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Category Archives: Latin America

Hasta los dientes (2018), directed by Alberto Arnaut Estradas

11 Fri Dec 2020

Posted by ztnh in Anti-Fascism, Anti-Totalitarianism, Latin America, México

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

CopWatch, IMDB, Internal Security Law (Mexico), Netflix, Organization of American States (OAS), United Nations (UN)

LUMPENPROLETARIAT—I have been in the presence of fascist thugs, armed to the teeth, since I was a kid. My earliest experiences were as an American kid, visiting relatives in Mexico. One thug, armed to the teeth, pulled over my family’s pick-up truck. I was riding in the back; the truck had a camper shell. I must have been in my early teens, mid-1980s. It never sat well with me that armed thugs could pull us over, search us, and interrogate us for no reason, without a warrant, without any probable cause, and so on. But that’s life in Mexico, at least during the various years when I have visited my family there.

Hasta Los Dientes (2018) [Armed to the Teeth]

Some Mexican paramilitary types had pulled us over. In their warrantless search of our vehicle, one of the armed thugs caught me in the back, armed with a sling shot—or, more precisely, a “folding, steel framed wrist brace slingshot using tubular bands.” The assault-rifle-strapped thug seemed to respect my evident contempt for his ilk. A lot is communicated in silence, simply with eye contact. The moment seemed to take forever. It was dark, dawn. The soldier in black waved around his mini mag light around into the bed of the truck through the camper shell door, holding onto the shell door, as if, he did’t trust the camper shell door shocks to work. But the pick-up was tip top.

If memory serves me, it was a brand new Ford F-250. I must have looked like a weak puppy, snuggled up in some warm blankets with books and pillows, amidst the luggage in the back. My father stood by the side of the pick-up truck. I knew my father had my back; I think he had firearms, which he would’ve responsibly declared from the outset. But I also knew Mexican military don’t play. The assault-rifle-strapped thug smiled and asked me, “¿De qué calibre es tu resortera?” I think I smiled, fighting back my fear. Maybe dad smiled, too. After they took a cash bribe from my father, who already understood how Mexican fascism works, they let us go on our way. That wasn’t the first, or the last, time I experienced fascism. But I must save those narratives about my home, the United States of America, for another time.

I will say this, in hindsight, my experiences with the Mexican military rank-and-file have never been as bad as my experiences with the Mexican federales. Those fuckers… slovenly lot, in t-shirts with exposed beer bellies hanging out. Half the time, you can’t even tell, if they’re legit federales, or la federal, when you get pulled over for the mordida, or bribe. At least, back before 1998, the last time I visited Mexico. But you can always tell the weaponry looks legit. Or, at least, you don’t really wanna test ’em. You just wanna be on your way. They all kill the same, whether Mexican military, or the federales, or the judiciales. Real life is nothing like those Hollywood movies.

Admittedly, I rarely get to watch TV. But I watch TV, every chance I get, which is usually when I sit down to eat a meal, alone. This documentary synopsis looks compelling, Hasta los dientes. It brings back old memories of travelling through Mexico by land. The filmmaker never intended to be a filmmaker. But he was compelled by loyalty to his childhood friend, Javier Arreondo. Arnaut decided to dedicate his life to mastering the craft of filmmaking, instead of pursuing communications, when he learned that Javier had been murdered. Arnaut became a filmmaker just so he could tell this story about what the Mexican state did to his childhood friend, Javier, and Javier’s colleague, Jorge. Hasta los dientes is about a couple of honor students, who were accused of delinquency by the Mexican government; and, then… Well…

I’m only, like 20 minutes in, but I had to pause it to jot down these notes and finish my breakfast. I couldn’t help reading some background information on this story, though. It turns out this documentary film “is also a harsh criticism of [Mexico’s] Internal Security Law, a controversial measure that has been denounced by hundreds of civil associations—in addition to the UN and the Organization of American States (OAS)—because according to them,” the Internal Security Law allows active military loose on the streets, effectively doing the work of local cops. Damn. Talk about a fascist police state. At least, that’s how it looks from the outside looking in. We need our Mexican brothers and sisters to tell us in their own words what it’s like living in Mexico these days. In the meantime, let’s watch this award-winning documentary film, which took the filmmaker, Alberto Arnaut Estradas, some eight years to complete, shall we? Veamos esto, ¿de acuerdo?

Messina

***

Hasta los dientes is currently available on Netflix (c. DEC 2020), watch it here: https://www.netflix.com/title/81123826

Hasta los dientes está disponible ahora en Netflix (c. DEC 2020), míralo aquí: https://www.netflix.com/us-es/title/81123826

***

IMDB—On March 19th 2010, the Mexican government announced the death of two hitmen [i.e., sicarios], armed to the teeth, in the city of Monterrey, Nuevo León. Days later, it was discovered that they were in fact […] [SPOILER ALERT, even though it’s a true story…]

— snip —

Learn more at IMDB.

***

EL PAÍS—[15 May 2018] ‘Hasta los dientes’: la historia de cómo el Ejército mexicano ejecutó a dos estudiantes
Recibieron un disparo a un metro de distancia y los hicieron pasar por sicaros, el documental que dirige Alberto Arnaut revive aquel asesinato en plena guerra contra el narco

Un vídeo gris de una cámara de seguridad muestra cómo un joven entra corriendo a las instalaciones del Tec de Monterrey. Habían disparado a su amigo y estaba pidiendo ayuda. No volverá a aparecer. En una de las universidades privadas más importantes de México se acababa de cometer uno de los peores y más crueles crímenes de la guerra contra el narcotráfico. En el campus de Monterrey (noreste del país) murieron asesinados el 19 de marzo de 2010 dos estudiantes. Y el que apretó el gatillo no fue un capo de la droga, sino el Ejército mexicano. “Los muertos no declaran”.

El documental Hasta los dientes, que dirige Alberto Arnaut, narra cómo la metralla de aquella guerra alcanzó también a la población civil, a quien pretendía salvar. Dos estudiantes yacían en el piso de una institución académica sagrada sujetando, ya muertos, dos armas largas. Nadie dudó entonces de que habían ejecutado a dos sicarios. Y lo celebraron. En esos momentos de terror, un asesino menos en las calles era recibido como una victoria para el país. Pero ellos no eran narcos, eran dos alumnos que se habían quedado hasta tarde estudiando y habían salido a por algo de comida. En la puerta de su universidad les alcanzaron los balazos. Podría haber sido un error fatal, pero no lo fue.

Unas imágenes tomadas por testigos de los hechos y por cámaras de televisión, que incluye el documental, muestran cómo allí cualquiera podría haber acabado igual. En medio de una gran avenida de esta ciudad industrial se había abierto un frente de guerra. Metralla y granadas. Los coches daban rápidamente marcha atrás, una moto perdió el control y se estrelló contra un muro, ninguna autoridad impidió que la población se interpusiera entre las balas de los militares y los sicarios. Y allí en medio estaban Jorge Mercado y Javier Arreondo.

Según muestra Hasta los dientes, que utiliza los detalles del expediente del caso, las imágenes de las cámaras de seguridad, testimonios de testigos, de las familias, declaraciones del personal de seguridad de la institución y de las autoridades de Gobierno, Jorge y Javier fueron ejecutados de manera extrajudicial. Javier había sido herido por unas balas perdidas de aquel enfrentamiento. Pero Jorge estaba todavía vivo. Los militares se dieron cuenta de su gran error. Aquellos jóvenes no tenían pinta de asesinos. Llevaban unas mochilas, salían a comer. Pero, como señala un militar que interviene en el documental: “Los muertos no declaran”. Esas eran las ódenes de aquel Ejército entrenado para exterminar en las calles a los miembros del crimen organizado. Y acabaron los dos muertos con un balazo recibido a un metro de distancia. Un tiro de gracia. Les propinaron unos golpes y construyeron una escena del crimen a su medida: cada uno agarraba un rifle.

— snip —

Aprende más en EL PAÍS.

***

HEAVEN OF HORROR—[13 AUG 2019] HASTA LOS DIENTES is a new true crime documentary on Netflix. While it runs a bit long, it features a fascinating and scary true story. [SPOILER ALERT, even though it’s a true story…]

Read more at HEAVEN OF HORROR.

***

NOTAS POST MORTEM: Dios, maldita sea. Por favor mire esta película.

***

POST MORTEM NOTES: God, damn. Please watch this film.

(c. 57:45) One eye-witness, among a group of others at a convenience store nearby, observed the so-called Mexican ‘War On Drugs’ military assault being ambushed by narcotraffickers. She said they were all recording on their phones, all copwatching, just like the Black Panther Party pioneered back in the 1960s. She recalled her experiences, as she replayed her smartphone video recording:

“Those were the soldiers. They were going from side to side. At the same time, cars were passing by there. What shocked me the most that night was that I suddenly saw a column of soldiers going inside Tech [i.e., the university]. That’s when they entered Tech. You can see the bars in the back, the light you can see is the campus lighting. At that moment, I knew something serious was going on. We stayed at the store for 20 or 25 minutes, which seemed endless. And all the people in there were filming with their phones… to try to understand what was going on outside, and why there wasn’t anyone telling us what to do.

Because I’m here.</strong>”That’s when a soldier came in. He hit the counter and said, ‘Don’t film this.‘ Don’t film this? ‘Don’t film this.’ Easy. Okay. Okay. ‘Don’t film this. Easy. No. Easy. No. ‘Why are you filming?’ Because I’m here.

***

[11 DEC 2020]

[Last modified on 24 DEC 2020 at 03:51 PST]

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TJDS: “Glenn Greenwald – The Complete Interview!”

24 Tue Nov 2020

Posted by ztnh in Anti-Fascism, Anti-Totalitarianism, Brazil, Civic Engagement (Activism), Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Presidential Election 2020

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Dr. Glenn Greenwald (b. 1967), The Jimmy Dore Show

LUMPENPROLETARIAT—Oh, dang. Two men, who pull no punches. One brings a legal background, the other a comedic background. This is gonna be good. Let’s listen, learn, critique, discuss. Please leave your comments below. Cheers.

Messina

***

Featured video: “Glenn Greenwald: The Complete Interview!” by The Jimmy Dore Show, posted 23 NOV 2020, accessed 24 NOV 2020, https://youtu.be/K_xmYwr6qt8

***

NOTES:

One of the first topics discussed was censorship of media and alternative perspectives. Liberals, argued Greenwald and Dore, pick on easy right-wing targets, like Alex Jones, for censorship. But those liberals fail to realize the institutional abuse of power never stops there. Eventually, everyone is censored, if we allow censorship to begin.

Holy shit. Glenn Greenwald seemed to confirm what Alexa O’ Brien said to me during the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations: “The culture wars are over. Everyone lost.” It’s just taking some of us longer to realize this, to perceive this fact. The capitalist rulers not only hate the left, they hate the right, too. All opposition to the elite rule is being targeted for censorship.

Glenn Greenwald pointed out that a big contributing factor to Biden’s presidential win is the fact that many Republicans drifted over to the Democrat Party, having recognized that the Democrat Party is now, without a doubt, the party of corporate power. If we are Democrats disappointed in corruption in the Democrat Party, we just can’t forget the Republican Party is also a corrupt handmaiden to corporate power, too. The answer isn’t to swing pendulum-like between two sides of a two-party dictatorship, it’s to expand party politics. Jimmy Dore talked about his past efforts to help build a third party movement. Many of us go back to the years of Ralph Nader, or further. At some point, we have to admit this dictatorship we live under is antidemocratic and does not allow any competition a chance to grow.

(c. 24:23) Jimmy Dore asks Glenn Greenwald about the longstanding problem with the misguided belief that progressive reformers within the Democrat Party will be able to capture the party from the left, which has never worked in the USA since the Second Red Scare and McCarthyism vilified, criminalized, and witch-hunted leftists after WWII. And, worse, as Jimmy Dore points out, having ostensibly leftist reformers within the Democrat Party, such as the Squad, creates a false sense of opposition among Democrats. Yet, the evidence proves that the Democrat Party is not a sincere opposition party to the Republican Party.

(c. 37:15)

(c. 39:05) On Greenwald’s resignation from The Intercept over censorship issues.

(c. 1:01:49) On Greenwald’s abandoned friendships with Rachel Maddow, Chris Hays, and the topic of “cognitive capture”

[notes will be expanded as time constraints allow… cheers…]

***

[24 NOV 2020]

[Last modified on 24 NOV 2020 at 14:19 PST]

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Línea Abierta On Radio Bilingüe Network: State-Sanctioned Mass Graves In México?

20 Mon Jun 2016

Posted by ztnh in Anti-Fascism, Latin America, México, Police State, Political Science

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Expresión Libre, KMPO, Línea Abierta, mass graves, Morelos, police terrorism, Radio Bilingüe, Radio Bilingüe Radio Network

radio-bilingue-logo-spanish_05LUMPENPROLETARIAT—Are you bilingual?  Are you a polyglot?  Is Spanish one of the languages you speak, or are interested in learning?  If so, then Radio Bilingüe, a free speech bilingual radio network broadcast across California, the American Southwest, and beyond, may be beneficial and/or of interest to you.  As a Chicano who grew up on lowrider oldies, many of us appreciate the oldies show.  Then there is some nice mariachi and other traditional classics in the morning commute.  Plus, there is also some nice talk shows, including in the Spanish language.  For example, since Democracy Now! has begun producing a Spanish language version of their broadcasts, Radio Bilingüe airs Democracy Now! en español.  Another talk show is Línea Abierta, which is the first—and only—national live talk and call-in programme in public broadcasting interconnecting Spanish-speaking audiences and newsmakers throughout the USA and Mexico. [1]

Today’s broadcast of Línea Abierta investigated wanton killings of civilians by México’s local, state, and federal police.  Mass graves have been found, including in the Mexican state of Morelos; and experts are arguing that state complicity goes up to the highest ranks of government.  Listen (and/or download) here. [2]

Messina

***

ExpresionLibre,20JUN2016,Monday_673x324LÍNEA ABIERTA—[20 JUN 2016] State-Sanctioned Mass Grave?

Mexican authorities began exhuming more than 100 bodies found in an illegal mass grave in Morelos, a state that’s among the hardest hit by drug-related violence. The dumping site was under the supervision of the state attorney general office. Advocates of the victims call this a state crime.

Guests: Javier Sicilia, Writer, Peace Activist, Cuernavaca, MX; Juan Villoro, Writer, Journalist, Cuernavaca, MX; Dr. Jesús Alejandro Vera, President, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos; María Concepción Hernández Hernández, mother of Oliver Wenceslao Navarrete Hernández, case that triggered the exhumations; Guillermina Sotelo Castañeda, Mother of César Iván González, who disappeared in Guerrero.

Photo: expresionlibre.org

For more information about Linea Abierta click here

To visit Linea Abierta audio archives go to archivosderb.org

Learn more at LÍNEA ABIERTA.

***

[1]  Línea Abierta is the first — and only — national live talk and call-in program in public broadcasting interconnecting Spanish-speaking audiences and newsmakers throughout the United States and Mexico.  Each weekday, Línea Abierta offers an hour of news, analysis, features, interviews, round-tables, special series and listener call-ins on current events, health, jobs, politics, the environment, education, the arts and culture, race relations and immigrant rights, and more. Diverse guests and audience members exchange views and crucial information, as our experienced hosts lead the dialogue.  Radio Bilingüe launched Línea Abierta in 1995 to meet the void of intelligent, thoughtful Spanish language and Latino-oriented public affairs programming in public and commercial media — and it is still unmatched today, carried by 75 stations across the nation. Available free to stations via satellite, content deport and radiobilingue.org.

[2]  Terrestrial radio transmission, 88.7 FM (KMPO, Modesto-Stockton, CA), with online simulcast and digital archiving:  Línea Abierta, program #7808, Monday, 20 JUN 2016, 21:00 PDT, originally broadcast 12:00 PDT.

Also see “Las fosas clandestinas de la Fiscalía de Morelos”, Expresión Libre, 6 NOV 2015.

***

[20 JUN 2016]

[Last modified  10:29 PDT  21 JUN 2016]

 

 

 

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