OVER THE WEEKEND: MEXICO’S NARCO WAR SEEN DESTINED FOR FAILURE; SHOWDOWN ON ARIZONA LAW LOOMING
m3report | June 28, 2010 at 8:15 am | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/pg2Ga-wF

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Foreign News Report

The National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers (NAFBPO) extracts and condenses the material that follows from Mexican and Central and South American on-line media sources on a daily basis. You are free to disseminate this information, but we request that you credit NAFBPO as being the provider.

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Over the weekend: Mexico's narco war seen destined for failure; showdown on Arizona law looming

Saturday 6/26/10



El Universal (Mexico City) 6/25/10

Narco war seen as destined for failure

Jorge Castaneda, Mexican ex-Secretary of Foreign Affairs and academic, considers the "war" against narcotraffic waged by the government of Felipe Calderon to be destined for failure and pleaded for the legalization of drugs to stop the problem. Castaneda, who served in the government of Vicente Fox from 2000 to 2003, feels certain that President Calderon made a mistake in launching the fight against narcotraffic. According to Castaneda, Calderon's government did so for political reasons that "could not be won." In his judgment, the conflict with the drug cartels has greatly increased the violence in Mexico and is assuming a cost, both economically and socially, difficult for the government to take on. In a press meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the ex-Secretary said that for Mexico to move forward, only two ways exist: the creation of a "Plan Mexico" similar to the "Plan Colombia" with the involvement of the United States, or the legalization of drugs as has been proposed in California (US). "If he (Calderon) wants to continue in this war, he must take a step forward and ask the only ally he has, the United States, to put money into this," he affirmed.

The article added that Castaneda began his political activities as a militant communist, but was selected for office by Fox, a conservative.

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/690406.html

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Immigration reform blockage - the view from Mexico

The US has more than 12 million undocumented aliens, the majority of them Mexicans. To move forward with their legalization it is necessary to persuade the conservative political class of that country and that job requires more than just simply desire. The past failed initiatives for immigration reform are signs that, without an ample consensus, the attempts will fail again. After 9/11, it has been very difficult to place an immigration agenda above that of security. Legalization has become subordinate to a reinforced control of the border, which, for its extent, seems impossible to accomplish. To complicate things more, Democrats as well as Republicans have used the undocumented as scapegoats to explain problems like unemployment.

Now, the president of the US opens another opportunity for reform. The xenophobic Arizona law permitting the arrest of people on the basis of their racial profile opens a debate that has been lost since George Bush tried without success to pass immigration reform. As a consequence, an unprecedented coalition of more than 100 Democratic congressmen, mayors, business leaders and magnates -- like Rupert Murdoch, owner of the conservative Fox network -- whose objective will be to revive legislation efforts to bring the undocumented "out of limbo" and prevent the "orphanage" of nearly 5 million children born in the US of parents without papers.

They know it is not feasible to expel 12 million people who, furthermore, are necessary for the economy. They also know that it is difficult for a politician to back legalization of the undocumented. Many US citizens feel threatened by the presence of people of different races, cultures, religions and customs. The only way to force a change is with an ample coalition, above the political posturing that restrains discussion, to convince the people of the US that a reform is necessary.

So what can Mexico do to for its countrymen when it involves internal politics of another country? The Mexican foreign office will have to be alert. If in any way it can help Mexico in this cause, it is with a responsible and measured voice, with an image of solidarity and not just an anti-imperialist crusade.

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/editoriales/48828.html
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Illegals transport drugs: Brewer

The governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, said that the majority of the undocumented migrants that enter the state transport drugs. Brewer said many of the undocumented come to the country motivated by the desire to find work, but the narco gangs use them as "mules" for transporting drugs. "I believe that today, under the circumstances that we face, the majority of those who enter the state of Arizona do so under the direction and control of the drug cartels to bring in drugs," said Brewer.

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Blaming migrants a desperate position: Mexican Senator

The spokesman for the PRI political party in the Mexican Senate, Carlos Jimenez Macias, labeled as "lamentable" the statement by the governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, that "many" of the illegal migrants are used as "mules" to transport drugs. The Senator condemned the "lack of respect" and considered it to be “a desperate attitudeâ€