At a meeting of the National Public Security Council, Marcelo Ebrard shook Calderón's hand for what Excélsior says is the first time since he became president, and, in a plea for greater security coordination from the state and local governments, said, "It's not fair to leave the president alone". He also presented a catalog of security proposals.
While I celebrate any positive contribution to the public security debate regardless of its motivations, this change of direction comes across more than a bit calculated after four years of distance. It seems as though Ebrard is trying to carve out a space as a respectable, presidenciable alternative for the left. But I'm not sure what it accomplishes with regard to his race with AMLO for the nomination; he already was the more popular moderate alternative with the electorate as a whole, and the majority of leftists who prefer AMLO aren't going to change their minds because he was talking nice to Calderón.
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No different really, than the calculations any politicians makes in a broad party of varying currents. Think of Republicans in the U.S. having to campaign to the right in the primaries, then try to sell themselves as "moderates" in the general election.
Right, of course, but he's doing it backwards. The big question marks for him, the space in the PRD where he has to make inroads, are of the people that wont like him speaking nice to Calderon. That's more like if Romney doubled down on all of his past liberalism right now.
Hi PC, just started reading your blog, really enjoy your work. I have a unrelated questions in regards to your response to Culp in SWJ if you find the time.
1. You quoted a statistic from MSNBC stating 90% of killing from drug related crimes are gang members. This stat is from early 2009, do you think this has changed over the past 2 years? Do you know where I can find that information?
2. You cite numerous polls illustrating the widespread support of the public for the use of the army to combat organized crime, but how do you explain the recent large protests, and elections expected to go to the PRI (does this point to in your opinion a repudiation of Calderon's policies?)
3. Besides cash smuggling, what other methods do these organizations use to launder money back to mexico from their drug profits?
4. I also read your piece, Mexico's Drug Cartels: Musical Chairs or Atomization?, do you know where I can find more information on these subsidiary type gangs?
5. Ultimately, do you feel the increased violence is a result of successful military policies forcing these organizations to conduct other criminal acts to replace lost income? Or, do you feel that using what some consider terrorist tactics with violence targeting greater portions of civilians is a means to force the government to come to an understanding whereby these organizations can have greater autonomy?
Sorry I know this is a lot, I am writing a paper on the Mexican DTO's, trying to sift through the hyperbole and sensationalism in the media, while contending with the fact that I have never been the Mexico nor do I speak Spanish. Thanks for any help you can offer.
Hi Chad...happy to help, would you mind sending me an email? corcoran25 at hotmail.com
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