Remembering life as it once was along the US – Mexico border
Jesus Ochoa, 75, was born in El Paso, Texas, where he has lived nearly all his life. As a young boy, he recalls stuffing his pockets with a $5 bill, picking up his friends and heading just a few miles south to Juarez, Mexico. Every Saturday, he visited the neighboring city to get a haircut, get his shoes shined and eat mariscos (seafood). When he graduated from high school, Juarez was where he and his classmates went to celebrate – something he calls a “rite of passage” for kids in his school.
But today, Juarez is a very different place than the one Ochoa reminisces about. This year alone, there were 1,700 deaths due to violence and gang activity. Drug cartels overrun the city, and the local police and Mexican military are engaged in a domestic war there. We talk with Ochoa about the evolution of Juarez over time. Jesus Ochoa’s daughter, Meekah, grew up on the other side of the border in El-Paso. She describes the current perception of Juarez.
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