Posted on 06/08/2008 7:04:54 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
MONTERREY, Mexico — U.S. legislators visiting this sun-baked industrial metropolis over the weekend can expect some famous Mexican hospitality — and some political pressure on drugs, immigration and cross-border commerce.
The dominant issue at the 47th Mexico-U.S. Interparliamentary Group meeting will be an increasingly contentious aid package to help Mexico crack down on drug gangs.
The proposed $1.4 billion aid package is known as the Mérida Intiative for the Yucatán Peninusula city where it was announced in 2007. U.S. lawmakers recently conditioned its approval on Mexico cleaning up its human rights record.
Mexican officials were incensed.
“We trust that they will correct these conditions, but in the case that they don't correct them, we cannot accept it,” said María Elena Álvarez, a congresswoman with President Felipe Calderón's National Action Party, or PAN, referring to the aid package.
The conservative pro-business PAN is generally considered the party most ideologically in sync with the United States. But Mexico doesn't react kindly to perceived foreign meddling in internal affairs.
Calderón has sent army battalions to the country's many areas ravaged by drug violence. But the clampdown has spiraled into unprecedented levels of violence against law enforcers, more than 450 of whom were killed in Calderón's first 18 months on the job.
Heavy-handed police and military action has led to reports of human rights abuses.
The president has called on the United States to address narcotics consumption that keep drug gangs fighting over billions of dollars in business and trafficking of U.S.-bought firearms that fuel the bloodshed.
U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., who will lead the Senate delegation, said he expected “a weekend of robust discussion,” according to a news release from his office. Reps. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, and Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, will be among the delegates.
“It's crucial as we protect our citizens and address the concerns of a world where criminals and terrorists have become more technologically savvy,” said Rodriguez, noting that his district has 785 miles of U.S.-Mexico border and that he has worked on bills targeting gunrunning and has gathered data on commercial wait times at borders.
Mexican lawmakers also hope to see progress on U.S. immigration reform and improvements in cross-border commerce.
“We're also going to insist on recognizing that immigration is a reality that benefits and hurts both countries,” Álvarez said. “If the United States requires Mexican labor, then Mexico asks that workers are contracted with conditions of respect and dignity.”
Álvarez also said Mexican lawmakers will request action on improving wait times for northbound goods, which are often held up at the border due to security concerns leading to waits that can be seriously detrimental to perishable goods.
“The services of vigilance that they have ... have made it very difficult to cross merchandise,” she said. “This implies for us high costs in material and human resources.”
Sean Mattson is an Express-News Mexico correspondent.
Ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
Montezuma's revenge, no doubt.
Let’s see, this violence arises from drug prohibition, so therefore, to make the problem go away, increase the intensity of the drug prohibition. Sounds like the liberal solution for ending poverty, welfare. Whatever doesn’t work, isn’t working because you just aren’t doing enough of it.
Good. Don't. We can use the money on the damn FENCE.
Wonder if there has been a recent Salmonella outbreak in Mexico?
The worst thing thay we can do is send the Anti-American crooked Mexican government more money. All it is doing is supplying them with funding to oppose us.
I would favor forced regime change in Mexico and the forced annexation of Mexico as a US territory, with statehood contingent upon cleaning up the corruption and graft that is rampant there and the institution of English as the official language.
Vote them all out lets get a new house.
Not a bad idea!
The $$$ will end up in the pockets of the corrupt mexican politicians.... and the drug barons (which is probably the same)
Sylvestre Reyes, Pelosi's brilliant pick to be House Intelligence Committee Chairman. Same guy that, when asked "is al Qaeda Shia or Sunni?" answered; "well I think they are both, but predominately Shia".
Frankly, I'd like to see the Mexicans throw Chris Dodd out on his "robust" ass!
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