Denouncing the appointments of members of El Yunque, an ultra-right anti-semitic movement, to the highest levels of the Mexican government, Friends of Brad Will has told key Democratic Party leaders to reject the Bush military aid package called the Merida Initiative. Friends of Brad Will is a non-government organization advocating for accountability for the murder of U.S. journalist Brad Will, who was killed by Mexican government paramilitaries in October, 2006.
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Friends of Brad Will shared our concerns with Congressman Engel on Friday April 11th at the Americas Society/Council of the Americas.

We spoke with him about the 18 months elapsed since Brad Will’s murder without any justice despite his murderers being photographed at the scene, in broad daylight, with many witnesses who stepped forward.

We also told the Congressman that we were hearing from many people opposed to the Merida Initiative (Plan Mexico) - a part of the secretly negotiated Security and Prosperity Partnership currently being considered for funding by Congress - because the Bush security initiative would strengthen the unpopular Calderon Administration which has appointed members of El Yunque to top positions of his administration.

Congressman Engel said he would thoroughly review our flier (which you can download as a PDF here and bring to your Congressperson).

The Americas Society/Council of the Americas held this “conversation” on hemispheric affairs with U.S. Congressman and Chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere Eliot Engel. The event was part of their Congressional Discussion Series sponsored by the American International Group.

On Monday, April 7, members of Friends of Brad Will Westchester attended a Town Hall meeting on health care and spoke with Congresswoman Nita Lowey, the Chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee Foreign Operations subcommittee which is considering Plan Mexico (or the Merida Initiative).

Concerns were shared about the message which a lethal aid package for the brutal and unaccountable Mexican security forces would send to those same forces.

Bush announced the Merida Initiative almost exactly a year after U.S. journalist Brad Will was killed in Oaxaca, Mexico, while covering the teachers’ strike and popular movement against a corrupt governor there.

Contact Representative Nita Lowey and let her know you want Plan Mexico/the Merida initiative scrapped.

Here is a link which you can download as a PDF to the flier with her contact number on it, 100s of which were distributed to the attendees.

UN press freedom prize goes to crusading Mexican journalist This is especially relevant for two reasons: 1) they’re killing radio announcers this week, 2) Puebla is very similar to Oaxaca in having a corrupt PRI governor protected by Calderon, and for the same reason: needing PRI votes in congress. ND

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 07:51:00 04/10/2008
PARIS – Mexican journalist Lydia Cacho Ribeiro will be given the UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize for her work exposing political corruption and organized crime, the UN cultural body said Wednesday.

“Through investigative journalism, she uncovered the involvement of businessmen, politicians and drug traffickers in prostitution and child pornography” in Mexico, said UNESCO in a statement announcing the award. (more…)

http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/Article.aspx?id=1838

interesting article w/particular perspective on role of drug trafficking in boosting mexican economy w/implications for ’success’ of ‘drug war’.

Focus on U.S.-Mexico Cooperation Ignores Differing Interests in Drug War

Patrick Corcoran | 26 Mar 2008

TORRÉON, Mexico — The Merida Initiative is a billion-dollar anti-drug aid package that only a kindergarten teacher could love: The results are not important, just the mere idea that the United States and Mexico are cooperating makes it worthwhile.

The focus on the two countries overcoming their prickly past and learning to play nice ignores the fact that their interests in the war on drugs are not the same. What solves Mexican problems won’t necessarily work on American ones, and what works for Washington could make things a lot worse south of the Rio Grande. The increased commitment and cooperation promised by the Merida Initiative can’t change that.
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