South of the Border
Posted: 23 Mar 2010 08:44 AM PDT
El Universal (Mexico City) 3/22/10
Mexican Army sends a message to the US
[Opinion column] Except for something imponderable, those things that sometimes change the course of events, tomorrow the US delegation arrives, headed by Hillary Clinton, for a meeting at the highest levels with Mexican officials. The Secretary of State will be accompanied by the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, the National Director of Intelligence, Dennis Blair and a half dozen other officials.
Only they know the tome and range of the message that the government of Obama wishes to deliver, but what remains clear is the Mexican position. Yesterday, Brigadier General Benito Medina Herrera, Director of Military Education of the Army and Air Force University, delivered a message with the statement: "In the fight against narcotraffic and organized crime, neither the Army nor Mexico can confront the problem alone. International cooperation is required." As a manner of answering Janet Napolitano - who affirmed that the Army has not helped to contain the violence in Juarez - and deflect future complaints by our neighbors, the General establishes the fundamentals of the narco problem: consumption, financial resources and arms. In the three, the US is at least co-responsible.
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La Jornada (Mexico City) 3/22/10
Purpose of meeting explained
The Mexican Ambassador to the US, Arturo Sarukhan, stressed that the visit of high US officials in Mexico is with the objective of continuing to examine the cooperation between both countries and to analyze the progress of the Merida Initiative and not because of the murders of the three people connected to the US Consulate in Cd. Juarez. The meeting will review "the strategy that will be set up" for the approval of both presidents in their next meeting.
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Cambio de Michoacan (Morelia, Michoacan ) 3-22-10
MS-13 Operating in Mexican states
According to a news release from The Organization of American States, a criminal group in Michoacan has prevented the spread of La Mara Salvatrucha into Guanajuato by resisting its influence. According to this release, the Central American group MS-13 is operating in Jalisco, Queretaro, Hidalgo, Aguascalientes, Puebla, the State of Mexico and in D.F., but not into Guanajuato and Michoacan due to the presence of narcotics cartels in the region. In the central portion of Mexico, there are 34 known Mara Salvatrucha gangs but none in Guanajuato and Michoacan. Nevertheless, it is possible there has been an alliance between the groups.
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Cuatro Poder (Chiapas) 3-22-10
"Not one step back" says Calderon
MEXICO, D.F. In the National Palace, during a celebration of the 204th birthday of Benito Juarez, President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa said the country of Mexico will not take one step back in its fight against organized crime and narcotics traffic. "We will not allow criminal organizations to deny us the Mexican liberties that our heroes earned with their blood and sacrifices", affirmed Calderon. "All three branches of government must unite in the struggle to strengthen our institutions and the laws of the country to bring security to the people and enact consequences to committing crime in our country", he said.
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National Association Of Former Border Patrol Officers
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