Mexicans praise U.S. border security measures

http://www.idahopress.com/news/?id=21610




MEXICO CITY (AP) — U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's announcement Tuesday that nearly 500 agents and support personnel will be sent to the U.S.-Mexico border would once have drawn criticism in Mexico.
But on the eve of Wednesday's visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Mexico's top diplomat was full of praise for the measures.
Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Patricia Espinosa described what she called "a new era of cooperation" between the two countries.
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"These are really important actions to support the frontal battle that this administration is carrying out," Espinosa said, noting the U.S. government has said it is open to discussing the measures with Mexican officials.
Mexico has been publicly pressing the United States to do more to stop the flow of U.S. weapons south. The State Department says weapons originating in the U.S. were used in 95 percent of all drug-related killings, and the Mexican government says more than 9,000 people have died since President Felipe Calderon took office on Dec. 1 and launched a national crackdown on cartels.
Mexico's former top anti-drug prosecutor, Samuel Gonzalez, said "the signal here from what Secretary Napolitano said is that this is no longer simply a diplomatic or foreign relations issue for them. It is a matter of U.S. national security."
Mexico once would have bristled at the prospect of the U.S. government sending more agents to the border, especially National Guard units, a possibility that Napolitano said is under discussion.
Mexico opposed the deployment of National Guard units to border states in 2006, mostly because the measure was viewed as a crackdown on undocumented migrants.
This time, border security measures include 100 more agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and increasing the inspection of rail cargo heading from the U.S. into Mexico to detect weapons being smuggled into Mexico.
Mexico has been lobbying for such action for years.
"It's perfect. It's good that there is an attack on all fronts" against the cartels, Gonzalez said.
In part, the change is because cartel violence has increased on both sides of the border while immigration has declined amid extra border security and the faltering U.S. economy. President Barack Obama has also shown a willingness to push for immigration reform.
"On the immigration issue, we have seen in recent weeks under the new U.S. administration a constructive attitude and a clear willingness to seek a long-term solution," Espinosa said.
While immigration will clearly be brought up during Clinton's visit, Espinosa said "the issue of security is naturally one of the most relevant on the bilateral agenda."
The praise for the U.S. efforts is not unanimous. Carlos Montemayor, an author who writes about national security issues, said that "from a Mexican perspective, the U.S. participation isn't consistent, and has some contradictions."
He said the United States appears to focus more on stopping drugs from getting across the border into the United States, and not enough on catching the money launderers or American traffickers who operate north of the border.
Gonzalez said that, more than just agents or police, the most valuable U.S. contribution was the decision to increase the FBI's intelligence and analysis work on Mexican drug cartel crime.
"It is like the measures that were needed to break up the mafia in the United States, intelligence work," Gonzalez noted. "It is not just a military approach, which is not going to get you anywhere."
He noted that Mexico's cartels have morphed into such diversified criminal syndicates — with sidelines in extortion, kidnapping, pirated goods and human trafficking — that what is needed is true cross-border intelligence to stop that trend.

Drug Cartel Violence Spills Into U.S. From Mexico

yet another article about drug violence spilling into US.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/us/23border.html?th&emc=th

bz

Let Me Chew My Coca Leaves

Bolivian president Evo Morales Ayma defends traditional use of the coca plant -- a custom present "since at least 3000 B.C." He notes that the UN simply ignores biochemistry, reminding us of what alkaloids are, such as caffeine and nicotine. The UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs has labeled the coca leaf as a narcotic, not just the cocaine extract. Coca leaves are a strong part of indigenous culture in South America and Morales see the UN's actions as an attack on indigenous culture. He also notes that Quinine, another alkaloid, was discovered by the Quechua Indians of Peru -- the first know treatment for malaria.

GOPers Threaten Salvadorans over Election Outcome

Back in the United States, two Republican lawmakers have issued threats over the outcome of Sunday’s national elections in El Salvador. On Thursday, Republican Congress members Trent Franks of Arizona and Dan Burton of Indiana said Salvadorans living in the US could lose their immigration status and the right to send remittances home if the leftist FMLN party wins the vote. Polls indicate the FMLN will beat the right-wing ARENA party, which has long had close ties to Washington. Five years ago, the Bush administration was accused of threatening to cut off aid to El Salvador if voters supported the FMLN.


http://www.democracynow.org/2009/3/13/headlines#13

BZ

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090303/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_oil;_ylt=An8tKluW6YOToHq99eNRg2W3IxIF

Venezuelan's oil companies who are state ran are trying to cut 40% costs because of low prices of oil in the rest of world. -Lizette Avila