Mérida Initiative
Emma Watts, Michael Konek, Michael Cadigan
Background Information
• October 22, 2007- the US and Mexico issued a
statement announcing the start of the initiative
• Eventually signed into law on June 30, 2008 by G.W.
Bush
• Overall agreement to expand bilateral and regional
counternarcotic and security cooperation in Mexico
and in Central America
• $12-15 billion in cash flow per year between the Us
and Mexico for drugs
What is the Mérida Initiative?
• It is a multiyear plan for US assistance in
Mexico and Central America
• Predicted to cost about $500 million in Mexico
and $50 million in Central America
• Mexico was the area in need of the most aidMexican military and law enforcement
Goals of the Mérida Initiative:
• Mexico: to enhance and complement US and
Mexican efforts against drug, human and
weapons trafficking
• Central America: to strengthen the capacity of
the government to find and destroy
unauthorized drugs, goods, arms and people
Budget
• Mexico: $500 million for planes, parts, training,
expansion of the immigrations agency database and
verification system, securing communications
systems, law enforcement training, etc.
• Central America: $16.6 million spread throughout the
7 countries
 Spent on support for the CA Fingerprinting
Exploitation (CAFÉ), technical assistance on
firearms tracing and destruction, border security
and anti-gang efforts
Training of Agents
• Training is included in a $24 million proposal
which also covers logistics and spare parts
• 4,500 federal police have already completed
training
 Taught by law enforcements professionals
from other countries
• Millions more have been spent on canine
training
Training of Agents Continued…
o
They learn
 criminal investigative techniques, evidence
collection, crime scene preservation and
ethics
 How to view contents of rail cars using
Railroad, Vehicle, and Cargo Inspection
Systems
 How to detect weapons and drugs in cars,
trains and many types of containers
 How to hold, transport and classify prisoners
Torture Training scandal
• A US Secretary Firm Instructor in
Mexico was accused of teaching city
police officers torture techniques
Tracking Drug Cartels
•The U.S. government provides scanners and X-ray machines to
enhance Mexican authorities’ ability to detect illicit goods at key
checkpoints
• In 2008, the ATF assisted Mexico and Central America countries
in setting up e-trace software.
•ATF has also provided Mexico and Columbia with its own tracing
center. US gun firearms transactions are included in the
databases.
Combating Drug Trafficking
•The US in helping train police, prosecutors and defenders
•Support from the US is helping to develop correction systems
•The Mexican government has used funds to establish a
corrections academy to train federal correctional staff.
•Located in Xalapa in Mexico’s Veracruz state.
Equipment Exchange
•Eight Bell helicopters to the Mexican Army/Air Force
•Three UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to the Federal
Police
•Three UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to the Mexican
Navy
Criticisms of Merida
• The Mérida Initiative is called "Plan Mexico" by critics, to
point out its similarities to Plan Columbia
•In "Plan Columbia", U.S. has heavily funded the Colombian
military, yet cocaine production has steadily increased and
registered a 27% rise in 2007, before declining in 2008 and
2009.
• Comparison implies that Merida is useless.
Criticisms of Merida II
• Human Rights activists are worried that interrogation
methods will consist of torture.
• Some people are worried that personal privacy will be
compromised on the basis of being a suspected terrorist. Ths
can be compared to criticisms of the US Patriot Act.
• A growing number of citizens are concerned that the
Mexican military is "becoming too powerful in the face of state
weakness
Security Cooperation
Challenges to Cooperation:
• Lack of Trust
o Criminal Gangs have infiltrated the security
Mexican security forces
o Mexicans do not trust the U.S. government
• Poor Training
o Tactical, Criminal, Judicial
• Bad Equipment
• Restrictive Laws
o Who is in charge?
o Gun smuggling
• Limited Funding
A
Solutions towards Security Cooperation
Embedded U.S. Security Forces:
• Trust: Information can be compartmentalized
• Training: Experts can give on the job training
• Equipment: U.S. forces can have access
to
American technology
• Laws: Small teams can take advantage of loopholes
• Funding: Cost effective compared to pure funding
B
About the Team:
• Pilot Program launched Summer 2011
• Operates from an undisclosed base in northern Mexico
• Fewer than 2 dozen members
o CIA, DEA, retired military
• Restrictions:
o Not allowed to carry weapons
o Not allowed to visit crime scenes
• May lead to the use of mercenaries in the future
C
Security Cooperation: Drones
Orbiter Mini UAV
Drones: Mixed Success
• Drones proved very successful over the last decade
• U.S. reportedly started drone operation Feb 2011
o Global Hawk UAV
• News reports indicate missions actually started in
2009
• U.S. has refused to sell drone technology to Mexico
o Security Concerns
• Mexico has apparently bought drones from Israel
o Crash landing in Texas
• Mexican Navy plans to use drones in March 2012
D
Security Cooperation: Fast and Furious
• Operation by U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)
• Encouraged gun sellers to provide guns to suspicious
buyers
o Gunwalking ("letting guns walk")
• Over half of the 2,000 guns were lost
o Many recovered at crime scenes too late
• ATF attempted to hide the scandal
o Used the increase in violence from rifles as evidence
it needed stronger gun laws it had long wanted.
• Shattered trust and showed American recklessness
E
Security Cooperation: Political Pressure
• 2012 is an election year for both Mexico and the U.S.
• Mexican electorate threatening change
o Fear of corruption and violence
o Increasing role of the U.S.
• Barack Obama feeling heat
o Drugs are still crossing the border
o Violence could spill over
o Lobbyists preventing changes to gun laws
F
How Has it been successful?
• So far:
 The Mexican government has successfully
destroyed some smuggling routes, seized major
amounts of drugs and jailed kingpins
 Trained more than 6,800 federal officers
 strengthened ties in order to investigate and
combat money laundering
 Successfully removed 29 drug cartel bosses
How has it been successful cont...
• Expanded its efforts to trace weapons in
Mexico
• Increased indictments of more serious crimes
• Helped assist victims in cities in Mexico
 Victim’s services
 Alternative justice centers
 3,500 trained officials there to help
Discussion Questions
1. Where have the Central American and Mexican
governments invested Merida funds?
2. Do you think Mexico should allow U.S. security forces
to operate within Mexico since Mexican forces have not
always proven successful?
Sources
"2010 Press Releases | Embassy of the United States Belmopan, Belize."
Home | Embassy of the United States Belmopan, Belize. Web. 15 Feb. 2012.
<http://belize.usembassy.gov/pr_01_13_10_page.html>.
Cook, Colleen W., Rebecca G. Rush, and Clare R. Seelke. United States.
Latin American Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade Division. Merida
Initiative: Proposed US Anticimr and Counterdrug Assistance for Mexico
and Central America CRS Report for Congress. Cong. Doc. 2008. Print.
"Merida Initiative | Embassy of the United States Mexico City, Mexico."
Home | Embassy of the United States Mexico City, Mexico. Web. 15 Feb.
2012. <http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/ataglance/merida-initiative.html>.
"Merida Initiative: Success/Accomplishments (Taken Question)." U.S.
Department of State. Web. 15 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/09/172574.htm>.