cannabisnews.com: Legislator Seeks Way to Prod Mexico on Drug War





Legislator Seeks Way to Prod Mexico on Drug War
Posted by FoM on March 08, 2000 at 07:08:37 PT
By Ken Ellingwood, Times Staff Writer
Source: Los Angeles Times
In a visit to the international border Tuesday, a key congressional critic of Mexico's efforts to stem narcotics trafficking all but ruled out trying to scratch Mexico from the Clinton administration's list of nations helping in the war on drugs.  "Quite frankly, in this political climate, it might be very difficult," said Rep. John L. Mica (R-Fla.), head of a House subcommittee that oversees drug policy. 
"We're going to look at other hammers to seek their cooperation through trade, finance constraints--whatever pressure we can bring to bear on Mexico."   Countries that fail the certification test can lose foreign aid and U.S. endorsement for loans by international banks and face other sanctions.   Mica said election year politics dimmed the prospects for challenging the government's certification last week of Mexico as an anti-drug partner. A 1986 law sponsored by Mica requires the president to assess the level of help by countries that are major producers of or transit routes for narcotics.   The administration's annual certification of Mexico has drawn fire from Mica and other congressional critics who accuse the White House of coddling a key trading partner. That congressional challenge petered out last year and it was unclear whether opponents would mount a new campaign.   Mica made his comments during a pause in a subcommittee hearing in San Diego that focused on U.S. federal and local efforts to combat narcotics trafficking and drug use along the border.   The hearing, including testimony from federal authorities in San Diego and from local police and school officials, came a little more than a week after the ambush-style assassination in Tijuana of that city's municipal police chief, Alfredo de la Torre, by unidentified gunmen. The slaying drew intensified attention along both sides of the border to a crime epidemic in Tijuana that is attributed largely to narcotics smuggling and the influence of one of Mexico's most ruthless drug gangs.   Mica was joined by a subcommittee member, Mark E. Souder (R-Ind.), and Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-San Diego) in citing the assassination as a symptom of the lawlessness on the border and the challenges to binational remedies.   "The lack of a legal system and a corruption system [in Mexico] . . . is overwhelming our ability to work together," Souder said in opening remarks.   Souder suggested that future certification could be made conditional on Mexico allowing U.S. Coast Guard officers to board and inspect ships in Mexican territorial waters.   The hearing focused mostly on efforts on the U.S. side to curb the smuggling and sales of drugs in Southern California.   William T. Veal, who commands 2,150 U.S. Border Patrol agents in San Diego, said a five-year buildup of agents in the once-porous zone contributed to a 24% reduction in felony arrests for marijuana and other drugs countywide from 1994 to 1998. But Veal said marijuana seizures by his agents have recently risen markedly. Marijuana seizures since October exceed the total for the previous 12 months.   San Diego Police Sgt. Scott Lee, a member of a multi-agency drug team, said most marijuana in San Diego County is smuggled from Mexico and often relayed to other U.S. points by Jamaican and Puerto Rican trafficking groups. Lee said methamphetamine from Mexican laboratories is typically sold in the United States by dealers who do not belong to organized drug networks.   San Diego:Published: Wednesday, March 8, 2000 Copyright 2000 Los Angeles Times Related Articles:Mexico, Colombia Meet U.S. Anti-Drug Standards http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4938.shtmlGraves Discovery Intensifies Drug War Debatehttp://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3836.shtml Raiding Mexico's Killing Fieldshttp://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3821.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on March 08, 2000 at 17:13:44 PT:
History repeating itself, again
Souder suggested that future certification could be made conditional on Mexico allowing U.S. Coast Guard officers to board and inspect ships in Mexican territorial waters. And would we allow Mexican Coast Guard officers free reign to board US vessels in US waters? On what pretense? If the Mex government is as totally lawless as it has been portrayed, doesn't the corruption extend to all the Armed Forces there, not just the Army? ( I can just hear some Mexican Coast Guard officer shouting "Badges? We don' need no steenkeeng badges!")A very dangerous game being played by fatuous, opportunistic political hacks without a full understanding of the ramifications. And these are supposed to be very smart men and women. But then again, these are the staunchest of DrugWarriors. Es muy estupido!
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Comment #1 posted by gringo on March 08, 2000 at 13:05:46 PT
Fuera Yanqui!
"We're going to look at other hammers to seek their cooperation through trade, finance constraints--whatever pressure we can bring to bear on Mexico." More yanqui meddling in Mexico. I'm sure the Mexicans welcome our "hammers" and "constraints" with loving and open arms...
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