NR: "The Mexican
government will be looking for a lot more from
President Obama."
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Length: 2:02
LARGE (23.7 MB)
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Michael phones one in from Guadalajara as
President Obama heads there for a short summit with
the Mexican and Canadian leaders.
FREDRICKA
WHITFIELD: President Obama is now on his way to
Mexico for a summit with North American leaders. The
president boarded Air Force One moments ago after
departing Marine One there. He's expected to meet
with Mexico's President Felipe Calderon later on
today. A host of issues are expected to be discussed,
including drug violence along the border. In
Guadalajara right now CNN's Michael Ware. He spent a
lot of time covering the drug wars throughout that
country. Michael, what kind of support in this drug
war will Mexico most likely ask for?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone):
Well, they're certainly going to ask for the delivery
of the promised aid money under the Merida
Initiative, which has guaranteed $1.4 billion to
Mexico over three years. Now, some of that money is
currently being held up in Congress. They'd certainly
like to see that freed up. There's a whole host of
issues involved here in supporting President Felipe
Calderon's war on the drug cartels here, and that
includes even just the delivery of promised
helicopters.
The Mexican government has committed more than 40,000
army soldiers to the streets of its own cities, so
bad has this drug war become. Indeed, we've seen just
last month alone there's been a spike in violence
here in this country, 850 Mexicans died in
drug-related violence in July just itself. So the
drug war is definitely in full throes yet the Mexican
government is all but fighting it on its own. Just a
few hundred million dollars in aid from the United
States each year simply is not enough to support the
Mexican government. The Mexican government will be
looking for a lot more from President Obama.
Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: These are going to be tough discussions
that take place in so little time during the
president's visit. Michael Ware thanks so much for
your report from Guadalajara.