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who are the coyotes in the devils highway

by Prof. Orion Ledner MD Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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“Coyote” has long been the most common term in Mexico for someone who smuggles people across the border, but The Devil's Highway introduces readers to a new nomenclature, or “border slang.” What most Americans think of as coyotes—the men who smuggle illegal immigrants across the border in cars, vans, or on long desert ...Feb 9, 2018

Full Answer

How are coyotes like gangsters of the desert?

The coyotes are like the gangsters of the desert. Coyotes lead the men across the Mexican border all the way to the United States of America. " Coyotes were stone cold pragmatists" ( 64). The coyotes do not care if their client, also known as chickens, die in the desert or if they make it all the way to the United States.

Who was the coyote that got lost in the desert?

Mendez was a well known coyote who did very well moving immigrants across the border, until the Wellton 26. Through the journey in the hot Sierra Desert Mendez got lost after two days and compulsively lied to the walkers saying "they only had a few more hours". However the men were not stupid they all knew they were lost, even Mendez..

What is the Devil’s Highway?

It retells the tragic story from May of 2001 when a group of men attempted to cross the U.S. border. After entering the desert of Arizona, they endured the deadliest region in North America, the Devil’s Highway. The Border Patrol does not even travel through it.

Who was the coyote that got lost on the Wellton 26?

Mendez was a well known coyote who did very well moving immigrants across the border, until the Wellton 26. Through the journey in the hot Sierra Desert Mendez got lost after two days and compulsively lied to the walkers saying "they only had a few more hours".

How are the Mexican consulate and border patrol connected?

What is the slang for a coyote?

Why is Urrea important?

What is the sign in Sasabe?

Why is the Mexican border sign ineffectual?

What did the Mexican government offer immigrants?

Who ran the Devil's Highway?

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Who are the walkers in Devil's Highway?

Walkers, or illegal immigrants crossing the desert by foot, are often throughout the text referred to as “pollos,” or “cooked chicken” in Spanish.

Who is the antagonist in Devil's Highway?

the CoyotesUrrea portrays the Coyotes (particularly Mendez, who is the villain in this book) as people who exploit immigrants for money; for them, the goal is to get people across the border under whatever conditions are convenient.

Who is the Yuma 14 in Devil's Highway?

This is the story of a group of men who have become known as the Yuma 14. They are the fourteen illegal immigrants who died attempting to cross the Arizona border in May, 2001.

What is a human coyote?

Colloquially, a coyote is a person who smuggles immigrants across the Mexico–United States border. The word "coyote" is a loanword from Mexican Spanish that usually refers to a species of North American wild dog (Canis latrans).

Who is the main antagonist in the devil all the time?

Reverend Preston TeagardinReverend Preston Teagardin is one of the two main antagonists (alongside Lee Bodecker) of the 2011 gothic crime novel The Devil All the Time and its 2020 film adaptation. In the film adaptation, he was portrayed by Robert Pattinson, who also played Connie Nikas in Good Time and Ephraim Winslow in The Lighthouse.

Who is Santos in the Devil's Highway?

Reymundo Jr. Santos and Lauro are two Sonoita-based polleros in the Cercas gang. When Jesús arrives in Sonoita, they teach him the treacherous new route he will take across the border.

Why is it called Devil's Highway?

Conquistadors, missionaries, prospectors, traders and others traversed it, beginning in 1540, usually heading to or from California. So many perished along the way, in this place that can feel as hot as hell, that it became known as the Devil's Highway.

Who is Mike F in the Devil's Highway?

Mike F. The Border Patrol, or Migra, agent who spotted the first five of the Wellton 26 to be rescued, and reported the situation to the Wellton station, thus kicking off the massive search party.

What happened in the Devil's Highway?

The Devil's Highway relates the 2001 tragedy of 26 men and boys who cross the Mexico / Arizona border led by Coyotes (persons who smuggle illegal immigrants) and lose their way on the stretch of desert known as the Devil's Highway. This book was a well-deserved finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Will a coyote bite you?

Coyote attacks on people are very rare. More people are killed by errant golf balls and flying champagne corks each year than are bitten by coyotes. Often, coyote attacks are preventable by modifying human behavior and educating people about ways to prevent habituation.

Can coyotes hurt you?

Although coyotes have been known to attack humans (and pets) and as such are a potential danger to people, especially children, risks are minimal and we feel that the majority of attack incidents could be reduced or prevented through modification of human behavior.

Will a coyote walk up to a human?

Coyotes are wild animals that are potentially dangerous, but coyote attacks against grown humans are rare. Coyotes should be avoided and treated with caution. They can be very dangerous to children and pets, but following prevention tips can keep you, your family and your pets safe.

Who is the protagonist in the Devil's Highway?

Reymundo Barreda, Sr.

Who is the protagonist in The Devil's Arithmetic?

Hannah SternThe Devil's Arithmetic is a historical fiction time slip novel written by American author Jane Yolen and published in 1988. The book is about Hannah Stern, a Jewish girl who lives in New Rochelle, New York, and is sent back in time to experience the Holocaust.

Who is the protagonist in Devil on the Cross?

Jacinta WariingaCharacters. Jacinta Wariinga: The protagonist that struggles in the wake of Kenyan independence. She spirals into a suicidal depression in the rising action of the book, but then right as she goes to take her own life, someone stops her and takes her on an enlightening yet painful journey of discovery.

What is the name of the hero in Shaw's The Devil's Disciple?

Dick DudgeonThis comes through best in the amazing words of Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne who appears in the third act when the British are doing their best to lose the Revolution. The play starts when the hero, Dick Dudgeon, who is the black sheep of a pious New England family, gets a legacy.

Devil's Highway Chapter 3 - The Coyote and the Chicken

posts sign in Sasabe, Sonora to warn the walkers not to go with Coyotes This does not prevent much because most of the walkers cannot read Later, Mexican government would supply walkers with survival kits with water and snacks (US gov put a stop to this)

The Devil's Highway Chapter 3 Summary - eNotes.com

El Negro is part of the Cercas family and guide for the Yuma 14. It is an intimidating chain of command, from Chespiro down to soldiers, drivers, and guides (Coyotes).

The Devil's Highway - Part 2, Chapters 2 - 3 Summary & Analysis

Summary. Part Two is titled, “Dead Man’s Sign.” Chapter 2, “In Veracruz,” takes the reader to the eastern state of Veracruz, bordering the Gulf of Mexico.

The Devil's Highway Symbols & Motifs | SuperSummary

Borders come up constantly in The Devil’s Highway.There is the literal border between Mexico and the United States. But there are also borders separating classes and races that must be crossed in order to achieve a better life.

The Devil’s Highway Summary | GradeSaver

The The Devil’s Highway Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you.

The Devil's Highway - Part 1, Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis

This Study Guide consists of approximately 42 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Devil's Highway.

How are the Mexican consulate and border patrol connected?

The Border Patrol and the Mexican consulate are connected, Urrea writes, by two things: each side has a deep distrust of its own government, and each side has a “simmering hatred” for human smugglers, known as polleros or Coyotes depending on their rank within any given smuggling gang.

What is the slang for a coyote?

Border slang, however, refers to Coyotes as “ Los Polleros ,” or chicken-wranglers, and to walkers as “ pollos .”. Pollo, in Spanish, means “cooked chicken .”. The illusion that it is easy to enter into the United States via towns like Sasabe—towns in which the police look the other way and in which the border is not well-protected—creates ...

Why is Urrea important?

Urrea helps his audience to better understand the complicated mechanics of the U.S.-Mexico border underworld. The terminology has evolved from what it used to be, and as the men near to the top have risen in status and importance, the men at the bottom have become more and more disposable—barely a step above the “cooked chicken” they are charged with transporting. This desecration of humanity creates a dangerous culture in which extortion and abandonment are completely commonplace.

What is the sign in Sasabe?

Active Themes. The Mexican government has placed a sign in Sasabe, a border town south of the U.S., which explains, in Spanish, that Coyotes “don’t care about your safety or the safety of your family,” and warns would-be immigrants not to “pay them off with [their] lives.”.

Why is the Mexican border sign ineffectual?

The sign is ineffectual, not least because many walkers can’t read it, and yet it is “the only thing Mexico is doing to try to stop them from crossing.”. Often, the Mexican army men who patrol the border have been paid off by Coyotes.

What did the Mexican government offer immigrants?

The Mexican government previously had offered immigrants “survival kits” filled with water, snacks, and even condoms, but the American government had caused an “uproar” over what they saw as the Mexican government condoning illegal immigration rather than just attempting to look out for its citizens’ well-being.

Who ran the Devil's Highway?

The Devil’s Highway. The Devil’s Highway! Get LitCharts A +. or sign in. Luis and Daniel Cercas were the brothers who ran the gang which lured the Wellton 26 into the desert. Daniel worked in Mexico and was known as El Chespiro—Luis worked in Phoenix, and had a vast network of contacts all across the States.

Why did Reymundo decide to go north?

A strong, mature, hard-working man, Reymundo decides to go north so that he can earn money to expand and reroof his house as a gift for his wife. With the larger group of walkers, Reymundo embarks northward to cross the border and spend the summer orange-picking in Florida. He is the oldest of the group at fifty-six.

What did Mendez learn about Maradona?

When he meets Maradona, he learns about the trade of smuggling people, which is illicit but brings in higher pay. During the expedition from Wellton, he leads the walkers into the desert without any direction or information about where to take them after the group is divided. Without Maradona, Mendez does not know what to do, and the group soon becomes completely lost in the Cabeza Prieta desert. With Lauro, he hikes his way out of the desert. Mendez survives and Lauro dies. In a plea statement, he describes in great detail the challenges of the walk and his goal to find help for his walkers. A judge finds him guilty, and he ends up in jail.

Where does Mendez work?

Mendez is a guide for the Wellton 26. He works at a brickyard and lives with his girlfriend.

Who recruits the polleros and the guias for the transport of the walkers?

Daniel Cercas goes by the alias “El Chespiro.” He recruits the polleros and the guias for the transport of the walkers.

How old is Rafael from Apixtla?

Rafael is a twenty-eight-year-old corn farmer from Apixtla. He takes care of an extended family. In addition to his wife and daughter, he also supports his mother, two sisters, and their four daughters. After crossing the border, he hopes to reach the Carolinas.

Who is Reymundo?

Reymundo is a mestizo who has an indigenous heritage on his mother’s side. A strong, mature, hard-working man, Reymundo decides to go north so that he can earn money to expand and reroof his house as a gift for his wife. With the larger group of walkers, Reymundo...

Who is Reymundo's brother in law?

A soft-spoken man in his twenties, Nahum is the brother-in-law of Reymundo Sr. He is a natural leader. Nahum survives the ordeal of the Devil’s Highway and thus serves as a significant source of information and insight for the book. This information comes from the testimony he delivered as part of an immunity deal he struck. As a result of that deal, Nahum stayed in the US, settling in Phoenix with his family.

What is the Yuma 14?

The Yuma-14 (or the Wellstone 26), as the group is called, also shed light on the problems of U.S. immigration and the complex relationship between the United States and Mexico. Urrea focuses on the individual subjects and the circumstances that brought them to make the decision to cross the border and risk death.

What does Urrea represent?

All represent a complex set of values: religion, money, superstition, native Indian culture, and black magic. Most of all, Urrea draws attention to the Coyotes, or guides, who work like gang members to get ahead. The group of walkers, or illegals, put their lives into the Coyotes' hands.

What is the Devil's Highway?

Word Count: 355. The Devil’s Highway, written by journalist Luis Alberto Urrea, is a true story about Mexican migration into the United States.

How many people survived the Devil's Highway?

The Border Patrol does not even travel through it. Twenty-six men entered the region, and only twelve people survived. It was the largest group of border-event deaths in history.

Where does Urrea go from?

He invests the reader in their hopes and dreams. Urrea reaches back to Mexico and its roots: Native American tribes, Spanish explorers and missionaries, and smugglers and human traffickers.

What was Mendez arrested for?

Mendez was arrested for being a coyote and smuggling illegal aliens but plead guilty to multiple smuggling counts. " Each count carries a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment, five years supervised probation after that, and a fine up to 250,000" (203). 1.

How long did it take Mendez to get lost?

Through the journey in the hot Sierra Desert Mendez got lost after two days and compulsively lied to the walkers saying "they only had a few more hours". However the men were not stupid they all knew they were lost, even Mendez.. After the third day the walkers were all slowly dying in the blazing heat.

What did Mendez tell the walkers?

Mendez told the me that he was going to get water and help, but that he needed money from each immigrant. After hours of frying up in the sun the walkers realized that Mendez took their money and had no reason to come help them.

Did Mendez die in the end?

In the end of the book Mendez does not die, but he did get punished for taking the undocumented immigrants over the border, also for leaving them to die. 5. I thought that Mendez would get all of the men to the United States and it would backfire on him, by him getting arrested or shot by the border patrol.

Did Mendez care about the walkers?

2. Mendez did not in fact care for the walkers, he only cared about two things: himself and money.

Do coyotes care about chickens?

The coyotes do not care if their client, also known as chickens, die in the desert or if they make it all the way to the United States. The only importance to them is if they get paid or not. The coyotes get thousands of dollars smuggling the walkers,immigrants, over.

Who led the men to the desert?

Mendez. Leading twenty-six men into the desert only to leave them to be cooked alive under the Arizona sun, is exactly what twenty year old Jesus Antonio Lopez Ramos, better known as Mendez, did in May 2001. The coyotes are like the gangsters of the desert. Coyotes lead the men across the Mexican border all the way to the United States of America.

How are the Mexican consulate and border patrol connected?

The Border Patrol and the Mexican consulate are connected, Urrea writes, by two things: each side has a deep distrust of its own government, and each side has a “simmering hatred” for human smugglers, known as polleros or Coyotes depending on their rank within any given smuggling gang.

What is the slang for a coyote?

Border slang, however, refers to Coyotes as “ Los Polleros ,” or chicken-wranglers, and to walkers as “ pollos .”. Pollo, in Spanish, means “cooked chicken .”. The illusion that it is easy to enter into the United States via towns like Sasabe—towns in which the police look the other way and in which the border is not well-protected—creates ...

Why is Urrea important?

Urrea helps his audience to better understand the complicated mechanics of the U.S.-Mexico border underworld. The terminology has evolved from what it used to be, and as the men near to the top have risen in status and importance, the men at the bottom have become more and more disposable—barely a step above the “cooked chicken” they are charged with transporting. This desecration of humanity creates a dangerous culture in which extortion and abandonment are completely commonplace.

What is the sign in Sasabe?

Active Themes. The Mexican government has placed a sign in Sasabe, a border town south of the U.S., which explains, in Spanish, that Coyotes “don’t care about your safety or the safety of your family,” and warns would-be immigrants not to “pay them off with [their] lives.”.

Why is the Mexican border sign ineffectual?

The sign is ineffectual, not least because many walkers can’t read it, and yet it is “the only thing Mexico is doing to try to stop them from crossing.”. Often, the Mexican army men who patrol the border have been paid off by Coyotes.

What did the Mexican government offer immigrants?

The Mexican government previously had offered immigrants “survival kits” filled with water, snacks, and even condoms, but the American government had caused an “uproar” over what they saw as the Mexican government condoning illegal immigration rather than just attempting to look out for its citizens’ well-being.

Who ran the Devil's Highway?

The Devil’s Highway. The Devil’s Highway! Get LitCharts A +. or sign in. Luis and Daniel Cercas were the brothers who ran the gang which lured the Wellton 26 into the desert. Daniel worked in Mexico and was known as El Chespiro—Luis worked in Phoenix, and had a vast network of contacts all across the States.

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1.Coyotes and Chickens Symbol in The Devil’s Highway

Url:https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-devil-s-highway/symbols/coyotes-and-chickens

30 hours ago What most Americans think of as coyotes—the men who smuggle illegal immigrants across the border in cars, vans, or on long desert treks—are now most commonly known as polleros, while …

2.The Devil’s Highway: Chapter 3 Summary & Analysis

Url:https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-devil-s-highway/chapter-3-the-coyote-and-the-chicken

29 hours ago The Coyote in the case of the Wellton 26 was known as El Negro, though his real name was Evodio Manilla, and he was allegedly Luis Cercas’s brother-in-law. His driver was known as El …

3.The Devil's Highway Characters - eNotes.com

Url:https://www.enotes.com/topics/devils-highway/characters

6 hours ago  · The Devil's Highway Characters Reymundo Barreda is a hard-working man, he decides to go north with his son. Daniel Cercas goes by the alias “El Chespiro.” He recruits the …

4.The Devil's Highway Summary - eNotes.com

Url:https://www.enotes.com/topics/devils-highway

20 hours ago Who is the villain in the Devil’s Highway? Urrea portrays the Coyotes (particularly Mendez, who is the villain in this book) as people who exploit immigrants for money; for them, the goal is to get …

5.Jesus Antonio Lopez Ramos, (Mendez) - Devil's Highway

Url:https://devilshighway.weebly.com/-jesus-antonio-lopez-ramos-mendez.html

36 hours ago Urrea portrays the Coyotes (particularly Mendez, who is the villain in this book) as people who exploit immigrants for money; for them, the goal is to get people across the border under …

6.Devil's Highway Chapter 3 - The Coyote and the Chicken

Url:https://quizlet.com/160625006/devils-highway-chapter-3-the-coyote-and-the-chicken-flash-cards/

21 hours ago  · The group of walkers, or illegals, put their lives into the Coyotes' hands. In this case, the Coyotes lead them to a desperate trail that results in unimaginable physical hardship,...

7.Devil's Highway - Luis Alberto Urrea - University of Texas …

Url:https://libguides.utsa.edu/devilshighway

17 hours ago Mendez. Leading twenty-six men into the desert only to leave them to be cooked alive under the Arizona sun, is exactly what twenty year old Jesus Antonio Lopez Ramos, better known as …

8.Arizona Coyotes at New Jersey Devils odds, picks and …

Url:https://sportsbookwire.usatoday.com/2022/11/12/arizona-coyotes-at-new-jersey-devils-odds-picks-and-predictions/

14 hours ago Coyotes = Los Polleros (chicken in Spanish = gallina COOKED chicken in Spanish = pollo) Luis Cercas "the main man" head of Yuma 14 operation lived in United States El Negro Yuma 14 …

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