U.S. ambassador to Mexico: Americans must accept responsibility for Mexico's drug-related problems

Tony Garza, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, called on the United States to recognize its responsibility in the fight against drug traffickers in Mexico.

"Mexico would not be the center of the cartel's activities, nor would it be experiencing these levels of violence, if it wasn't for the United States -- the major consumer of illegal drugs and the principal supplier of arms to the cartels."

"The United States and Mexico must fight organized crime together or we will fail together," said Garza, speaking at an event in Texas earlier this week.

Garza commended Mexican President Felipe Calderon for some of the measures he has taken to fight organized crime in the country, which include sending thousands of soldiers into the areas where the drug cartels have the tightest hold and making efforts to clean up corruption within the police force.

According to Milenio, Garza also commended outgoing U.S President Bush for having pushed the so-called Merida Initiative, which pledges $400 million in first-year funding to Mexico to aid its fight against organized crime.

Click here to go to our running coverage of the drug wars, "Mexico Under Siege."

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Comments

[David]

I resent your anti American attitude. You have no respect for Americans.

[Aaron]

I completely agree that US demand is part of the problem just like the Mexican government's support of illegal border crossings helps add additional dollars to the coffers of the drug mafia. Close the border!

[Miguel]

It is about time that the root of the drug problem is recognized. The drug war exists because the drug users in the United States have created a perfect economic model of supply and demand. The Demand is insatiable within the U.S. and the supply chain has been taken up by organized crime in Mexico. The drug war cannot be a simple approach of pursuing the drug gangs in Mexico. The mexican government has raged this war for two years with mixed results. Their campaign has resulted in close to 48 thousand arrests throughout Mexico. It has also involved the cleansing of police organizations of corrupt cops. However, the approach has not involved bilateral cooperation between the two countries to attack the root of the problem. Drug use and its demise should be where the focus should lie. If there are no buyers there would be no need for suppliers. The mexican campaign against the drug runners has resulted in the drug gangs becoming more brazen. They would pay to get their poison into the U.S. Now that their corrupt law enforcement people have been stripped of their authority, they have noone to pay. Their reaction has been to forcibly move their product to market by stepping up their efforts to attack law enforcement officials in Mexico. A comprehensive approach that recognizes all the causes and symptoms that result is necessary. Only then can a full approach to end the drug war result in any meaningful results.

[southoc]

Typical anti social response.

If Mexico wasn't so corrupt the cartels would not be so powerfull. You have a civil war on your hands. Your war Mexico. You made the bed, sleep in it.