NewsMine — war-on-terror — latin-america — mexico — Viewing Item

Mexico sovereignty threatened by drug war { May 2008 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jh_NWMNvAYVY7_K14-QWSkML-gqQD917F75G1 http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jh_NWMNvAYVY7_K14-QWSkML-gqQD917F75G1 House gives boost to aid for Mexico drug war By SUZANNE GAMBOA Jun 10, 2008 WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Tuesday authorized spending $1.6 billion over the next three years to help Mexico and other countries counter growing drug violence and the cartels behind it. But the money isn't assured. The bill, approved 311-106, would not provide any money to Mexico. That could come separately in pending bills funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and future appropriations bills. The House and Senate are negotiating with the administration on the war spending bills to avoid a threatened veto by President Bush. In addition, the Mexican government is opposing the anti-drug trafficking aid in the war bills because of requirements in it that Mexico says interfere with its sovereignty. A delegation of congressional members met with Mexico officials over the weekend to discuss Mexico's concerns. In the bill passed Tuesday, the House authorized about $1.1 billion for Mexico between 2008-2010; $405 million for Central America and Caribbean countries and $74 million for the Justice Department to stem the flow of U.S. guns into Mexico. The bill includes some human rights conditions and monitoring of how equipment and training have been used "to make sure U.S. taxpayer dollars are going to support practices consistent with our values," said Lynne Weil, a spokeswoman for Rep. Howard Berman, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee. Bill supporters on Tuesday repeatedly praised Mexico President Calderon for escalating his war against the drug cartels. They raised concerns about drug violence in Mexico spilling into the U.S. and noted the slaying of Edgar Millan Gomez, Mexico's acting federal police chief, a position similar to U.S. FBI director. Gomez was shot by a lone gunman May 8 outside his Mexico City apartment. Police blamed the Sinaloa drug cartel. "It's high time for the United States to do more than applaud President Calderon's courage. We must work together to tackle this difficult problem," Berman said. But some disagreed. Two Texas Republican lawmakers, Reps. Ted Poe and John Culberson, thwarted Berman's effort to pass the bill on a voice vote. "We need to defeat this legislation until our southern border is secure," Culberson said. Ricardo Alday, spokesman for the Mexican Embassy in Washington, said House approval of the bill "sends a powerful message to drug trafficking syndicates that our two countries stand shoulder to shoulder in our efforts to shut them down on both sides of the border." Hosted by Google Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Civil unrest tightens hold on mexican city { August 24 2006 } Mexican police shoot striking steel workers { April 21 2006 } Mexican presidential aide linked to drug traffickers { February 6 2005 } Mexico candidate demands full recount { August 6 2006 } Mexico charges 27 police with protecting drug traffickers { February 28 2005 } Mexico ciil resistance begins by leftists Mexico drops charges against popular mayor Mexico leftist leads in poll stations recount Mexico leftists candidate claims voter fraud { June 2006 } Mexico police tighten grip on oaxaca { September 2006 } Mexico pres makes stand against popular leftist mayor Mexico president reconsiders drug law after US pressure { May 4 2006 } Mexico sovereignty threatened by drug war { May 2008 } Oaxaca youths fire bomb mcdonalds { November 12 2006 } Protests in mexico against poll results { July 17 2006 } Protests in oaxaca paralize city { August 22 2006 } Files Listed: 16

Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security Archives

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information, go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purpose of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.