Now, amidst the backdrop of history and troubled current events Calderon is waging war on corruption and the source of its strength, the drug cartels. While he is not above corruption accusations himself Calderon faces significant challenges to combating the control of drug cartel leaders in Mexico. He has sent 17,000 soldiers to Tijuana, across the U.S.-Mexico border from San Diego, California; Calderon's home state of Michoacan; and the southern state of Guerrero, which includes the Pacific resort city of Acapulco.
Fifteen men were extradited to the United States on Friday January 19, 2007, four of which are former leaders of major drug cartels, and eleven of which are all wanted for various murder, drug trafficking, kidnapping, and sex crimes committed in the United States.
The 1978 U.S.-Mexico Treaty of Extradition calls for the extradition of persons if the other country's "laws would provide for the punishment of such an offense committed in similar circumstances." Note that the wording does not say, "provide similar punishment for committed offenses." As recently as 2002 Mexican laws have been changed to consider the death penalty and even life in prison to be cruel and unusual punishments. However, Mexico must logically have some kind of punishment for murder and drug trafficking. Therefore, the mere existence of any punishment would mean the necessary extradition of persons to the U.S. according to the wording of Article 1 of the 1978 treaty.
From the Associated Press in Mexico City
"Calderon promised to increase the flow of extraditions of drug traffickers to the United States, and to do his share to fight the organized crime that has infiltrated all aspects of Mexican society, including nearly every level of law enforcement and government." - CNN.com
Calderon was sworn into office under a great deal of controversy. A major theme of his campaign was the importance of the rule of law in Mexico. It is my firm belief that the behavior of Mexico's lower legislative house, the Chamber of Deputies, at the inauguration was unbecoming of the way democratic representatives are supposed to behave, and furthermore signals a strong desire of many politicians to protect the status quo. Calderon's inauguration ceremony was drowned out by the riotous behavior of the mob-like Chamber of Deputies.
Many sources have shown Mexico's lawlessness, but one movie in particular depicts just how terrible circumstances have become. Tony Scott's Man on Fire starring Denzel Washington is based upon a true story and in many ways depicts the truth about how corruption has gripped life in Mexico. Families fear for their children as kidnapping has become a lucrative industry.
For the sake of everyone in Mexico and for American families that have yet to be hurt by a failed extradition treaty, and growing tension in U.S.-Mexico relations I hope President Calderon can find the numbers of men necessary to fight the powerful forces of corruption which have pervaded all levels of society in Mexico, and bring the rule of law to Mexico in a way it has never been experienced. Maybe then the benefits of democratic government and fair markets will be among the promises of citizenship in America's southern neighbor.
Historical Background Notes:
Calderon is the second president to be elected from the National Action Party (PAN) after democratic reforms of the early 1990's allowed for such an opportunity. President Ernesto Zedillo of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) initiated the more democratic measures which led to opposition party control of the Congress of the Union in 1997. Three years after the historic changes in Congress Vicente Fox became Mexico's first non-PRI president in 72 years. Mexico's government has historically been dominated by the executive branch ever since the overthrow of Porfirio Díaz's dictatorship in 1910. Following the Revolution leaders were overthrown and assassinated during a difficult period of Civil War. In 1928 Plutarco Elías Calles founded the National Revolutionary Party which was later renamed PRI.
Sources
http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0506/06/ldt.01.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328107/
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/01/20/mexico.extraditions.ap/index.html?eref=rss_world
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/01/05/PYSK.calderon/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felipe_Calder%C3%B3n#_note-10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%B3pez_Obrador
http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll
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