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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Borderland Beat

Borderland Beat

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Mexican "Best Director" seizes the moment hoping for a better goverment

Posted: 23 Feb 2015 08:53 PM PST

 By Lucio R. for Borderland Beat


Yes, I concede this has almost nothing to do with drug trafficking, although one may really stretch boundaries and link curbing organized crime to a better Mexican government, so to the BB purists.... somethings are too good not to acknowledge.

"Too good", is not the fact that Alejandro Gonzales Iñárritu made history in 2006 by becoming the first Mexican director to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director, that time for his drama Babel.

And "Too good", is not that on Sunday night at the Academy Awards in L.A. , Gonzales Iñárritu  won the award, thanks to the dark comedy Birdman, making it two years in a row that a Mexican-born director has taken home the Oscar. Birdman also won the  "Best Picture" award.  Sweeping the most prestigious awards of the night.

As delicious as the sweep was for Mexicans, and  those  long appreciative fans  of Mexican film-making, if that was the end of the story, I would not be writing this post.

What overshadowed the movement is what happened when Gonzales Iñárritu gave his acceptance speech.

A speech that no doubt left the administration of Enrique Peña Nieto livid.

The proud Mexican director, seized the moment giving  an eloquent, thoughtful speech.  With the attention of a global audience, Gonzales Iñárritu dedicated the Oscar to the people of Mexico and to Mexican immigrants in the United States.  He delivered these words;


"I pray that we can find and build a government that we deserve, and the ones that live in this country, who are a part of the latest generation of immigrants in this country, I just pray that they can be treated with the same dignity and respect as the ones who came before and built this incredible immigrant nation," said the director.

Ah, yes, nodded this child of immigrants, as I wiped away a few tears.

One dumb and inappropriate guffaw was made by Sean Penn, who announced the "Best Picture" award, the biggest moment of the evening, unfortunately Penn said;

         "Who gave this son of a bitch a green card?"

In the way of today, people took to social media to blast Penn, even "going there", bringing up ancient history of his abusing Madonna. 

And then, reacting to the director's speech,  thousands of Mexican tweeted the hashtag #ElGobiernoQueMerecemos, (the government we deserve).

Gonzales Iñárritu, who worked with Penn on '21 Grams', was gracious and witty , with his  come back,   facetiously saying;

    "Two Mexicans in a row, now that's suspicious!"

I find myself in the itchy position of defending Penn, yes it was stupid, but the guy was caught up in the moment and the foot jammed into his mouth, without the benefit of his brain being involved.  I give him a pass.  

Best director Gonzales Iñárritu gave him one, saying,  "I thought it was hilarious".  

Decapitated man found in car at El Kommander concert in Monterrey

Posted: 23 Feb 2015 08:52 AM PST

Translated for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article by Otis B Fly-Wheel

A man was found decapitated inside a car in the Arena of Monterrey, during a concert of the narco-corrido singer El Kommander, according to sources from the PGJ from Nuevo Leon

Alfredo Rios "El Kommander"


The discovery was made when security guards investigated an abandoned Dodge Caravan at approximately 19:00 hours last Friday.

Elements of the PGJ arrived and confirmed there was a decapitated corpse, put barriers around the vehicle and removed the body for autopsy.

The body according to reports was wrapped up, and the victims head was on the floor of the vehicle. the authorities reported that in the luggage compartment of the vehicle, was a man who had multiple stab wounds.

The subject was identified as Armando Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez, 19 years of age.

After the conclusion of the El Kommander concert, the artist left the Monterrey Arena heavily guarded by police officers, to Monterrey International Airport.

Original article in Spanish at Proceso

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