M.HERALD / T.JOHNSON
3 screen read combined
"The culture here is that whoever has tattoos is a criminal,” said a former gang member undergoing painful tattoo removal.
"Potential employers shut the door on anyone who is tatted up, fearing street gangs that relentlessly extort businesses. When tattooed riders get on buses, fellow passengers often change seats or get off altogether.
Gangs have firebombed buses as part of widespread campaigns for extortion and turf.
“People panic when they see these guys,” said Gladis Pacheco, a psychologist at the Tattoo Removal Clinic run by the National Council of Public Security. “In this country, it is just a primordial requirement to get rid of one’s tattoos.”
Popular Posts
- SERBIA / LIBYA : Are Serbian Mercenary Pilots Bombing Protestors In Tripoli?
- PERU: Chaos Reigns In Lima's Streets With Unregulated Taxis And Ancient Buses.
- BRASIL: FIFA Ponders Guns Swap For World Cup Football Tickets; Lula's Tumor 75% Reduced.
- FRANCE: Angry Basque Force Sarkozy To Hide In Bar.
- MEXICO: Guapo But Bobo...PRI's Pena Nieto Still Leads To Succeed Prez Calderon.
- CHILE / CANADA : Court Suspends Barrick Gold Pascua Lama Mine Production.
- Wall Street Journal Profiles Mexico's notorious "El Chapo."
- CHILE: 16 Jan. UPDATE: Camila Vallejo Interviewed; May Run For MP As Communist.
- SERBIA / KOSOVO / EU : President Nikolic Talks Tough About Pristina.
- ARGENTINA / RUSSIA / BELARUS/ UK : Olympics News...Sort Of.