Press Releases 07
Mexico’s Security Efforts Deserve Strong Support
Garza: “President Bush proposes the single most aggressive
undertaking ever to combat Mexican drug cartels and the associated
violence they pose to citizens in both the U.S. and Mexico.”
Statement by Ambassador Antonio O. Garza
Mexico City, October 22, 2007- “Early this morning President
Bush spoke to President Calderon and shared with him that
he was moving forward on a Congressional request for $500
million as part of a $1.4 billion program to fund security
cooperation with Mexico. Several minutes ago President Bush
made public that intention. The President also requested $50
million to confront the same narco-trafficking dangers in
Central America. This initiative, born out of the meetings
between President Bush and President Calderon in Merida, represents
a fundamental shift in strengthening our strategic partnership
and is the single most aggressive undertaking ever to combat
Mexican drug cartels and the associated violence they pose
to citizens in both the U.S. and Mexico.
“Our across-the-board geographic, economic and demographic
links to Mexico and the region make clear our compelling national
security interest to reduce the threats crime and violence
have on our societies. This new framework will help to create
a safer and more secure hemisphere where criminal organizations
no longer threaten regional security and populations. It will
also prevent the entry and spread of illicit drugs and transnational
and terrorist threats throughout the region.
“During my four and a half years as U.S. Ambassador, I have
watched as violence related to narco-trafficking has rapidly
spread in Mexico, which has become both a consumer country
and the primary transit route for illegal drugs entering the
U.S. Organized criminals have brazenly assassinated Mexican
police and senior government officials, and thousands of civilians
have been caught in the crossfire. Last year, over 2,000 drug-related
murders took place; more than 2,000 have been reported so
far this year. This challenge affects us just as dramatically,
as untold thousands have died or had their lives ruined by
the corrosive impact of the drugs that Mexican cartels smuggle
into the U.S.
“I’ve also watched Mexico become a central partner in our
own efforts to combat drug trafficking, pre-empt terrorism,
and confront other trans-border threats. Since entering office
last December, President Calderon has taken a courageous stand
against the transnational criminals currently threatening
Mexico and his government’s willingness to work in tandem
with the U.S. represents an historic opportunity to solidify
Mexico’s place as our full, prosperous, democratic North America
partner. President Calderon’s government has demonstrated
an impressive commitment to improve public security, launched
aggressive anti-drug operations into ten states, increased
pay for military and federal law enforcement agents, and worked
to make those institutions more transparent and effective.
Notwithstanding Mexico’s clampdown on narco-violence, it is
spreading to states not traditionally affected and has taken
its toll with high-profile killings of law enforcement officers
on the rise.
“In spite of the risks involved, Mexico has strengthened
law enforcement cooperation with us by extraditing 73 of Mexico’s
hardest criminals to the U.S. for prosecution, including the
leader of the Gulf Cartel, seizing increasing amounts of drugs
and dirty money, and has taken a leadership role in creating
a regional strategy to improve transnational interdictions.
Mexico’s significant efforts, and the important work we are
already doing together should be applauded, however, we need
to do more and now is the time to do it.
“The most important action we can take is to partner with
President Calderon in his government’s struggle against spiraling
violence. In addition to exploring ways to improve our economic
ties, diminish regional poverty, and enhance border security,
we also need to substantially reduce U.S. drug demand and
improve controls on arms, cash, and precursor chemicals smuggled
into Mexico. Recently, the White House Office of National
Drug Control Policy announced that the aggressive crackdown
on drug trafficking and related violence by the Government
of Mexico, in coordination with the U.S., has led to a substantial
decline in the availability of cocaine and the consequent
rise in prices in the U.S. This clearly illustrates how cooperative
U.S.-Mexico efforts are working.
“Mexicans understand the stakes and realize that security
is every bit as much a priority for them as it is for us.
Today’s Mexico represents a new democratic system in which
the different branches of government, leading political parties,
and members of Mexican civil society have rallied behind what
has become an extraordinary campaign against violence and
lawlessness. Mexicans have no illusions about the severity
of the problem before them, which is why a sizable majority
support President Calderon’s campaign against organized crime.
“This initiative is about enhancing the safety and security
of all our peoples through greater cooperation. It will provide
Mexico, and Central America, with additional tools, training
and techniques to turn the page on organized crime and transnational
threats. Although goals may be similar, operationally this
initiative is distinctly different from previous regional
efforts. This program is truly a partnership focused on shared
responsibilities and reciprocal efforts to combat against
the traffickers that supply the drugs in Mexico and also against
the demand in the U.S., by taking additional and more aggressive
and coordinated actions in each of our own countries.
“President Bush has taken the first step by requesting funding
directed specifically towards security cooperation with Mexico
and Central America. The U.S. Congress will now need to act
on this crucial security proposal. We have the opportunity
and the responsibility to stand together with our neighbors
and demonstrate our strong commitment to break the backs of
the drug cartels, disrupt the flow of narcotics and related
cash that endangers our shared borders, and free our respective
societies from drug-related violence.”
More about President Bush’s announcement
This initiative would support coordinated strategies to:
- Produce a safer and more secure hemisphere where criminal
organizations no longer are destabilizing governments and
threatening national and regional security; and
- Prevent the entry and spread of illicit drugs and transnational
threats throughout the region and to the United States.
To achieve these goals, President Bush is requesting funding
to provide:
- upgrades to programs undertaken by our partners’ security
agencies in the surveillance of their territory and quick
response of security forces in counternarcotics operations
by providing greater mobility
- equipment and assets to support counterpart security agencies
inspecting and interdicting drugs, trafficked goods, people
and other contraband
- computer technology to strengthen host countries’ coordination
of security forces and information sharing with the United
States
- technologies to enhance our partners’ capacity to collect
actionable intelligence for law enforcement purposes
- training to support Mexico and Central America’s commitment
to streamline and professionalize their law enforcement
organizations
- capacity building measures and training to complement
actions undertaken by regional governments to reform judicial
processes, respond to citizens’ concerns and strengthen
prison management
- support for Mexican NGOs and agencies working to reduce
the rising level of drug usage in Mexico
- equipment, training and community action programs in Central
American countries to implement anti-gang measures and expand
the reach of these measures in the region.
Presidents’ Support for Regional Strategy:
“The United States is committed to this joint strategy to
deal with a joint problem. I would not be committed to dealing
with this if I wasn’t convinced that President Calderón had
the will and the desire to protect his people from narco-traffickers.
He has shown great leadership and great strength of character,
which gives me good confidence that the plan we’ll develop
will be effective.” President George W. Bush, August 21, 2007
Montebello
“Drug trafficking and violence that's associated to drug trafficking,
which is particularly evidenced on the border between the
U.S. and Mexico, cannot be dealt with in an isolated way….It
requires a variety, multiplicity of actions carried out by
society, by governments; in other words, enforcement activities
against criminals, preventive activities, protective activities,
prevention and treatment of addictions with the young.” President
Felipe Calderón, August 21, 2007 Montebello
“Our countries are working together to fight transnational
gangs. And the President (Berger) was right – I suggested
we think about this issue regionally. You’ve got to understand
that these gangs are able to move throughout Central America
and up through Mexico into our own country, and therefore,
we’ve got to think regionally and act regionally.” President
Bush, March 12, 2007 Guatemala City
Drug Demand Reduction:
The United States has done more than any other industrialized
nation to reduce illegal drug use among its population. Through
a broad array of efforts, it has succeeded in reducing cocaine
use among 18-25 year olds by nearly 60% since its peak in
1979, and overall youth drug use has fallen by 23.2% since
President Bush announced his National Drug Control Strategy
in 2002. The President’s FY2008 budget dedicates $4.6 billion
to an array of new prevention and treatment initiatives.
The National Southwest Border Counternarcotics Strategy:
United States federal agencies along the Southwest border
are coordinating their efforts to implement 68 objectives
under this new strategy in the following areas: intelligence
collection and information sharing, interdiction at and between
ports of entry, aerial surveillance and interdiction of smuggling
aircraft, investigations and prosecutions and countering financial
crime. It is estimated that U.S. is spending $1.9 billion
to implement this strategy. On October 2, 2007 John Walters,
Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy said
that this balanced strategy will serve as an effective response
against violent drug trafficking organizations that work to
undermine democracy and rule of law.
Reduction in Trafficking in Arms:
In 2005, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms launched
its Southwest Border Initiative to attack the firearms-trafficking
infrastructure of criminal organizations working across the
border. New programs to share tracing capabilities with the
Mexicans, close off trafficking corridors, expand actionable,
real-time intelligence cooperation and aggressively pursue
prosecution have resulted in marked increases in interdictions
and arrests of individuals seeking to move firearms across
the border. |
