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Mexico's Consul General takes your questions
February 5th, 2010
06:02 PM ET
We took your questions from Facebook and Twitter and put them to Mexico's Consul General for New York, Rubén Beltrán:
@camanpour on Twitter
Is drug business the only thriving business in mexico? How do the international world community view the impacts of drugs in the world and it's origin in Mexico? JOHN BENARD.Nigeria
I feel that the drug trade in Mexico is deep rooted. Funding for political, social activities requires money which can be found from selling drugs, this keeps the drug business going on. We need think tanks to help Mexico out.
You cannot stop people smoking marijuana anymore than you can stop breathing. The more you fight marijuana the more gas you pour on the fire. For over a hundred years the US government has been fighting the use of marijuana and for a hundred years they have been loosing the battle while making criminals stronger and more powerful. You want to stop the criminals stop making every days marijuana smokers into criminals. How stupid is our country that we cannot see?
The U.S. apparently hasn't learned anything from the multi-billion dollar attempt to stem the production and trafficking in drugs under Plan Colombia, which has had no significant effect on the drug trade. Now we're going to spend billions more on a similar program in Mexico that is destined to yield similar results. As long as drugs are illegal and the profits are high, there will always be a criminal element that will continue to produce and traffic in drugs. No matter how many narco-traffickers you arrest there will always be others who will take their place, and no matter what areas or countries you "clean-up", the business will always establish itself elsewhere. And all the while, innocent people are caught in the crossfire of turf wars and battles with authorities. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of otherwise law-abiding citizens waste their lives in prison for the sole offense of putting illegal substances into their own bodies. The sooner that the U.S. government stops the senseless, ineffective and hugely expensive Drug War the sooner the drug lords will be put out of business, the drug-related violence will disappear, the police and the courts can concentrate on dealing with real criminals, and people can return to living normal lives.
No, the drug business isn't the "only thriving" business in Mexico. Unfortunately, the press sometimes only paints one side of the picture and it seems that the side presented is the one that draws views/readers. If you care to, just do a little reseach on your own.
You may find that Mexico has thriving businesses in technology, health care, import/export, tourism, and manufacturing. The country's current focus isn't just on trying to make it's citizens safe from the drug business. There are significant strides being made forward in the areas of massive infrastructure improvements as well (freeways, airports and water systems for a few). Focus on social issues seem to be rather paramount as well with strong attention being paid to education for one. In the US, a traditional focus has been on home ownership. Currently, Mexico has developed a program wherein financing (once unheard of) is being made available to the average family. All of this really isn't too surprizing if one considers the country has the world's 12th highest GNP.
The favorable news is out there if one cares to broaden one's sources.
I now live in Mexico part time and did my research beforehand. I'm glad I did.
Buck Mayo
US/Mexico
I live in Ciudad Juarez, were 30% of the total assesinations of Mexico's drug war is happening and is well know in the society that the federal goverment is corrupted by one cartel (the cartel of El Chapo Guzman) and this big drug war is only a cover to clean the way for this cartel. It is very hard as citizens to understand how the goverment is helping this cartel to destroy our society. The cosul talks about technology, arms, etc... but in my point of view he does not know anything about what he is talking, every time you cross from Mexico to the U.S. (ciudad juarez – El Paso )their are mexican soldiers with molecules detectors which does not work. They suppose to look for arms, drugs, ammunitions, etc.. with onle one molecule detector, I believe that is not enough. You can see all the technology the U.S. use in their borders and still some drug is cross to the U.S. and they want to stop the drug dealers with molecules detectors, in this asspect you can see how committed is the mexican goverment to finish the drug war.
The comment by the former Mexican minister that southbound operations for weapons checks are not being done is simply not true. Practically daily, at random times, southbound traffic from San Diego on Interstate 5 is checked by U.S. law enforcement officials.
With the assualt weapon lift of 2004during the Bush administration a bill by assault weapon ban supporter Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) attached a ten-year extension to the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban to the Senate's Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. With the Feinstein amendment, the bill was voted down 8-90.
This is one of many reasons the cartel is fully loaded
These question is for former Minister Castaneda.
Some people are elaborating, with solid facts and arguments , that president Fox made the Mexico Narco-traffic business a PARAESTATAL.?
And that the person who close advise president Calderon in these matters was the guy who cut the deal with "Chapo Guzman" letting him out of jail and using him as an equalizer among all the groups, that you mentioned in the interview. Taking him to the top of "Fortune magazine and facilitating the Drug economy to recycle all the cash flow through out the whole Mexican economy ?
LEGALIZATION is the answer in this country. Police departments,
Department of Corrections Officers, prisons and jails would empty in great numbers if this was done. Court rooms would be emptied, Lawyers and bailbondsmen would suffer financially. These forementioned have created quite an industry for themselves while only helping to increase drug trafficking and use of. Let those that have a need to inhale, snort or inject drugs buy them. It won't belong before they'll be history by their own hand. Drug production is deeply rooted in Mexico where drug traffickers are seen as "Robin Hoods!" Just listen to their "corridos" music and view their movies. I lived in Juarez when "La Seõra" La Nacha, was the king pin annd that was 60 years ago. Corruption is rampant in Mexico. Police protect traffickers!
LEGALIZATION is the answer in this country. Police departments,
Department of Corrections Officers, prisons and jails would empty in great numbers if this was done. Court rooms would be emptied, Lawyers and bailbondsmen would suffer financially. These forementioned have created quite an industry for themselves while only helping to increase drug trafficking and use of. Let those that have a need to inhale, snort or inject drugs buy them. It won't belong before they'll be history by their own hand. Drug production is deeply rooted in Mexico where drug traffickers are seen as "Robin Hoods!" Just listen to their "corridos" music and view their movies. I lived in Juarez when, "La Señora," La Nacha, was the king pin and that was 60 years ago. Corruption is rampant in Mexico. Police protect traffickers!
I live in El Paso and travel to Ciudad Juarez twice a week. The have stopped checking for guns in both sides of the border for last few months. It was a dumb idea to think if they would inspect both sides of the borders for guns, this would end the violence in Juarez. President Calderon is about to lose this war and Mr. Beltran's is delusional is he thinks the people of Juarez are with Calderon. The people of Juarez are angry that they are being ignored by President Calderon and that authorities have no answers or bother to attempt to stop the crimes. Calderon got into this war without a good assessment of the level of corruption in Mexico and now you are seeing the consequences. Calderon's party (PAN) is going to lose much of the northern states during the upcoming elections, which Calderon won during the 2006 presidential election. The PRI party is likely to win big which means more power for them, more corruption, and a big headache to Calderon.
If Calderon wants to win the war, he needs to look at how General Petraeus was able to control the chaos in Irak. Juarez is like Irak but without the suicide bombers (not yet). Follow what Petraeus did by going into communities to know who the neighbors and local business are. Then have a presence by staying in those neighborhoods and securing those areas. Right now the military and federal police are just driving around and around without any coordination in the city. The people of Juarez desperately want security and want to help but the federal government needs to build trust with its people and only then will you see a real change in Mexico.
When is the Democrat Party going recognize that it is no loengr represenitive of Liberalism? syn, that's next on the list, right after Dems announce their opposition to anything which might remotely be considered progress.
Dear Christiane,
As long as the Mexican media remains monopolized by only two tv networks (for a 100 million population), as long as the so called Mexican NARCO-POLITITIANS, that govern Mexico have strong links $$$ with the narco (and with powerful groups in the US), Mexico will live in permanently violence: human heads, mutilated bodies, etc. everywhere. The corruption strongly increased since the PAN, Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderon's party, took power in 2000. There are hundreds of videotapes taken by citizens that proof how Felipe Calderon stole the Presidential Elections in 2006. Mexicans asked to re-count the votes, but they re-counted them only in a few polls, not in the whole country, they just denied the re-counting.
Thanks for the segments on drugs and Mexico, We really appreciate it.
LEGALIZING DRUGS will not stop drug addiction, anymore than the end of prohibition stopped alcoholism. However, over time, it would have these POSITIVE effects: 1) greatly diminish or eliminate billions of dollars going to gangs and terrorists, thus lowering violence; 2) the money spent on "drug wars" could be spent on reducing & controlling drug addiction, a disease.
Mexico has chosen drugs and human slave labor (Tres por Uno program is very lucrative for country's infrastructure) as their major exports. Their economy depends upon them.They aren't going to do anything about it and I don't feel sorry for what happens to them as a result. I feel sorry for the kids here in America being victimized by our geographical proximity to Mexico. Those teens killed in Juarez? They were drug dealing gang bangers. No sympathy here. I say we start treating Mexico as a terrorist threat (and no I'm not GOP).
Can someone answer this too please? Why do almost all the drugs come from Hispanic/Spanish-speaking nations? What is it with their collective cultures that thinks this is ok and a viable way to support their economies?
Dear all,
The war on drugs is failing miserably. I live in Ciudad Juárez. This is the first failed city. Simply, the government is absolutely incapable of containing violent crimes. There is no rule of law. The situation will not stop there, it is spreading accross the country. According to statistics by local news (diario.com.mx) 99% of the killings remain unresolved and murderes are not brought to justice. Extorsions, kidnapings, and other violent crimes are common and have been increasing dramarically.
The government argues that the more people are killed the more succesful the strategy is. This is absurd! Every day there are more victings that are completely unrelated with the supply-demand of drugs. The last thing we want is that those families that have lost sons and daughters hear from their government that the deaths are deserved or represent a success of public policy.
If 96 is a true percentage of Catholics in Mexico where is the influence of the Catholic Church against the drug cartels, garbage in the streets, sex trade ? Does the Catholic Church get paid to keep silent ? Do they not preach against sin? Are they afraid of their number would srink to 1% if they stepped up to the responsiblity to teach the Bible? If 96% of the population was Church of Christ or Baptist or Assembley of God I wonder if Mexico would be know for Drugs and Sex? If the Catholic Church refuses to step up and point the people toward responsible Christ like living maybe they should bow out and let new brave preachers turn around the mess they have allowed to overpower their faith? If you have 96% of people you should be making a difference. I have noticed in alot of Catholic dominate countries they have little influnence on their members life choices. A lot of pomp no power. Just wondering, Gill Bowman