Criminal organizations such as drug cartels tend to seek to replace state functions in territories they control, including welfare. Such is the case of Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, a drug lord known as "Chapo Isidro" did just that in the Sinaloa municipality of Los Mochis whose cartel reportedly handed over food and toys during Christmas Images circulating on social media and picked up by Infobae show boxes with logos tied to the cartel and reading "Merry Christmas." The organization led by the "Chapo Isidro" is not part of any of the two factions of the Sinaloa Cartel currently engulfed in a bloody turf war since early September Empresa Guasave Or Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, "Chapo Isidro" Delivers Pantries And Toys In Los Mochis, Sinaloa. Story by @aic_07 https://t.co/10dgsmpzA5 pic.twitter.com/QrZFMPItW3 However, the organization is a large player in the world of drug trafficking and likely took a significant hit this month, as the largest fentanyl bust in Mexican history has been linked to the group A member of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel it allegedly lost thousands of pounds with a street value of $400 million in the bust Meza Flores has been on the radar of the U.S.'s Department of the Treasury since 2013 American authorities say "El Chapo Isidro" entered the drug-trafficking business in 2000 when he started distributing methamphetamines marijuana and cocaine all across the state of Sinaloa Meza Flores is the alleged leader of the Meza Flores Transnational Criminal Organization The group is allegedly responsible for the possession and importation of large quantities of opioids into the United States "El Chapo Isidro" was originally indicted in 2012 in the U.S District Court for the District of Columbia on drug trafficking charges but the FBI and the United States Department of State's Narcotics Rewards Program offers up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest former Chief of International Operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) "El Chapo Isidro" operates in the Sinaloa municipalities of Guasave and even counts with strong influences in Central and South America as well as in the U.S LBV Magazine English Edition In a discovery that sheds light on the complex interactions between pre-Hispanic cultures in northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States archaeologists have uncovered what could be the most extensive shell mound site in the state of Sinaloa one of 17 islets scattered across the Gulf of California in the municipality of Guasave made during a recent archaeological survey led by José Rodrigo Vivero Miranda a PhD candidate in Archaeology at the University of Oklahoma could provide key insights into understanding the dynamics of a region that functioned as a cultural transition area absorbing influences from both Aridoamerica and Mesoamerica supported by the federal Ministry of Culture through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) identified 15 archaeological sites along a roughly 30-kilometer route between the towns of Chorohui and La Pitahaya the most important discovery was made on Macapule Island: eight imposing shell mounds rising up to 12 meters high and reaching circumferences of 30 meters at their base spread over 8 kilometers from the coastline The uniqueness of this discovery lies not only in its magnitude but also in its strategic geographical location is located more than 300 kilometers to the south highlighting the significance of Macapule Island as a unique enclave for studying pre-Hispanic cultural dynamics in the region The archaeological potential of the island has prompted the INAH Sinaloa Center under the direction of Servando Rojo Quintero to initiate the necessary procedures for the site to be declared an Archaeological Monuments Zone a designation that would ensure its protection and facilitate future research especially given the possibility that more pre-Hispanic occupation sites may exist in the mangrove areas surrounding this Protected Natural Area Although excavations at the Macapule Island shell mounds are pending a formal agreement between the INAH Sinaloa Center and the University of Oklahoma Researchers hope to find archaeological contexts as rich as those uncovered in 1938 by American archaeologist Gordon F revealing complex funerary practices and significant cultural interaction Preliminary analysis suggests that the Guasave area functioned as a cultural melting pot where elements of various traditions fused to create a unique identity This dynamic is compared to that of modern border cities like Tijuana or Nogales where the confluence of cultures generates distinctive cultural expressions The importance of this discovery lies in its potential to deepen our understanding of how ancient societies in the region integrated foreign cultural elements into their daily lives the Macapule Island archaeological site offers a unique window into exploring not only the subsistence strategies of these peoples but also the complex networks of commercial interaction between coastal and inland communities Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) de México Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email Archaeologists from universities in the United States and Denmark found deep within the Actun Uayazba Kab cave in Belize two small stone tools dated between 250 and 900 AD that… men and women gathered to play a game called Cuju A team of researchers has succeeded in recreating for the first time in a laboratory experiment a phenomenon that until now only existed as a theory in the realm of… the Cantonal Archaeology of Aargau carried out a rescue excavation between early May 2024 and the end of March 2025 The Egyptian archaeological mission affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities announced the discovery of a group of defensive structures and a system of moats that could indicate… In the southeastern area of the city of Rome archaeologists excavating inside the Triton Baths within the monumental complex of the Villa di Sette… Why did some animals from ancient eras become fossils while others simply disappeared without a trace A recent study on the cave paintings of the Altamira Cave in Santillana del Mar Cantabria (Spain) has concluded that some of the artworks it contains could be much older… A team of paleontologists from the University of Leicester has managed to decipher one of the many enigmas of the dinosaur era—the exact moment when pterosaurs Rome achieved numerous military victories that allowed it to grow and dominate nearly the entire known world in Antiquity Receive our news and articles in your email for free You can also support us with a monthly subscription and receive exclusive content A video of a girl walking a tiger cub on the streets of Guasava The footage filmed from inside a pickup truck shows a girl clad in shorts and a t-shirt walking the tiger on a rope leash People go out for a walk with a tiger,” the man is heard saying as he approaches in his vehicle and in their brief conversation she indicates that she has another tiger at home Last month a woman was photographed walking her pet tiger in Mexico City’s wealthy Polanco district pointing out that the animal is not a Bengal tiger and that owning an exotic species is legal in Mexico if the owner meets with requirements set by environmental officials En #Guasave #Sinaloa esta niña fue captada por un automovilista, cuando paseaba un tigre por la calle. Solo en México…👇🏾🤦🏾‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/lfPqE5a12O — Juan Rivas (@Rivas_Juan) October 12, 2020 Exotic animal owners must obtain approval from the Ministry of the Environment (Semarnat) must prove the animal was born in captivity and that the animal will be confined under conditions that guarantee the safety of the public The owner must also show respect to the animal Not everyone is up to the task of taking care of an exotic animal like a tiger a parks and wildlife official in Nuevo León says that people who own exotic pets must be able to provide the animals “with correct facilities and adequate knowledge of their diet and its maintenance the [exotic animal dealers] do not pay attention to this and sell to anyone without knowing if they meet these requirements.” Although Mexican law does not prohibit the purchase of exotic animals it does prohibit someone from taking their tiger out for a stroll around the neighborhood “Animals cannot be exhibited on the street they have to be in a confined site because they are exotic and dangerous The law says that they have to be totally confined with no possibility of escape to guarantee the safety of civil society,” said Herrera a lemur and a crocodile from a home in Hermosillo after a 7-year-old girl was attacked by one of the tigers The owner said he was planning on establishing a private zoo Source: El Heraldo de México (sp) ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC The 13th annual Mexican Baseball Fiesta returns to the Kino Sports Complex on Oct with weekend festivities including double-header games the University of Arizona Wildcats and live entertainment The fiesta is now part of the the Liga Arco Mexicana del Pacifico’s version of the spring training LAMP Tour and will feature six professional teams from the Mexican Pacific League - Naranjeros de Hermosillo The Wildcat baseball team will also be competing the Arco Mexican Pacific League has developed a great partnership with the Mexican Baseball Fiesta and we are proud to now be part of the official preseason," said Francisco Gamez Mexican Baseball Fiesta founder and partner "We are happy to celebrate with the Arizona fans the championship obtained by a participant of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta the Naranjeros de Hermosillo This is their 17 championship and the second one achieved while participating on the MBF.”  Gamez played more than 10 years in the Mexican Pacific League as well as in the Milwaukee Brewers organization with the Sonoran band La Brissa performing following the Sunday doubleheader “The Vamos A Tucson Mexican Baseball Fiesta has become one of the top entertainment/baseball events on the Tucson calendar,” said Mike Feder and the fun make this a unique experience for all baseball fans We believe the fiesta is the largest Hispanic sporting event in Tucson every year.”  Feder is a 30-year minor league baseball general manager with 15 of those years as the GM of the Tucson Triple-A franchise Gamez joined Feder in forming the Mexican Baseball Fiesta LLC in 2011 Doubleheaders will be featured on each of the four days of the event.  The Wildcats will play in the second game of the doubleheader on Oct the team's fifth appearance at the tournament under head coach Chip Hale "Playing in the Mexican Baseball Fiesta is an honor for Arizona baseball," said UA coach Chip Hale "It is a great event for our program to be associated with The baseball passion of Tucson is on full display and our players get to be a part of it." The fiesta will also take place in the Phoenix area from Sept 26 – 29 at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Maryvale and Camelback Ranch in Glendale.  The MBF will also hold games in Nogales at War Memorial Stadium Aguilas de Mexicali will face Charros de Jalisco  on Oct and Algodoneros de Guasave take on Mayos de Navojoa at 6 p.m Ticket prices for the Fiesta are $25 for box seats $20 for general admission and $10 for children 6-16 and can be purchased online at the fiesta website Tickets will also be on sale beginning Sept Kino Sports Complex will enforce its clear bag policy during the event clutch purses no larger than 4.5” x 5” and clear tote bags no larger than 12”x 6”x 12” A list of approved items can be found here follows first gameThere will be a home run derby between games follows first gameLa Brissa will perform following the second game The Kino Sports Complex is located at 2500 E. Ajo Way. Further information is available at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta website the Tucson Sentinel publishes our stories without a paywall We believe a healthy community depends on everyone having access to quality independent journalism we're committed to providing real reporting to all Southern Arizona residents A single story can cost us thousands of dollars to report – some take months & months of dogged digging others require paying for tall stacks of records that officials don't want to provide Some mean driving to remote corners of Pima County & some see our reporters sitting through endless government meetings to make sure they get the whole story & not just a quick headline Our award-winning newsroom has some of the best reporters and we're dedicated to getting the story right Our pioneering effort (we were one of the very first local nonprofit news outlets in the entire country) to rebuild local journalism will only work if enough people join our Watchdog Club community of paying members Please join today for as little as $15/month For those who can't afford to contribute right now, please sign up for our free Watchdog Update newsletters & help the spread word about the Sentinel to your friends Your contributions help the Sentinel sustain & grow our nonprofit newsroom & bolster our commitment to delivering the important independent news our community needs to thrive The Tucson Sentinel is published by Tucson Investigative Reporting Center Inc. we're committed to providing real reporting to everyone in Southern Arizona But a single story can cost us thousands of dollars to report – some take months and months of dogged digging and some see our reporters sitting through endless government meetings to make sure they get the whole story and not just a quick headline Our pioneering effort to rebuild local news will only work if enough people join our Watchdog Club community of paying members For those who can't afford to contribute right now, please sign up for one of our free Watchdog Update newsletters and help the spread word about the Sentinel to your friends A smarter Tucson is a better Tucson — and the Sentinel shines a light on this town because we love it Tucson Sentinel's independent nonprofit newsroom is an award-winning journalism pioneer that learns from & informs Southern Arizonans about the community challenges & unique culture of our Borderlands. © 2009-2025 TucsonSentinel.com Tucson Sentinel's independent nonprofit newsroom learns from & informs Southern Arizonans about the community challenges & unique culture of our Borderlands. The municipalities covered by the declaration are Ahome Mexico’s Servicio Meteorológico Nacional said the severe weather was caused by the passage of Tropical Depression 19-E. Sinaloa Governor, Quirino Ordaz Coppel, said in a statement that 359 mm of rain fell in Los Mochis in 24 hours to 20 September Around 60,000 people were left without power and 150,000 affected by interruptions to drinking water supply At least three people have died as a result of the severe weather One person died after being electrocuted from fallen power cables in Los Mochis Two people drowned after being swept away by flood water in Culiacán Local media say more people are reported missing Damage to homes was reported in Los Mochis Sinaloa’s State Committee for Civil Protection said that 2,336 people were evacuated and were staying in 13 relief shelters Schools have been closed and classes suspended at all educational levels in the municipalities of Culiacan Further severe weather affected parts of western Mexico Flooding has forced residents to evacuate their homes in the municipalities of Batopilas, Chínipas, Guazapares, Maguarichi, Uruachi and Urique in the state of Chihuahua, according to local media — SEDENA México (@SEDENAmx) September 21, 2018 Atentos, continuarán las #Lluvias en #Sinaloa, generado por un amplio sistema de #Tormentas pic.twitter.com/GVic3cRD4L — CONAGUA Clima (@conagua_clima) September 20, 2018 https://twitter.com/PresidenciaMX/status/1042914930444316672 — SEDENA México (@SEDENAmx) September 24, 2018 — CONAGUA Clima (@conagua_clima) September 24, 2018 Richard Davies is the founder of floodlist.com and reports on flooding news Cookies | Privacy | Contacts © Copyright 2025 FloodList Mexican Baseball FiestaSloan Park is excited to once again host the Mexican Baseball Fiesta Friday, September 29, through Sunday, October 1! This year's tournament showcases four teams from Mexico: Naranjeros de Hermosillo, Yaquis de Obregón, Aguilas de Mexicali and Algodoneros de Guasave. Friday’s game starts at 7 p.m. MST, while Saturday’s doubleheader and Sunday’s game both start at 4 p.m. MST. Following Sunday’s game, attendees can enjoy a postgame concert featuring Contacto Norte. Buy Tickets Saturday, September 30 at 4 p.m. MSTGame 1: Guasave vs. MexicaliGame 2: Hermosillo vs. Obregón sand and surf worshippers flocked to the beach in Guasave over the weekend despite the municipality having the third highest coronavirus tally in the northern state About 7,000 people descended on Las Glorias beach located on the Gulf of California coast approximately 40 kilometers southwest of the city of Guasave Videos that circulated on social media showed crowds of people making it impossible for them to observe social distancing recommendations one could be forgiven for thinking that the coronavirus pandemic had spared Guasave Guasave has recorded 1,471 confirmed cases of Covid-19 the third highest number in Sinaloa after state capital Culiacán and the resort city of Mazatlán With 9,163 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 1,434 fatalities as of Monday Sinaloa has the ninth highest case tally in the country and sixth highest death toll The risk of coronavirus infection is still at the “red light” maximum level in Sinaloa, according to the federal government’s “stoplight” system but even so Las Glorias beach was reopened to the public on July 1 after being closed for the previous three months is also a “red light” state but that didn’t stop residents organizing large events over the weekend police put an end to a soccer match at a local field where more than 70 people had gathered while authorities intervened to prevent a volleyball tournament from going ahead in neighboring Ruíz some 30 people attending a street party were dispersed by authorities The flouting of restrictions in Nayarit came just a week after Governor Antonio Echevarría García called on citizens to act responsibly amid the growing coronavirus pandemic in the Pacific coast state Nayarit has recorded 2,055 confirmed cases since the beginning of the pandemic and 217 deaths coronavirus restrictions have been tightened in Quintana Roo capital Chetumal due to an increase in case numbers Quintana Roo security chief Alberto Capella said that a quarantine would be reimposed at 11:00 p.m He said that the stay-at-home directive came from Governor Carlos Joaquín González Blanco has recorded 859 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 44 deaths Hospitals in the municipality currently have an average occupancy rate of 59% also home to the tourist destinations of Cancún has recorded 4,333 cases and 628 deaths since the start of the pandemic “Orange light” restrictions currently apply in the Caribbean coast state Source: La Jornada (sp), Milenio (sp)  Para leer en español click aqui The narco bosses arrived at a ranch in the arid hills near the Sinaloan villages known as Los Sitios on the morning of Sept. 2 to finalize the plans for war. Leading the meeting was Ismael Zambada Sicairos, or “Mayito Flaco,” the 42-year old son of the legendary drug lord El Mayo. His father was said to have been doubled-crossed kidnapped and forced onto a plane to be handed to U.S A crucial presence at the council of war was Fausto Isidro Meza Flores a major trafficker with a strong base in the northern Sinaloa town of Guasave and influence far beyond Isidro shares the “Chapo” nickname with the infamous Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán but he had been on the opposing side in several conflicts Another key attendee was José Gil Caro Quintero known as “Pelo Chino” or “Curly,” a cousin (although commonly referred to as a nephew) of eighties drug lord Rafael “Caro” Quintero blamed for the death of DEA agent Kiki Camarena The younger Caro Quintero took over his uncle’s faction of the Sinaloa mob in Sonora and also runs operations in Veracruz They had been negotiating since the arrest of Mayo on July 25 but the meeting was a chance to seal their alliance in person and finalize details Chapo Isidro and Caro Quintero pledged to send sicarios money and guns to support Mayito Flaco in the attack on the Chapitos The Chapitos were blamed for the treason against Mayo but the bosses also had various beefs with them The description of the meeting comes from an operator close to the Caro Quintero faction in Sonora who spoke to CrashOut the testimony is taken with caution but the operator has a track record of giving reliable information and further corroborating links that give him credibility “They want to fumigate the Chapitos,” he said The Mexican army has sent troops and special forces onto the streets but they have been unable to contain the violence, which has forced schools to shut, businesses to close and residents to cower in their homes. Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha on Wednesday called for calm but conceded there would likely more be violence, which was a rather frank admission that the government was incapable of keeping order - or chose not to. “You have been impacted by violent events,” Rocha said. “It’s probable that we will now have more similar events, the presence of armed groups.” Map showing location of war meeting near the villages of Sitio de Abajo and Nicolás del Sitio (Sitio de Arriba) which are known as Los Sitios. It is tough to estimate how many gunmen in total are active in the Mayos-Chapitos war now raging. But at the meeting near Los Sitios, the source said, Chapo Isidro pledged to send… Subscribe to read the full story and the wealth of reports here on CrashOut Para leer en espa\u00F1ol click aqui The narco bosses arrived at a ranch in the arid hills near the Sinaloan villages known as Los Sitios on the morning of Sept. 2 to finalize the plans for war. Leading the meeting was Ismael Zambada Sicairos, or \u201CMayito Flaco,\u201D the 42-year old son of the legendary drug lord El Mayo. His father was said to have been doubled-crossed Isidro shares the \u201CChapo\u201D nickname with the infamous Joaqu\u00EDn \u201CEl Chapo\u201D Guzm\u00E1n Another key attendee was Jos\u00E9 Gil Caro Quintero known as \u201CPelo Chino\u201D or \u201CCurly,\u201D a cousin (although commonly referred to as a nephew) of eighties drug lord Rafael \u201CCaro\u201D Quintero The younger Caro Quintero took over his uncle\u2019s faction of the Sinaloa mob in Sonora and also runs operations in Veracruz \u201CThey want to fumigate the Chapitos,\u201D he said \u201CThere is going to be a lot of violence.\u201D The Mexican army has sent troops and special forces onto the streets but they have been unable to contain the violence, which has forced schools to shut, businesses to close and residents to cower in their homes. Sinaloa Governor Rub\u00E9n Rocha on Wednesday called for calm but conceded there would likely more be violence, which was a rather frank admission that the government was incapable of keeping order - or chose not to. \u201CYou have been impacted by violent events,\u201D Rocha said. \u201CIt\u2019s probable that we will now have more similar events, the presence of armed groups.\u201D Map showing location of war meeting near the villages of Sitio de Abajo and Nicol\u00E1s del Sitio (Sitio de Arriba) which are known as Los Sitios It is tough to estimate how many gunmen in total are active in the Mayos-Chapitos war now raging 2025 Season of the Mexican Basketball League CHEVRON CIBACOPA: Unmatched Excitement!The Mexican Basketball League CHEVRON CIBACOPA has kicked off with a season full of action and excitement for basketball fans in Mexico With the level of competition higher than ever teams are giving it their all to claim the championship glory The games this season are of the highest quality and are being broadcast nationally and internationally thanks to a strategic alliance with beIN Sports the teams leading the standings are the Astros de Jalisco with two wins in two games and the best point difference also with a 2-0 record but with a smaller point difference In third place are the Pioneros de Los Mochis with historical teams and new talent battling for the championship the league has raised the competitive level even further with the addition of new talent as well as international coaches who will bring new strategic perspectives to the court The presence of coaches from the United States and Cameroon will enrich the dynamic of the games and promise a visually stunning spectacle are ready to defend their title against historically strong teams that are prepared to challenge their reign in the league and the level of play will be higher than ever Don’t miss a single moment of the 2025 season of CIBACOPA The best games and the best Mexican basketball are on beIN Sports and beIN Sports Connect Enjoy all the excitement and intensity of the league video has emerged on social media of unknown persons forcing young men to walk semi-nude through the streets of Guasave with their hands tied and bearing written messages implicating them as disloyal gangsters two young men were taken to the city center with their wrists tied in front of them and forced to walk through the streets wearing little clothing Declarations that they were chapulines (grasshoppers) a cartel term for gang members who join another rival gang or who are caught profiting on their own were written on their backs and on cardboard taped to their bodies police observed the incident but did not intervene Local authorities interviewed by the newspaper El Universal said that they had received no reports of Saturday’s incident Witnesses also said the two men bore evidence of physical blows to the buttocks commenters claimed that the two young men were captured in the nearby town of Batamote before being taken to Guasave This is the third time a similar event has happened in the city this year unknown persons forced three young people to walk nude through the Guasave’s city center with their hands tied behind their backs and cardboard signs taped to their chests declaring they were chapulines photographs appeared on social media of a completely nude young man showing evidence of blows to his back and buttocks forced to walk in the center of Guasave followed closely by a vehicle police did not intervene in the two previous incidents either Source: El Universal (sp) This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. There are 10 teams in this circuit, most of which represent cities located in the Pacific region of Mexico, specifically in the northwest and western parts of the country. For the new CIBACOPA season, the states represented in the league are: Here is the list of participating teams and their respective venues for this season: This year, the league has raised the competitive level even higher with the addition of new talents, along with international coaches who will bring a fresh strategic perspective to the court. The presence of coaches from the United States, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, Belgium, and Cameroon will enrich the dynamics of the games and promise a visually stunning spectacle. The Rayos de Hermosillo, last season’s champions, are ready to defend their title against historically powerful teams determined to challenge their dominance in the league. The excitement is guaranteed, and the level of play will be higher than ever. Don’t miss a single moment of the 2025 CIBACOPA season. The best games and the top Mexican basketball are on beIN Sports and beIN Sports Connect. Enjoy all the excitement and intensity of the league, where teams are fighting for glory! I lived in Houston and used to follow them during their road games I would go see them at Busch Stadium in St Louis where I had the opportunity to talk with many players on the dugout during their workouts It was 1973 and all my passion revolved around the St. Louis Cardinals when suddenly Al Hrabosky approached the group I didn’t know Hrabosky personally even though he had already had a few cups of coffee with St he was a 23-year-old boy who still didn’t have a beard or mustache He said he liked to intimidate rival hitters but if he had long hair it gave him a strong resemblance to the famous Spaniard bullfighter Manuel Benítez “El Cordobés.”  I talked with him about the journeys of his previous year when he played for the Algodoneros de Guasave team in the Mexican Pacific Coast Winter League This happened with a 2-1 win over the Culiacan team in the playoffs with Thor Skogan earning the win and the save for Alan Hraboski in the face of the cheers of the fans This earned Guasave the right to represent Mexico in the Caribbean Series Hrabosky was much loved in Guasave where he had many admirers for his manly carriage and long hair like “The Beatles.” In Guasave Hrabosky was known for his long hair and similar face and that earned him the nickname “El Cordobés,” that he proudly carried for the fame and bravery enjoyed by the Spaniard bullfighter Hrabosky was also remembered for his generosity as during the Christmas Holidays in the company of other players he gave toys to the under-resourced children of that community who boasted his nickname “El Cordobés” in the face of the mockery that he was subjected by his teammates Whoever saw Hrabosky play during his eight seasons (three of them partial) that he played in St will always remember how he acted when he was called from the bullpen Watching him run out from the depths of right field to go to the pitching mound banging his fist against his left glove and listening to Hungarian Rhapsody (Magyar Rapszódiák by Franz Liszt) booming across the stadium and after he walked a few steps towards the second base rubbed the ball heavily with his hands several times Returning to the mound to look down to the batter as the crowd roared this spectacle was not enjoyed by the batter Hrabosky was a pitcher who depended on his fastball 90% of the time and liked to intimidate hitters, always alluding to the help of his long hair, beard, and horseshoe mustache. However, when Vern Rapp arrived as manager of St Louis Cardinals in 1977 he asked all his players to cut their hair and shave their beards and mustaches which resulted in Hrabosky commenting that without his usual appearance he “would look like a golf pro.” Hrabosky spent two years in Kansas City and in 1979 signed a multi-year contract with the Atlanta Braves He retired playing for Atlanta on August 18 known as the “The Mad Hungarian” for his unusual last name his colorful character left a mark of a 40–20 win-loss record with 59 saves during his tenure in St with a 2.95 ERA in 1974 a 1.66 ERA with 22 saves in 1975 that earned him the “NL Fireman of the Year” trophy awarded to him by Sporting News the opposite of the character he showed on the playing field I still have a red Cardinals Jacket with the number 39 with a redbird that he gifted me on that occasion Al Hrabosky joined in 1985 as St Louis Cardinals games commentator and remains in that position to date having been inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Hrabosky was a pitcher who depended on his fastball 90% of the time and liked to intimidate hitters, always alluding to the help of his long hair, beard, and horseshoe mustache. However, when Vern Rapp arrived as manager of St News: Details on MLB’s proposed economic plan Al Hrabosky joined in 1985 as St. Louis Cardinals games commentator and remains in that position to date, having been inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. Print The tomatoes peppers and cucumbers arrive year-round by the ton with peel-off stickers proclaiming “Product of Mexico.” from Mexico have tripled to $7.6 billion in the last decade squash and melons they can eat at affordable prices among many others — profit from produce they have come to depend on These corporations say their Mexican suppliers have committed to decent treatment and living conditions for workers But a Los Angeles Times investigation found that for thousands of farm laborers south of the border the export boom is a story of exploitation and extreme hardship Many farm laborers are essentially trapped for months at a time in rat-infested camps often without beds and sometimes without functioning toilets or a reliable water supply Some camp bosses illegally withhold wages to prevent workers from leaving during peak harvest periods Laborers often go deep in debt paying inflated prices for necessities at company stores Some are reduced to scavenging for food when their credit is cut off It’s common for laborers to head home penniless at the end of a harvest Those who seek to escape their debts and miserable living conditions have to contend with guards barbed-wire fences and sometimes threats of violence from camp supervisors companies have done little to enforce social responsibility guidelines that call for basic worker protections such as clean housing and fair pay practices The farm laborers are mostly indigenous people from Mexico’s poorest regions Bused hundreds of miles to vast agricultural complexes they work six days a week for the equivalent of $8 to $12 a day sometimes sleeping on scraps of cardboard on concrete floors are operated by the same agribusinesses that employ advanced growing techniques and sanitary measures in their fields and greenhouses The contrast between the treatment of produce and of people is stark laborers are ordered to use hand sanitizers and schooled in how to pamper the produce They’re required to keep their fingernails carefully trimmed so the fruit will arrive unblemished in U.S “They want us to take such great care of the tomatoes but they don’t take care of us,” said Japolina Jaimez peppers and cucumbers in the northwestern state of Sinaloa He pointed to co-workers and their children bathing in an irrigation canal because the camp’s showers had no water that day At the mega-farms that supply major American retailers About 100,000 children younger than 14 pick crops for pay according to the Mexican government’s most recent estimate a reporter and a photographer traveled across nine Mexican states observing conditions at farm labor camps and interviewing hundreds of workers laborers were in effect prevented from leaving because their wages were being withheld or they owed money to the company store Some of the worst camps were linked to companies that have been lauded by government and industry groups Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto presented at least two of them with “exporter of the year” honors The Times traced produce from fields to U.S supermarket shelves using Mexican government export data food safety reports from independent auditors California pesticide surveys that identify the origin of imported produce and numerous interviews with company officials and industry experts The practice of withholding wages, although barred by Mexican law, persists, especially for workers recruited from indigenous areas, according to government officials and a 2010 report by the federal Secretariat of Social Development These laborers typically work under three-month contracts and are not paid until the end The Times visited five big export farms where wages were being withheld bought produce directly or through middlemen from at least three of those farms Bioparques de Occidente in the state of Jalisco not only withheld wages but kept hundreds of workers in a labor camp against their will and beat some who tried to escape according to laborers and Mexican authorities Asked about its ties to Bioparques and other farms where workers were exploited “We care about the men and women in our supply chain and recognize that challenges remain in this industry While our standards and audits make things better around the world we won’t catch every instance when people do things that are wrong.” The Times saw hungry laborers hunting for scraps because they could not afford to buy food at the company store which exported $55 million in tomatoes in 2014 which recently took out full-page newspaper ads promoting its commitment to social responsibility Whole Foods said it did not expect to buy any more produce “directly” from Rene “We take the findings you shared VERY seriously especially since Rene has signed our social accountability agreement,” Edmund LaMacchia a global vice president of procurement for Whole Foods Rene Produce was named one of Mexico’s exporters of the year in September said Rene had consulted with outside experts about ways to enhance worker welfare “We have tried in recent years to improve the lives of our workers,” he said another exporter of the year and a distributor for major supermarkets across the U.S. said they were surprised to hear about abusive labor practices at farms including one of their suppliers “It completely violates our principles,” said Heriberto Vlaminck added: “I find it incredible that people work under these conditions.” agro-industrial complexes stretch for miles across coastal plains and inland valleys their white rows of tent-like hothouses so vast they can be seen from space Many farms use growing techniques from Europe Walls of tomato vines grow 10 feet tall and are picked by laborers on stilts Agricola San Emilio raises crops on 370 acres of open fields and greenhouses 20 miles west of Culiacan bell peppers and cucumbers are boxed for the journey north to distributors for Wal-Mart the company exported more than 80 million pounds of tomatoes alone 1,000 workers arrive at San Emilio by bus with backpacks and blankets hoping to make enough money to support family members back home Behind the packing facility lies the company’s main labor camp a cluster of low-slung buildings made of cinder block or corrugated metal where about 500 laborers live The shed-like structures are crudely partitioned into tiny rooms that house four to six people each when a freight train known as “The Beast” rumbles past the dusty camp a biscuit and a short stack of tortillas before heading to the fields When Times journalists visited the camp in March a 22-year-old with a toddler back home in Veracruz had been working at San Emilio for six weeks and had yet to be paid He and other laborers spent their days picking They lined up for their daily meals: a bowl of lentil soup for lunch chatted with two young men who were recent arrivals They complained of hunger and constant headaches He had lost 20 pounds since starting work at the farm Ramirez and several hundred others recruited by the same labor contractor earned $8 a day and were owed as much as $300 each They said they wouldn’t be paid until the end of their three-month contracts Workers said they had been promised $8 in pocket money every two weeks but received it only sporadically they would forfeit the wages they’d earned The barbed-wire fence that ringed the camp was an added deterrent Farm owners say the barriers are meant to keep out thieves and drug dealers They also serve another purpose: to discourage laborers from leaving before the crop has been picked and they’ve paid their debts to the company store Even if the workers at San Emilio jumped the fence they wouldn’t be able to afford a ride to Culiacan who had been injured in an accident back home Hernandez slept atop packing crates padded with cardboard Jacinto Santiago hung a scrap of cardboard in the open doorway of his room he had been better off back home in the central state of San Luis Potosi he had a thatched-roof house with windows and a hen that laid eggs said he was promised that he would be able to send money home “My family isn’t the only one that suffers Anyone who has a family at home suffers,” he said said recruiters told him his earnings would be held back so he wouldn’t get robbed: “They said it was for my own good.” when the camp’s heavy metal gate rolls shut and workers retreat to their rooms Their voices echoed across the compound as they swapped stories about conditions in various camps The conversation attracted a camp supervisor who was surprised to see a reporter and photographer “When the people from Wal-Mart come,” she said The road to labor camps like San Emilio begins deep in the indigenous regions of central and southern Mexico where advertising jingles play endlessly on the radio We are looking for 400 peasants to pick tomatoes.” dozens of indigenous people looking for work descended from mud-hut villages in the steep mountains of the Huasteca region Young men shouldered backpacks stuffed with the clothes they would wear for the next few months The laborers approached a knot of recruiters gathered outside a gas station in the town of Huejutla de Reyes Among those offering jobs at distant farms was Luis Garcia a stocky Nahuatl Indian with silver-rimmed teeth had risen from child picker to field boss to labor contractor for Agricola San Emilio “We all owe our livelihoods to the farmworkers,” he said Labor contractors are key players in the agricultural economy the link between export farms in the north and peasants in Huasteca and other impoverished regions An estimated 150,000 make the pilgrimage every harvest season they also oversee the camps and distribute workers’ pay according to indigenous leaders and federal inspectors They lie about wages and living conditions at the camps they sometimes refuse to bring laborers home if there are still vegetables to be picked 25 farmworkers walked 20 miles across a Baja California desert after a contractor left them on the roadside villagers listened warily to the recruiters’ pitches One was said to be representing a contractor wanted on human trafficking charges Another worked for a contractor notorious for wage theft and other abuses Garcia had his own brush with controversy several years ago when dozens of pickers accused him of holding them captive and abusing them at an onion farm in Chihuahua “I wouldn’t be here today talking to you if it was true He depicted himself as a reformer who wanted to establish a trade association to set standards and drive out unscrupulous recruiters tried to outbid one another for laborers boosting their offers of spending money for the two-day bus trip to Sinaloa he persuaded about 40 people to get on his bus Garcia read their contract aloud to the workers including the provision that they wouldn’t be paid until the end of their three-month term He later acknowledged that federal law requires weekly payments but said that there were other issues to consider “Paying them every week is a problem because it causes lots of issues with drinking and drugging and violence,” Garcia said “Huasteca people are fighters when they’re drunk.” Proud of his success in a cutthroat business Garcia portrayed himself as the product of a farm labor system in which the real bosses were U.S “The gringos are the ones that put up the money and make the rules,” he said companies linked to Agricola San Emilio through distributors have plenty of rules but they serve mainly to protect American consumers laws govern the safety and cleanliness of imported fruits and vegetables retailers and distributors send inspectors to Mexico to examine fields The companies say they are also committed to workers’ well-being and cite their ethical sourcing guidelines Retailers increasingly promote the idea that the food they sell not only is tasty and healthful but was produced without exploiting workers enforcement of those standards is weak to nonexistent and often relies on Mexican growers to monitor themselves retailers rely on independent auditors to verify that suppliers in apparel footwear and other industries comply with social responsibility guidelines that has not happened with Mexican farm labor American companies have not made oversight a priority because they haven’t been pressured to do so There is little public awareness of harsh conditions at labor camps Many farms are in areas torn by drug violence which has discouraged media coverage and visits by human rights groups and academic researchers Asked to comment on conditions at Agricola San Emilio Subway said in a statement: “We will use this opportunity to reinforce our Code of Conduct with our suppliers.” The code says suppliers must ensure that workers “are fairly compensated and are not exploited in any way.” Safeway said: “We take any and all claims regarding worker conditions seriously and are looking into each of the points you raise.” Safeway says that suppliers must offer a “safe and healthy work environment” and that it “will not tolerate any departure from its standards.” Vendors are expected to “self-monitor their compliance,” the code says Wal-Mart sought to distance itself from Agricola San Emilio saying in a statement: “Our records show that we do not currently take from this facility.” Asked if it had received produce from the farm in the past Executives at Agricola San Emilio and two firms that have distributed its produce — Triple H of Culiacan and Andrew & Williamson of San Diego — said Wal-Mart received shipments from the Mexican farm this year chief operating officer at Andrew & Williamson said that his company shipped San Emilio tomatoes to the retailer and that inspectors from Wal-Mart had been to the farm an assistant camp supervisor at Agricola San Emilio said Wal-Mart inspectors visited regularly recommending cleanups and fresh coats of paint “They try and improve conditions here,” she said As for Agricola San Emilio’s pay practices said workers from the Huasteca region whose wages were withheld until the end of their three-month contracts had agreed to that arrangement said in interviews that they had no choice in how they were paid Withholding workers’ pay is illegal even if they agree to it a senior federal labor official and two labor lawyers Beltran said the company stopped providing beds because workers dismantled them for firewood The laborers are from regions where it’s common for people to sleep on the floor He took issue with workers’ claims that they were underfed even if you give them chicken or beef every day they’ll still want a different menu,” he said adding that workers could supplement company rations by purchasing food from vendors an Arizona firm that has distributed produce from Agricola San Emilio said its representatives had inspected the fields and packinghouse at the farm but not the labor camp “The Mexican government would be the first line of protection for Mexican workers,” said Dan Mandel a distributor for supermarkets across the U.S Enforcement of Mexican labor laws in Sinaloa is feeble that withholding wages until the end of a contract was legal Federal labor inspectors are clear on the law but said they were largely powerless to crack down on deep-pocketed growers who can stymie enforcement with endless appeals “They just laugh at us,” said Armando Guzman a senior official with Mexico’s federal Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare “They mock authority and mock the letter of the law.” a cucumber exporter near Culiacan in Sinaloa workers said they hadn’t been paid in weeks Some were pawning their belongings to pay for diapers and food when Times journalists visited a year ago Laborers said company managers had threatened to dump their possessions in the street if they persisted in demanding their wages started paying workers their back wages this year before suspending operations distributor who did business with the farm were doing odd jobs outside the camp on Sundays to earn spending money because their wages had been withheld distributors whose customers include the Albertsons supermarket chain and the Los Angeles Unified School District Santa Teresa pays them by electronic bank deposit every week Lopez said he suspected that the laborers handed over their ATM cards to the contractor who recruited them a practice he said was customary for workers from indigenous regions “That is the agreement they have,” Lopez said said the district requires suppliers to inspect farms from which they buy produce She said the district was formulating a new procurement policy that would probably address labor conditions too workers were required to disinfect their hands before picking cucumbers Yet they were given just two pieces of toilet paper to use at the outhouses workers said rats and feral cats had the run of the cramped living quarters and feasted on their leftovers Laborers and their families bathed in an irrigation canal because the water had run out in the showers Carmen Garcia stepped out of the fetid waterway after washing her 1-year-old grandson His skin was covered with boils that she blamed on insect bites said the company rents Campo San Jose from another agribusiness to handle the overflow when its own camps fill up Efforts to reach the owner of the other business were unsuccessful “We don’t invest in it because it’s not ours,” Gerardo said families used buckets in their room to relieve themselves because Workers could be seen bathing in an irrigation canal; they said the camp’s showers were out of water visited the camp after being told about conditions there by The Times he said that the men’s bathrooms “did not meet Ciruli’s standards” and that repairs had been made to “reinstate running water.” The attorney said in a letter that the women’s showers and toilets were “fully functioning,” with a paid attendant Asked why workers were washing in the irrigation canal Feldman wrote: “Ciruli cannot explain this with certainty but it was told that it may be a cultural practice among some workers.” He added: “Ciruli will consult with the on-farm social worker and doctor to determine if a worker education campaign may be appropriate in this case.” Bioparques found itself under rare government scrutiny Three workers at one of the tomato grower’s labor camps escaped and complained to authorities about the wretched conditions soldiers and labor inspectors raided the camp and found 275 people trapped inside but at least the camp had showers and stoves Bioparques was a little better than other labor camps I’ve been to,” Gonzalez said in an interview at his home in the mountains north of Mexico City Contact the reporter Contact the photographer Cecilia Sanchez, a researcher in The Times’ Mexico City bureau, contributed to this report. Coming next: A raid exposes brutal conditions at Bioparques, one of Mexico’s biggest tomato exporters, which was a Wal-Mart supplier. But the effort to hold the grower accountable is looking more like a tale of impunity. About this series: Los Angeles Times reporter Richard Marosi and photojournalist Don Bartletti traveled across nine Mexican states, observing conditions and interviewing workers at some of the mega-farms that have powered the country’s agricultural export boom. Video Credits: Creative Director: Liz O. Baylen. Editors: Spencer Bakalar, Liz O. Baylen, Bethany Mollenkof. Music: Colin Baylen, Nathan Doiev. Executive Producer: Mary Cooney. California World & Nation Hollywood Inc. Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map This article was published more than 2 years ago Armoured vehicles leave the Attorney General's Office for Special Investigations on Organized Crime in Mexico City son of imprisoned drug trafficker Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images Canadian tourists were trapped inside a Mexican hotel Thursday as buses that were supposed to take them to an airport and safely home burned outside “It’s just chaos,” said Tina Dahl of Edmonton whose six family members stranded in the popular tourist city of Mazatlan were supposed to fly out Thursday night The federal government advised Canadians in Mexico to limit their movements and shelter in place due to violence in the western part of the country The violence began after a predawn security operation Thursday, in which security forces captured alleged drug trafficker Ovidio (The Mouse) Guzman who is a son of former cartel boss Joaquin (El Chapo) Guzman Ottawa said the violence is particularly fierce in Culiacan SOURCE: TILEZEN; OPENSTREETMAP CONTRIBUTORS their three children and her sister-in-law’s mother are all trapped in their hotel room but they’re stuck in their hotel because the three buses that were supposed to go to the airport got lit on fire by the [drug] cartel,” Ms “There was a shootout at the airport so the airports are shut down and the cartel put their warriors outside the hotel I just know my brother and his family are stuck in the hotel right now.” Dahl has no phone line through to the hotel But she has been able to communicate with her family through Facebook Just from reading between the lines of the texts and such “I’m sure my brother is probably got [the kids] at the pool trying to keep them not [focused] on it,” Ms Dahl quoted from a note written by her sister-in-law: “When it first happened they said we’d try and get you on a flight at 2 o’clock tomorrow “I don’t think they’ll be flying home tomorrow the airports are closed and they’re burning Mazatlan city “The lobby is full of people that were supposed to fly out and if they’re not out by 5 p.m. These people can’t go out in the streets if there’s buses burning out front and the cartel’s there.” Canadian officials said on Twitter that cars had been lit on fire guns were being fired and there was a threat to essential infrastructure The Culiacan and Mazatlan airports were closed and all flights had been suspended at the Los Mochis airport until further notice said Canadians should avoid all non-essential travel to various regions in Mexico because of high levels of violence and organized crime “Due to widespread violence and security operations in Sinola State Canadians who are already in the area should limit movements and shelter in place if possible avoid areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place [and] not attempt to cross road blockades even if they appear unattended,” he said in a statement He said Global Affairs Canada is aware of Canadians affected by these events and is providing consular services Canadians in need of emergency consular assistance were being told to contact Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre by calling 001-800-514-0129 (toll-free from Mexico only), +1 613 996 8885, by text message at +1 613-686-3658, via WhatsApp at +1 613-909-8881, via Telegram at Canada Emergency Abroad or by e-mail at sos@international.gc.ca A shrinking map: With global instability on the rise, travellers’ options have narrowed Airline Aeromexico said in a statement that one of its jets was struck by a bullet Thursday morning as it prepared for takeoff Passenger video posted online showed people cowering on the floor of the plane The company said passengers and crew were safe Mexico’s Civil Aviation Agency said in a statement that an air force plane in Culiacan had also been hit with gunfire Alleged cartel members were carjacking Culiacan residents and setting vehicles ablaze in the cartel stronghold “I’m inside a hotel three hours ago they took my car,” local reporter Marcos Vizcarra said via Twitter He said armed men had entered the hotel where he had sought shelter “and are threatening guests to give them their car keys.” Vizcarra reported that they had taken his phone Intermittent gunfire continued into the afternoon in Culiacan as Mexican security forces continued to clash with cartel gunmen Mexican officials said cartel members set up 19 roadblocks including at Culiacan’s airport and outside the local army base as well as all points of access to the city of Culiacan Local and state authorities warned everyone to stay inside Global Affairs Canada advised Canadian tourists to avoid demonstrations and large gatherings The fighting came days before President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was to host Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S President Joe Biden at a summit in Mexico City It’s not the first time Ovidio Guzman’s arrest has led to violence An aborted operation to capture him three years ago set off violence in Culiacan that ultimately led Mr “This is a significant blow to the Sinaloa cartel and major victory for the rule of law,” Mike Vigil the DEA’s former chief of international operations Guzman was involved in all of the cartel’s activities Mexican Defence Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said Mr Guzman’s capture was the result of six months of reconnaissance and surveillance in the cartel’s territory and immediately co-ordinated with the army as they established a perimeter around the suspicious vehicles and forced the occupants out to be searched but were able to gain control of the situation and identify Guzman among those present and in possession of firearms Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. 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For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions lion cubs and Ferraris… Inside the ultra flash lives of Mexico’s brutal narco gangs – funded by Brit cokeheads and fuelling our violent crime epidemicAs cocaine gangs fuel Britain's violent crime epidemic their bloodthirsty suppliers on the other side of the Atlantic bombard social media with photos of golden AK-47s half-naked models and Ferraris in a bid to prove that crime does pay Published: Invalid Date THESE pictures lay bare the lavish lifestyles lapped up by Mexican drug cartel kingpins pet tigers and gold encrusted guns openly flaunted on Instagram While wars between cocaine-dealing gangs fuel Britain's violent crime epidemic their narco gang suppliers on the other side of the Atlantic are bombarding social media with thousands of flashy photos in a bid to prove that crime does pay In Mexico a war is being fought on Instagram where drug cartel members attempt to out-bling each other with photos of their ostentatious and opulent lives - paid for by cocaine users in the US While British millennials insist on free-trade coffee and ethical fashion, a hypocritical nine per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds also admit to hoovering up class A drugs over the past 12 months - helping fund the narco killers' flashy lifestyles In fact it is a flood of cocaine that's currently fuelling Britain's terrifying rise in murders and moped robberies, according to a leaked Home Office report that revealed violent gangs are seeking out new territory in which to sell 'excess' drugs But while Britain is ravaged by cocaine-fuelled crime wholesale suppliers in Mexico use the hashtags #narcos mansions and gold-plated guns they've bought with blood money The trend for narco gangs posting these outrageous social media images is believed to have been started by the sons of El Chapo - Mexico's most notorious drug lord El Chapo is now behind bars after escaping jail in 2015 and being recaptured the following year but his infamous Sinaloa cartel is still the most deadly Meanwhile the cartel members are active on Instagram as well as Twitter and keen to show off the fruits of their deadly trade. Some keep their accounts closed, but other like @Sinaloa.Guasave doesn’t mind if authorities see what he claims to be an Instagram account celebrating the drugs cartel's high life. He boasts: “I'm from Sinaloa Guasave. "I'm 100% narco if you mess with me you mess with us. But the vulgar display of wealth on social media is bankrolled by horrific suffering being endured across Mexico, which in some places is as dangerous as the world’s worst war zones. Five states in Mexico have become so hazardous that early this year, US authorities issued a level four warning to its citizens because of crime and violence, putting the America's neighbour on a par with the likes of Yemen, Somalia and Afghanistan. A statement on the UK Foreign Office advises: “In certain parts of Mexico you should take particular care to avoid being caught up in drug related violence between criminal groups.” In the past ten years wars between cartels and the Mexican government has killed more than 120,000 people and a further 27,000 are missing Cartel thugs who like to spoil themselves rotten with their ill gotten gains think nothing of torturing their victims and dumping their bodies in ditches - often decapitating them This allows them to rake in about £20billion annually from drug sales in the US And now they are linking with European criminals who are busy feeding mostly middle class weekend cocaine users Many of these coke users live here in the UK and they pride themselves on their political correctness and otherwise pride themselves on being ethical buying only far trade and shunning real fur We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? 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