Newly Elected President of Mexico - Enrique Pena Nieto and Family - image: nbclatino.com
From the Telegraph (UK): Enrique Peña Nieto, (Institutional Revolutionary Party –PRI) won the Presidential Elections held in Mexico this past week. The party had ruled for decades prior to 2000- but was ousted over corruption and violence. That said, the problems with violent Drug Cartels and a stagnant economy, plus the popularity of Neito, who is married to one of Mexico’s most famous soap opera stars, Angelica Rivera (ABC News) coupled with promises of reform without a return to the corruption of the past, propelled him to victory. (Telegraph)
However, the violence in Mexico has continued with a dozen dismembered bodies were discovered in Durango State (Borderland Beat), coupled with a car bombing, days before the election in Neuvo Laredo which is less than 2 hours drive from Carrizo Springs, TX, and the beheading of rival drug members which was videotaped and placed online (ABC News).
It remains to be seen, therefore, how the new President, who officially takes office in December, will deal with the cartels: either through a mutual agreement as in past decades under PRI party rule, or other methods not yet know. It that without serious intervention, including marshal law and a complete military compliance with zero tolerance for gangs – little can be done to stem the ever increasing battles on and crossing the U.S. Mexican border into neighboring states (Texas and Arizona (less in California as the border has been secured with 18-foot-high fences and camera monitors in hard-to-reach valleys(USA Today).
President Obama did call and congratulate President elect, Enrique Peña Nieto, but did not mention the drug cartels or address the growing violence on the border. (Yahoo News) This is most likely related to the ongoing scandal with the Justice Department under Attorney General Eric Holder who was found to be in Contempt of Congress for refusing to submit documents relating to the Fast and Furious gun exchange with Mexican Cartels which led to the death of a border patrol agent and untold numbers of Mexican nationals (Alaska Dispatch). President Obama has exercised Executive Privilege in refusing to release the documents subpoenaed by Congress in this case, protecting Holder. The President insists he knows nothing about the situation. That said, the administration has offered a $5 million dollar reward for information leading to the arrest of one of the cartel members who has operations in both the U.S. and Mexico (U.S. Department of Justice).
Mexico, it appears, is on its own, with a new President, an old political party and an out-of-control border war that once was based on the occasional shootout, but has morphed into Middle Eastern like car bombings, beheadings and dismemberments. As this is occurring right on the U.S. border as well as in popular cities throughout Mexico, it bears watching by those planning trips to Mexico, as well as Border States in the U.S. It also gives credence to Arizona’s Governor, Jan Brewer, who has fought relentlessly for the rights of Arizonan’s to protect themselves from the overflow violence. She has gone head to head with the administration, and has won a partial victory in the Supreme Court over enforcement of the Arizona Law SB1070. Governor Brewer is one of the biggest advocates for a controlled U.S. Mexican border to preserve the peace, lives and livelihood of Arizona and U.S. residents.
Of course, it remains to be seen if the popular new President will have an impact on the border, but, as Mexico’s elections, which require a national voter i.d. card (USA Today), are based on the will of the people, his political fortunes may depend upon finding a solution to end the violence.
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