THE BORDER REPORT

Reforma newspaper, and indeed every newspaper in the country, is carrying the story this morning; 24 found dead, all with their hands and feet bound, the traditional tiro de gracia to the head.

What size army do you need to manhandle 24 men, stringing them up like marionettes and delivering an execution shot to each and every one?

It started with a mass levantón in Acapulco and went on from there. You figure, what, four to seven men for every one that is lifted, that's at least 100 gunmen in 20 vehicles. Someone is cruising Mexico with a small army right now.

It was a near perfect display of power; according to Reforma, the bodies were found within a 150 foot radius; their hands and feet bound. It was slow and meticulous and very, very neat, nearly surgical. Every headshot came from a nine-millimeter or .38-cal. Some were murdered before they arrived at the murder scene, others before.

Last week, we talked about what the Sinaloans would do for an encore. I guess we found out.

-- Michel Marizco