South American countries and Mexico have historically been troubled with corrupt governments or shall we say corrupt leaders. The “Mexican Civil War” or, also referred to as “The Mexican Revolution,” lasting from 1910 until1920. (While further north in our own country the Lincoln Memorial was being constructed, depicting further reconstruction and objective reality between states, so dedicated May 5, 1922.)

Francisco “Pancho” Villa, (defender of Mexico’s working poor). Villa spent much of his youth on the farm helping support his family — becoming head of the household at age 15 — as protector he shot a man in the face who forced himself on his 12-year-old sister in 1894. He fled home and spent the next six years on the run in the mountains in Chihuahua, working as a miner and selling stolen cattle. He joined a group of fugitives and became a creditable bandit. In 1910 while still a fugitive he joined Francisco Madero’s successful uprising against Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz. Several rebellions followed; 1912, led by Pascual Orozco, in 1913 by General Victoriano Huerta. In 1914 Carranza rose to power; disappointed by his leadership Villa joined forces with Zapata. With President Woodrow Wilson’s support of Carranza’s move toward democracy — Wilson withdrew support from Villa. Needing support and war materials Villa raided Columbus, New Mexico killing a total of 37 U.S. citizens.

President Wilson retaliated by sending Gen. Pershing’s army (with a young Lt. George Patton) to Mexico in 1916 to capture Villa, unsuccessfully. Again in 1919 no capture resulted for the murders in New Mexico. In 1920 Carranza was assassinated and De La Huerta became president of Mexico. Heurta negotiated with Villa to withdrawal from the battlefield, Villa agreed and retired in 1920.

Villa went to Parral, Mexico to attend a christening for the child of one of his men in 1923, he and a woman, his driver and three men were assassinated under President Alvaro Obregon’s orders, while leaving ParraI in Villa’s car. Obregon feared those loyal to Villa. Pancho Villa’s support was offered to those he trusted to carry on the fight to end tyranny in his beloved Mexico. Hero or bandito.

Ninety-eight years since the rebellion ended, 101 years since male suffrage was adopted in 1917 — women gained the vote in 1953 — apparently nothing has changed politically in Mexico. Receiving 63 percent of a national vote in July of 2018, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was elected to a six-year term as president of Mexico. It was the most violent campaign Mexico has experienced in recent history, with 130 political figures killed since September 2017.

This Mexican President Obrador has pledged to assist South American migration to America. This President has the same murderous traits as the Saudia King and Korea’s “Un.” Question: Should President Trump also apply sanctions against Mexico and the Saudi Arabians, or just consider the source?

Tom Rogers

Moultrie