Drug war may hurt 'Sister City' relationship

Drug war may hurt 'Sister City' relationship
By Gustavo Reveles Acosta / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 06/15/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT


Juarez Mayor Jose Reyes-Ferriz answers questions regarding the current violence that has taken over Juarez, resulting in the deaths of over 450 people. (

Some of the ties that bind El Paso and Juárez -- the seamless blending of cultures and billions of dollars in trade -- could be threatened by the recent drug-cartel war that already has killed more than 450 people south of the Rio Grande.

While civic leaders maintain that the relationship between the "Sister Cities" remains strong, residents and business owners on both sides of the border feel that the violence could weaken the bond El Paso and Juárez have long enjoyed.

"I've lived here all my life, and it wasn't until recently that I felt unsafe about crossing the border to go eat dinner or go shopping," said Rose Moore, a Westsider who has relatives in Juárez. "I hate to give in to the fear, but I frankly don't
think I can handle crossing the bridge and not think about all the violence."

The mayors of El Paso and Juárez said they knew the drug war could have a severe effect on the relationship the two cities have, but they insisted the labor, political and economic ties linking the cities have not been harmed.

Moreover, El Paso Mayor John Cook said the U.S. side of the border should do "everything we can" to help the Mexican government take control of the streets.

Why?

"It's a matter of being a good neighbor. The bottom line is that we need to be compassionate of what is happening in our backyard," Cook said of his desire to help Juárez.

"If that's not enough, then there's economics.

El Paso and Juárez do more than $54 billion a year in trade, Cook said, "and we don't want to see that dry up."

Indeed, Mexican nationals are believed to account for at least half of the retail sales in El Paso shopping centers.

The developers of the proposed The Fountains shopping center said they were trying to grasp a realistic figure on the impact Juárez and the state of Chihuahua has on retail in El Paso so they can attract high-end shops to the city.

The maquiladora industry, too, is dependent on the stability of both Juárez and El Paso, and economists say having a shaky situation across the border could have a negative effect on the jobs of many on this side.

According to a 2005 report from the Federal Reserve Bank, one of five jobs the twin-plant industry in Juárez produces is in El Paso.

The study also found that the employment impact the maquiladoras have in El Paso is even greater, given that nearly $25 billion in raw materials is imported to the United States through local ports of entry.

Partnership is OK

Juárez Mayor José Reyes Ferriz acknowledged that the execution-style murders in his streets could eventually strain the relationship with El Paso.

But so far, the "friendship" between the two cities remains intact, he said.

"I don't think it has affected the relationship between Juárez and El Paso," Reyes Ferriz said. "In reality, we've had a very good response from the authorities in El Paso."

He said the El Paso Police Department has helped recover stolen vehicles on the international bridges through traffic checks, and he also praised the work the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has done to deter the trafficking of guns to Mexico.

"It think it's important the United States understands that the problems we live with on the border are shared. It is a problem generated by the consumption of drugs in the United States," Reyes Ferriz said.

The U.S. government needs to do its part by preventing the flow of weapons into Mexico, Reyes Ferriz said.

"There is technology to do this," he said. "As a municipal government, we would like to do it, but we don't have the resources to install that equipment. But the U.S. does, and it should stop the illegal flow of arms into Mexico."

Cook echoed Reyes Ferriz's feelings that the relationship between the two cities remains strong and offered assurance that El Paso is doing everything it can to help stop the violence.

"Frankly, though, there is not much we as a city can do," he said. "It really is up to the federal authorities to step up and provide the resources needed to help the Mexican authorities. I don't think El Paso has much pull to make that happen."

El Paso is safe

Cook said that even if the drug-war situation continues to deteriorate, he is confident that safety in El Paso will remain high.

He said he believes that the leadership in Juárez is more than capable, but that the system is burdened by corruption that has made fighting the drug-cartel war much more difficult.

"I'm not trying to criticize the Mexican officials, but I believe we don't have that level of corruption here," Cook said.

"On top of that we have the Border Patrol, U.S. Customs, the FBI, the El Paso Police Department, the El Paso Sheriff's Office ... more law enforcement that you can imagine," he said. "I don't think the people involved in the drug war would be smart to come across."

Lower Valley resident Sofia Ortiz is not to sure the violence won't eventually cross the bridges, though. She said she feared that some of the drug lords now fighting in Juárez will eventually be in El Paso and be under fire.

"These narcos have money so I'm sure they're at the malls and eating at our restaurants," she said. "Who's to say their enemies won't come over and start shooting at them when they're sitting down to eat here in El Paso."

Fear understandable

El Paso authorities said fears that the violence in Juárez will cross over are exaggerated. Psychologists, though, said the fear may not be unfounded.

"There is a fear of life, a fear of business loss, and other fears because what is happening in Juárez seems open-ended," said Gary Feldman, an El Paso psychologist. "For people on this side of the border to experience fear is normal, especially if we're talking about people who pay attention to the media and current events."

Feldman said the murders in Juárez -- both those associated with the drug wars and the decade-old killings of women in the city -- could cause some people in El Paso to feel their sense of normalcy is threatened.

He said people with no ties to the drug wars should try to control their fear, minimize their involvement in Juárez and "keep a low profile."

Cook said he understands why some El Pasoans are experiencing fear because of the events across the border, but he urged people to remember that Juárez is an integral part of El Paso.

He added that "our Sister City" needs help.

"Let's be compassionate about what is happening to our brothers and sisters in Juárez," Cook said. "Let's do everything we can to help them, and keep them in our prayers."

Gustavo Reveles Acosta may be reached at greveles@elpasotimes.com; 546-6133.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_9590775