Mexico’s Drug War

* In response to “Barons of a Bloody Turf War,” June 4:

It is true that the drug-trafficking organizations that Mexico must confront have amassed enormous fortunes, which contribute to the spread of corruption.

Mexico believes in the rule of law and does not tolerate violations of the law under the pretext of combatting drug trafficking. For that reason, one commandant of the Federal Judicial Police, Aldolfo Mondragon, was indicted, as allegedly implicated in the murder in a discotheque in Puerto Vallarta. In the same way, those responsible for the death of the former attorney general of Sinaloa have now been arrested. With respect to the assassination of Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo, as of June 8, 13 persons had been arrested, among them six members of the federal attorney’s office and the office of the attorney general of the state of Jalisco, who allegedly sold protection to drug-trafficking chiefs.

Mexico is not a country which produces cocaine and heroin and the portion of its population which uses drugs is minimal, but even so, it has greatly strengthened its war against the drug activity.

In 4 1/2 years 60,000 hectares of drug crops have been destroyed and 200 tons of pure cocaine, nearly two tons of heroin and opium paste and 2,000 tons of marijuana have been seized. Also, 86,000 persons involved in drug trafficking have been arrested, among them important heads of the main rings. In this war against drug trafficking, Mexico has lost the lives of more than 150 officers of the federal attorney general’s office and its armed forces.

Mexico believes, as do other countries, that the war against drug trafficking must be comprehensive, and that the origins of the problem must be attacked. Therefore, at the same time that aspects such as eradication and interdiction are emphasized, we believe that as long as there are demand and consumption on the streets of Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, etc., the results of the efforts to terminate this social cancer will be incomplete.

MIGUEL ESCOBAR VALDEZ

Press Attache

Mexican Consul, Los Angeles