Reuters AlertNet Lite - Mexico's Calderon vows no respite in drug gang war

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Mexico's Calderon vows no respite in drug gang war

10 Feb 2007 20:51:20 GMT
Source: Reuters

MEXICO CITY, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Saturday vowed no respite in his crackdown on drug gangs after brazen attacks on police stations this week killed seven.

Gunmen disguised as soldiers assaulted two police stations in the resort of Acapulco on Tuesday and killed seven in broad daylight. They left the message: "We don't give a damn about the federal government and this is proof."

Calderon, who won a razor-thin victory in Mexico's presidential election last year, was unbowed.

"We are not going to give up, not because of provocations or attacks against the security of Mexicans," Calderon said in a speech to the military. "There will be no truce ... against the enemies of Mexico."

Calderon, who took office on Dec. 1, has sent thousands of troops to violent regions of Mexico to tackle drug gangs that killed 2,000 people in feuds last year.

As part of the clampdown, soldiers have been investigating local police forces for connections with drug cartels. In the rowdy border city of Tijuana, just south of San Diego, the army has confiscated all the city police's guns.

In January, almost 8,000 troops and federal police were sent to the region around Acapulco to clamp down on rival gangs at war for control of lucrative drug plantations and smuggling routes.

Despite the crackdown, there were 190 drug gang-related deaths in Mexico in January, just a handful less than a year ago.

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Last updated:Sat Feb 10 20:52:55 2007