Trip Log (Letter written October 5, 2008)

reh@knology.net — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008

No classes.

11:00AM Jorge and Leslie took me to lunch then their place. I believe Jorge’s business is relatively recession proof (la gente have to move within the city and Jorge supplies the busses). He is his own financer so the credit crunch doesn’t affect him. He has spent a lot of time and money fixing his house/office and I believe he and his family are comfortable.
Jorge spoke much more about his concern for Central America as the drug trade grows way out of control. It seems that traffickers pay local foot soldiers with drugs that they must sell locally, creating a local market that wouldn’t exist if the lower echelon were paid in cash. First the city and now the country is being divided up among the various drug groups exactly the same as the government does for local representation. Jorge says the common people are too busy making a living, meanwhile it is becoming questionable which entity has more power. One recent example is that the police attempted to raid a staging area way out in the jungle. During the ensuing gun battle, the government troops ran out of bullets before the drug runners and had to flee. The captured police officer was beheaded. The police returned and captured several workers; however, somehow the upper echelon managed to “escape” capture. Jorge says “maybe I’m getting older and think of these things or maybe it’s getting worse. But it’s really bothering me. I never talk like this with Leslie or the family because I don’t want them to worry, but it is weighing on me.”

Back at motel at 4:30PM

The Motorcycle Diary

Trip Log (Letter written October 5, 2008)