| Written by Maria Elena Salinas |
| Monday, February 10 2003 |
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| Mexico City -- It never ceases to amaze me what a fascinating place Mexico City is. It's so full of life and energy. There is so much culture, great shopping, world-class restaurants and beautiful architecture. You can say that it has a lot in common with New York City. Maybe that's why a group of Mexican business leaders thought that former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani could do for La Zona Rosa what he did for Times Square: Clean it up, get rid of the criminals, and make it safe for people to walk down the street any time of the day. I hate to disappoint them, but Mexico City is no Big Manzana.
Giuliani's consulting company is being paid $4.3 million to tackle the Mexican capital's high crime rate. And when we talk about high crime, we're talking serious business. Mexico City is considered one of the world's most violent cities, with high rates of kidnappings, robberies and murders. Official statistics suggest that an estimated 500 crimes are reported every day in and around Mexico City -- but the real figure is thought to be much higher, since it is believed that almost 80 percent of crimes go unreported.
The situation is so bleak that Mexicans routinely joke about it. "Everything in Mexico City is certain," one joke goes. "If you walk the street, you're certain to be robbed; if you take a cab, you're certain to be kidnapped; and if you call a cop, you're certain to be robbed and kidnapped."
As the joke points out, corruption might be Giuliani's biggest challenge. Unfortunately, residents of the Mexican capital have lost faith in their police, prosecutors and judges. Law-enforcement officials routinely ask for "la mordida" -- which literally translates to "the bite" but really means "the bribe" -- to fix everything from a parking ticket to a murder charge. Distrusting Mexicans who fall victim to crimes don't report it to the police because most feel the cop is probably involved in crime himself.
One of the main problems is that until recently, anyone who wanted to be a police officer simply filled out an application, and he or she would be given a uniform, badge and gun the very next day. On a recent trip to Mexico, I saw a news story on television that showed a group of out-of-shape men with beer bellies and their tongues hanging out during physical exercise. These were current police officers who were being tested to see if they fit the bill; if not, they would get dumped. The average street cop in Mexico has only a third-grade education. The average salary is about $100 dollars a month. They feel it pays better to commit crimes than to try to stop them.
So far, Giuliani's venture into Mexican internal affairs has been met with the traditional Mexican skepticism over advice from across the border. There was even a report that Colombian drug dealers were plotting to kidnap Giuliani in Mexico City. But the former mayor, who still enjoys international adoration for his handling of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and for cleaning up Times Square, seems undeterred. He sees similarities between Mexico City and New York, and he believes he can make a difference.
Mr. Giuliani is a crime-fighter-turned-politician, not a miracle worker. Don't get me wrong -- I don't want to be pessimistic. It is a shame that crime is driving Mexicans away from their own capital and keeping fearful tourists away. But it's going to take a lot more than $4 million and a year's worth of advice from America's favorite mayor to end decades of corruption and distrust. |
