Terrorism spread in Mexico
Two weeks ago the EOR guerrillas bombed oil and natural gas pipelines, exhibiting intimate knowledge of the delivery infrastructure and its emergency backup procedure; this week the groups bombed a Sears Robuck store, vowing to continue a campaign against “the interests of the national and foreign oligarchy.”
Terrorism is spreading in Mexico, and American businesses should begin to worry about it. We reported last week of a Mexican guerrilla group that took responsibility for attacking oil and natural gas installations. The group said yesterday that it had bombed a Sears store yesterday in southern Mexico, a chain owned by billionaire Carlos Slim. The bomb exploded in the Sears Roebuck de Mexico store in the city of Oaxaca and caused no injuries, according to local police. Mexico’s Televisa network showed broken glass from the explosion and damage to the store’s entrance. Police also found a bag containing explosive material inside a branch of Citigroup’s Banamex unit.
The latest action by the Popular Revolutionary Army, or EPR, shows that the group intends to follow through on its promise to continue and expand its bombing campaign until authorities return two of its missing members. We note that the wording used in its latest statement also signals the EPR plans to challenge the legitimacy of President Felipe Calderon’s government. The statement spoke of strike “the interests of the national and foreign oligarchy.” Last month the EPR said it bombed a pipeline operated by state-owned oil monopoly Petroleos Mexicanos in two separate attacks. The damage cut natural-gas service for hundreds of residents and companies in four central Mexican states. More than 100 companies in Mexico, including automaker Nissan Motor and cereal maker Kellogg, reduced or halted production.
