DATE=6/10/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40651
TITLE=MEXICAN JOURNALIST / DRUG TRAFFICKERS
BYLINE=GREG FLAKUS
DATELINE=MEXICO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: MEXICO'S NORTHWEST STATE OF BAJA CALIFORNIA DEL NORTE HAS
BECOME A PRINCIPAL ZONE OF CONFLICT IN THE WAR AGAINST DRUG
SMUGGLING. IN THE BORDER CITY OF TIJUANA, ONE CRUSADING
JOURNALIST CONTINUES HIS FIGHT AGAINST THE DRUG SMUGGLERS EVEN
THOUGH HE WAS NEARLY KILLED IN AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SEVERAL
MONTHS AGO. CORRESPONDENT GREG FLAKUS HAS MORE ON THE STORY FROM
TIJUANA.
TEXT: ON NOVEMBER 27TH OF LAST YEAR, NEWSPAPER EDITOR JESUS
BLANCORNELAS (HEY SOOS' BLAHNK OHR' NEH LAHS) ALMOST JOINED THE
LONG LIST OF MEXICO'S MARTYRS IN THE DRUG WAR.
/// BLANCORNELAS (SPANISH) ESTABLISH BRIEFLY, FADE UNDER ///
HE SAYS HIS CAR WAS CUT OFF ON THE STREET BY 10 ARMED MEN WHO
FIRED 38 ROUNDS INTO HIS BODYGUARD, KILLING HIM ON THE SPOT.
DUCKING DOWN IN THE CAR, MR BLANCORNELAS ESCAPED THE FULL BRUNT
OF THE ATTACK, BUT HE WAS HIT BY FOUR BULLETS. POLICE LATER
COUNTED MORE THAN 100-BULLET HOLES IN THE CAR. AFTER A MONTH'S
STAY IN THE HOSPITAL AND SOME REST AT HOME, JESUS BLANCORNELAS
WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO HIS WORK AS CO-EDITOR OF THE WEEKLY
NEWSPAPER "ZETA". (SAY'TAH)
/// ACT #2 ///
MR. BLANCORNELAS BELIEVES THE GUNMEN WERE HIRED BY THE
ARELLANO-FELIX DRUG TRAFFICKING GANG, WHICH LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES DESCRIBE AS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL AND VICIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING IN MEXICO. ONLY DAYS BEFORE THE ATTACK,
"ZETA" HAD CARRIED AN ARTICLE ABOUT THEIR ACTIVITIES. WHAT IS
MORE, ONE OF THE GUNMEN WAS KILLED ON THE SCENE, AND HE TURNED
OUT TO BE A MAN SUSPECTED OF HAVING CARRIED OUT OTHER MURDERS FOR
THE DRUG SMUGGLERS.
MR. BLANCORNELAS CONTINUES PHYSICAL THERAPY TO RECOVER FROM HIS
WOUNDS AND HE ALSO CONTINUES TO WORK ON HIS NEWSPAPER, FOCUSING
EVEN MORE ATTENTION ON THE DRUG LORDS AND THE CORRUPT POLICE
OFFICIALS WHO PROTECT THEM. EVERYWHERE HE GOES THESE DAYS, MR
BLANCORNELAS IS ACCOMPANIED BY SIX WELL-ARMED MEXICAN SOLDIERS,
COURTESY OF THE MEXICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
HE DOES NOT KNOW IF THE DRUG SMUGGLERS STILL WANT TO KILL HIM,
BUT HE DOES NOT LET FEAR OF ANOTHER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT STOP
HIM.
/// ACT # 3 ///
NEITHER MR BLANCORNELAS NOR ANY OF HIS STAFF HAVE RECEIVED
THREATS, BUT HE ADDS, THE NARCO-TRAFFICKERS NEVER THREATEN, THEY
SIMPLY ACT.
DESPITE HIS CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE DRUG SMUGGLERS, MR. BLANCORNELAS
IS ALSO CRITICAL OF THE U-S EFFORT TO FIGHT THEM. A RECENT ISSUE
OF "ZETA" TOOK A CRITICAL LOOK AT THE U-S OPERATION AGAINST DRUG
SMUGGLING AND MONEY LAUNDERING CALLED "OPERATION CASABLANCA." MR
BLANCORNELAS SAYS HE QUESTIONS WHY ONLY MEXICAN BANKERS WERE
LURED INTO THE TRAP. WHY WERE THERE NO U-S BANKS TARGETED?, HE
ASKS.. HE IS ALSO CRITICAL OF THE U-S EFFORT TO STOP THE
CONSUMPTION OF DRUGS, THE MONEY FROM WHICH SUPPORTS THE DRUG
SMUGGLERS IN MEXICO, COLOMBIA, AND OTHER NATIONS.
JESUS BLANCORNELAS CONTINUES ASKING SUCH QUESTIONS AND KEEPS
FOCUSING ATTENTION ON THE DRUG PROBLEM EVERY WEEK IN THE PAGES OF
"ZETA". HE SAYS HE CANNOT ALLOW HIMSELF TO QUIT.
/// ACT # 4 ///
HE SAYS THAT IF HE WERE TO STOP WRITING AND STOP DIRECTING THE
60-SOME MEMBERS OF HIS JOURNALISTIC TEAM FROM WRITING ABOUT THE
DRUG TRADE, THEN THE CRIMINALS WILL HAVE SUCCEEDED IN WHAT THEY
SET OUT TO DO WHEN THEY ASSAULTED HIM LAST YEAR. FOR THE SAKE OF
ALL JOURNALISTS IN MEXICO WHO ARE WORKING TO EXPOSE THE TRUTH
ABOUT DRUG SMUGGLING AND OFFICIAL CORRUPTION, MR BLANCORNELAS
SAYS HE MUST CONTINUE. (SIGNED)
NEB/RAE
10-Jun-98 12:45 PM EDT (1645 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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