“About two months ago, they were some voices in the U.S press and U.S officials stated that Mexico was a fail state, which rapidly the Mexican government came out denying and began demanding the U.S to have more gun control, […]”By Gabriel Infante Carrillo
Ever since the war against the drug cartels and the organized crime was launched by president Felipe Calderón back in December 2006, the U.S have never showed interest and willingness to take part on this fight, unlike President Obama’s administration has shown in the past weeks. It shouldn’t be any surprise this change of attitude of the U.S, mainly because they have started to feel the threats of this unleashed and bloody war taking place in the south of the border, which is getting closer to U.S soil.
About two months ago, they were some voices in the U.S press and U.S officials stated that Mexico was a fail state, which rapidly the Mexican government came out denying and began demanding the U.S to have more gun control, due to the fact, according to Mexican officials, most of the high-powered weapons being used by the drug cartels were purchased in the U.S. and allegedly have caused more then ten thousands deaths ever since the drug fight started, just in 2009 there have been close to two thousands narco deaths. Another demand made by President Calderón’s administration is that the U.S has to tackled the drug consumption, mainly because this is the main market for Mexican drugs.
These demands made by the Mexican government are valid, and President Barack Obama understands it perfectly well and he has made it clear his willingness to help out and to attend Mexico’s demands, not just during his state visit to Mexico City last week, but also throughout her Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton; Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano and his Attorney General of Justice, Eric Holder, who were in Mexico back in March. President Obama didn’t wait until his state visit to Mexico City to start taking actions; on Wednesday Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security, named Alan Bersin as Border Czar, which his main task will be to oversees the 3, 200 Km border between the two countries, but putting special attention to arms trafficking and cash flow coming form the U.S to Mexico, and drugs coming from the south. As well, President Obama added Mexican cartels to the list of the banned foreign “drug kingpins”, that will allowed the U.S government to seize and freeze their assets, estimated to be in the billion dollars. This measures will also permit that U.S authorities seek criminal penalties against U.S firms or individuals who provide weapons, launder money or transport drugs or cash for the organizations. Normally to add names in the list takes about an year –long effort, which this is a clear sign that that President Obama is determine to work hand in hand with the Mexican government to put an end to the drug trafficking, violence and secure both sides of the border.
What really concerns me, is if the Mexican government is willing to fight this war on a sincere and honest way, until now this hasn’t happened, mainly because this war is being leaded by the Secretary of Public Security, Genaro García Luna, whom many of his detractors have pointed out that he has allegedly links to drug cartels and give protection to kidnapping gangs. One of these detractor is Javier Herrera Valles, a former top commander of the federal police, who was accused of having links with drug cartels and now he is held captive in a high security prison in the State of Nayarit, after he sent two letters to president Calderón with evidence that demonstrate the links of the Secretary of Public Security with the organize crime. This man is the ‘top commander’ which president Calderón referred in his interview with NBC.
This government has constantly lied to the Mexican society and to the international community surrounding this war. The question is, Felipe Calderón be willing to take a drastic change and start leading this war once as for all, by removing and putting in jail corrupt governments officials and corrupt law enforcement authorities instead of scapegoat, something that they have been doing so far.
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