I apologize if this was poted before but I am late for work and did not have time to look.



http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBNJLOEKAE.html

Fighting Smuggling

By Traci Carl Associated Press Writer
Published: Jun 29, 2005





TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) - The leaders of Mexico, Colombia and Central America agreed to strengthen the rights of migrants heading north to the United States while fighting the smugglers who move thousands across borders, from Panama to Mexico.
Wrapping up the first of a two-day regional summit Wednesday in the Honduran capital, the leaders signed agreements promising to work together to halt the trafficking of people, especially women and children, while "promoting respect and the protection of human rights of migrants."

Thousands of Central Americans pass through Mexico on their way to the United States, and many are robbed or mistreated during their journey. Mexico has promised to do more to ensure their safety, but has continued to deport those found in the country illegally.

Soaring oil prices also dominated Wednesday's meeting, with Central American nations pleading with oil giant Mexico to do more to help them lower the cost of fuel.

In Honduras, a gallon of gasoline costs more than US$3. Prices have hit the poor especially hard.

Mexican President Vicente Fox said there was little he could do to change the price of oil on the world market, and added that Mexico was producing at capacity. But he promised to try to help, in part by offering to open Mexican gas station franchises that would offer cheaper gasoline.

Salvadoran President Tony Saca said he recognized that higher energy costs were destroying local economies, but cautioned against blaming Mexico. All the leaders promised to encourage alternative energy sources.

"There are no magic solutions," Saca said. "We have to erase from peoples' minds that we can get cheaper gas. It's impossible."

Fox and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe talked about their nations' crackdown on drug trafficking, and leaders said the result had been an increase in smuggling by water instead of air and land.

"We are fighting it head-on," Fox said. His country has been criticized for growing drug violence along its border with the United States.

All nations agreed to unite their fight against brutal gangs that have spread from Panama City to the U.S.-Mexico border. Some gang members, especially in Honduras and El Salvador, have beheaded their enemies and left bloody warnings for police carrying out a crackdown.

Mexico has been the latest to join the fight, saying it will toughen laws against gangs and begin actively cooperating with Central American law enforcement officials.

Earlier, as leaders prepared to discuss ways to unite their economies, improve roads linking their nations and promote the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement before the U.S. Congress, some 200 protesters crowded against a temporary, chain link security fence surrounding the hotel where the summit was held. They held up anti-CAFTA slogans and shouted "Get out gringos!"

Honduran President Ricardo Maduro acknowledged that with the region's progress has come some hardship.

"Without a doubt, it hasn't been easy," he said. "We have sacrificed a lot, but we are getting results."

Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala have already integrated their customs systems and removed barriers to trade, leaving only one common checkpoint at their shared border crossings and speeding the movement of people and goods. The region is also developing a Central American passport.

U.S. officials had expressed concern that opening the borders might also facilitate drug trafficking and other crime. To ease concerns, Central American nations are developing common databases and improving their shared technology, so they can track the movement of people and goods within their borders.

They are also expected to create a regional special forces unit Thursday that can be used during disasters or regional security scares, including anti-drug trafficking operations and the possibility of terrorism.

On Wednesday, Guatemalan President Oscar Berger called on the United States to help train and equip the force.

"Obviously, we need support from the institutions in the country that consumes drugs, which is to say from the United States," he said.

There have been unfounded allegations that terrorists were using the region to possibly stage attacks against U.S. targets, fueled in part by the fact that El Salvador is the only Latin American country left with troops in Iraq.

AP-ES-06-29-05 2256EDT