Mexican lawmaker: Oil-stealing cartel now ‘a parallel government’
OPS_admin | Dec 14, 2009 | Comments 0
Profits driven by the prohibition of drugs and other criminal enterprises have enabled the Zeta cartel to become “a parallel government,” according to a Mexican lawmaker quoted in a Sunday report by The Washington Post.
The Zetas, founded by former Mexican military commandos, are a prime player in the theft of over $1 billion of Mexico's crude oil, according to the report.
“Oil theft has been a persistent problem for the state-run Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, but the robbery increased sharply after Calderón launched his war against the cartels shortly after taking office in December 2006,” the Post noted.
Oil stolen by Mexican cartels is often smuggled into the U.S. and sold for obscene profits. Pemex said that it lost over $715 million to theft in 2008 and expects to lose over $300 million in 2009.
Eduardo Mendoza Arellano, a Mexican lawmaker charged with energy policies, reportedly claimed the cartel has become so powerful thy could be considered “a parallel government.”
Full Story Mexican lawmaker: Oil-stealing cartel now ‘a parallel government’ | Raw Story.
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If we don't change our ways soon...
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