More here: http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/americas/mexico/planmexico

Many organizations including the United Steel Workers, WESPAC and Witness for Peace and dozens of Mexican human rights organizations are opposed to the Merida Initiative. While there is a clear need for and track record of success for U.S. demand reduction programs (as opposed to supply reduction/interdiction programs), the Bush Administration has cut these useful and effective programs and is proposing replacing them with a militarized drug interdiction model which would only increase the violence and power of the drug cartels while doing nothing to cut their source of power, i.e., demand for drugs in the United States. This is clear to organizations across the political spectrum, from the Drug Policy Alliance to the RAND Corporation.

Real economic and rural development aid (for small businesses and small-scale farmers) in Mexico instead of the corporate-managed ‘free’ trade agreements would benefit the poor in Mexico thereby undercutting the influence of the cartels, promising a road out of poverty. Effective money laundering legislation and gun-running enforcement would also affect the narco-cartels. But the Merida Initiative ignores these important goals and instead repeats the focus on military interdiction of Plan Colombia while ignoring the impunity with which Mexican security forces, which routinely commit human rights abuses against marginalized populations and social movement members.

Last year 7 million Mexicans marched in the streets against neo-liberal trade model opposed by much of the country. The Merida Initiative would arm a government which refuses to hold its security forces accountable while it promotes a deeply unpopular economic model which benefits few and harms many Mexicans. This is a recipe for increasing repression, expansion of narco-trafficking, and increased violence. In short, Plan Mexico spells disaster for social and economic stability in the U.S. and Mexico.

Finally, Mexican President Calderon has allowed members of the extremist anti-semitic, homophobic, and virulent anti-woman’s rights organization known as El Yunque to hold some of the highest positions of power in the Mexican government. The United States government should not be supporting any government which threatens to set the clock back on women’s and gay rights or on religious tolerance.