News
Nogales mayors speak about border violence
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| Manuel C. Coppola | Nogales International Mayors Octavio Garcia-Von Borstel (left) and Marco Antonio Martinez Dabdoub blamed the media for sensationalizing the violence and fueling fears about public safety. |
By Manuel C. Coppola, Nogales International
Mexico needs tourists and the media is overplaying of the violence that has plagued the border is harmful to Ambos Nogales.
Mayors Octavio Garcia-Von Borstel and Marco Antonio Martinez Dabdoub blamed the media for sensationalizing the violence and fueling fears about public safety.
That was the message conveyed during a press conference Tuesday by the mayors of both communities at the Morley Avenue Pedestrian Port of Entry. The pair met to reassure tourists and shoppers that the border is safe.
Garcia-Von Borstel and Martinez Dabdoub blamed the media for sensationalizing the violence and fueling fears about public safety.
To make his point, Garcia-Von Borstel pointed to an article in a Tucson newspaper last week in which it was reported on Page 1 that Fort Huachuca officials had warned soldiers not to travel to Mexico.
“This is not true. The post has always required that soldiers gain permission” from superiors before traveling abroad, he said. “This is nothing new.”
To help ensure the safety of shoppers and tourists, he said that municipal police and the Border Patrol in the United States have stepped up bicycle patrols along the border on the Arizona side.
On his side of the fence, Martinez Dabdoub said tourist police stand at the ready not only for security, but to serve as a resource to orient travelers to help create a “safe zone.”
In addition, federal special military forces remain in Nogales, Sonora where murders are up more than 200 percent. As of Tuesday, the unofficial count was 130 homicides compared to 51 in 2007.
Garcia emphasized that the killings are among the criminal element, particularly the drug cartels. “There has not been a homicide in Nogales, Ariz., in recent history,” he offered.
“That is something the Nogales Police Department and me as mayor are very proud of.”
Martinez Dabdoub said that tourism is of vital importance to the Mexican economy. “We want visitors to have the certainty that in Mexico they will be received with open arms because we need them so that our citizens won’t have the necessity to migrate illegally to our neighboring country and that they are not tempted to turn to illicit activities.”
The violence that we have exists along the entire border on both sides.
Acts of vandalism have increased in various U.S. cities and that has not resulted in Mexicans not being fearful when we visit cities such as Tucson. Nevertheless, I visit the city whenever I can.”
As the mayor addressed the press, the line of seemingly undaunted Mexican shoppers waiting to cross into the United States at Morley Avenue meandered for about half a mile.
The wait was about an hour.
At Grand Avenue, it was reported that the line was twice as long.
Manuel C. Coppola is the editor and publisher of the Nogales International.
Mayors Octavio Garcia-Von Borstel and Marco Antonio Martinez Dabdoub blamed the media for sensationalizing the violence and fueling fears about public safety.
That was the message conveyed during a press conference Tuesday by the mayors of both communities at the Morley Avenue Pedestrian Port of Entry. The pair met to reassure tourists and shoppers that the border is safe.
Garcia-Von Borstel and Martinez Dabdoub blamed the media for sensationalizing the violence and fueling fears about public safety.
To make his point, Garcia-Von Borstel pointed to an article in a Tucson newspaper last week in which it was reported on Page 1 that Fort Huachuca officials had warned soldiers not to travel to Mexico.
“This is not true. The post has always required that soldiers gain permission” from superiors before traveling abroad, he said. “This is nothing new.”
To help ensure the safety of shoppers and tourists, he said that municipal police and the Border Patrol in the United States have stepped up bicycle patrols along the border on the Arizona side.
On his side of the fence, Martinez Dabdoub said tourist police stand at the ready not only for security, but to serve as a resource to orient travelers to help create a “safe zone.”
In addition, federal special military forces remain in Nogales, Sonora where murders are up more than 200 percent. As of Tuesday, the unofficial count was 130 homicides compared to 51 in 2007.
Garcia emphasized that the killings are among the criminal element, particularly the drug cartels. “There has not been a homicide in Nogales, Ariz., in recent history,” he offered.
“That is something the Nogales Police Department and me as mayor are very proud of.”
Martinez Dabdoub said that tourism is of vital importance to the Mexican economy. “We want visitors to have the certainty that in Mexico they will be received with open arms because we need them so that our citizens won’t have the necessity to migrate illegally to our neighboring country and that they are not tempted to turn to illicit activities.”
The violence that we have exists along the entire border on both sides.
Acts of vandalism have increased in various U.S. cities and that has not resulted in Mexicans not being fearful when we visit cities such as Tucson. Nevertheless, I visit the city whenever I can.”
As the mayor addressed the press, the line of seemingly undaunted Mexican shoppers waiting to cross into the United States at Morley Avenue meandered for about half a mile.
The wait was about an hour.
At Grand Avenue, it was reported that the line was twice as long.
Manuel C. Coppola is the editor and publisher of the Nogales International.
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