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Caribbean-Latin America
Mexico: Army will stay, despite recent protests
2009-02-20
Mexico's president said Thursday the army will continue to battle the country's drug cartels, despite recent protests by the drug dealers asking for the soldiers' withdrawal.

Hundreds of people blocked bridges to the United States in three border cities Tuesday, demanding the army leave and accusing soldiers of abuse. Both state and federal officials have alleged the protests are organized by drug gangs, noting that some of the protesters masked their faces.

In an Army Day speech in the northern city of Monterrey, President Felipe Calderon defended his decision to send some 45,000 troops nationwide to take on the drug gangs. He also called on all Mexicans to "stand behind our army's fight against this common enemy."

"When we've recovered the rule of law in areas vulnerable to organized crime, and local authorities are capable of fighting this scourge, then the army will have completed its mission," he said. Calderon vowed "to continue fighting organized crime, without pause or mercy."

Human rights activists have accused soldiers of numerous abuses during anti-drug operations, including cases in which patrols allegedly shot and wounded civilians at military checkpoints and illegally jailed and tortured people during raids aimed at traffickers.
Any complaints from the human rights activists about the abuses committed by the drug gangs?
While Calderon's government has acknowledged some cases of army abuse, officials claim the problems have been isolated. Calderon said Thursday that 78 soldiers have been killed in the past two years in the battle against drug cartels. Last year, more than 6,000 people lost their lives to organized crime as the powerful, well-funded cartels fought each other for territory and battled the army offensive.
Posted by:Fred

#2  These human rights activists, always unknown, seem to always show up in the articles about 2/3 the way down the story.
Posted by: Omolugum Prince of the Platypi2692   2009-02-20 10:15  

#1  Any complaints from the human rights activists about the abuses committed by the drug gangs?

From their North American or Euro safe harbors they are more than willing to ignore the real alternatives and keep to their fantasy world sustained by 'guilt' donations. A model cabal of arrested adolescent development.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2009-02-20 08:34  

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