U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced during a visit to Mexico that a joint US-Mexico office shall be established as a coordinating group for all combined and collective action against drug trafficking that has been affecting both countries.
In a press conference with his Mexican counterpart, Patricia Espinosa, Clinton also announced that Washington intends to give Mexico $80 million for the purchase of Blackhawk helicopters to be used in combating organized crime. “The Mexican government clearly explained its need for additional helicopters to deal with drug traffickers, and we are responding,” she said.
The U.S. asserted that “drug barons and criminals who spread violence are trying to erode the foundations of law, order, friendship and trust” between Mexico and the U.S., but said that criminals “will fail.” In this connection, Clinton stressed that the relationship between the two countries is much bigger than any issue, including the drug trade.
Clinton admits that the U.S. takes some of the blame in the proliferation of drugs in and out of Mexico, across the border. Attributing responsibility to the U.S., she said, “Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade.” Clinton also declared that the U.S. recognizes the fact that drugs is ‘a shared problem.’
In the past two years alone, some 8,000 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico. The government of President Felipe Calderon has been waging a war against drug cartels whose part of the business is bloody violence.
Via BBC
