Zeta camp slayings described in Laredo trial

By Jason Buch/San Antonio Express-News

 

LAREDO — A Zeta hit man on Wednesday offered a peek into the slaughter that took place in the small Mexican town of San Fernando, where the remains of 200 bodies were unearthed last year, testifying how new cartel recruits were trained to kill there.

“They would show new recruits how to kill,” testified Wenceslao Tovar, 26, an admitted Zeta sicario, or hit man. “They would give them a machete. If not, they’d give them a sledge hammer and they’d tell them to kill the people they had tied up.”

Those who successfully completed the training were treated to a party that included a raffle with winners getting watches, vehicles and cash, Tovar said. Those who couldn’t kill were made halcones, the Spanish word for “hawks,” used to describe cartel lookouts, he said.

Tovar’s testimony came in the trial of Gerardo Castillo Chavez, a 25-year-old from Mexico, on charges that he took part in killings and assaults in 2006 as part of a drug conspiracy. But testimony in the first day of trail went far beyond Castillo Chavez’s alleged involvement with the Zetas.

 

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BP Garners a High Profile in Oil and Gas Industry Accidents

Author: Guerra & Farah, PLLC

The BP Gulf oil spill in 2010 became known as the worst oil spill to date. However, preceding that spill, BP already had one of the worst track records for oil refinery accidents of any gas and oil manufacturer. The most notable among a string of prior incidents was a unit within the Texas City oil refinery that exploded in 2005, causing a fire and taking the lives of 15 workers and injuring 170.

An ABC News report  in 2010 stated that BP had one of the worst safety records of any major oil company operating in the United States, accounting for 97 percent of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) violations in Texas and Ohio, which totaled 760 violations. Compare this statistic to Sunoco and Conoco-Phillips, each with eight violations and Citgo with two. As a result of continuing violations at the Texas City plant, BP paid the highest fine OSHA has ever issued, $87 million.

The common denominator for BP’s accidents pointed to a lack of safety processes and failure to develop a safety culture among its workers.

Texas boasts more oil refineries than any other state. If you have suffered injury in an oil refinery accident or have lost a loved one, safety violations may provide grounds for a lawsuit. A Texas oil refinery accident lawyer serving clients in Corpus Christi, El Paso, or Houston can assist you in seeking compensation.

BP Alcanza un Alto Nivel en la Frecuencia de Accidentes de la Industria Petrolera

El derrame de petróleo en el Golfo por BP en 2010 se conocía como el derrame de petróleo peor hasta la fecha. Sin embargo, precediendo ese derramamiento, BP ya tenía uno de los historiales peores del mundo por los accidentes de la refinería de petróleo. Un incidente más notable era la explosión de la refinería de petróleo en la Ciudad de Tejasen 2005. Este accidente resulto en un fuego enorme que dano a 170 trabajadores, y mato a 15 trabajadores.
En 2010, un reportaje de noticias de ABC  indicó que BP tenía uno de los historiales peores de la seguridad de cualquier compañía petrolera importante que actuaba en los Estados Unidos. BP es responsable por 97 por cientos de las violaciones de la Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) en Tejas y Ohio, que sumaron 760 violaciones. Compare esta estadística a Sunoco y a Conoco-Phillips, cada una de estas companias solo tiene ocho violaciones, y Citgo solo tiene dos. Como resultado de violaciones continuadas en la refinería en la Ciudad de Tejas, BP pagó la multa más alta que OSHA ha jamas demandado- $87 millones.
La causa común que es responsable por los accidentes de BP era una falta de medidas de seguridad  y el hecho que BP falto de desarrollar una cultura de la seguridad entre sus trabajadores.
Tejas tiene más refinerías de petróleo de cualquier otro estado. Si usted ha sufrido lesiones en un accidente de una refinería petrolera o ha perdido un amado en este tipo de accidente, las violaciones de la seguridad pueden proveer los argumentos necesarios para arreglar un pleito. Un abogado experimentado en casos de accidentes de refinerías petroleras y que sirva a clientes en Corpus Christi, El Paso, u Houston puede ayudarle en obtener la remuneración que busca.

Millions of Americans oppose SOPA and PIPA because these bills would censor the Internet and slow economic growth in the U.S.

Two bills before Congress, known as the Protect IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House, would censor the Web and impose harmful regulations on American business. Millions of Internet users and entrepreneurs already oppose SOPA and PIPA.

The Senate will begin voting on January 24th. Please let them know how you feel. Sign this petition urging Congress to vote NO on PIPA and SOPA before it is too late.

Tell Congress: Don’t censor the Web

Fighting online piracy is important. The most effective way to shut down pirate websites is through targeted legislation that cuts off their funding. There’s no need to make American social networks, blogs and search engines censor the Internet or undermine the existing laws that have enabled the Web to thrive, creating millions of U.S. jobs.

Too much is at stake – please vote NO on PIPA and SOPA.

Millions of Americans oppose SOPA and PIPA because these bills would censor the Internet and slow economic growth in the U.S.

Two bills before Congress, known as the Protect IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House, would censor the Web and impose harmful regulations on American business. Millions of Internet users and entrepreneurs already oppose SOPA and PIPA.

The Senate will begin voting on January 24th. Please let them know how you feel. Sign this petition urging Congress to vote NO on PIPA and SOPA before it is too late.

Tell Congress: Don’t censor the Web

Fighting online piracy is important. The most effective way to shut down pirate websites is through targeted legislation that cuts off their funding. There’s no need to make American social networks, blogs and search engines censor the Internet or undermine the existing laws that have enabled the Web to thrive, creating millions of U.S. jobs.

Too much is at stake – please vote NO on PIPA and SOPA.