Mexican Protesters Demand an End to the Drug War

[Jim Finnel]

Frustrated beyond belief with the bloody consequences of President Calderon's aggressive drug war tactics, the people of Mexico are finally beginning to make some noise.

Bearing white balloons and fake bloodstains, tens of thousands of demonstrators crowded Mexico City's historic downtown Sunday to call for an end to the country's unrelenting drug violence.

The primary target of the protest was President Felipe Calderon, who has ruled during a period of extraordinary bloodshed. More than 34,000 people have been killed since Calderon declared an all-out assault on drug cartels after taking office four and a half years ago.

Demonstrators, holding placards saying "No more blood!" and "We're fed up!", urged the conservative Calderon to drop his military-led strategy.

Calderon has a very big problem here, and it's called the drug war doesn't work, dumbass. You can wait and wait some more, but there will be no redemption for the indignant drug warrior who just keeps doubling down as the bodies pile ever higher. He staked his legacy on a lot of money and bad advice from Washington, D.C., and now it's becoming clear to a hell of a lot of people that the reward for their sacrifice is something much uglier than they started with.

It will be interesting to watch as Calderon attempts to get re-elected on a platform of unrelenting urban warfare.

It will be interesting to see how future candidates for the Mexican Presidency grapple with the issue now that waiving the drug war battle flag will be instant political suicide. The question becomes how much reform is viable over U.S. objections, and how much influence will the drug lords themselves manage to exert over Mexican drug policy.



NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: StoptheDrugWar.org
Author: Scott Morgan
Copyright: 2011 StoptheDrugWar.org
Contact: StoptheDrugWar.org
Website: Mexican Protesters Demand an End to the Drug War

 

[Julie Gardener]

Incredible. At 34,000 deaths in 4 1/2 years, that breaks down to roughly 20 persons a day! That's staggering. I wish Mexico the best of luck with upcoming elections. Will definitely be interesting to watch.

 

[TorturedSoul]

They wouldn't have victims of the drug war if not for the prohibition in the US. Possession of small amounts of various drugs were decriminalized. But producing drugs and smuggling them to the US for sale is a multi-billion dollar per year industry for many in Mexico and further south.

Oddly, the Mexican president applauded the people of California for defeating Prop19 and is a fan of keeping all drugs illegal in the US even though a direct result of doing so is more and more of his people dying.

One wonders how many people's payroll the man is on.

 

[Jacob Bell]

I am very glad to see the People of Mexico standing up for themselves. They have been doing it in small amounts for a few years, but this is the first time I have read of an all out demostration, with "tens of thousands" attending. That's awesome!!
My soul has been very weary about the blood shed down South of us. These are our neighbors, and they are in the middle of genocide. I hope it stops soon.

 

[Jim Finnel]

......Oddly, the Mexican president applauded the people of California for defeating Prop19 and is a fan of keeping all drugs illegal in the US even though a direct result of doing so is more and more of his people dying.

One wonders how many people's payroll the man is on.

I saw him on Charlie Rose last night and thats what he was saying. He's against any legalization but he's "open to the debate". I have to think that the government corruption in Mexico is about as bad as it gets. If a leader down there isn't on the payroll I don't see them living very long.

 

[greengo840]

I saw him on Charlie Rose last night and thats what he was saying. He's against any legalization but he's "open to the debate". I have to think that the government corruption in Mexico is about as bad as it gets. If a leader down there isn't on the payroll I don't see them living very long.

I have a friend that lives in Mexico City. He told me how things changed when Calderon took office. People that live in one house or another simply vanished over a weekend, and a new family moves in. No one asked questions because the people that vanish are supposedly drug dealers. Crime in his area is way down, but he's afraid to ask any kind of questions to anyone.

I couldn't say what's going on and neither can the few people I know, but things are not right.

I hope the people of Mexico set their own path and I hope that that path leads to a greater good for all; they have suffered enough of this madness.

 

[G-Dog]

I would love to see Mexico go back to the country it was just 20 years ago. It was not perfect, but you did not have Colombian mafioso reigning terror every single day. I don't see it happening though. The era of driving a VW Van to Belize is over now that the USA has effectively closed the sea routes from Colombia to Florida. All of Central America will be like Mexico one day.