Mexico President Meets With US President

President Obama met with Mexico's President Felipe Calderón today on a number of issues that the White House says the two agreed to resolve.

Issuing a Fact Sheet today, the White House said among the items the two presidents discussed and agreed on are: 1) resolving the cross-border long-haul trucking dispute, 2) regulatory cooperation, 3) clean energy and climate change, and 4) transboundary energy negotiations (reservoirs).

There was no mention of whether the two discussed Mexico's ongoing drug war, and the continued shipment of drugs from Mexico into the United States.

As early as last month a Mexican drug gang leader was arrested for the shooting of a federal US agent, causing US Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to remark that "...the violence in Mexico is something we are very concerned about."


**Update**

During a joint press conference today in the East Room President Obama did make the following statement as it relates to the Mexican drug cartels.

"We’re also deepening our cooperation against the drug cartels that threaten both our peoples. As I’ve said before, President Calderón and the Mexican people have shown extraordinary courage in the fight for their country. Tens of thousands of Mexicans, innocent citizens and dedicated security forces have lost their lives. I have reaffirmed to President Calderón that in this cause, Mexico has a full partner with the United States. Because whether they live in Texas or Tijuana, our people have a right to be safe in their communities.


So we are continuing to speed up the delivery of equipment and training that our Mexican partners need to keep up this fight. As President Calderón cracks down on money laundering in Mexico, we’re putting unprecedented pressure on cartels and their finances here in the United States*. And we thank our Mexican partners for their close cooperation following the murder of one of our immigration and customs agents, Special Agent Jaime Zapata.

I reiterated that the United States accepts our shared responsibility for the drug violence. So to combat the southbound flow of guns and money, we are screening all southbound rail cargo, seizing many more guns bound for Mexico and we are putting more gunrunners behind bars. And as part of our new drug control strategy, we are focused on reducing the demand for drugs through education, prevention and treatment.

Sidebar:  *One would have to question that if you know where to go to put pressure on the cartels, and their finances, then you must know who and where they are.  If that is the case, can't they be arrested and brought to justice?

Related
Fear follows families fleeing Mexico drug war (2010 article)