Merida Initiative Funds Flowing: $99 million allocated to Mexico through the Defense Security Cooperation Agency
Mexico City, January 7, 2009 - “As we begin a new year, I am gratified at how far the United States and Mexico have come in realizing a deeper, more meaningful partnership. A major factor in that partnership over the next few years will be the implementation of programs under the Merida Initiative." (complete
text)
Close U.S. - Mexico Coordination on Disaster Response
Mexico City, January 7, 2009 - “As friends and neighbors the United States and Mexico have always lent one another a helping hand when natural disasters strike. In that spirit of cooperation today we delivered 108,000 protective suits to the Coordinator of Civil Protection at the Secretariat of Governance, Laura Gurza Jaidar." (complete
text)
Mexico Well Prepared for Economic Challenges
Mexico City, January 2, 2009 - “As we start the new year, it is clear that the worldwide financial downturn has impacted every nation and the full economic consequences will likely be felt well into 2009. No doubt, the financial situation weighs heavily on both our societies, but while solutions to tight credit, reduced demand, and investment slowdowns may take many months to emerge, Mexico remains on a steady course to economic development as the world economy slowly recovers, and the United States remains a strong partner."
(complete
text)
Mexico Extradites Ten More Criminals to U.S., Bringing Total for 2008 to 95
Mexico City, December 31, 2008 - “President Calderon has again demonstrated his relentless, focused commitment to confronting organized criminal networks and their vicious leaders. Today Mexico extradited ten notorious criminals to face justice in the United States." (complete
text)
Mexico and U.S. Wrap up Record Year of Extraditions
Mexico City, December 30, 2008 - “The already impressive cooperation between the United States and Mexico in the area of extraditions continued to grow stronger throughout 2008. This year, our governments set records in both the number of extraditions from the United States to Mexico and the number of extraditions from Mexico to the United States.(complete
text)
U.S. and Mexico Reaffirm Commitment to Merida Initiative
Secretary Rice (Dec. 19): "In Merida, the United States and Mexico have reaffirmed a commitment to enhanced partnership, cooperation, training, assistance, information sharing, built on the premise that we have a shared responsibility to confront these criminals and protect our citizens, and that success requires increased cooperation." (Full Text)
Merida Initiative Cooperation Gathers Momentum
Mexico City, December 17, 2008 - “Today we marked another step in cooperation under the Merida Initiative. Together with Immigration Service Commissioner Patricia Romero, we inaugurated a Forensic Document Laboratory that will allow officials at the National Institute of Immigration to quickly and reliably determine when immigrants or travelers in Mexico are using falsified or forged documents. (complete
text)
FBI
Director Meets with Mexican Law Enforcement Authorities
Mexico City, December 11, 2008 - “The unprecedented level
of cooperation between Mexico and United States law enforcement
agencies was reinforced today by meetings between the Director
of our Federal Bureau of Investigation, Robert S. Mueller,
Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora, Secretary of
Public Security Genaro Garcia Luna, Secretary of Governance
Fernando Gomez Mont, and CISEN Director Guillermo Valdes. (complete
text)
Embassy
Launches Second Virtual Presence Post in Mexico
Mexico City, December 10, 2008 – “Today in San Cristobal
de las Casas, on behalf of the United States Embassy, Deputy Chief
of Mission Leslie Bassett launched a new Virtual Presence Post (VPP)
to promote interaction between the people of Chiapas and Tabasco
and those of the United States.” (complete
text)
California
to Open Additional Border Crossing in 2014
Mexico City, December 8, 2008 - “Today I am pleased to announce
that the State Department has authorized Otay Mesa East to be a
third crossing on the U.S.-Mexico border between San Diego, California,
and Tijuana, Baja California. This crossing will facilitate safe
and secure trade and travel between the United States and Mexico
and reduce delays at the border.” (complete
text)
Merida
Initiative Monies Released; Letter of Agreement Signed
Mexico City, December 3, 2008 - “Today, together with my colleague
from the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Relations, Under Secretary
for North American Affairs, Ambassador Carlos Rico Ferrat, it was
my privilege to sign the Letter of Agreement between Mexico and
the United States that will allow for implementation of the Merida
Initiative.”
(complete
text)
Remarks
by United States Ambassador to Mexico Antonio O. Garza at the signing
of the Letter of Agreement on the Merida Initiative - As prepared
December 3, 2008 -“Today we signed the Letter of Agreement on the
Merida Initiative. Although our two countries have worked closely
for decades in the fight against organized crime and narcotrafficking,
today we are launching the most significant effort ever undertaken
between our two countries to confront this menace that threatens
both our nations.” (complete
text)
Calderon
Administration Committed to Challenging Corruption
Mexico City, November 21, 2008 - “Today’s actions by Attorney General
Medina Mora demonstrate how seriously the Government of Mexico is
taking the challenge of rooting out narcotics-related corruption.”
(complete text)
Remarks
by Ambassador Antonio O. Garza, Jr. on Receiving the 2008 Amistad
Award from the San Antonio-Mexico Frienship Council
November 20, 2008– “The next Administration should build on
the promise of NAFTA so that people in all three countries can realize
their dreams near their families, and in the country they love.
The next administration should fully fund the Merida Initiative,
so that one day we might all benefit from a safer and more secure
border, one that allows good people with good intentions to move
quickly and securely from one country to the other.” (complete
text)
Ambassador
Garza Inaugurates New Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez, World’s
Largest Immigrant Visa Processing Center
Mexico City, November 14, 2008 - “Today I inaugurated the long-awaited
new Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez on the site where we first
broke ground in March of 2006. I would like to recognize Consul
General Ray McGrath and everyone who worked so diligently to complete
this project. Building a state-of-the-art facility in Ciudad Juarez
was long overdue recognition of the importance of the work accomplished
there, as well as the volume of people served by the consulate.”
(complete
text)
United
States Crash Investigators Return Home
Mexico City, November 12, 2008 - “I have been in regular contact
with the leader of the National Transportation and Safety Board
team and spoke with him today. He will leave Mexico tomorrow to
return to the United States. He confirmed to me that, as of today,
nothing in the flight data recorder, cockpit voice recorder, or
the other evidence recovered at the scene of the tragic crash indicates
sabotage or criminal activity caused the crash. The preliminary
phase of the investigation has concluded, but NTSB will continue
to assist the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation’s
General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC) in examining evidence
and running simulations to try better to understand exactly what
happened. (complete
text)
United
States Commemorates its Veterans
Mexico City, November 11, 2008 – Speaking at the annual Veterans
Day ceremony held today at the Mexico City U.S. National Cemetery,
Ambassador Garza urged Americans to honor all American veterans
for their dedicated and loyal service to their country.” (complete
text)
United States Assisting in Investigation of Tragic Crash
Mexico City, November 5, 2008 - “I awoke this morning, reflecting
on the tragic crash last night that took the lives of Secretary
of Government Juan Camilo Mourino, former SIEDO head Jose Luis Santiago
Vasconcelos, our former colleague at SRE Miguel Monterrubio – whom
I knew personally – and so many other victims. My heart truly goes
out to their families, and I offer my solidarity and sympathy in
these trying moments.” (complete
text)
