Reuters AlertNet Lite - Mexico raises troop salaries in drug crackdown

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

Mexico raises troop salaries in drug crackdown

19 Feb 2007 19:37:34 GMT
Source: Reuters

MEXICO CITY, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Mexico gave the military salary increases of almost 50 percent on Monday to reward them for leading the fight against violent drug gangs.

President Felipe Calderon has send thousands of troops to combat drug cartels in several states since he took office last December.

"Our armed forced are first in the line of battle, and each soldier, without respite, has faced up to this battle against organized crime," Calderon told troops in a ceremony to mark army day.

Rank-and-file troops will see their salaries increased by around 46 percent, backdated to the start of the year, he said. Other ranks will receive similar raises, he said.

More than 2,000 people were killed last year in a feud between rival drug gangs for control of smuggling routes to the United States.

Mexico's poorly paid police are often paid off by drug gangs.

"The challenges that the country faces today are enormous ... and for that reason, as supreme commander, I have ordered a redoubling of efforts in the job of protecting people and the nation," Calderon said.

The government said on Sunday it would send more troops to the northeastern states of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, near Texas, to carry out vehicle searches and other operations. Navy ships have been ordered to patrol the Gulf coast looking for drug shipments.

Tamaulipas is home to the infamous Gulf Cartel, one of Mexico's two main drug smuggling gangs. Nuevo Leon's normally placid capital Monterrey has been rocked by the narco murders of at least 14 active or former police officers this year.

Soldiers manned checkpoints on Monday in Monterrey, the home of some of Mexico's largest corporations such as Cemex, the world's third largest cement maker.

Troops and federal police forces are also patrolling roads in the states of Michoacan, Guerrero, Durango, Sinaloa, Coahuila and Baja California, including the border city of Tijuana.

(Additional reporting by Miguel Angel Gutierrez)

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• Mexico profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• Northwest Medical Teams announces new name: Medical Teams International
Northwest Medical Teams International - USA

MORE >>

Latest news

• Strike hits mines as Mexicans mourns blast victims

• REFILE-Mexico mine blast victims still buried one year on

• Mexico extends anti-drug fight to border states

• Britain's Blair sees chance of G8 post-Kyoto deal

• Cactus-eating moth threatens favorite Mexican food

MORE >>

Last updated:Mon Feb 19 19:39:19 2007