FACT SHEET: US-Mexico Discuss New Approach to Bilateral Relationship
On April 16, President Obama made his first trip to Mexico and his first to Latin America to highlight and reinforce the United States’ commitment to work with Mexico on a broad range of issues, in particular on meeting our shared security challenges. The United States and Mexico are committed to a new approach in our bilateral relationship based on comprehensive engagement and shared responsibility. The President discussed with President Calderon a number of important steps the United States intends to take to deepen the cooperation we have with Mexico as our neighbor and partner.
Security
Merida Initiative. The Merida Initiative is a $1.4 billion, multi-year package that aims to strengthen regional security cooperation with Mexico and the nations of Central America, the Dominican Republic and Haiti in their fight against drug and arms trafficking and other transnational organized crimes. For Mexico, the U.S. Congress has provided $700 million of the $1.4 billion multi-year commitment. The Fiscal Year 2009 Spring Supplemental includes $66 million to procure urgently needed Blackhawk helicopters to transport Mexican soldiers combating cartel activities. The Fiscal Year 2010 budget request includes $450 million for the next tranche of funding. Should Congress fully fund these requests, we anticipate requesting the remaining funding to fulfill the U.S. commitment in future budgets. Arms Trafficking. The United States and Mexico each have Integrated Ballistic Identification Systems (IBIS) that store digital photos and arms-related information related to criminal investigations. The United States and Mexico will bridge their IBIS systems in order to share digital images, ballistic markings, other arms-related information to help identify leads in violent crimes both in Mexico and in the United States. The President will also urge the United States Senate to provide its advice and consent in order to ratify the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials.
Kingpin Designation for Cartels. To undermine the financial underpinnings of Mexico’s cartels, on April 15 the President identified the Sinaloa Cartel, Los Zetas, and La Familia Michoacana as Significant Foreign Narcotics Traffickers, exposing them and their associates to financial sanctions under the U.S. Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. The United States and Mexico also agreed to deepen their cooperation on financial investigations and to share financial intelligence to target the drug cartels.
Bilateral Framework on Clean Energy and Climate Change. Building on the President’s January 2009 conversation with President Calderon, the United States and Mexico agree to launch a Bilateral Framework on Clean Energy and Climate Change. This framework will enhance our cooperation on clean energy and climate by establishing a formal mechanism for collaboration and information exchange and demonstrates high-level support for joint efforts to achieve clean energy economies. The Framework reinforces our work in the Major Economies Forum for Energy and Climate and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as complements the Energy and Climate Partnership for the Americas, which will be announced in coming days at the Summit of the Americas. WH
Today Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., announced the arrest of more than 750 individuals on narcotics-related charges and the seizure of more than 23 tons of narcotics as part of a 21-month multi-agency law enforcement investigation known as "Operation Xcellerator." The Attorney General was joined in announcing the current results of Operation Xcellerator by DEA Acting Administrator Michele M. Leonhart.
Today, 52 individuals in California, Minnesota and Maryland were arrested as part of Operation Xcellerator, which targeted the Sinaloa Cartel, a major Mexican drug trafficking organization, through coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as cooperation with authorities in Mexico and Canada.
The Sinaloa Cartel is responsible for bringing multi-ton quantities of narcotics, including cocaine and marijuana, from Mexico into the United States through an enterprise of distribution cells in the United States and Canada. The Sinaloa Cartel is also believed to be responsible for laundering millions of dollars in criminal proceeds from illegal drug trafficking activities. Individuals indicted in the cases are charged with a variety of crimes, including: engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise by violating various felony provisions of the Controlled Substances Act; conspiracy to import controlled substances; money laundering; and possession of an unregistered firearm.
"International drug trafficking organizations pose a sustained, serious threat to the safety and security of our communities," said Attorney General Holder. "As the world grows smaller and international criminals step up their efforts to operate inside our borders, the Department of Justice will confront them head on to keep our communities safe."
To date, Operation Xcellerator has led to the arrest of 755 individuals and the seizure of approximately $59.1 million in U.S. currency, more than 12,000 kilograms of cocaine, more than 16,000 pounds of marijuana, more than 1,200 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 8 kilograms of heroin, approximately 1.3 million pills of Ecstasy, more than $6.5 million in other assets, 149 vehicles, 3 aircraft, 3 maritime vessels and 169 weapons. Read more here
Obama in Mexico
