DATE=2/26/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-227332
TITLE=MEXICO/DRUGS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JAMES BLEARS
DATELINE=MEXICO CITY
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A SENIOR OFFICIAL IN THE MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS
HIS COUNTRY HAS ONLY ACCEPTED U-S AID IN CONNECTION WITH THE
ANNUAL DRUGS CERTIFICATION PROCESS AS A TEMPORARY MEASURE. HE
SAYS MEXICO WILL MAKE DO WITHOUT IT (U-S AID) IN THE FUTURE.
REPORTER JAMES BLEARS HAS DETAILS FROM MEXICO CITY.
TEXT: EACH YEAR COUNTRIES WHICH THE UNITED STATES JUDGES TO HAVE
MADE PROGRESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUGS ARE REWARDED
WITH AID PACKAGES, LOANS AND EVEN MILITARY HARDWARE.
MEXICO HAS USED U-S DONATED HELICOPTERS TO COMBAT DRUG
TRAFFICKERS TO GREAT EFFECT. BUT MIGUEL RUIZ CABANAS, CHIEF OF
ANTI-NARCOTICS MATTERS AT THE FOREIGN MINISTRY, SAYS MEXICO IS
DETERMINED TO STOP ACCEPTING THE BENEFITS BECAUSE IT REJECTS THE
U-S DRUG CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
/// INSERT RUIZ CABANAS ACT NO. 1 ///
WHAT WE ARE DOING IS A TEMPORARY MEASURE, VERY TEMPORARY
MEASURE, WITH LIMITED SCOPE BECAUSE IN THE LAST TWO
YEARS, AS YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN A FINANCIAL CRISIS IN
MEXICO. AT THE SAME TIME, WE SAW THAT THE (DRUG)
PROBLEM WAS WORSE, SO WE NEEDED URGENTLY SOME EQUIPMENT,
VERY SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT, LIKE I SAID HELICOPTERS, TO
IMPROVE OUR CAPACITY TO FIGHT DRUG TRAFFICKERS. BUT
THIS IS A TEMPORARY MEASURE AND IT WILL NOT LAST.
MEXICO WILL REMAIN A COUNTRY THAT WILL SPEND ITS OWN
MONEY ON ALL THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO GIVE THE FIGHT
(AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUGS).
///END ACT///
///OPT/// MR. RUIZ CABANAS SAYS MEXICO IS SHOULDERING
(UNDERTAKING) THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE COST OF FIGHTING THE
MENACE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS AND WILL NEVER ALLOW ITSELF TO BE
INFLUENCED BY OUTSIDE REWARDS FOR DOING ITS SOVEREIGN DUTY.
/// INSERT RUIZ CABANAS ACT NO. 2 ///
YOU CANNOT POSSIBLY COMPARE (MEXICO'S COSTS) WITH THE
SO-CALLED ASSISTANCE FROM THE UNITED STATES IN THIS
REGARD. WE HAVE RECOGNIZED YES, SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT
LIKE THE HELICOPTERS, YES ARE VERY USEFUL. THEY ARE
WORKING. WE ARE UTILIZING THEM WISELY. THEY ARE VERY
USEFUL FOR THE TASK AND WE ARE HAPPY FOR THAT. BUT WE
CANNOT ACCEPT THAT BECAUSE WE ARE RECEIVING ON A LOAN
THIS EQUIPMENT. AT THE SAME TIME (IN ORDER TO GET SUCH
HELP) WE HAVE TO PUT OURSELVES IN SUCH A POSITION TO BE
JUDGED (BY THE UNITED STATES).
/// END ACT AND OPT ///
MEXICO CAME TO THE BRINK OF LOSING ITS DRUG CERTIFICATION FROM
THE UNITED STATES LAST YEAR AFTER THE SENIOR MEXICAN ANTI-DRUG
OFFICER, GENERAL JESUS GUTIERREZ REBOLLO, WAS ARRESTED ON CHARGES
HE TOOK BRIBES FROM DRUG TRAFFICKERS.
BUT IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, RECORD AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA AND POPPY
CROPS HAVE BEEN ERADICATED. THIRTY-FOUR TONS OF COCAINE HAS BEEN
SEIZED. TEN-THOUSAND-600 ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON DRUG CHARGES.
TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND TRIALS HAVE PRODUCED A 96 PERCENT CONVICTION
RATE.
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL EDUARDO IBARROLA, WHO IS IN CHARGE
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL AFFAIRS, SAYS THERE SHOULD BE A
MULTI-NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF THE WAR ON DRUGS THAT IS NOT
CONFINED SOLELY TO THE JUDGMENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
/// INSERT IBARROLA ACT ///
YOU WANT TO FIND WHERE ARE THE WEAKEST PARTS OF THE
COUNTRIES, WHERE YOU HAVE TO SUPPORT MORE, WHERE YOU
HAVE TO HELP MORE INSTEAD OF MAKING UNILATERAL
CRITICISMS THAT LEAD TO NOWHERE. SO HOPEFULLY IN THE
CLOSE FUTURE WE WILL SEE A CHANGE IN THAT.
///END ACT///
///OPT/// MEXICO ALSO COMPLAINS IT HAS BECOME THE VICTIM OF DRUG
TRAFFICKING BECAUSE OF THE VORACIOUS CONSUMPTION OF DRUGS IN THE
UNITED STATES. MEXICAN HEALTH MINISTER JUAN RAMON DE LA FUENTE
SAYS MEXICANS ON THE BORDER ARE NOW BECOMING CONSUMERS
THEMSELVES.
///INSERT DE LA FUENTE ACT///
WE HAVE FOR INSTANCE SOME DATA THAT INDICATES THAT THOSE
(MEXICANS) THAT HAVE USED COCAINE -- ONE OUT OF EVERY
THREE PEOPLE THAT USED COCAINE -- USED IT FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN THE UNITED STATES. SO ITS IN THE NORTHERN
BORDER STATES WHERE WE HAVE THE MAJOR PROBLEM AND WE ARE
REINFORCING OUR PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES.
///END ACT AND /// //// END OPT///
NEXT MONTH IN EL PASO, TEXAS, THERE IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST
U-S-MEXICAN CONFERENCE ON ILLICIT DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION.(SIGNED).
NEB/JB/MWD/WDC/JO
26-Feb-98 12:40 PM EST (1740 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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