U.S. WITHHOLDS MILLIONS IN MEXICO ANTIDRUG AID

MEXICO CITY -- The United States will withhold about $26 million
promised for Mexico's drug war because of concerns that the country
has not done enough to protect its people from police and military abuse.

It is the first time that the United States, citing human rights
concerns, has held back a portion of the financing for Mexico under
the Merida Initiative, a three-year-old, $1.4 billion effort to help
Mexico and Central American nations fight drug trafficking organizations.

Under the program, 15 percent of the money for Mexico is allotted on
the condition that the country improve the accountability of the
federal and local police; ensure civilian investigations and, if
warranted, prosecutions of allegations of abuse by the police and the
military; and ban testimony obtained through torture or other mistreatment.

The State Department, in a report delivered to Congress on Friday,
said it would release $36 million from earlier budgets. But it said
it would withhold 15 percent of the $175 million allocated in the
most recent budget.

"No society can enjoy domestic peace and security without a
functioning justice system supported by appropriately trained and
equipped law enforcement and justice personnel who are respectful of
human rights and rule of law," said a State Department spokesman,
Harry Edwards.

The State Department called on the Mexican Congress to pass
legislation strengthening the authority of the country's national
human rights commission and subjecting military service members
accused of human rights abuses to civilian prosecution.

The Mexican government, in a statement, called the findings an
affront to its sovereignty. "The Merida Initiative is based on shared
responsibility, mutual trust and respect for each country's
jurisdiction," the statement said.

Nik Steinberg, Mexico researcher for Human Rights Watch, said, "Any
withholding of funds would be a step in the right direction, but
given the total impunity for military abuses and widespread cases of
torture, none of the funds tied to human rights should be released."