News Coverage Over Extortion Video

November 18, 2010

This entry is part 18 of 34 in the series Latin America Series

Latin America Series

Hi new visitor! This blog documents my solo journey from Chicago to Argentina. For more information, check out this blog post:

I’m Riding My Motorcycle to Argentina

or this one

Official Press Release – Traveling Off the Grid, on YouTube

Now for those of you who’ve been following all along…

My video of me getting threaten with jail time if I don’t pay a “fine” has been getting a lot of attention lately. The incident happened in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila in Castaños. My video made the front page of three of the major Mexican newspapers. El Norte in Monterrey, Guadalajara’s Murel and the Mexico City Reforma. All three newspapers ran the same story:

http://www.elnorte.com/estados/articulo/596/1190417/default.asp

These newspapers reported the facts and linked to the video. Zocalo Satillo is a newspaper local to the area where the incident occurred. The have more detailed stories as well:

The story about what happened:
http://www.zocalo.com.mx/seccion/articulo/exhiben-en-video-a-policias-corruptos/

The story about the cops being fired:
http://www.zocalo.com.mx/seccion/articulo/cesan-a-policias-por-mochar-a-visitante/

It’s in Spanish, and I haven’t gotten translations, but you can get the gist.

My footage will aired on TV tomorrow (November 19th) on Univision TV stations. I don’t know what program it will air on or at what time. So just keep the dial tuned and sit through the hours of horrible Mexican soap operas, ok?

Or I’ll try and find out tomorrow…

If you would like to follow my adventure, you can subscribe via Email or RSS. If you’ve been enjoying my content, and would like to return the favor you can donate here:




Thanks

Series Navigation<< Entering Into Mexico – Extortion and Inviting HostsLeaving Mexico and Entering Guatemala >>
  • Shame on Us

    I am really sorry on what happened to you on your trip over LatAm. I just saw your video on the newspaper and I felt bad on what occurred to you and the face you knew from our policemen. I just hope you will not think all of us are the same, as we think you all are different. I will recommend you to understand better the spanish because the language is the worst barrier you will face on this trip. I will wish you the best road-trip and a happy return to your home. Keep on AtlasRider and “Vaya con Dios”(God be with you)

  • Samuel

    I am from this city where you have this extorsion, i am so sad to see this, because our people do this to the tourist, this happens all the time even with our citisen people living on the US, when they came to Mexico pass the same like you, and when i saw them doing this i just stop and record them on my cell phone, but this is commun practice with the ”police agents” that take care of us, i recomend to you, on your next visit there it is toll free numbers where you can call them while you are on a situation like this, they will speak with them and they will translate to you anything and maybe will assist you. i am apologize because non all mexican people are like this guys, this guys went probably to elementary school and they are now handling a job without a capacity to develop and all this is because the poor salary that they makes, dont take me wrong i am not justify them i just try to explain you why this happens, i wish you a great time while you are on Mexico, and i will do all what i can to stop a situation like this, you did a great job doing this !!! now our ”governants” saw them and maybe this stop to happen…

  • Enterprise

    Hi:
    I am from Mexico and just discovered this video in youtube and it is indeed a shame. However, this happens all over the world, here, in USA, in China… Corruption is everywhere, however the key factor in this case was the language barrier. I guess this would be an experience from which you learned something… very expensive learning by the way. As I said, I just discovered your page and since I like adventures as well, I’ll keep following you and may give you recommendations on what places to visit. Cheers and be careful!

  • Cokis

    I’m really really sorry for what happened to you, and sadly, you’re not alone. I just want you to know, that we Mexican people are mostly kind and friendly.

  • juan carlos acosta

    on behalf of Mexican workers honest and I offer an apology for those corrupt cops, they represent the dirty side of Mexico, but the honest and friendly attentive mexico somo more generous, we are the majority, a fraternal embrace and have excellent travel , excuse my English is not the best

  • Alan Garcia.

    man, i’m also very sorry about what happened to you, but you should studied about the common things that happen here in Mexico, I’m so sorry to tell you that all policeman are the same shit, even if you don’t broke any rule the policeman try to get some money for you, im sorry but that’s the true the thing here is that if you were again in the same situation you should “Regatear” that’s tell to the policeman, you know i only have 20 dollars give me the chance help me in this time, if you want to know how to say it in español es “oiga ayudeme solo tengo 20 dollares deme quebrada esta vez solo traigo 20 dollares” even if you have 10 dollars is good for them you jus’t have to act like you were broken or something like, well this is a little recomendation, if you pass over Guadalajara, take your time in that city is the most beautiful city of all Mexico.

    see you
    and good look

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000382913905 mark’z

    hey brother motorbiker, I ask an apology for that happened in castaños, coah. ( I’m from Monclova, a city near of castaños) unfortunately the things in my country are bad, as always, the new I ask an apology.

    When you come through these courses, Accelerate the bike, you flee and you come to my hosue, and we drikn a beers.
    but be very careful when you pass through Mexico, please.

    with all respect, although I’m mexican, i tell that the mexican is a shit

    Take care of yourself in mexico and in any other side ( more un mexico ) jejeje.

    Good travel.

  • marce

    Hello,
    I just saw the video and I want to tell you, I AM SORRY! It’s so sad what happened to you. My boyfriend is an American too, and when we were just a few miles away from Castanos, the police told us that we were driving so fast (that wasn’t true). But I’m from there, and my boyfriend said that he was going to pay but he wanted the receipt, and they said OK, you’re going to go to jail. He said OK, let’s go! But then I told them that I was calling 611 to report that, and they said, OK, you can go, but drive carefully. And we didn’t give them any money. But I’m so sorry that you couldn’t speak Spanish and nobody could help you. In your situation, I think that was smart (give them the money) because nowadays you don’t know if they are really police man or not. So it sounds crazy but in the end, your life is worth much more. I don’t speak English very well, so I hope you understand what I wanted to say.
    And again, I’m so sorry!

  • alicia

    hello!
    I live in monclova, near castaños, I’m very ashamed of what happened to you, thanks for posting the video, the cops were discharged luck on your trip, really thanks. the video is the feeling of the moment jajajaja.

  • VM

    Hi, I´m sorry for the incident and thanks to people like this “cops” Mexico has a bad (very bad) reputation. Even a lot of us have fear with the cops because always they´re always doing some corrupt actions, like the extortion with anybody. Mexico is not a safe place because there´s no good police (the true cops are very very very few), there´s a lot of people doing bad things, and the goverment is dumb. But there´s a lot of people good and nice that are very friendly.

    Mexico is a country with potential and (in my opinion) a excelent culture (Zacatecas its very colonial, and a lot of towns at the south are great and beautiful), but with this “issues” Mexico will no going to progress and the potential will never show up. Im in Tijuana but if you go trough Michoacan maybe you encounter this site (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIG9jJbPQb4), is a nice city (name: Uruapan) with a natural park in the middle.

    Have a good trip and my best wishes, and thanks for posting the video.

    PD: Maybe my english is not 100% accurate.

  • sin sin aloa

    what a fuckin’shame man!as for myself a proud mexican living in the us for 25 years now, and watching these thives with a badge and you being in my country for the first time they just came to prove many people’s point, what we are about over there and i said “we”because i want to apologize to you on behalf of the good honest and hard working mexicans not for this fucking pieces of shit walking arround!!!

  • Santo

    Im sorry this happened to you man. And Im really sorry for the impression you must have gotten from this Mexico region… even if this is not an exclusive preblem of Mexico, this is a big cause for other big problems we have, so many of us are trying to stop this. Thank you very much for uploading the video and Im sure you were a big help towards getting these fother muckers fired.

  • moye

    horrible mexican soap operas? That is how my wife learned Spanish man !!! You should start watching them so you learn the basics at least.

  • genkis_kan

    this is going too far.
    first …
    he tells the officer how much!
    in your country you never offer money to an officer
    That’s bribery …
    give you a fine and pay it in court …

    second …
    the police do not speak English he hears the word much
    in Spanish the word is moche moch
    (Not exactly in English) is what the officer meant
    So he says you go to jail
    you stopped (arrested) you never moche
    camera recording
    Your moch?
    lend me a pen a pencil
    below what we see is the language barrier can not say jail
    and draws …

    third ….
    how are things in mexico
    stupidity is taking money out of the way that such
    if the officer will report to any criminal group and kill you and take away the money
    why not lose an hour or two and go and pay the bail to go speeding

    fourth …
    I do not advocate those corrupt officials who should be locked

  • Victor

    I really sorry for your bad experience, I’m mexican and I apologize for me and all the good mexicans that live in this wonderful country. I truly hope not to repeat this bad experience neither in this or other latam country.

  • carlos

    hi, i’m carlos from mexico, I just got to know your website and travel cause of the bribing video from mexican officers, i’m really sorry and ashamed that happened to you, it is very sad how has been mexico turning like that lately, so many corruption and violence, just hoping here that can end soon.

    i’m really stunned by your trip, i wish sometime i could do something like this, doing uncommon things, exploring world, living life at its max, it is truly awesome, and trying something like that, at least new for me, it is amazing, i wish you good luck on your trip, and keep safe, i will be following your updates.

  • http://www.dcpconsultor.com cocijoeza

    It is all about the journey brother, godspeed.

  • Edgar Xico

    Hey, I posted your video in a Facebook page I keep, about Mexican police corruption:

    The page has few members, but I wish I could make it grow and useful on making people aware of the Mexican police procedures.

    I’m Mexican and I got my car stolen by the Mexican police!

    Good luck,

    Edgar

  • http://rikaskate@hotmail.com ricardo

    q onda

  • http://www.profesoraespecialnuria.wordpress.com Nuria

    Hi Bill! i just discovered you´r blog because a i read this another blog of a mexican living in Switzerland, and she dedicated a whole post to you´r extortion video… and yeah, í am sorry that this happened to you, but seems like those cops alredy got what they deserve, of course that it would be nice if this happened to every corrupt cop… anyhow i got to say that i alredy im a “Atlas Rider” junkie…so you´ll see my comments very often here ;)
    Good luck in Guatemala!

    Best regards from Guadalajara

    –**NurisS**

  • http://www.profesoraespecialnuria.wordpress.com Nuria

    by the way… those spanish drunk phrases are truly awesome XD! what a complete mexican guide haha

  • salvador

    man bro did those pigs get you at first you would give them 5-to 20 bucks now 100 i kknow its crazy i went through it when they treaten to take me to jail cuz i had a beer at the park.

  • John

    Outstanding responses from the Mexican people here. A proud and noble people.

  • http://www.facebook.com/witoldc Witold Chrabaszcz

    The magic of helmet cams and vlogging!

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