Mexico fears drug gangs seeking political influence
30 Nov 2007 23:50:45 GMT Source: Reuters
By Noel Randewich XOCHITEPEC, Mexico, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Mexican President Felipe Calderon urged politicians and government officials on Friday to close ranks to stop powerful drug gangs intimidating or buying candidates to control the outcome of elections. In a speech outlining his security and foreign policies for the next five years, Calderon said an army crackdown has weakened drug traffickers and left them desperate to shore up power through influence of local governments and police. "They're trying to take control of these authorities through intimidation and corruption," Calderon said. "We have to act immediately to keep this from happening and becoming normal." Violent turf wars between powerful drug cartels smuggling South American cocaine and other illegal drugs have killed around 2,350 people in Mexico so far this year. On Thursday, hitmen gunned down former mayoral candidate Juan Antonio Guajardo, who had accused drug gangs of meddling in recent elections in Tamaulipas, a northern state plagued by cartel violence. "I emphatically call on governors, mayors and members of all the political parties in Mexico, without exception, to close ranks ... against any attempt by organized crime to participate in the country's politics," Calderon said. Calderon has sent 25,000 federal police and soldiers to battle drug gangs along the border and in other hot spots around Mexico over the past year. Authorities have made a number of high-profile arrests and large drug busts, although drug killings have continued. Local and state police in regions close to the U.S. border are often seen as on the payroll of drug gangs. Last week, troops detained 20 drug trafficking suspects, including eight police officers, in the northern border city of Tijuana. In January, the army disarmed the local police force there because of concerns they were working for cartels. Another 5,000 federal police will soon be deployed to help battle drug gangs in various states, a senior security official said on Friday. Calderon's 25,000-strong anti-drug force currently includes 12,000 federal police. (Additional reporting by Anahi Rama)
