By Lucky Gold, CNN
I am the president
Mexico’s presidential election has yet to be certified, but despite a recount and allegations of vote buying, Enrique Peña Nieto does not hesitate to claim victory.
“I am the president by a decision of the majority of Mexicans,” he said Thursday on Amanpour. “This is a whole process that is very strictly following the law…In the month of September, the electoral tribunal will legally designate me as president.”
When he is confirmed as president, a top priority will be ending the spiral of violence and drug-related crime that have left over fifty thousand dead since 2006.
With organized crime there is no truce
“We have to seek specialized training of our police forces in order to combat certain types of crimes,” he said. “I’m pointing to three that are the ones which are provoking the greatest violence: murder, extortion and kidnapping.”
Granting special focus to these crimes, he said, “will allow us in the short term to reduce the indexes of criminal activity.”
In particular, he noted that Mexico has seen “a rise of murders which we must put a stop to and gradually begin to reduce these levels of violence, and crime.”
To that end, Mr. Peña Nieto vowed that there would be no deal with drug lords.
“I’ve been very clear and emphatic,” he said. “With organized crime there is no truce, there is no treaty, there is no agreement…We have to face organized crime, which is my commitment, my challenge, to return to Mexico peace and security.”
At the same time, he promised that the pursuit of organized crime would not compromise or come at the expense of human rights in Mexico: “My commitment is very clear in terms of respect for human rights…Police forces must observe all protocols that guarantee respect for human rights.”
The value and contribution of millions of Mexicans
Lastly, he addressed the importance of cooperation with the United States to achieve comprehensive immigration reform: “In the bi-lateral relations that we forge with the United State government (we intend) to emphasize this reform.”
Such reform, he said, “should acknowledge the value and contribution of millions of Mexicans who live in the United States."
CNN’s Claire Calzonetti produced this piece for television.