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on the border line between the US and Mexico
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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Mexico Asks Biden to Stop US Weapons and Money Flow

Biden: US remains opposed to drug legalization
By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ and MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN-Associated Press
MEXICO CITY
Vice President Joe Biden said Monday that Mexico's three main presidential candidates share a vision of continued close cooperation with Washington, and used his brief visit south of the border to also knock down talk of drug legalization in the region.
Biden's two-day trip to Mexico and Honduras comes amid calls by many of the region's leaders to discuss decriminalizing drugs as a way to ease a vicious war on cartels that has left Latin America bloodied.
"It's worth discussing, but there is no possibility the Obama/Biden administration will change its policy on (drug) legalization," he said after meeting with President Felipe Calderon.
But the main purpose of his visit was to meet with the contenders in Mexico's July 1 presidential elections to get a feel for future U.S.-Mexico relations.
The U.S. has enjoyed an unprecedented level of cooperation with Calderon, whose administration has received hundreds of millions of dollars to wage a heavily militarized fight against drug cartels. Drug-related violence has killed at least 47,515 people in Mexico from December 2006, when Calderon launched his first anti-cartel offensive, through September 2011.
Biden met Monday with Enrique Pena Nieto of the Institutional Revolution Party; Josefina Vazquez Mota of the ruling National Action Party; and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the left-leaning Democratic Revolution Party. Calderon is not allowed to run again.
Recent polls show a tightening race with Pena Nieto ahead, followed by Vazquez Mota and Lopez Obrador.
When asked whether he had sensed any significant differences among the candidates with regards to cooperation with the United States, Biden answered simply, "No."
"I'm not being flip, but no," he said, before leaving a brief and unscheduled press conference at the end of a day of meetings.
Calderon's allies have accused Pena Nieto's PRI party of maintaining ties to drug-traffickers and wanting to relent in the fight against cartels.
Pena Nieto said he told Biden that the PRI, which ruled Mexico for more than 70 years before being ousted by the PAN, is committed to the fight against organized crime.
"The discussion is not whether we should or shouldn't fight against it but what we can do to achieve better results," he told reporters.
Vazquez Mota, the contender for Calderon's PAN, said she brought up the need for both countries to improve the fight against money laundering.
"I told him that I will neither make a truce nor surrender in the fight against organized crime because for me the most important things is the security of all families," she said.
Lopez Obrador said that in his meeting with Biden he suggested "a new bilateral relationship with the United States based on cooperation for development."
"The problems with crime and lack of safety have their origins in the lack of welfare, and that is why it is very important that in bilateral relations, priority be given to development," said Lopez Obrador, "so that there are jobs, welfare and we can put the country on the right track and be able to decrease migration."
Biden paid a visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, considered one of the most visited sanctuaries in the Roman Catholic faith. He kneeled, prayed and crossed himself before walking out of the church.
"My mother was a great devotee of the blessed mother," said Biden, a Catholic. "I would have come if there were nothing but this," he said referring to the basilica.
At a meeting earlier in the day, Calderon asked Biden for Washington to do more to halt the flow of weapons and drug money into Mexico.
Mexico's president "repeated the urgent need to strengthen actions against the trafficking of weapons into our country and money laundering," his office said in a statement.
Biden said that even in the absence of an assault rifle ban, President Barack Obama's administration was doing as much as it could to stop the flow of arms by conducting inspections of border checkpoints and requiring reporting of multiple sales of large weapons.
Biden's trip takes place amid unprecedented pressure from political and business leaders to talk about decriminalizing drugs. The presidents of Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia and Mexico have said in recent weeks they'd like to open up the discussion of legalizing drugs.
"It is a totally legitimate debate and it's worth debating in order to lay to rest some of the myths that are associated with the notion of legalization," Biden said. "The debate always occurs, understandably, in the context of serious violence that occurs with the society, particularly in societies that don't have the institutional framework and the structure to deal with organized, illicit operations."
The vice president said, however, that legalization would be unworkable "unless you are going to not only legalize but you are going to provide a government apertures for the distribution of the drugs."

For additional information see Havana's Borderland Beat Forum Post HERE

42 comments:

  1. How about no more illegals the mexican government does not do anything when they leave the country. How about fix the economy so people wouldn't leave mexico in the first place.

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    1. Didn't you read? That's what Lopez Obrador told Biden.

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  2. I say keep sending guns. and let them kill off one another.until the mexican goverment stops the flow of drugs to the usa.which he can do.so I say more guns to mexico

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    1. Man. Stop smoking that crack that we send. Is making you very pendejo

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  3. "particularly in societies that don't have the institutional framework and the structure to deal with organized, illicit operations."

    The “DRUG WAR” has turned the USA into an ugly brutal militaristic type police-prison state that has ruined the lives of millions of people with no end in sight.

    The American prison system is being contracted out to for-profit companies. Their profit depends on spending as little as possible on the prisoners and the prisons.

    Their primary interest lies in having as many prisoners as possible, housed as cheaply as possible. The more prisoners, the more profit.
They spend millions and millions of dollars lobbying against decriminalization of drugs and controlled substances.

    Decriminalizing drugs and controlled substances would no longer make it possible for them to operate as a for-profit business.

    In the USA the demand for alcohol and other drugs will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS be there.

    They would love to put YOU behind bars.

    The “DRUG WAR” is a vicious greed driven scam.

    SAY YES TO LIFE--SAY NO TO THE DRUG WAR

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  4. Legalising drugs is definitely not an option.
    It will also not stop the turf war between the different drug organisations because as long as there are different gangs, there will be turf wars.
    To legalise drugs is to surrender to the drug gangs who are no different from the Mafia.
    Also, don't forget that they not only do drugs but also all types of other criminal activities like prostitution, loan sharking, protection racket, kidnapping and a myriad of other criminal activities.
    Can any civilised government surrender the country to such people and let them have a free hand vis-a-vis the government?
    Think again.
    Very deeply!

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  5. Here we go another Yawn article, so what,big politicians making the same BS statements again and again.Americans have become weak lazy govt dependent,not to mention drugs,Mexicans take advantage of the weak drug using Americans ,until the money runs out. Funny thing all the Obama crowd does not realize that Obama will bankrupt the US to the point there will be no public feed trough.

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  6. Yes keep the Status quo, keep your Moraliry war going, at some point youll go broke and have to surrender.

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  7. Legalizing drugs won't make the violence disappear, but it will take care of the original source of the violence.

    Ending Prohibition didn't get rid of the Italian and Irish mobs, they moved into extortion and bookmaking, but it did remove a major source of revenue.

    Organized crime will always exist, but they wouldn't have nearly the resources that are available now, for bribing politicians and funding armies of sicarios, if drugs were legal.

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  8. It's hard to imagine two politicians looking more two-face than Biden and Calderon do in that photo.

    *photo op*

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  9. I'm so sick and tired of Calderon and his whining cries of stopping the gun flow from the US. Stop the freaking PR campaign you little monkey and fix your country.

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  10. cheaper to treat then lock up, leagalize it all..

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  11. How can anyone who is industrious,responsible and productive stoup to the level of advocating the open and free use of drugs in any society? It is a weak cop out especially in a NANNY State like the USA, what is the eventual outcome complete collapse of productive society, so FU where can we run to now ? What country is left in the world for the strong individuals to find shelter??

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  12. Obviously marijuana should be legalized and treated like alcohol or cigarettes.

    But, narcotic drugs like methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine can't be legally sold without a doctor's supervision and counseling, or there would be the same serious societal consequences we already have, but multiplied by a factor of two or more.

    The explosion in "bath salts", with is actually methcathinone or mephadrone, is an example of the perils of legal narcotic sales without a prescription.

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  13. I am industrious, responsible and productive, and I believe that drugs ought to be decriminalized and regulated. Let the addicts fry their brains and, in fact, give the drugs to them free if charge as it is less of a cost to society than the street crime they commit to support their habit. Prohibition did not work with alcohol and it does not work for Marijuana, cocaine or whatever. We are witnessing the complete collapse of productive society with all of the insane wars including the war on drugs. The war on drugs has not worked and it has only made the cartels and their band of psycho killers stronger and better organized. 47,000 dead in Mexico alone. Biden does not know what it is like to raise kids in the urban environment these days, and he does not have to live with the consequences of these insane policies.

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    1. Yes, let the weak fall by the wayside, and let the rest of us rise!

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  14. Only idiots would oppose legalization. If only American dumbfucks with redneck thinking instead of being so fucking arrogant picked up a book read the history and see why the USA constantly blamed for shit and usa is not a liberator . How can you liberate and bring g democracy to a.country using military actions .where in persons common sence would make this right.back to Mexico's topic. Back in the 80s ricky ross was set up and helped by the cia to flod cali with cocaine, in order to maintain the contras war in nicaragua. And this happens constantly in history and its repeating again in Mexico. Divide and conquer strategy. Arm CDS and zetas to endlessly fight then over throw the gov or try so the usa can enter brinf their corporations to rebuild and keep making.profit off peoples stress and.misery. and the money used in the merida plan it wasn't.given to Mexico nonono it was given to corporations so they can build weapons choppers and war material to sell it to Mexico. Im sure most people rather criticize Mexico instead of their own country because they think they superior and.would make em.unpatriotic. a real patriot speaks up on.wrong.doings its country is doing. And ps keep talking.shit people keel talking, pretty soon the usa Wont be the biggest market ,because.usa soon will be backrupt unless policies like the ones on drug don't change. And guess what something is happening.in Mexico would happen in usa soil and worst because of accessible weapons. I can guarantee you i can buy a gun in 1 hour of.me starting to search here in.the.usa without knowing a contact. It pisses me.off to see.americans ignorance and the worst is, they Embrace it like its cool. Fucking imbeciles.

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  15. @5:57 you are wrong!!! The US was a "an ugly brutal militaristic type police-prison state that has ruined the lives of millions of people with no end in sight" BEFORE the drug war!

    The last good policy thing to come out of the US was WWII, but since then NOTHING! Just bullshit!

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  16. @ March 6, 2012 10:39 PM: you assume you belong to the 'us' ... dont be sure about that ... there might be a bullet with your name on it ... arrogant pendejo!

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  17. lol "Only idiots would oppose legalization. "
    calm down dude opinions may differ but labeling people "idiots" is not the way to convince the masses that your idea has merit.
    you might be able to handle your high but the vast majority cannot handle their high nor can they afford it. so after you finish with your crack pipe and you lock your doors and go off to your psychiatric office to shrink minds the tweakers are breaking into your house raping your wife your children and your dog. when they finish with the dog they they steal everything not nailed down and kiss your dead family goodbye.

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  18. The US does not do inspections at the border as you leave the states! Biden said they are trying to stop the gun and money flow into México with inspections at the border....I am a US citizen living in Mexico and I have NEVER been stopped or inspected as I leave the US. In the last 4 months they have finally started doing inspections on the Mexico side and even though the inspections are not every vehicle it is at least 80% more than they used to inspect.

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  19. Calderon ignores the shipping container loads of arms entering on the coast and southern border. All in favor of a photo op and pandering to anti-gun groups in the US. This may include Biden and Obama

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  20. don't stop the guns trade from us to mexico because cartels have money thats the problem they can buy them from any other country.stop the money and the source where they get it from drugs,kidnap,extortion,corruption,killings.

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  21. Dr. Robert J. BunkerMarch 7, 2012 at 10:23 AM

    The weapons issue is far more complex than Calderón administration makes it out. See:

    Just where do Mexican cartel weapons come from?
    David A. Kuhna & Robert J. Bunker

    Small Wars & Insurgencies
    Volume 22, Issue 5, 2011
    Special Issue: Criminal Insurgencies in Mexico and the Americas: The Gangs and Cartels Wage War
    pages 807-834
    http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09592318.2011.620815#preview

    Abstract

    This essay will provide an overview of the major policy positions articulated in the literature pertaining to Mexican cartel weapons origins. The four major positions related to firearms are those of the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATF), the Mexican government under the Felipe Calderón administration, US interest groups focusing on firearms regulation, and US interest groups focusing on firearms deregulation. The essay will then analyze the major sources of Mexican cartel weapons and then provide conclusions stemming from this analysis and the future trends identified. A component of this assessment will be the provision of gross estimates of the weapons sources themselves in order to show that Mexican cartel weapons origins are diverse in nature and have been increasing in sophistication over time from basic civilian arms into paramilitary and military arms. Part of the reason for this increase in sophistication has been the rise of Los Zetas which has resulted in a deadly ‘arms race’ taking place between the various Mexican cartels.

    We estimated that about 17% of the cartel weapons came from the US and that they were inferior to the military arms procured via black market and Mexican and Central American military stockpiles.

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  22. Oh shit,here we go again.Bleat,bleat,bleat,ITS ALL THE FAULT OF THE US,"IF YOU WEREN'T USING DRUGS"Go whine to Chapo,Lazca,CAF,BLO,CDG,CT,and on,and on,last time i heard it was Mexicans killing Mexicans.But its all the fault of the US.
    Yup,dayum that Mexican Meth is good.

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  23. We as mexicans need to take responsibility for the mess mexico is! We need to quit making excuses about the usa dis usa dat, its we mexicans who have accepted a corrupt government,its we mexicans who accept the mexican shit economy, its we mexicans who accept da fact dat our past presidents make deals with cartels to leave da presidency as millionaires!! We need to quit passing da buck and blame everyone else for the turmoils in mexico!! We mexicans need to demand justice,a better economy to keep our people from leaving, better education and confront da future as a people who betters themselves generation after generation!!!! Accountability is the word for todat!!! Att por un mexico unido

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  24. 10:23AQM Why do you expect Mexicans to accept responsibility for there messes,any more than Americans accept responsibility for theirs. Politicians on both sides of the rio speak only to vote generating populism period.

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  25. @ March 7, 2012 12:57 PM .
    NOW HERE IS SOMEONE I CAN RESPECT,A MEXICAN,WHO IS NOT BLINDED BY NATIONALISM.YES HE LOVES MEXICO,BUT HE KNOWS IT IS MEXICOS FAULT,NOT ANYONE ELSES.Further,there are a lot of people on here who wish they could somehow help.We don't want to see a people and country descend into anarchy.But a lot of people glorify these so called capos and cartels,they are killing Mexico,not helping her.At least Calderon is trying,who knows the bottom line answer,but can it go back to the way it was?
    March 7, 2012 12:57 PM Saludos and respecto to you senore.

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  26. Calderon, how is that War on drugs going you Conservative Pendejo?

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  27. Even when you give people facts and a reasonable argument they still go on.and.embrace ignorance. Call me w.e you wnt at the end of the day your ignorance will be.you own demise. Us supplies the addicts and.the weapons ,yes thee is weapond flowing.from.every where . But let Me ask you ,do you even know who's the biggest weapon producer world wide? And the same producer sell its weapons to countries then go on and Say hey look they have dangerous weapons lets invade them. ..... on the other hand Mexico's corruption is a problem but is not.the point the us has it. Who's the biggest laundered of.money world wide ? Once again usa. People really once again arrogance and ignorance is not cool. AnD before people go on and talk shit,learn to argue a point and back it up with facts. Don't.just go and tell.some one bullshit because that just makes you look.even more stupid.

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    Replies
    1. Reread wat u put and reword it and try to make sense becuz i didnt understand wat ur point is, ur talking about things dat dnt pertain to converstation and then some!!

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  28. Why do i expect mexicans to take accountability,becuz if we dnt, mexico will continue to be a third world nation with corruption and organized crime ruining a beautiful nation with so much potential!!! Att por un mexico unido

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  29. It seems that if the White House was REALLY serious about controlling meth they would go after China for supplying the chemicals needed.

    Sorry to say, looks like they think the Mexicans are nothing but a bunch of toadies.

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  30. March 7, 2012 4:07 PM.Calderon, how is that War on drugs going you Conservative Pendejo?
    What is your answer hermano?Enrique Peña Nieto,and PRI?Man its like talking to a brick wall.So the cartels never killed anyone before Calderon?Man,i don't give a shit about the politics,but this is what it was allowed to become for years.Whats your answer bro,c,mon.

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  31. March 7, 2012 5:25 PM . Mr,i aint got a fuckin clue what you talkin about.I can get the anti US thing,other than that,who knows?

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  32. 5:25

    arrogance and ignorance? sounds like you're talking about yourself lol

    Mexicans are the root of their own problems. these are Mexicans committing mass murder, kidnappings, drug trafficking, human smuggling, corruption, shit these are happening in your country DAILY.

    the US is not the top money launderer in the world, not even close. the corruption in the US doesn't even compare to Mexico. where do you hear about whole police forces, governors, politicians working for drug cartels? Mexico. your country is seeped in corruption from the top down.

    also, what of Mexico's rising number of drug users and addicts? drug consumption in Mexico has skyrocketed in the past 10 years. the United States isn't without some share of blame but this is ultimately Mexico's War.

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  33. And did Biden or even Obama ask Mexico to stop bringing in drugs? I mean, it is typical for the mexicans to always blame someone else, makes them sleep better. Reality though is they need to quit screwing around and show some pride (again). Get up and fix your messed up country! Do NOT wait for the oh so powerful president to do anything. YOU get up and do it yourself. It is YOUR problem...FIX IT!!

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  34. *YAWN* How if you want for guns and cash to stop flowing south, maybe we should completely close our borders and have outposts every 100 yards or so. And Mexico should close their borders and have out posts between the ones in the US. Otherwise stop complaining and handle what your country has become because of years of corruption. So stop crying, man up and take responsibility.

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  35. I think that we should inform Mr. Calderon that we will do equally well as he has done in halting the illegals into the U.S., with guns into mexico. Fair is fair...is Mexico too lazy to patrol their own borders? Calderon is responsible for the guns coming into Mexico, and the US is responsible for illegals coming into the US, unless they BOTH agree to stop on their side.

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