Obama Urged to Change U.S. - Latin American Relations

Friends of Brad Will, named after the independent journalist killed in Oaxaca, called on President-elect Obama to move away from decades of failed "war on drugs" policies that have served to fund and arm corrupt police and military powers, like the one that killed Will.

Let's see if Obama really will be about change.

Friends of Brad Will today called on President elect Obama to take note of the failures of the "war in drugs" in Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean and to reject funding corrupt security forces there. The advocacy organization established when the U.S. reporter Brad Will was murdered by Mexican security forces in front of witnesses in a crime still unpunished also urged the President Elect to call for the release of Juan Manuel Martinez Moreno, wrongly accused by Mexican government officials of the murder of Mr. Will in Mexico in 2006.
"Mr. Martinez was framed by Mexican authorities to cover-up for officials from the State of Oaxaca who were filmed shooting into crowds during the 2006 teacher's strike." said Miguel Rivera, of Friends of Brad Will. "We demand his release and call on the Obama Administration to cease the proposed funding of helicopters and Blackwater and Dyncorp mercenaries through Bush's Merida Initiative to the Mexican and other Western Hemispheric militaries."

In a letter today to President Elect Obama, the respected Washington DC-based Witness for Peace stated, "Instead of spending billions in a failed "supply-side" strategy that funds human rights abuses, destroys the environment and fuels a decades-long armed conflict, end military aid and invest in real alternative development abroad and drug prevention and treatment at home."

The growing call to stop the Merida Initative builds upon the opposition of the AFL-CIO, US Steelworkers, and many others.

About the investigation of the murder of Brad Will, Rep. Manzullo (R, Illiinois) wrote to outgoing Secretary of State Rice, "Why should the U.S. Government give money to a government to "fight organized crime" when the very Mexican officials trusted with spending this money, including the Mexican Attorney General, refuse to cooperate with officials of the U.S. Government concerning a U.S. victim of a Mexican criminal act?"

Friends of Brad Will also called on the Mexican government to vacate the arrest warrants of others wrongfully accused of the death of the American journalist. Their names are: Hugo Jarid Colmenres Leyva, Octavio Pérez Pérez, Miguel Cruz Moreno, Leonardo Ortiz Cruz, Edgar Santiago Navarro, Gualberto Francisco Santiago Navarro, Marco Antonio Rojas Lazaro, Gustavo Vilchis Ramírez.

Source : Friends of Brad Will

Dems, GOP wary of “Plan Mexico”

Republican and Democratic legislators are not pleased with a multibillion dollar counternarcotics plan destined for Mexico. The White House-promoted Merida Initiative (a.k.a. “Plan Mexico”) was proposed last October with an initial payment of $500 million in this fiscal year. The House of Representatives voted yesterday to cut the payment down to $400 million with most Democrats in Congress wanting more funds to go to Mexican social institutions instead of the military.

Meanwhile, members of President Bush’s party have expressed their resistance to “Plan Mexico”. Republican Tom Tancredo proposed a failed amendment to halt the Merida Initiative while a pair of representatives have requested that the president drop the plan altogether. Even Texan GOP legislators have not been pleased with the president:

"Our first priority must be to secure our own border and equip our own personnel before we even discuss sending one nickel to the corrupt Mexican government," said Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston…

"What's most maddening to me is the answer is so easy: Help our own law enforcement officers do their job," he said. "Quit obsessing with how to placate Mexico and focus on protecting America at our border."

Sources- Reuters, The Border Line, La Plaza, The Latin Americanist, Houston Chronicle

Image- TIME

Daily Headlines: May 8, 2008

* Brazil: Consumers in Brazil are among the world's most environmentally friendly according to a study by the National Geographic Society.

* Mexico: Is the “Plan Mexico” counternarcotics program working? The Center for International Policy investigates.

* Costa Rica: Vice Premier Hui Liang of China traveled to Costa Rica in order to strengthen ties between both countries.

* Venezuela: Work has stopped at the Isidora gold mine as laborers have demanded that the government take over the mine.

Image- TreeHugger

Sources- Center for International Policy, AFP, Xinhua, Reuters

U.S. legislators critique “Plan Mexico”

Some members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee expressed their doubts over a major U.S. counternarcotics strategy for Mexico dubbed “Plan Mexico.” During the session on Wednesday, assistant secretary of state Thomas Shannon praised Mexico’s government for their anti-crime efforts and emphasized how the aid would serve as “a new paradigm for security cooperation.” However, Democrat and Republican legislators on the committee did not entirely agree with "Plan Mexico":

"We first learned of the initiative from the media. For an administration which is not particularly noted for its bipartisanship, this cavalier disregard of congressional concern is deeply disturbing," said committee Chairman Tom Lantos (D-Burlingame)…

Twelve years ago, Lantos said, the U.S. gave 73 helicopters to Mexico. "They were used and did not work well, and we ended up with the Mexicans giving them back to us," he said.

Republicans focused on concerns about corruption.

"I read that two girls crossed the border for a concert and were kidnapped by the police and taken to the traffickers as a gift -- by the police," said Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.). "It's very worrisome for me that we're going to give them money and expect them to spend it correctly."

Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) displayed a photograph that he said showed traffickers dressed in Mexican military garb crossing the Rio Grande with AK-47s and "backpacks full of cocaine."

The Merida Initiative (a.k.a. the official name for “Plan Mexico”) cannot take effect unless it’s approved by Congress. If approved, “Plan Mexico” is expected to take three years and cost $1.4 billion.

Sources- Department of State, Los Angeles Times, IPS, Christian Science Monitor

Image- economist.com