Mexico's chief prosecutor knew about secret arms sales to cartels, says U.S.

In a report made public yesterday, the U.S. Dept. of Justice says that Mexico's former chief federal prosecutor knew that one of its agencies allowed military assault weapons to be sold to Mexican drug cartels during the administration of former president George W. Bush. The document was prepared for a former U.S. attorney general in 2007, but the contents were first reported by the Associated Press this week.

The allegations were made against Eduardo Medina Mora, who now serves as Mexico's ambassador to the United Kingdom. The sales were under a program known as Wide Receiver, which lasted from 2006 to 2007. Earlier this week an assistant U.S. attorney general told a congressional investigative committee that president Bush had personally approved the sale of 350 weapons to straw purchasers during Wide Receiver, who in turn transferred the firearms to drug cartels. Most of the sales were through licensed gun dealers and shops in Arizona, near the border. Federal agents referred to the arms as "guns gone walking."

Alan Gross supporters take their release crusade on the road to D.C., Denver

With no other options available, Alan Gross supporters have issued two press releases within the past 24 hours, indicating that they will step up efforts to secure his release. Gross is the Maryland resident who was arrested in December 2009, while attempting to board a flight out of Havana. He was convicted of state security crimes by a Cuban court in March, and he has served just under two years of the 15 year sentence imposed on him. Every diplomatic effort to secure Gross' freedom, formal and informal, has been a complete bust. The current relationship between Cuba and the United States is as bad as it's been in many years, and things weren't helped any when the United Nations condemned last week, for the 20th consecutive year, the U.S. economic embargo of Cuba -- by a 186-2 vote.

Rick Perry throws another wild punch

Political pundits have long said that vice president Joe Biden has a God-given knack for saying just the wrong thing at just the wrong moment. But Texas Gov. Rick Perry is giving him a run for his money.

Yesterday candidate Perry casually told an interviewer that the Arab terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah are conducting operations from Mexican territory. One way the governor will help keep an eye on them - after he's president - is by flying unmanned surveillance drones up and down the border. "I know how to do it," said Perry, referring to his experience as Texas' chief executive.

Military court martial convicts 14 in 2007 murder of Sinaloa civilians

One of the arguments made by opponents of the offensive which president Felipe Calderón launched against organized crime in December 2005 is that in their zeal to take on the cartels, military forces have sometimes violated the civil rights of innocent civilians. Unquestionably, there have been excesses in the drug war, including unjustified killings. The government is not ignoring them.

Organized crime, hostile governments present challenges to Latin free press

On a hot summer afternoon 35 years ago, an intrepid Arizona Republic reporter named Dan Bolles walked out into the parking lot of a busy Phoenix hotel, got into his Datsun 710 and started the engine. The car rolled a few feet and then exploded with a flash and deafening roar, blowing off one of his arms and one of his legs. Bolles was still conscious when first responders arrived. Among his last words were, "They finally got me. The Mafia."

Updates on Guzmán Romero murder

Ricardo Guzmán Romero was buried yesterday, less than 24 hours after his death, in a funeral heavily attended by prominent government officials and many constituents. By all appearances, the mayor was well respected in his community.

No suspects have been identified in connection with Wednesday evening's assassination in La Piedad, in Michoacán state, but the vehicle used in the shooting has been recovered. It had been stolen from Jalisco state (Guadalajara area) a day or two before.

"We should have done more for Mexico," says Condoleeza Rice

The former secretary of state to president George W. Bush says that the United States "should have done more" to assist Mexico in its war with the drug cartels, apart from purely military and financial aid.

The remarks appeared in Rice's memoir, No Higher Honor, published yesterday in the United States. Rice served the Bush administration as national security adviser from 2001 to 2005, and as secretary of state from 2005 to 2009.

"I wished we had done more. There are parts of Mexico which are beginning to resemble a failed state," wrote Rice.

Cuba authorizes sale of residential real estate; KLM direct service to Havana

In most countries buying or selling residential real estate is taken for granted. Not so in Cuba. But effective November 10, Cubans will be able to purchase or sell up to two residential properties, without government approval. The new measure will also apply to foreign nationals living on the island who are permanent residents.

Traitors to Mexico?

A few weeks ago I reported on a case which made big news all over Mexico. A group of lawyers, journalists and self-styled "intellectuals" announced in October that they were about to file criminal charges against president Felipe Calderón, together with members of his cabinet and various Mexican military officers, with the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The ICC is a tribunal which prosecuted dozens of Slavic military and government officials for crimes against humanity -- including mass murder and rape -- during the Balkan Wars of the 1990s. It has also prosecuted African war lords for similar atrocities committed during civil uprisings. The ICC recently issued an international arrest warrant for one of the sons of deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Mexican mayor executed in La Piedad, Michoacán

Ricardo Guzmán Romero, mayor of La Piedad, in Michoacán state, was killed outside of a fast food restaurant tonight. He was a member of Mexico's National Action Party (PAN). Guzmán Romero was elected in November 2007, and his term in office would have ended on December 31.

The mayor was attacked about 7:30 p.m. by four armed men traveling in a van. Guzmán was participating in a PAN political event and was walking down a street with a group of young people when he was fired on. He was hit several times and rushed to a hospital, where he died a short time later.

World's most wanted man - "El Chapo" Guzmán - makes Forbes top list again

For the third consecutive year, drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera made the Forbes magazine 2011 list of the World's Most Powerful People. El Chapo ("Shorty") is head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, which the U.S. government says is the largest and richest narcotics trafficking organization in the world. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says that Sinaloa supplies the United States with the majority of its marijuana and cocaine.

Despite many problems, Mexicans rate themselves well contented with life

With challenges on every front and lower than average international scores in many categories, two thirds of Mexicans (66%) report that they are nonetheless quite content with life. The surprising -- and arguably contradictory -- conclusion is based upon a report issued by the United Nations Organization for Cooperative Economic Development.

A Mexican sociologist says the curious result illustrates that in this culture, there's no direct connection between one's socio-economic level and self-reported happiness or satisfaction with life. Mexicans view things differently than people in nations with more comfortable lifestyles, say researchers. Populations in 33 developed or developing nations were compared in the U.N. report.

Veracruz security beef up yielding poor results -- yet another eight bodies dumped

The famous Gulf port of Veracruz, where the mass dumping of executed bodies has become a regular event since 35 cadavers were tossed onto a downtown highway during rush hour on September 20, has been under a special federal-state security program for more than a month. The results are less than spectacular. Earlier today another eight corpses were dropped along side a major road, all of them bound hand and foot and showing signs of torture. Police, who were alerted to the scene by an anonymous call, have no clues.

Mexican drug cartels got their hands on 64,000 weapons from United States, Justice Dept. official tells Congress

That was the testimony today by Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer before a congressional committee. Breuer heads the Criminal Division of the U.S. Justice Department, and appeared before the Senate Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism in Washington.

The committee is investigating two now defunct secret arms sales programs which were conducted by federal agencies. In the Fast and Furious program, the government permitted 2,500 assault weapons to be sold to Mexican drug criminals from locations in Arizona between 2009 and early 2011. A similar program, Wide Receiver, lasted from 2006 to 2007. Breuer told legislators today that former president George W. Bush knew about Wide Receiver, and authorized the transfer of 350 weapons to Mexican drug gangs. The purpose of both programs was to monitor the use of the military grade firearms, and track cartel movements via hidden GPS chips imbedded in the guns.

Cancún - Moscow direct air service opens

There may be few takers, but for those so inclined there is now direct, nonstop air service between Cancún and Moscow. The route was inaugurated yesterday, and will be offered every other Monday and Friday. Flights are scheduled to arrive at Cancún International Airport at 8:00 a.m., departing at 10:00 a.m.

Aeroflot, Russia's national flag carrier, offers the bi-weekly service. Cancún has the distinction of being only one of three Latin American destinations served by Aeroflot. Havana is one of the other two. It has long been a popular destination for Russian tourists.

British Airways and Air France also initiated direct international service to Cancún in recent months.