MEXICO IS TACKLING DRUG CRIME HEAD-ON

Re: Lethal Connections series, May 30 to June 6

I would like to set the record straight about four main
topics:

1. The fight against drugs in Mexico: President Felipe Calderon has made the
decision to fight crime head-on in all its forms. The goal of his strategy
is to take back from organized drug cartels and criminal groups the economic
power and weaponry they have established during at least the past two
decades, and to block their capacity to undermine institutions and contest
the state's monopoly on force.

2. Mexican Army: Even though we are taking into account NGO reports on human
rights, the Mexican military is our most respected institution and we still
rely on it 100 per cent.

3. The cost: These advances have not come without a steep human and
financial cost for Mexico, yet President Calderon is fully committed
to continue this fight.

Even though every loss of life is tragic, in this recent spate of
killings 93 per cent of the deaths were directly or indirectly linked
to organized crime groups fighting over territory. A large number of
the executions were of distributors, informants, assassins and even
managers of front businesses for illegal activity, while over 30 per
cent of the bodies were left unclaimed, "which reflects the phenomenon
of confrontation between groups."

4. Co-operation: The transactional nature of this phenomenon, however,
makes it difficult for our country to successfully confront this
threat on its own.

In this challenging endeavour it is vital for Mexico to maintain and
enhance co-operation with other countries - including Canada - in
security matters and the fight against common enemies, such as
delinquency and organized crime.

Alberto Lozano, Press Attache, Embassy of Mexico in Canada