Pubdate: Fri, 17 Apr 2009
Source: National Post (Canada)
Copyright: 2009 Agence France-Presse
Contact:  http://www.nationalpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/286
Author: Laurent Lozano, Agence France-Presse
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Mexico
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/drug+cartels
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Felipe+Calderon
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Obama

CALDERON, OBAMA VOW TO BATTLE DRUG CARTELS

First Trip by U. S. President to Mexico in 12 Years

Barack Obama, the U. S. President, and Mexican leader Felipe Calderon 
vowed to tackle Mexico's violent drug cartels together at the start 
of Mr. Obama's brief, but symbolic first visit south of the border.

It was also his first trip to Latin America since taking office in 
January and the first to Mexico by a U. S. president in 12 years.

He was greeted by a sea of screaming schoolchildren, waving U. S. and 
Mexican flags, at the presidential residence Los Pinos, before talks 
with Mr. Calderon, who has gambled his presidency on the battle 
against traffickers.

"At a time when the Mexican government has so courageously taken on 
the drug cartels that have plagued both sides of the border, it is 
absolutely critical that the United States joins as a full partner in 
dealing with this issue ... also on our side of the border in dealing 
with the flow of guns and cash south," Mr. Obama said.

On the eve of his visit, Mr. Obama slapped sanctions on three drug 
cartels and named a top U. S. official to stiffen enforcement on the 
southern border.

Last month, he announced extra agents and also vowed to staunch U. S. 
demand for drugs.

Mr. Calderon called for "a new era in which the fight against crime 
will be fully assumed as a shared responsibility."

"Mr. President, let's build a new era, yes we can," said Mr. 
Calderon, who has deployed tens of thousands of troops across the 
country to take on the cartels.

About 7,000 people have died since the start of last year in violence 
between Mexican cartels and security forces that is spilling across 
the U. S. border.

In the latest mayhem, 16 people died in a shootout between suspected 
drug hit-men and soldiers in Guerrero, southwest Mexico, late Wednesday.

Mr. Obama also pledged cooperation in the face of the economic crisis 
and on climate change, poverty and terrorism.

He paid homage to everything Mexicans have brought to the United 
States, where about 12 million of them now live, and noted in his 
hometown Chicago at least one third of the population has some 
origins in Mexico.

Mr. Obama's trip follows a wave of high-level U. S. visits to the 
country, marking a shift in the U. S. stance toward Mexico and its 
trafficking problem, since he took office in January.

The U. S. President and his top officials have acknowledged that -- 
as the world's largest consumer of cocaine -- the U. S. shares 
responsibility for Mexican gang activity.

The U. S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms estimates 90% of 
weapons confiscated in Mexico come from the United States.

Trade relations have been tense since Mexico last month slapped 
US$2.4-billion in tariffs on 89 U. S. products, after Washington 
cancelled a program authorizing some Mexican trucks to operate in the 
United States. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake