done, or bored with it!