The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: News

A federal police officer stands guard at the crime scene where a woman was killed in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Thursday. Drug cartel wars in Mexico have cost more than 10,650 lives since December 2006, when President Felipe Calderon launched a crackdown against drug traffickers. More than 1,600 people were killed in Ciudad Juarez last year. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Confronting a security threat on America's doorstep, President Barack Obama pledged Thursday in Mexico to help a deeply troubled neighbor in its battle against drugs and violence, including action to slow the dangerous flow of weapons from the United States.

"At a time when the Mexican government has so courageously taken on the drug cartels that have plagued both sides of the border," Obama said, the U.S. must join "in dealing with the flow of guns and cash south."

Obama spoke at the start of a swift visit to underscore U.S. solidarity.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon welcomed Obama to the presidential residence, Los Pinos, with an acknowledgment of the challenges: "My country is immersed in a historic transformation process. We live a robust democracy, which is also plural. We're also facing firmly the costs of the struggles in order to turn Mexico into a safer country."

He cited a visit a half-century ago by President John F. Kennedy in calling for a new era of cooperation between the countries.

"We will recognize that in order to grow and prosper, Mexico needs the United States investment and the United States of America needs the strength of the Mexican labor force," Calderon said.

After his meeting with Calderon, Obama planned to announce he would support an inter-American weapons treaty meant to take on the bloody drug trade. Officials described the plan on the condition of anonymity so they wouldn't pre-empt the announcement.

Just hours before Obama arrived in the country, a shootout between Mexican troops and a convoy of gunmen left 15 assailants and one soldier dead, Mexico's Defense Department said.

The Justice Department says Mexican drug trafficking organizations represent the greatest organized crime threat to the United States.

Continued...

Page 1 of 4 next >

Article Tools