U.S. set to approve more Mérida Initiative funds, amid continued charges of torture, human rights violations by Mexican army

But delivery of cash may be linked to tighter control over 'ejército mexicano'

Mérida, Yucatán --
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, coupled with intelligence gathering and sharing. As of Dec. 31, 2011, U.S. funding of the program was at $900 million, or over half of the $1.6 billion budgeted by Congress in 2008. The drug war deal derives its name from several meetings held in this capital of Yucatán state between Mexican president Felipe Calderón and U.S. president George W. Bush.

On Dec. 17, 2011 the House of Representatives approved $248.5 million to be applied to the Mérida Initiative in current fiscal year 2012, which ends Sept. 30. The House approved a separate $33.5 million to be used for economic development projects in Mexico.

Last week (May 24) the Senate approved $244 million in initiative funds for fiscal 2013, which begins Oct. 1. That's the exact amount requested by president Obama in February (Obama asks Congress for another $244 million towards Mexican drug war effort). The House passed a separate funding bill, which was a little more generous with a proposal of $282 million, the same amount it approved last December. A joint committee will have to reconcile the conflicting bills, but either way it looks like Mexico can expect about another $250 million initiative funding in the new fiscal year which begins Oct. 1.

But there's a significant difference between the two proposals which will likely annoy some in Mexico City. The Senate panel wants 15% of this year's (2012) funding held back until Mexico addresses what the State Dept. said last week is continuing evidence of abuses and human rights violations by the country's armed forces, including the use of torture during interrogations. Military units have spearheaded the drug war since Dec. 2006, under president Calderón's National Security Strategy. The House bill contains no such provision.

In comments last week, Michael Posner, State's assistant secretary for democracy and human rights, said, "We've been very clear with Mexico's government. There has to be accountability for human rights violations committed by elements of the armed forces." Although Posner did not refer to specific cases, the department claims that unexplained disappearances of civilians, unlawful killings and torture continue in the brutal drug war, which has taken over 50,000 Mexican lives in the past 65 months (47,515 have died in Mexico's five year drug war).

Last year, Human Rights Watch International issued a report which, although critical of Mexico's army on similar grounds, was surprisingly anemic with respect to actual findings: Human Rights Watch condemns abuses, violations by Mexican military forces.

In July 2011, Mexico's Supreme Judicial Court ruled that henceforth, soldiers who are accused of unlawful killings, war crimes or violations of internationally recognized human rights must be tried in civilian tribunals (Military court martial convicts 14 in 2007 murder of Sinaloa civilians). [The court strengthened and expanded that ruling even further in August 2012: Mexican Supreme Court strips military courts of criminal jurisdiction in offenses committed against civilian victims].

Republicans on the Senate panel, who are in the minority, said the alleged human rights violations are "not a priority" with them. The State Dept. is urging Congress to release the remaining 15% of the funds approved for the current fiscal year. But Sen. Patrick Leahy (D. Vt.), who chairs the committee which supervises Mérida Initiative funding, is opposed, and wants to continue withholding 15% annually until Mexico demonstrates that it's dealing aggressively with troops in the field who violate prescribed rules of conduct. Leahy's objections are largely a symbolic protest, since the amount in controversy is only about $18 million.

There has been no formal response by Calderón administration officials.

My observations: I don't put stock in most of these accusations, whatever their origin. Mexican military forces are doing their best to destroy the international narcotics cartels, but it's a war which will take many years to win (a similar battle is still simmering in Colombia). Blood thirsty narcos are operating all over Mexico for obvious reasons:

1. Millions of people in the U.S. love to buy and use drugs.
2. Millions of people in the U.S. worship firearms, especially of the military assault variety, and are quite ready to sell them to the first buyer with cash in hand - even if he happens to speak English with a heavy Spanish accent.
3. Mexico has a malfunctioning, under-developed economy. All the political parties agree that about half the nation lives in some degree of poverty, ranging from slight to severe. When people can't eat, or feed their families, some will pursue other options.
4. Government corruption is still rampant at every level - federal, state and local.
5. The political party which ran Mexico for 70 years - more than a third of its existence as an independent nation - did nothing to stop the growth and development of the modern cartels, which had their origins 25-50 years ago. Maybe that party directly worked with the early generation drug dealers (there are plenty here who allege it did), or maybe it did not. But at a minimum, it did nothing effective to stop them. That party, which probably will recapture the presidency on Sunday, July 1, is PRI - the Institutional Revolutionary Party (Mexico's campaign begins). PRI faces continual accusations that if it wins the election, it will make a quiet deal with the cartels, returning Mexico to its sordid past.


Oct. 8 - Peña Nieto's Colombian drug war consultant is a U.S. informant, with clear marching orders from new prez: make a deal with cartel bosses
Sept. 21 - Governments come and go, but Mérida Initiative will continue
June 22 - 80% of Mexicans still support use of armed forces in drug war

Mérida Initiative
"We're not talking about alms here," says U.S. ambassador: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2011/12/were-not-talking-about-alms-here-says.html.
A new Black Hawk helicopter is latest Mérida Initiative gift to Mexico: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2011/11/new-black-hawk-helicopter-is-latest.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.

Drug war
Struggle against drug cartels, organized crime will be his legacy, Calderón says: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/05/struggle-against-drug-cartels-organized.html.
U.S. general delivers a qualified drug war report to Senate Armed Services: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/03/us-general-delivers-some-bad-news-to.html.
U.S. guns play key role in Mexico's raging drug war, says Felipe Calderón: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/03/us-guns-play-key-role-in-mexicos-raging.html.
More evidence Mexican drug war strategy is working, as violence shifts south: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/02/more-evidence-mexican-drug-war-strategy.html.
"Dear friends in the United States - please, no more assault weapons to Mexico": http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/02/dear-friends-in-united-states-please-no.html.
Calderon responds to drug war critics: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2012/02/calderon-responds-to-drug-war-critics.html.
House Republicans vote to declare drug cartels terrorists, adopt new strategies: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2011/12/house-republicans-vote-to-declare-drug.html.
DEA: Calderón drug strategy producing results: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/calderon-strategy-against-drug-cartels.html.

Military abuses and human rights issues
Human Rights Watch, reloaded (yawn . . .): http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/01/human-rights-watch-reloaded.html.
Stats on complaints of human rights violations against Mexican armed forces: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/12/mexico-says-41000-criminals-taken-down.html.
Felipe Calderón, top cabinet officials accused of war crimes in The Hague: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2011/11/felipe-calderon-top-cabinet-officials.html.
Why the L.A. Times just doesn't get it: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2011/11/why-la-times-just-doesnt-get-it.html.