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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | December 2006 
Calderon Vows More Military Money
 Ioan Grillo - Associated Press
| | Mexican President Felipe Calderon , center, Secretary of Defense Guillermo Galvan, left, and Minister of the Navy Mariano Saynez, right, attend a meeting at the Military Academy in Mexico City on Saturday Dec. 2, 2006. (AP/Moises Castillo) |
Mexico's new president pledged Saturday to substantially raise the wages of the armed forces, calling them a crucial weapon against heavily armed drug gangs terrorizing the nation.
The move came a day after Felipe Calderon's inauguration was marred by brawls in Congress and street protests.
At a breakfast with the military's top brass, Calderon praised the army for defending the nation and battling organized crime.
"I will propose a substantial increase in troops' wages in recognition of the unquestionable effort and loyalty of our armed forces," he said.
Mexico's military plays little role in international conflicts and instead is used mainly in the fight against drug traffickers and leftist guerrilla groups and in recovery efforts after natural disasters.
Calderon won the July election by less than 1 percent of the votes over Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD.
Lopez Obrador claims Calderon conspired with outgoing President Vicente Fox to steal the election and has led mass marches and street blockades. Lopez Obrador set up a parallel government and declared himself Mexico's "legitimate president" last month, vowing to make Calderon's term as difficult as possible.
On Friday, PRD lawmakers brawled with rivals from Calderon's National Action Party, or PAN, in a bid to block the president's inauguration. Calderon entered Congress through a back door and quickly donned the presidential sash and recited the oath of office while protected by a ring of PAN legislators.
The new president has vowed security will be among his top priorities, acknowledging the nation is wracked by violent crime, killings and kidnappings.
"Today, crime is trying to terrify and immobilize the public and the government," Calderon said in a Friday speech before invited guests at a Mexico City concert hall. "The lack of public safety threatens everybody and has become the main problem of whole states, cities and regions."
Calderon said Friday he will cut his own salary and that of top officials, one of the central campaign platforms of Lopez Obrador. Mexico's politicians are among the highest paid in the world; Fox's pay was about $245,000 in 2006.
The turmoil of Calderon's inauguration day was likely a preview of protests to come. Polls show Calderon has the support of most Mexicans — and the biggest number of lawmakers in Congress — but Lopez Obrador is backed by a passionate minority. |
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