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Joint statement by North American leaders; North American Leaders Summit: Energy Deliverables; North American Leaders' Declaration on H1N1; North American Leaders' Declaration on Climate Change and Clean Energy

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Carlos Pascual Biography
President Obama nominated Carlos Pascual as the next United States Ambassador to Mexico in June 2009.   The United States Senate confirmed the nomination on August 7 and Ambassador Pascual presented his credentials to the Mexican government on August 9, 2009. (complete text)

Arrest of “La Troca” Demonstrates Continuous Commitment of the Calderon Administration to Fight Drug Traffickin
Mexico City, August 3, 2009 – “Today’s announcement of the arrest of Miguel Angel Beraza Villa, aka ‘La Troca’ by Mexico’s federal police leaves no doubt about the determination of President Calderon’s administration to fight drug trafficking and organized crime.
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ONDCP Director Gil Kerlikowski Announces the U.S. Mexico Drug Demand Reduction ConferenceGil Kerlikowski, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy met with Mexico’s Health Secretary José Ángel Cordova Villalobos to discuss cooperation and treatment for victims of drug and alcohol abuse. Kerlikowski also announced the eighth Drug Prevention and Treatment Conference to be held in Washington, D.C. in January 2010. (complete text)

Office of National Drug Control Policy Director R. Gil Kerlikowske met with Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora to discuss efforts to reduce drug consumption and fight narco-trafficking. To see Director Kerlikowske's prepared remarks click here.

Concerted Effort by Mexico and U.S. Authorities to Apprehend Murderers of Border Patrol Agent
Mexico City, July 24, 2009 – The U.S. Embassy in Mexico regretfully confirms the shooting death of a Border Patrol Agent near Campo, California, 18 miles east of Tecate, Mexico.(complete text)

The U.S. Embassy Announces Scholarships for 46 Teachers and Students
Mexico City, July 21, 2009 –Today Chargé D’Affaires John D. Feeley awarded scholarships to study in the United States to 46 students and teachers from rural and indigenous communities from the states of Chiapas, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Jalisco, Oaxaca and Querétaro. (complete text)

Reward Offers for Top Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas Leaders
Today the Department of State announced the designation of ten new Mexico-based targets of its Narcotics Rewards Program. We took this action in close coordination with the Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies. The individuals named today are top leaders of the Gulf Cartel and its enforcement arm, Los Zetas. Rewards of up to $5 million each are offered for information leading to their arrests. (complete text)

U.S. Sanctions Leaders of Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas.
Mexico City, July 20, 2009 – Today the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated the leaders of the Gulf cartel, Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sanchez and Ezequiel Cardenas Guillen, as well as the leaders of Los Zetas, Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano and Miguel Angel Trevino Morales under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. (complete text)

United States Government Launches Coordinated Actions against the Gulf Cartel.
Mexico City, July 20, 2009 – The Department of Justice announced today a series of coordinated actions by several U.S. government departments against the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas, also known as the “Company.” The Department of Justice press release highlights the following main points:
· The objective of these coordinated actions by the U.S. government is to neutralize and dismantle the violent cartel known as the Company. (complete text)

Foreign Secretaries of Mexico, U.S. and Canada meet prior upcoming North American Leaders’ Summit.
Mexico City, July 16, 2009 – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mexican Foreign Secretary Espinosa, and Canadian Foreign Minister, Lawrence Cannon, met to discuss global regional challenges, focusing on the global economic crisis and climate change. Among other things, they announced that the North American Leaders’ Summit will take place this year on August 9 – 10 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Presidents will attend the Summit to coordinate efforts and work together to address common challenges like: North American competitiveness, energy and the environment, and citizen security. (Foreign Secretaries´ Remarks)

Foreign Secretaries Announce Presidents to Meet in Mexico in August
Mexico City, July 16, 2009 – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa and Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon today in Washington for a meeting and working lunch, where the ministers discussed the upcoming North American Leaders’ Summit. (complete text)

Warden Message-Violence in Michoacan
The U.S. Embassy advises U.S. citizens residing or traveling in the state of Michoacan, Mexico, to be aware of recent violent attacks targeting state and federal police officials, and wishes to remind U.S. citizens of the Travel Alert for Mexico dated February 20, 2009. (complete text)

Statement by Carlos E. Pascual, Ambassador-Designate to the United Mexican States, to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relation
I am honored to appear before you as the nominee of President Obama and Secretary Clinton to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Mexican States. I thank each of you for the opportunity to appear before you today, and I express my gratitude to those who have been so generous with their time and insight throughout this process. If confirmed by the Senate, I look forward to working with this Committee and other members of Congress to advance U.S. interests in Mexico and the region. (complete text) (watch the video of the confirmation hearing)

Sec. Napolitano announces new agreement for State and Local Immigration Enforcement
WASHINGTON — Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced today that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has standardized the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) used to enter into “287(g)” partnerships—improving public safety by removing criminal aliens who are a threat to local communities and providing uniform policies for partner state and local immigration enforcement efforts throughout the United States. Additionally, today ICE announced eleven new 287(g) agreements with law enforcement agencies from around the country.. (complete text)

The U.S. Government Announces a $400,000 Donation for the Neurological Center of the ABC Hospital
Mexico City, Mexico, July 9, 2009 – During a visit to the ABC Hospital, Mr. John Feeley, Chargé D’Affaires of the United States Embassy in Mexico, announced a new USAID/American Schools and Hospital Abroad (ASHA) grant for $400,000 dollars. The USAID/ASHA grant will be used to purchase equipment for the physical rehabilitation center that will be located in the soon to be built Neurological Center at the ABC Santa Fe hospital. (complete text)

Remarks by Chargé d’Affaires John Feeley July 4th Reception
Mexico City, July 3, 2009 - Ladies and gentlemen. My name is John Feeley and I am the new Charge d’Affaires at the American embassy in Mexico City.  And it is my great pleasure and honor to welcome you to the 233rd celebration of the birth of American democracy. (complete text)

President Barack Obama 4th of July message
Today, we are called upon to remember not only the day our country was born,but also the indomitable spirit of the first American citizens who made that day possible. We are called to remember how unlikely it was that our American experiment would succeed at all; that a small band of patriots would declare independence from a powerful empire; and that they would form, in the new
world, what the old world had never known-a government of, by, and for the people. (complete text)

Four New University Partnerships Launched to Support Mexico’s Justice System Reform
Mexico City, June 25, 2009 – The United States Embassy in Mexico, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and its TIES (Training, Internship, Exchanges and Scholarships) Program, announces four new university partnerships between Mexican and U.S. institutions to support Mexico’s efforts to modernize its justice system. (complete text)

U.S. to Provide Antiviral Medication to Latin America and the Caribbean for Novel H1N1 Influenza
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the United States will provide 420,000 treatment courses of Tamiflu (Oseltamavir) to the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) to fight the novel H1N1 influenza in Latin America and the Caribbean.The Secretary made the announcement while attending a series of high-level meetings for health ministers throughout the Americas in Cancun, Mexico. (complete text)

Obama: Honduran Crisis Must be Resolved Peacefully and Lawfully
Washington — Political tensions in Honduras must be resolved peacefully and with respect for democratic norms, President Obama says, voicing his concern over the June 28 detention and expulsion of President José Manuel Zelaya Rosales. (complete text)

Over Fifty Indicted Criminals Extradited By Mexico This Year
Mexico City, June 29, 2009 – On June 25, 2009, the government of Mexico extradited three fugitives to the United States, marking 54 extraditions since the beginning of 2009, and demonstrating the Calderon administration’s continuing strong commitment to bilateral law enforcement cooperation. (complete text)

President Obama Signs Supplemental Budget, Increasing Merida Initiative Funding for Mexico to $1.12 Billion
Mexico City, June 25, 2009 – Yesterday, President Barack Obama signed into law a Supplemental Appropriations Act that includes $420 million in funding for the Merida Initiative in Mexico. This brings funding for the Merida Initiative in Mexico to $1.12 billion, including the $400 million in the FY2008 budget and the $300 million in the FY2009 budget.  (complete text)

Secretaries Napolitano and Carstens Sign Bilateral Agreement to Strengthen Security and Facilitate Trade
Washington, D.C., June 15, 2009 - U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Mexican Minister of Finance and Public Credit Agustin Carstens today signed a Letter of Intent that seeks to strengthen border enforcement by creating a framework for establishing bi-national Port Security Management Committees, developing a joint implementation plan for cooperative capacity building, and increasing trade facilitation between the two nations through increased information sharing and a harmonized customs clearance process.(complete text)

U.S. Treasury Adds Sanctions to Drug Trafficker’s Illicit Network
Mexico City, June 12, 2009 – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today added 15 entities and 9 individuals in Mexico, Colombia and the Caribbean to its list of Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs); these entities and individuals are linked to Fabio Enrique Ochoa Vasco (a.k.a. “Juan Carlos Martinez Perez”), a significant Colombian drug trafficker who was designated as an SDNT principal in 2007..(complete text)

President Obama Announces Intent to Nominate Carlos Pascual as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
Mexico City, June 4, 2009 – Today President Obama announced his intent to nominate Carlos Pascual, Vice President and Director of the Foreign Policy Studies Program at the Brookings Institution, as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. Mr. Pascual’s nomination requires approval by the U.S. Senate.(complete text)

U.S. Awards Grants to Support Competitiveness and Biodiversity Conservation
Mexico City, June 4, 2009 – June 5 is World Environment Day, and the U.S. remains committed to promoting good stewardship of the planet’s resources. (complete text)

The President’s Speech in Cairo: A New Beginning
PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you very much.  Good afternoon.  I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions.  For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning; and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's advancement. (complete text)

U.S. Under Secretary of Homeland Security Bersin Meets Mexican Counterparts
Mexico City, June 3, 2009 – Following three days of meetings at the U.S. Embassy and with Mexican counterparts, Alan Bersin, Department of Homeland Security’s Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and Special Representative for Border Affairs, expressed confidence that cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico is showing solid results.(complete text)

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