On Friday, March 4, 2016, The Guardian published an exclusive interview with Rosa Isela Guzmán Ortiz, Chapo Guzmán’s oldest daughter. Through The Guardian, the daughter levels many allegations against Mexican officials. This is par for the course when it comes to narco-politics. Because Mexican government involvement in narcotics, of which I am sure some exists, is a he-said she-said unending battle I am not going to get into her allegations in today’s installment. However, there is something that merits some discussion, although it is generally ignored by the news media.
In the interview, Rosa Guzmán Ortiz acknowledges two very important things. The first is that she is a US citizen by virtue of naturalization. As a resident alien who has gone through the process of acquiring the proper documents to be in the United States there have been countless times that I have felt like a second-class human being because as a Mexican citizen it was assumed that I must be up to no good by some of the US officials that I encountered.
Many times the process has been so unpleasant that I have abandoned it, only to start again or I have asked myself why bother to go through the process at all. Even today, as a resident alien, I still feel like a second-class human being in certain situations. In an intellectual level I understand that the process must be somewhat burdensome in order to ensure the security of the nation. I get that.
However, many times it seems to me that the process is heavily skewed towards those with money. Yes, I know that money makes the world go round and round but it still remains unfair. I am lucky because I am educated and have a few resources that I can rely on.
But there are many Mexicans who only want an opportunity to provide for their families but do not have the education or the resources to go through the process. I often wonder how they must feel. For me the process is burdensome and somewhat tiring but for them it must be extremely intimidating.
Imagine how they feel about the daughter of a self-admitted drug dealer being able to live and work in the United States unimpeded.
This leads us to the second point she made in the interview. She is an entrepreneur by virtue of her father’s money.
As a small business owner I have always struggled to have enough money to grow my business. As a matter of fact, I often equate small business owners as always chasing the dollar. When I sold computers I was approached by individuals with dubious computer purchase schemes that I instinctively knew were money laundering scams.
No one offers to pay you for 100 computers and expects only 5 delivered and a refund of 60% of the money paid upfront for 100 computers. Of course, it was to be a cash payment. I politely declined arguing that my business was too small to handle such a large quantity of cash. The truth is that I saw it for what it was and I dissuaded further approaches by pretending to be dumb.
I often dream about what I could do with my small business if I had $100,000, half a million or even one million dollars.
The point is that building a business requires upfront money. When you use money from a drug dealer is that not money laundering? There is no such thing as non-illicit money when it involves drug dealers. The question then becomes, how is it that Chapo’s eldest daughter is allowed to be in the United States and operate businesses?
Many in the United States routinely blame Mexican corruption as the reason drugs enter the United States. Very few bother to look at the roles the United States plays in facilitating the money that allows those drugs to enter the United States.
How is Chapo’s daughter situation not US corruption?
Money talks, which brings the questions how many and how high up the chain on both sides of the border?
It is such a lucrative business and the amount will dictate whether an official is willing to look the other way. In the espionage business, they know money, sex, a beef with the boss, no promotion are major motivators. I would say it’s probably the same for the people involved in the corruption.
So how do the government’s stop the trade ? Legalizing it would only make matters worse. Execution doesn’t deter smugglers, just take a look at Indonesia, China, the Middle East. Long sentences, our jails are busting at th seams. Mexican jails, short sentences and avoid jail with a nice envelope. Treatment and education ? That’s been tried for years. Strict inspection of transportation, that only impedes commerce. Weed is nothing these days. It’s the the stronger drugs, especially the synthetic drugs that kill or destroy the mind.
It’s time all governments, it’s not only Mexico and the U.S. To hold serious discussions about solutions. Stop wasting time with the “show” panel discussions. We don’t need photo ops and feel good comments. We need law enforcement, medical experts, scientists, policy makers, etc. to meet and develop solutions. Conduct their work away from the public eye otherwise we will see another rush to get a seat at the panel table.
We can point fingers forever while people die daily from usage or being in the business. It almost looks like influential people are making so much money that it behooves them to band aid solutions or delay. We HAVE to do something now. I know the farmers would rather make 100 or more per day than fifty cents. I know the dealers see it as quick and easy money, the big folks enjoy the payoffs, the user is always looking first the next high. So how do we solve the problems ?
Martin,
You mean ALLEGED daughter?
Love,
Me
Perhaps she should read the Mexican constitution on immigration then MAYBE (I doubt it) she’d stop the belly aching. That would be expecting too much as she hasn’t had an example of RESPECTING THE LAWS as there is an air of arrogance in her attitude and that gimme, gimme, attitude—Just because “I” want “I’m” entitled! Again, read the Mexican constitution ……