It’s heating up and a stones throw away from us in El Paso, it’s heating up in Cuidad Juarez, Mexico.
For us living in this border city, Juarez gives the impression of a sleepy and unassuming city.
I would think nothing of going over the border with my kids and eat lunch or buy shoes or just enjoy the colors of the buildings and markets.
But along with its roadside fruit stands and open air “Mercado” and Mariachis strolling the dusty streets is a growing violence that is becoming more ruthless and random.

We’ve had to live with the “las muertas de Juarez” (the dead of Juarez) since 1993 where the number of women between the ages of 17-22 has climbed to around 400. Some suspect that the drug cartel is behind the killings and this is simply “sport” for them. Suspects have been arrested but the murders continue. It seems like more murders happen in the heat of summer.

Here in El Paso, a lot of teenagers cross the border on the weekend to hit the clubs.
I can tell you that as a mother every time I found out my daughter had crossed over I thanked my lucky stars that she came home. At 18, you think nothing can touch you.

And then there is the Narco-violence--drug trafficking-
over this past Easter weekend there were around 2 dozen murders related to the cartels between March 21 and March 23. The very next day and through the next there were 9 more murders.

And the weather is heating up.

Thursday people all over the city were receiving emails and texts on their phones saying to stay home because this was going to be the “bloodiest and deadliest” weekend in Juarez history. Some people thought it might be a hoax but many of us living here took it seriously. One theory was that the cartel didn’t want to take down “innocents” although that hasn’t been the case in the past. It is being called a "limpia" - a cleaning or cleansing of those they feel have betrayed the cartel.

A staff member at the clinic received the text and told me that earlier this week her sister, husband, 10year old son, and 2 month old baby were eating in a Juarez restaurant. Her sister took the baby to the bathroom with her and while in there she heard a commotion and peeked through the door. There were 4 men with guns pointed at various heads…no one was hurt but as she told me she began to cry thinking how close it was for her and her family. Her 10year old nephew is still reeling from the experience.

Then there was yesterday.
There were 11 murders in Juarez yesterday all of these being directly linked to the warring “La Linea” drug cartel of Juarez and Sinaloa cartel.
One of the massacred was a 14-year-old boy found in an empty lot.
Two heads were found wrapped up in a blanket close by with a note stating they were “traitors” to “La Linea” working with the Sinaloa cartel.
Since the beginning of January of this year there have been more than 300 murders linked to the drug war. More than 3000 Mexican Federal soldiers have been sent to Juarez to patrol the streets.

And the weather is heating up.

Sleepy Juarez no more.