U.S. - Mexico Relations: United States and Mexico Divided on Ambassador’s Role

A more in-depth look at the issues between and around President Calderon and U.S. Ambassador Pascual that led to the former forcing the resignation of the latter.

United States and Mexico Divided on Ambassador’s Role - NYTimes.com: "Carlos Pascual, the American ambassador here who resigned last week, had hoped to withstand the fierce storm caused by the release of diplomatic cables revealing his private criticism of Mexico’s fight against organized crime.

By all accounts, he has been engaged and proactive in his two years here — promoting institutional reforms, meeting with mayors in violent cities and sidestepping what he saw as bureaucratic delays.

But it is exactly that activist approach that so irked President Felipe Calderón, say Mexican and American officials, who note that the dispute signals a divide between the two countries over the role of an American ambassador.

More broadly, Mr. Pascual’s resignation raises a vital question about the increased cooperation between the two countries in the war against drug trafficking organizations. Is it creating a “new era of respect,” as President Obama said this month after meeting with President Calderón, or a resurgence of distrust?

The answer, experts say, may be a little bit of each."