One excuse after another, none with much merit
*Updated Aug. 15 - Sen. Patrick Leahy blocks $95M in Mérida Initiative fundsGuadalajara -
Exactly a year ago president Obama asked Congress to approve a $234 million defense package for fiscal year 2013 under the Mérida Initiative, a 2007 agreement between the United States and Mexico which provides for U.S. training and equipping of Mexican military and police forces, plus intelligence gathering and sharing.
The package included another $10 million to be spent domestically on enhanced U.S. intelligence services.
In his transmittal message to Congress Obama said, "A stable Mexico will enhance the national security of the United States, promote economic development in the country and protect U.S. citizens, especially along our shared border." The 2013 fiscal year began Oct. 1, and will soon be half over. Obama asks Congress for $244 million towards Mexican drug war.
Last spring the package was approved by both chambers of Congress, in almost the exact amount requested by the president. But some members of Congress continue to resist releasing the funds, although representatives authorized them after rather listless floor debates and perfunctory votes in the House and Senate.
According to reports carried in the Mexican press on this Sunday, virtually none of the $234 million has yet been handed over to the new administration of Enrique Peña Nieto. One specious argument after another has been presented in the Hallowed Halls of the Capitol.
Last year the theme was alleged human rights abuses by Mexican military forces during the 74 month old drug war (U.S. set to approve more Mérida Initiative funds, amid continued charges of torture, human rights violations by Mexican army). That theory has been and yet remains largely a smoke screen, which has conveniently served the private interests of all sorts of strange bedfellows (Human Rights Watch's condemnation of Mexican drug war reveals little understanding of conflict).
This year's argument, and the ostensible basis for the current freeze, is alleged congressional concern that Mexico's president has not clearly demonstrated that he will "cooperate (a quote from the Spanish press) with Washington in matters of security." In other words, he's not proved he'll be a team player in the drug war. The same issue troubled Sen. John McCain (R. AZ.) a year ago today.
The contention is plainly a non-starter. Mexico's president was elected almost nine months ago, and he's now 75 days into the job. Over and over again, by word and deed, he's made it very clear that he not only plans to stick to former president Calderón's army dependent National Security Strategy, but that he'll expand federal military participation in the drug war. In any case, Enrique Peña Nieto has no option but to follow Calderón's strategy, as the U.S. security consulting firm Stratfor noted last month. There's no other play in the playbook.
Just a week ago the new president was interviewed by the prestigious German magazine Der Spiegel. Much to his credit, he discussed at length his plans for dealing with endemic poverty in this country. He pointed out that 11,000 Mexicans died from starvation in 2011. But Peña Nieto did not hesitate when asked about domestic security. Promising that the armed forces will not be withdrawn from the streets and returned to their quarters until it's safe to do so, he said firmly: "We must crush organized crime."
Washington should stop playing power politics with Mexico's democratically elected government. The Congress should pay what it promised to pay. And many north of the border should try listening to Enrique Peña Nieto and his PRI team, instead of delivering erroneous forecasts of brewing defections.
Note: As of Dec. 31, 2011, U.S. funding of the Initiative was at about $900 million, or over half of the $1.6 billion budgeted by Congress in 2008. The drug war deal derives its name from meetings held in the Yucatán capital between Mexican president Felipe Calderón and president George W. Bush the year before. Both countries have said they believe the program will endure. Governments come and go, Mérida Initiative will continue.
Apr. 18 - On his first official visit to the U.S. this week, Mexico's secretary of government Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong expressed confidence that Congressional funding of the Mérida Initiative will continue, and that the frozen appropriations will soon be released. "What happens in Mexico is very important to the United States," said Osorio Chong, the most important player on president Enrique Peña Nieto's new Institutional Revolutionary Party team. He met yesterday with Homeland Security Security Janet Napolitano, and he said the two had reached an accord for the distribution of funds.
Aug. 29 - U.S. will take no action against Colorado and Washington over marijuana legalization laws
Feb. 19 - New York Times figures it out: in drug war, Enrique Peña Nieto = Felipe Calderón Hinojosa
Dec. 23 - Mexico's new PRI government seeks huge increase in domestic security budget
Dec. 19 - Enrique's challenging homework
Sept. 6 - Peña Nieto transition team confirms: Mexican army, marines will remain on the streets
July 7 - Security consultant elaborates on "new" Mexican drug war strategy - but is it?
July 5 - Enrique Peña Nieto's Manifesto makes New York Times
© MGRR 2013. All rights reserved. This article may be cited or briefly quoted with proper attribution or a hyperlink, but not reproduced without permission.
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