HINOJOSA PLEASED WITH TRIP TO MEXICO

WASHINGTON Feb. 16 (States) -- After a whirlwind trip to Mexico with
President Clinton, Congressman Ruben Hinojosa said he would lean towards
supporting the president's expected recommendation to continue the
partnership with Mexico in the fight against drugs.

Clinton is expected to recommend in early March that Congress endorse
Mexico as a partner in the fight against drugs. Many congressmen are
expected to reject the partnership because they think Mexico has not done
enough to combat drug traffic.

Hinojosa, a Democrat from Mercedes, said he was impressed by Mexico's
progress in curbing the narcotics trade.

"I am impressed with the actions they have taken to root out corruption,"
Hinojosa said. "I think the Mexican government is committed in their
announcement of an additional investment of $400 million in the
counter-drug effort over the next three years."

Hinojosa said it is too early for him to make a definitive decision on the
issue, but that he would lean in favor of it. "We need to ask, 'Can we
afford to do it by ourselves?'" he said.

During the 24-hour visit, the American delegation met with their Mexican
counterparts and Mexican President Ernest Zedillo and discussed
counter-narcotics efforts, trade and immigration -- crucial issues for
South Texas.

"We saw numbers and statistics that show cross-border trade is
flourishing," Hinojosa said. He echoed President Clinton's statement that
the trade relationship between Mexico and the U.S. protected both countries
from fallout from the Asian financial crisis that crippled economies around
the world.

"We're just going to see the reason that the U.S. and Mexico were not
impacted negatively from the financial crisis," Hinojosa said. "We are
exporting twice as much as we were prior to NAFTA. ... This represents more
jobs for Americans as well as Mexican citizens."

Hinojosa said he asked President Zedillo during a question-and-answer
session how his Congress and the American congressional delegation from
South Texas can work together on the quantity and quality of water along
the border.

"(Zedillo) said he would immediately request that they become involved, and
he would be working through his ambassador to make those meetings
possible," Hinojosa said.

"I made the observation that (Mexican President Ernest Zedillo) and his
cabinet and his Congress were really making a gigantic effort to improve
the commerce and to work on other issues, drug control and immigration,"
Hinojosa said.