| | |  Americas & Beyond | March 2009 
Alarm on Mexico Rises as Clinton Readies Trip
 Gary Martin - San Antonio Express-News
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 |  | Not all of these weapons directly come from the United States, but in many cases are brokered by illicit weapons dealers who do reside there.
- Air Force Gen. Victor “Gene” Renuart Jr. |  | | |
Washington — Growing violence along the border spurred by gun smuggling from the United States was the focus of Senate hearings this week in advance of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's trip to Mexico.
“The brutal violence we see in Mexico today reminds us of the situation that Colombia faced a decade ago,” said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.
Clinton will travel to Monterrey and Mexico City March 25-26 to discuss U.S. and Mexican efforts to stem the flow of narcotics into the U.S. and guns smuggled from the U.S. side to Mexican drug cartels.
Clinton and Mexican officials will also work to enhance efforts under the Merida Initiative, an aid program to send U.S. military hardware to Mexico to fight drug traffickers.
The trip comes as Congress voices increasing alarm at the rising tide of violence in Mexico attributed to narcotics cartels fighting over drug routes into the U.S. along the 2,000-mile border.
Levin said border state governors, including Gov. Rick Perry, are calling for military troops to defend against violence from cartels operating in Mexico.
Air Force Gen. Victor “Gene” Renuart Jr. of the U.S. Northern Command told the Senate the number of weapons going into Mexico is a growing concern.
“Not all of these weapons directly come from the United States, but in many cases are brokered by illicit weapons dealers who do reside there,” he said.
Renuart said the government is preparing a plan that would integrate military and law enforcement from both countries in the fight against narcotics cartels.
Clinton is expected to discuss the ongoing efforts between the two countries when she meets with Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa.
A state Department official said Clinton would discuss funding through the Merida Initiative, a three-year plan cobbled together by President George W. Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderón in the Mexican resort of Merida.
Congress has approved $300 million for the initiative, $150 million short of what was called for this year.
Mexican officials and U.S. lawmakers also have bemoaned delays in transferring military hardware to Mexico, including helicopters that could be used for drug interdiction efforts.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said the helicopters would not be available until 2011, which further hampers efforts to block narcotics entering this country.
Clinton will visit Monterrey because of its cultural and industrial ties with U.S. cities and its proximity to the border. |
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