Plan Mexico, officially called the Merida Initiative, is a $1.4 billion U.S. aid package to Mexico in order to “fight drugs.” Mexico’s law enforcement is extremely corrupt; its members consume the drugs themselves and commit hundreds of human rights violations with impunity. This video shows a peaceful community in southern Mexico that was recently invaded and threatened by Mexican law enforcement, shortly after the U.S. House voted to approve Plan Mexico. Our tax dollars would be spent on these kinds of abuses. It’s important to urge the Senate to stop this initiative.
Archive for the “plan mexico” Category
As Congress enters the final stages to approve the Merida Initiative, an aid package to Mexico and Central America that seeks to further militarize the region under the guise of the U.S.’s “war on drugs/war on terror,” we find manifold reasons to stand in opposition: 1) Money for Central America through the Merida Initiative would mark a significant increase in funding for military/police equipment and training in the region at a time when the need is for anti-poverty and crime-prevention programs. The Merida Initiative, also known as Plan Mexico, builds on the troubling model of Plan Colombia, which has poured billions of dollars into a failed military approach to combating drugs while doing little to address rural poverty and urban unemployment. by Stephen Lendman It’s called “Plan Mexico,” or more formally the “Merida Initiative,” and here’s the scheme. It’s to do for Mexicans what Plan Colombia has done to that nation since 1999, and, in fact, much earlier. Since then, billions have gone for the following: Opposition growing to Bush’s Proposed “Merida Initiative” Friends of Brad Will write: Opposition to the President’s ebbing “Merida Initiative”, a scheme to give $1.4 Billion in military aid to Mexico’s police and military forces implicated in widespread human rights violations, has led to an extraordinary 3rd oversight hearing by Congress. On May 1st, the AFL-CIO, the powerful U.S. parent union, sent letters detailing their opposition to the Merida Initiative to Democratic Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Congressman Delahunt Chair of a subcommittee on human rights, urging the Democratic Congress members to reject the Bush Administration’s request for military aid to Mexico. Yet critics questioned the witnesses Congress has called to testify before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere as being uncritical boosters or vaguely indicating support under a pretense of concern and questions. Not a single opponent of the Merida Initiative has been called to testify.
The SPP is a series of meetings between the heads of state of Mexico, the United States, and Canada and security officials and CEOs from the 3 nations to strengthen free trade regulations and discuss integrating security measures between the 3 nations. Some have referred to the SPP as “NAFTA on steroids.” Now is the time for action! “The Merida Initiative is characterized by a lack of a human rights perspective, a human security approach that mistakes the security of states for the security of human beings…It is time for the international community to stop supporting short-sighted policies such as this one.” ON October 22, President Bush submitted the “Merida Initiative”, popularly known as Plan Mexico, to Congress. The initiative would destine $1.4 billion dollars to Mexico and Central America over a three year period, with the stated purpose of fighting drug trafficking and organized crime. The requested $500 million of funding to Mexico for 2008 is dominated by $206 million worth of military aircraft and $133 million of drug interdiction equipment and training. Most of these resources will go to the Mexican Armed Forces and police forces. |
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June 2008
Phil writes: April 21st, 2008, was the first day of the 
There will be several days worth of events surrounding the 
