Brenda Martin in Mexico - what a shit show

[bagpipe]

Man, I would love to hear the full story on the backstage wrangling between the Canada-Mexico govts on this story. Everyone knows that the Mexican judicial system is as corrupted as the day is long, but no-one from the Canadian government seemed to want to acknowledge it in public (tourist $$$$$ anyone?):

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=b1ed7200-69a2-467a-8f9d-ba1ac1d4b22e&k=41814

[NB-SK]

She worked for the guy as a chef, right? If so, it would appear that Mexico might be trying to get concesions from the Canadian government.

[Milkman]

It's hard to believe she was unaware of her boss' criminal activities.

She's definitely a freakshow. Nobody likes jail. When you go to another country it's wise to carefully obey their laws IMO.

[Accept2]

Its amazing how everyone in prison is innocent. How did they all get there?.............

[Hamm Guitars]

From what I understand, and you can all correct me if I'm wrong as I am not following this story, she is being charged for being paid for her services (as a cook/chef) with money that was obtained through illegal practices. So in effect, she is being jailed for being paid with dirty money.

I can see her being jaled if she was in on the fraud scheam herself, but not for simply working for the perpitrator in another capacity unrelated to the offence.

If you could be put in jail for being paid with dirty money, I'm sure we ould all be in there.

[Milkman]

From what I understand, and you can all correct me if I'm wrong as I am not following this story, she is being charged for being paid for her services (as a cook/chef) with money that was obtained through illegal practices. So in effect, she is being jailed for being paid with dirty money.

I can see her being jaled if she was in on the fraud scheam herself, but not for simply working for the perpitrator in another capacity unrelated to the offence.

If you could be put in jail for being paid with dirty money, I'm sure we ould all be in there.

She is being charged with being paid with dirty money with full knowledge that it was dirty money. Whether or not that is proven is another question.

It's hard to imagine that she was unaware, but that's just my cynicism.

[Accept2]

Maybe we should free all those people who benefit from organized crime. Money laundering, extortion, mafia businesses? To quote Sideshow Bob, "Do they give a Nobel prize for attempted chemistry?" After that we can go and tell other countries to follow our laws. How dare they deviate from our standards.........

[Sneaky]

She is being charged with being paid with dirty money with full knowledge that it was dirty money. Whether or not that is proven is another question.

It's hard to imagine that she was unaware, but that's just my cynicism.

I'm a bit cynical about that too, but it's entirely possible... she was just a chef after all.

On the other hand, Waage's Mexican lawyer, who knowingly got paid millions of dollars of the same "dirty" money is walking around a free man.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=5428f732-0674-424d-96c0-77a32f1cc380

[Crossroads]

She comes from just down the road from us, so we have had lots of exposure.

The story also adds that she gave a confession although was denied an interpreter. ergo she didn't what she was signing.

Her boss is resting in a US prison on other charges, where he claims that he told that if he paid the Mexican government the charges against him, Brenda Martin and another woman, the charges would be dropped..

In Mexico the only ones more corrupt than the police are the judges and the government.

[NB-SK]

I'm a bit cynical about that too, but it's entirely possible... she was just a chef after all.

On the other hand, Waage's Mexican lawyer, who knowingly got paid millions of dollars of the same "dirty" money is walking around a free man.

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=5428f732-0674-424d-96c0-77a32f1cc380

Yes, good point if he's the one who paid the lawyer.

[Milkman]

She comes from just down the road from us, so we have had lots of exposure.

The story also adds that she gave a confession although was denied an interpreter. ergo she didn't what she was signing.

Her boss is resting in a US prison on other charges, where he claims that he told that if he paid the Mexican government the charges against him, Brenda Martin and another woman, the charges would be dropped..

In Mexico the only ones more corrupt than the police are the judges and the government.


Her Spanish is QUITE good actually.

[bagpipe]

My reason for posting in the first place was to point out the hypocrisy of the whole situation. The only reason we are even seeing any of this played out was due to a concerted effort by her friends and family to get some media coverage of her situation. It was only when the Canadian government was embarrassed into action that we seen some actual concrete steps taken by them ie visits by Foreign Affairs reps, visits by former PMs etc.
They also had to play along with the "fair and capable Mexican judicial system is handling this" front, while everyone seems to acknowledge that their system is corrupt, and the way to get out is to bribe the right officials. Her former employed has stated publicly that she had nothing to do with his crimes, that she was an innocent bystander.

[Hamm Guitars]

Maybe we should free all those people who benefit from organized crime. Money laundering, extortion, mafia businesses? To quote Sideshow Bob, "Do they give a Nobel prize for attempted chemistry?" After that we can go and tell other countries to follow our laws. How dare they deviate from our standards.........

We might as well throw all the bands, crew and dancers in the slammer that worked at clubs that were run by organized crime as well, while we are at it. If I had to go to jail every time I was paid by someone that was involved in organized crime, I would never see the light of day again.

[Milkman]

We might as well throw all the bands, crew and dancers in the slammer that worked at clubs that were run by organized crime as well, while we are at it. If I had to go to jail every time I was paid by someone that was involved in organized crime, I would never see the light of day again.

Really?

I can honestly say I have never KNOWingly worked for members of organized crime. I can't guarantee I didn't but if so I never knew it.

As for corruption in Mexican law enforcement and government, I've been witness to this first hand. It runs from top to bottom and is a fact of life down there. Honestly, I would have to say that most of the stories people repeat about such things in Mexico are true.

I'm quite sure most citizens of Mexico would tend to agree.

[Milkman]

So they found her guilty. I think she knew bloody well where her paycheque was coming from. Crying on TV does not relieve you of responsibility.

What freaks me out is that she's only four years older than I am. She looks like she could be my freaking grandmother.


http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/04/22/5359031-cp.html