Courtesy of Adriana Gomez Licon, The Huffington Post

By Michelle Moraila

“México has lost a great patriot.”

These are the words President Felipe Calderón uttered with difficulty during a speech commemorating the loss of México’s Secretary of Interior. The morning of Friday, November 11 was full of grief, fear, and speculation as México mourned the deaths of José Francisco Blake Mora and seven others who perished in a tragic helicopter crash in the midst of the Amecameca zone. The mountainous region between the state of Morelos and the State of México is known for its unpredictable weather and dense fog, but officials are still uncertain as to what exactly caused the fatality. Blake Mora, along with Felipe Zamora, the country’s Vice Interior Minister, were headed to Cuernavaca, Morelos to meet with the state’s governor and the Mexican Association of Law Enforcement when the helicopter mysteriously vanished from the radar and was found destroyed two hours later.  

Mr. Blake Mora was more than the Secretary of Interior. A member of the National Action Party, he was one of the most recognizable faces in the campaign to fight drug cartels and a man who consistently strived for a peaceful México. But his death represents a heightened sense of insecurity and uncertainty for Mexican citizens. Three years ago, the former Secretary of Interior died in a scarily similar air crash. The resemblance between the two accidents has created a great amount of speculation amongst Mexicans who believe these were no coincidences. Conspiracy theories have surfaced claiming this was an inside job staged by Calderón himself, while others firmly believe that the same drug traffickers he worked to put in jail assassinated him.

Could it really be a mere coincidence that two Secretaries of Interior working for Calderón suffered such similar fates? Mexican officials have stated that they will investigate all possible causes for the crash but it is undeniable that this tragedy could well have been an act of corruption or homicide. The fact of the matter is the system is infiltrated with lies and greed, and truth may never be fully investigated. Both deaths involved individuals whose mission was to fight drug trafficking so it makes sense that someone who wanted to prevent the efforts would be the perpetrator. The Mexican people want a straightforward answer, and it is evident that his mysterious death has increased of fear amongst many. It is a fear that will most likely remain even after officials announce what triggered the accident.

My most sincere condolences go out to those who were personally affected by this event. May they rest in peace, and may the Mexican citizens know the veritable cause of the collision.

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