Washington/Mexico City - US Attorney General Eric Holder, in
Mexico Thursday to meet his Mexican counterpart Medina Mora, vowed to
stand 'shoulder-to-shoulder' with Mexico in the fight against the
drug cartels.
'The United States shares responsibility for this problem and we
will take responsibility by joining our Mexican counterparts in every
step of this fight,' Holder said.
In 2008, more than 6,300 murders in Mexico were blamed on drug
cartel conflicts, including the deaths of more than 500 police and
military units.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has deployed 45,000 army troops
to combat the scourge, and cities like Juarez, near the US-Mexico
border, are under martial law.
Holder said that the fight would be won 'thanks in large part to
the courage of my Mexican colleagues ... who are on the front lines
every day.'
Holder's high-profile meeting scheduled for Friday with Mexican
President Felipe Calderon underlined the efforts of the Barack Obama
administration to get on good terms with the US' southern neighbour
after years of soured relations.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on a visit to Mexico last
week, made the first ever public admission by the US that it must
accept part of the blame, for the drug-related violence that is
ravaging Mexico, because of the 'insatiable demand' for illegal drugs
in the US.
Also last week, Washington launched a major new effort to crack
down on the cartels by beefing up drug and weapons agents along the
border and sending help into Mexico in the form of trainers for the
justice system and equipment such as helicopters.
Mexican cartels are major suppliers of methamphetamine, cocaine
and heroin to the US.
Holder and US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano met
with Mora and other Mexican officials in Cuernavaca, Mexico, about 85
kilometres south of Mexico City.
Holder told Bloomberg financial news service that the US needs to
determine the source of the guns going into Mexico.
'That has got to be, I think, a prime responsibility for our
country,' Holder said.
More than 90 per cent of guns used in violent crimes in Mexico are
brought in illegally from the United States, the US Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says.
The governments of Mexico, Colombia and other countries beset by
the drug trade have also pushed the US to cut down on the demand for
drugs in the US through treatment and education programmes.
Napolitano said Thursday's meetings were 'focused on the continued
role the United States will play in helping Mexico to suppress cartel
violence.'
Obama is to visit Mexico on April 16-17 on his way to the Americas
summit in Trinidad and Tobago.
USA
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