HR 3401 would divert funds from Mérida Initiative to new U.S. anti-cartel strategy
A bill approved by a U.S. House subcommittee today would represent a fundamentally changed approach to confronting Mexican drug cartels if it becomes law, said a House Democrat who opposed the measure. The Enhanced Border Security Act, HR 3401, was passed on a narrow partisan vote by Republican members of the House Foreign Affairs Western Hemisphere Subcommittee. All the Democrat members voted against it.
Arguing that the measure would "tear the Mérida Initiative to pieces," committee member Rep. Eliot Engel (D. N.Y.) told his colleagues, " I don't think this is the way to go. We have to work with our allies, not dictate to them or force policies upon them. This bill represents a change of course from our (previous) policy of providing support to Mexico in its fight against organized crime."
The Mérida Initiative is a 2007 agreement between the United States and Mexico which provides for U.S. training and equipping of Mexican military and police forces, as well as for intelligence gathering and sharing. The name derives from meetings held by former President George W. Bush and President Calderón in Mérida, the Yucatán's capital, that same year. The package promised to Mexico came with a $1.6 billion price tag. Congress approved the costly plan in 2008 at Bush's urging. Payments and transfers under the program have been slow coming, however, at times leading to frustration in this country.
But U.S. officials say that by the end of this year, Mexico will have received over $900 million of the total Mérida Initiative, or more than half of that promised. That sum includes military hardware, training of law enforcement personnel and technological assistance. http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/12/were-not-talking-about-alms-here-says.html.
Today's vote came after Rep. Connie Mack (Rep. Calif.) told the House subcommittee that Mexico's drug cartels represent "a terrorist insurgency which the Mérida Initiative will not be able to stop." Mack authored the bill and is one of its six Republican co-sponsors. If HR 3401 becomes law the U.S. Departments of State, Defense and Justice would be charged with the task of formulating a comprehensive national anti-drug cartel "counterinsurgency plan, and with identifying (Mexico's) criminal organizations and their leaders, objectives, historical evolution and areas of operation," according to a news summary.
The proposed measure would also mandate that federal agencies "develop strategic plans to combat drug trafficking and financial networks which launder money for the cartels, and coordinate arrangements with the Mexican government to secure the border by technological means and infrastructure improvements."
In provisions which would likely prove quite controversial in Mexico, the bill also calls for an "evaluation of Mexico's police, military and institutional capacity, both governmental and private," to deal with organized crime. It proposes that "within Mexico, in coordination with its government, plans be implemented for the development of strong national institutions based upon the rule of law, enhanced security for persons and for businesses, and increased cooperation between police and military forces."
But the most extreme proposal by far is that the bill be funded -- exclusively -- by Mérida Initiative money. In other words, payments and transfers of the remaining $700 million which were promised to Mexico over four years ago would be canceled, so that the U.S. could establish its own comprehensive anti-drug cartel and narcotics trafficking strategy.
HR 3401 has a long way to go yet, including approval by the full House and referral to the Senate. Given its provisions -- the abrupt termination of Mérida Initiative funds plus a rather arrogant plan to supervise the internal affairs of Mexico -- I suspect it will be DOA. But it's nonetheless significant, in that it may mark the first time a proposed piece of U.S. legislation has officially characterized the Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations.
Obama admits: U.S. craving for drugs fuels Mexican cartel violence: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/12/obama-us-drug-demand-responsible-for.html.
U.S. agents wash dirty money for Mexican drug dealers on enormous scale: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/12/us-agents-help-mexican-drug-cartels.html.
U.S. House committee ponders: are the drug traffickers terrorists?: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/10/us-congressional-hearing-focuses-on.html.
Mexico's drug cartels a "clear and present danger," says Tex. Gov. Rick Perry: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/10/mexican-drug-cartels-present-clear-and.html.
U.S. ambassador to Mexico thinks Mérida Initiative is best option: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-us-ambassador-to-mexico-stands.html.
Mexico has invested $21 billion of its own in drug war, says State Dept.: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/12/mexican-investment-in-narco-war-almost.html.
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