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Mexico Calls in Army as Drug War Escalates

President deploys 45,000 troops into major cities

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 20, 2009 8:44 AM CST
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(Newser) – Mexican President Felipe Calderón yesterday defended his decision to deploy 45,000 troops in major cities in his fight against the drug cartels, reports the Washington Post. In a speech to the army, Calderón said the military would remain in place until it had regained control of the country's most violent regions; 650 Mexicans have died since the new year in drug violence.

This week alone a police chief in Ciudad Juarez was assassinated, and a gun battle between soldiers and drug traffickers, shown live on television, left five people dead in Reynosa. One minister in the Calderón government said Wednesday that the drug cartels have grown so powerful that, unless they were crushed, "the next president of the republic would be a narco-trafficker."

Soldiers look on while police and forensic workers load bodies onto a truck after a drug gang kidnapped and killed six people on the outskirts of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009.
Soldiers look on while police and forensic workers load bodies onto a truck after a drug gang kidnapped and killed six people on the outskirts of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009.   (AP Photo)
Protesters burn wooden pallets as they block a main avenue in the northern industrial city of Monterrey, Mexico, Thursday Feb. 12, 2009.
Protesters burn wooden pallets as they block a main avenue in the northern industrial city of Monterrey, Mexico, Thursday Feb. 12, 2009.   (AP Photo)
Two federal police officers carry a box with weapons seized from suspected members of a crime gang after presenting them to the press in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009.
Two federal police officers carry a box with weapons seized from suspected members of a crime gang after presenting them to the press in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009.   (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)
Mexico's President Felipe Calderon speaks to the press at the Los Pinos presidential residence in Mexico City, Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009.
Mexico's President Felipe Calderon speaks to the press at the Los Pinos presidential residence in Mexico City, Wednesday Feb. 11, 2009.   (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
A suspected member of a crime gang, allegedly extorting, kidnapping and drug trafficking in the outskirts of Mexico's capital, is taken off a police vehicle to be shown to the press.
A suspected member of a crime gang, allegedly extorting, kidnapping and drug trafficking in the outskirts of Mexico's capital, is taken off a police vehicle to be shown to the press.   (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Drug cartels that have waged bloody turf battles across northern and western Mexico have now brought their fight to the outskirts of Mexico City.
Drug cartels that have waged bloody turf battles across northern and western Mexico have now brought their fight to the outskirts of Mexico City.   (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 10 comments
actionfocus
Aug 1, 2010 11:01 AM CDT
Ditto these well thought out solutions! "Besides repealing flawed AZ law, ...we must "bite the bullet" for the well-being of our nation is as follows: A) Push for the Fed govt to enforce the immigration laws, where it properly belongs, rather than having States pass patchwork of flawed UNConstitutional laws, as AZ has done. B) Do Comprehensive Immigration Reform (this is an answer) b1) But, clear backlogs of those in system first; b2) concurrently grant conditional residency to those here (come in and register; do background check on them - see more below) C) and CONCURRENT with B), to prevent FUTURE illegal immigration c1) Strengthen our BORDERS and COASTS c2) Implement strong E-verify program. c3) Strong penalties against employers who hire undocumented immigrants c4) Strong Civil Monetary Penalties to those who entered illegally, or Overstayed their Visas (both are misdemeanors, not federal crimes) - this way we do not reward illegal behavior c5) implement a Biometric type of Social Security Card c6) Focus our limited resources on deporting VIOLENT illegal aliens; and combating the trafficking and exploitation of Women and children c7) Make the legal immigration process more effective and efficient to clear backlogs for legal immigration and for granting of temporary work permits, and to respond in a timely basis to the US' economic needs. c8) Have HIGHER legal immigration processing FEES to help pay for these services. D) I would also focus on RADICALLY decreasing the HIGH DEMAND for Illegal Drugs in the US. " Time to get REAL!
Mad
Feb 20, 2009 4:39 AM CST
Mr.C, stamp your feet when you say that!
Mad
Feb 20, 2009 4:35 AM CST
Man, how wild, I agree with CoronaKing. I feel faint

Drugs push Mexico towards 'civil war'
CNN

 
Mexico • Mexican border • Mexican drug war • Mexican army • drug traffickers • Felipe Calderón

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