McCain hits Mexico

John McCain arrived in Mexico last night from Colombia, where he had praised Colombian President Uribe's efforts to crack down on the drug trade and where his visit coincided with the liberation of a number of long-held hostages.

At around 8 a.m today, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate of the United States paid a visit to Mexico City's Basilica de Guadalupe, a major center of worship for the nation's millions of devout Catholics, where he signed the visitors' book and toured the religious site.

Commentators said that McCain's visit to Mexico could impress the millions of Mexicans currently living in the United States.

"Images of Mr. McCain at the basilica are being directed at the Mexican community in the United States because they are symbols Mexicans over there also identify with," said political commentator José Antonio Crespo in the Dallas Morning News.

McCain will also meet with President Felipe Calderón during his time in Mexico, at which point the two politicians will no doubt discuss the recently approved yet controversial cash injection from the United States of $400 million U.S. -- known as the Merida Initiative -- aimed at helping Mexico in its fight against powerful drug cartels and organized crime networks.

He is also expected to address the thorny issue of illegal immigration to the United States during his time here -- an issue about which detractors say the presidential candidate has flip-flopped.

Click here for our coverage of Merida Initiative developments.

Read the Dallas Morning News report on McCain's visit here.....

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Comments

[Whost]

Gritan al candidato republicano a la presidencia de EU “cerdo imperialista, no eres bienvenido. Con la fe del pueblo no se juega”
Durante su visita a la Basilica de Mexico

[fedUpinLA]

I'm clueless! I don't know why, but I was always under the impression that ONLY U.S. citizens were allowed to vote!!! When did the law change??? Oh...I know, it must have been on page 1039 of the McCain/Kennedy AMNESTY Bill!!! I only read the first page wherein ALL illegal aliens currently living in the U.S. will be give immediate permanent legal status courtesy of the Z-VISA! And once they have their Z-VISA...they can bri ng their immediate family of spouses, parents, and children to the U.S. I never finished reading the legislation ...that was more than enough for me!!!!!

[Brittanicus]

Senator Obama already promised he would give the millions of illegal aliens, squatting in this nation AMNESTY? Old McCain will do likewise to get the vote in November. Both parties are heavily pandering to foreign nationals, no matter what the catastrophic economic impact to taxpayers. We must pass the SAVE ACT before this happens. Afterwards will BE TOO LATE for overburdened taxpayers, who will be forced to support them. Plus the millions more who will think it's 'open day' from the third world countries.

Under the federal SAVE ACT (H.R.4088) predatory employers would be arrested, fined and possibly imprisoned and millions of illegal aliens would leave of their OWN ACCORD. It would give (ICE) more funding and build the US border patrol up to 20.000 more agents in strength, build the fence as ORIGINALLY intended. This nationwide law would also begin to remove criminal aliens from our society. It would give extra teeth to all immigration laws now on the books. Demand the SAVE ACT! (2022243121 ) Unsuppressed details at NUMBERSUSA.