Mexican Tragedy
"We are going to eradicate that which not only causes material damages, it is not only what the nation loses by this illegal trade, this black market of fuel, but the risk, the danger, the loss of human lives."
"I believe in the people, I trust in the people, and I know that with these painful, regrettable lessons, the people will also distance themselves from these practices."
"Mexico needs to end corruption. This is not negotiable."
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
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| January 18, Firefighters stand at the scene of the explosion at Tlahuelilpan, Mexico |
Gangs of fuel thieves have been drilling illegal taps into pipelines in Mexico. In 2018, an average of about 42 of these dangerous events have taken place for a total of 12,581 ruptures. The loss to the government of revenues is staggering from State oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex). In an effort to put a stop to the thefts, Mexico's President Obrador was responsible for an offensive, ordering the pipeline to close down temporarily. An move that made fuel scarce and expensive.
The crackdown that was meant to solve one problem created another as gas stations experienced fuel shortages. The situation is seriously troubling, Mexico can ill afford to forego the $3-billion it loses annually in fuel to the enterprising fuel-theft gangs. As though the country is not sufficiently challenged with its proliferation of narcotics cartels and the deaths that accompany rival gangs' territorial ambitions and challenges.
In central Mexico last Friday, the pipeline that supplies a great swath of central Mexico with fuel, recently re-opened, was breached by thieves. And although Pemex became aware of the breach, it did nothing to stop the gush of fuel for several hours. In the interim, fuel-starved locals swarmed to the site where they had heard gasoline was gushing freely, bringing with them buckets, jugs, whatever might hold fuel they could return home with.
There were soldiers at the site, urging the people to turn away, but their cautions were largely ignored. As the fuel spurted and people gathered around collecting what they could, the fuel ignited, then exploded and a fireball lit up the night sky. Flames shot into the sky, and people screamed, trying to escape the explosion. Many of those fleeing were on fire. People were burned so thoroughly visual identification is not possible. In some instances there are only piles of ashes to indicate where people fell as they burned to death.
Hidalgo State Governor Omar Fayad spoke of dozens of people missing, of 74 who were being treated for their injuries. The latest death count stands at 91. Most of the bodies will be difficult to identify, and this is where DNA testing comes in with relatives offering samples to be matched with whatever is left of their loved ones. Forensic workers, close to the explosion site, marked mounds of ash with numbers.
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| Forensic doctors work at the scene of the pipeline explosion, January 19. |
The duct that had been perforated by fuel thieves lured hundreds of people from Tlahuelilpan -- about 100 kilometres north of Mexico City -- to the site as gasoline was thrust 20 feet into the air. President Obrador has tasked his attorney general to investigate to determine whether the explosion was deliberately caused. More likely, it resulted from risks inherent in clandestine fuel extraction. He believes in the people, he averred, calling on them to give testimony.
To inform authorities what they know about the chain of blackmarket fuel theft. The pipeline that had taken such a terrible toll on the locals had already been breached ten times before this last, fatal event. And that particular breach was one locals had visited frequently for 'free' fuel. This breach began with a gentle trickle of fuel until one of the locals pried a steel bar into the breach to enlarge it and the gasoline began spurting out.
If locals do have information, if they do know of names and activities that they themselves have long taken advantage of, how likely are they to deliver that information to authorities if they also fear retribution from the gangs, much less recognition of their own culpability?
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| Motorists wait in line for hours to buy gasoline at a Pemex service station in Guadalajara, Jalisco state, Mexico. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has urged Mexicans not to panic as gasoline shortages spread across the country, caused by a crackdown on fuel theft that risks backfiring badly. |
Labels: Mexico, Pemex, Pipeline, Tragedy
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, January 22, 2019
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