02/23/2008
Paco Still Strikes
Saturday, February 23, 2008: Last year I wrote in this blog about paco, a destructive drug made from cocaine residue, among other ingredients. Today in the NY Times (one of my favorite newspapers) there is a story on how it is affecting life in Argentina. It says that it gives a very short high, that kids (and adults) will do anything to get it. They sell their possessions, steal, whatever to get their paco fix. I have lived in Argentina for almost 3 years and heard many interviews on the radio. Current paco users and those brave enough to beat it told their stories. It is very hard to quit and some have died trying. There are mothers who are doing anything to save their kids from the awful drug. People are not silent or passive anymore. They used to be about many things, but that is changing. Ciudad Oculta (Hidden City) the slum where many paco users live is a place that needs to be done away with. The poverty and despair their inhabitants live with day in, day out makes it very easy to turn to paco and other junk to forget what is going on in their daily lives.
20:38 Posted in Crimes | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
01/13/2008
The Heavy Suitcase
Sunday, January 13, 2008: Last year, while still in Argentina, I wrote about a suitcase with about $800,000 that someone had tried to smuggle via Caracas, Venezuela. Now it looks like this story could very well be turned into a spy movie. Antonini Wilson, the Venezuelan businessman who carried the suitcase, is also an American citizen. And somebody could have tried to bribe him to say it was not really his and they could have threatened his family. Just before I left Argentina a couple of weeks ago, the new president of Argentina said that the suitcase issue is part of a garbage campaign against her. It is rumored that the money was supposed to help Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner get elected.
01:48 Posted in Crimes | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
10/20/2007
Cops Killed
Friday, October 19, 2007: Early this morning at around 2, three policemen were killed near the city of La Plata. All 3 were protecting a communications plant which is part of the Ministry of Security of the Provincia of Buenos Aires. Two of the policemen were first knifed several times, then shot in the head. They were 26 and 27 years old. The third policeman tried to get away and was actually able to run for about 20 meters before he was shot 4 times in the back. He was 45 years old. This terrible event happened just 9 days before the national presidential elections. Some people in the country are already saying that the killing of the policemen is as harmful for Argentina as September 11, 2001 and the Twin Towers was in the United States.
01:10 Posted in Crimes | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this