| | |  News Around the Republic of Mexico | September 2009 
US Assistant Secretary Johnson Visits Mexico to Observe Merida Initiative Progress
 mexico.usembassy.gov
September 03, 2009
Mexico City – Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs David Johnson was in Mexico from August 30 to September 2 to meet with Mexican counterparts and see first-hand the progress in U.S. – Mexico cooperation under the Merida Initiative. Assistant Secretary Johnson is the State Department official responsible for funds used to support the Merida Initiative.
Johnson stated, "Far more than the helicopters and x-ray machines, the lasting legacy of the Merida Initiative will be the improved cooperation between our governments and people in the fight against crime, and the increased capacity of Mexico’s institutions to counter the cartels and bring their leaders to justice."
Under the Merida Initiative, the United States is providing $400 million in fiscal year 2008 funds and $720 million in fiscal year 2009 funds to support the Government of Mexico’s security forces, judiciary, civil society, and health organizations.
In addition to equipment that has already been delivered to Mexico, including x-ray machines, armored vehicles and a forensic document lab, the Embassy expects to deliver five Bell helicopters for SEDENA, over $7 million in additional non-intrusive inspection equipment, and critical software for the PGR’s case tracking system before the end of the year.
In December the U.S. and Mexico will open a Merida Implementation Office in Mexico City, where officials from both countries will work together to track Merida programs and develop new strategies to confront our mutual threats.
The Merida Initiative has also funded technical assistance for a series of training and professionalization programs being conducted by the government of Mexico, bringing 60 instructors from six countries to work with the Mexican instructors training 1,500 new Federal Police Investigators; sending Mexican prison administration program trainers to New Mexico and Colorado, who have now returned and already trained their first group of 200 corrections officers; developing programs for judges, prosecutors, and public defenders trained in judicial reform; and providing technical assistance to the PGR and Customs for their canine academies. |
|
| |
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us