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When U.S. antidrug czar Barry McCaffrey unexpectedly
dropped in on Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo last week,
he was carrying messages between two presidents both
embattled over their drug policies.

Both President Clinton and Mr. Zedillo have powerful
domestic critics who see their respective countries' drug
policies as misguided failures at best. U.S.Mexico
relations were shaken in February with the arrest of Gen.
Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, Mexico's top antidrug officer, on
charges he was being paid to protect Mexico's top drug
lord, Amado Carillo Fuentes.

In additional allegations yesterday, the New York Times
reported military investigators have collected evidence
that implicates Gen. Gutierrez in several kidnappings that
took place during his tenure as antidrug czar.

Despite the evidence that drug corruption has reached
the highest levels of Mexican government, Mr. Clinton
ignored growing Congressional concern last Friday and
recertified Mexico as a full partner in the war on
drugs.

The administration sought to reward Mr. Zedillo for
his goodfaith efforts on drugs but critics of
certification wanted Mexico punished for failing to stem
the flood of drugs coming into the United States.

Congress has bipartisan measures coming before the
House and the Senate to reverse Mr. Clinton's decision.
The House International Relations Committee approved one
such measure by 275 on Thursday and it will come before
the full House this week. U.S. law enforcement is
frustrated. On Feb. 25, three days before Mr. Clinton
certified Mexico, Thomas Constantine, head of the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA), told members of Congress
that corruption in Mexican law enforcement is pervasive.

"There is not one single law enforcement institution
with whom the DEA has an entirely trusting relationship,"
he said.

The State Department's 1997 drug report says Mexico is
the principle transit point for most of the cocaine
entering the United States. It is also the principle
supplier of methamphetamines, marijuana and heroin and the
moneylaundering haven of choice.

The report says so much cocaine enters United States
from Mexico that the 110 tons of it seized each year has
"little discernable effect on price or availability" north
of the border.

In Mexico, meanwhile, Mr. Zedillo is being accused of
having made backroom deals with the Clinton administration
in order to get the certification. Opposition politicians
charge that Mr. Zedillo gave permission for U.S. drug
enforcement agents to carry guns in Mexico in one such
deal. While the Zedillo government denies the claim, the
image of U.S. police officers carrying guns on Mexican soil
deeply offends many Mexicans.

Recently retired DEA Deputy Administrator Stephen
Greene said Mexico's nationalism is no excuse for its
failure to stop the drugs.

"I always question the argument that U.S. law
enforcement is infringing on Mexican nationalism and they
don't need U.S. help," he said. "If that is the case, then
they should do what they say they are capable of doing."

On his unpublicized oneday trip Wednesday, Gen.
McCaffrey was accompanied by President Clinton's national
security adviser, Sanford R. Berger; the president's
special envoy for Latin America, Thomas "Mack" McLarty; and
Jim Dobbins, the director for Latin America on the National
Security Council.

Members of the group avoided questions, saying only
that they had come to discuss U.S.Mexican drug issues and
finalize preparations for Mr. Clinton's first trip to
Mexico, April 1112.

Gen. McCaffrey's delegation gave the Mexicans the
standard laundry list of antidrug steps the United States
would like to see Mexico take: * The arrest and extradition
of narcotraffickers.

* The destruction of the drug cartels.

* The implementation and enforcement of new money
laundering laws.

The delegation also met with Foreign Minister Angel
Gurria, Attorney General Jorge Madrazo and Luis Tellez, Mr.
Zedillo's chief of staff, according to aides of Mr.
Zedillo.

The aides said Cabinet members and other senior
officials from the two countries plan to meet on April 10.