| | |  News Around the Republic of Mexico | April 2009 
U.S. Weapons, Guns Fuel Drug Trade, Mexico's Ambassador Says
 Deborah Solomon - Wall Street Journal
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| | Arturo Sarukhán, Ambassador of Mexico (cwhipple) | |
As President Barack Obama prepares to travel to Mexico this week, the Mexican ambassador to the U.S. said weapons and money flowing from the U.S. into Mexico is helping fuel the violent drug trade there.
"The key issue right now is how can the United States help to shut down those guns and shut down that bulk cash that is providing the drug syndicates in Mexico with the wherewithal to corrupt, to bribe, to kill,'' said Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday.
Mr. Sarukhan attributed 90% of the weapons in Mexico to the U.S. and said the influx of guns is directly linked to the expiration of an assault-weapons ban in the U.S. in 2004.
Since the law expired, he said, Mexico has "seen a dramatic rise of assault weapons being seized" in the country.
Earlier this month, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano met with Eduardo Medina Mora, Mexico's attorney general, and other top security officials to discuss ways the two countries can better block the flow of weapons and cash traveling south from the U.S., as well as the flow of drugs from Mexico up north.
The U.S. has stepped up its aid to Mexico, recently allocating $800 million in training and equipment to Mexico's soldiers and police.
Mr. Obama is expected to visit Mexico ahead of his trip to attend the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad from April 17 to April 19.
Write to Deborah Solomon at deborah.solomon(at)wsj.com |
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