Better translation for Tableado?

Question

I was reading an article about how Central American undocumented immigrants are treated in Mexico (not well), and I ran across the word "tableado". This is from an immigrant who was robbed by organized gangs:

A los que viajábamos solos, los seis pistoleros nos decían que si no aportábamos un número telefónico de parientes en Estados Unidos nos iban a matar. Los que se negaron fueron tableados. Dos intentaron escapar y los asesinaron.

The six gunmen told those of us that were traveling alone that if we did not supply them with a telephone number of relatives in the United States they were going to kill us. Those that refused were tableados. Two tried to escape and they killed them.

I don't think the gunmen "pleated" the victims. What's a better translation?

Answer 1

I think I found it in a video someone posted. Tableado means to be hit with a plank of wood (tabla).

Thanks for your suggestions. I'll keep checking in here for verification or rebuttal.

Since they killed two trying to escape it seems that it would be more serious than getting hit - nizhoni1, Aug 30, 2010

I thought so, too, until I saw the video. There's getting hit, and there's getting beaten repeatedly with the edge of a heavy wooden plank swung with the speed of a baseball bat. OTOH, why would "pistoleros" stab people? Bullets are cheap and easy. - KevinB, Aug 30, 2010

I am leaning away from cutting them up vs being transformed into a garden plot after being prepared with a pistol - nizhoni1, Aug 30, 2010

I thought about the "garden plot" interpretation, too, but history shows these guys don't bother. - KevinB, Sep 1, 2010

Answer 2

This does not seem to be a standard use of the verb (from what I can tell). Maybe this is a literal translation from the English usage "to table = to lay aside"?

If it helps any, the speaker is a guatemalteco. - KevinB, Aug 30, 2010

Answer 3

I checked out the definition of "tablear" which discusses leveling the ground or dividing a garden into plots. The last definition was about pounding bars of iron in to flat objects.

Extrapolating wildly but it sounds like the gentlemen with the guns were making metphorical reference to gardening and the earth in ways the immigrants would not want to contemplate.

Answer 4

I think "tablear" means "to divide into plots". I've heard a simillar word in portuguese, that means to divide into plots, or in that context, as sheily said "to slice". Probabilly it is to slice up.

Answer 5

Possibly, "sliced up/cut up" ?