Mexican+Drug+War+Quick+Reference

In the northern regions of Mexico there have been small wars along the borders between Mexican drug Cartels and government officials. In Ciudad Juárez, which is right at the border of New Mexico, violence is escalating as government officials are finding dead bodies everywhere. Drug smuggling in Ciudad Juárez has been controlled by a group known as the Juárez Cartel. These cartels pose a very  real danger. In late January at the bottom of a monument honoring fallen police officers, there was a hand-scrawled list of 22 officers; 5 of whom had already been gunned down in the street. The sign warned that the others would also be killed “unless they learn.” In all, eight police officers have been assassinated here this year and three are missing. In some regions the nations army take the stead of the local police in an effort to control drug trafficking. Because Felipe Calderón, Mexico’s president  has declared that organi zed crime units are starting to become uncontrollable, he launched 45,000 army troops against drug-trafficking gangs in December of 2006. Since then, some 10,000 people have died in drug-related violence, 6,268 of them last year (2008). Last year, the  Bush administration entered into an agreement called the Merida Initiative. This is a three-year $1.6 billion program of security aid for Mexico and Central America. Basically, the Mérida Initiative provides Mexico with $400 million ($100 million less than originally requested) for military and law enforcement training and equipment, as well as technical advice and training to strengthen the national justice systems. A bout $204 million of that was earmarked for military purchase of eight used transport helicopters and two small surveillance aircraft. The bill requires that $73.5 million of the $400 million for Mexico must be used for judicial reform. ( Because  the Mexican justice system is notorious for corruption ; everything from bribing judges, to chiefs of police )  <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> An additional $65 million was granted for the Central American countries ( [|Belize], [|Costa Rica] , [|El Salvador] , [|Guatemala] , [|Honduras] , [|Nicaragua] and [|Panama] ) These funds are for the security of the people of these countries against Mexican Cartel and drug trafficking. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msohansifontfamily: Calibri; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin; msoansilanguage: EN;">The Merida Initiative gives: <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msohansifontfamily: Calibri; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin; msoansilanguage: EN; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman';"> Another problem is the advanced weaponry gang members have access to. Automatic riffles, and sub-machine guns make drug traffickers a serious force to contend with. <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msohansifontfamily: Calibri; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin; msoansilanguage: EN;">The biggest worry is that some drug gangs are starting to diversify into other criminal businesses. Extortion and protection rackets are becoming common. The second growth business in organized crime is kidnapping. All these things pose a threat to the stability of the region, and in neighboring areas. Last year alone, Phoenix had 340 reported kidnappings... __More keypoints:__ - The biggest market for the drugs are here in the US - There are sophisticated cameras along border. When trouble is seen there is an armed responce
 * Mexican Drug War Quick Sheet **
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Non-intrusive inspection equipment such as [|ion scanners], [|gamma ray scanners] , [|X-ray] vans and [|canine units] for Mexico and Central America.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Technologies to improve and secure [|telecommunications systems] that collect criminal information in Mexico.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msohansifontfamily: Calibri; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin; msoansilanguage: EN; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">Technical advice and training to strengthen the institutions of justice, case management software to track investigations through the system, new offices of citizen complaints and professional responsibility, and witness protection programs to Mexico.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Eight used [|Bell 412 EP] helicopters and two [|Cessna 208 Caravan] surveillance airplanes to Mexico.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msohansifontfamily: Calibri; msoasciithemefont: minor-latin; msohansithemefont: minor-latin; msoansilanguage: EN; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman';">Equipment, training and community action programs in Central American countries to implement anti-gang measures and expand the reach of these measures.