Merida Initiative to aid northern Mexico's fierce fight against drug cartels

Another piece of the Merida Initiative story comes to light. It's head, William Brownfield, says it will continue "regardless of who is elected president next year in Mexico." Has the U.S asked all possible candidates from all the Mexican political parties if they agree to this?

Also, the shift of the Initiative to the state and local level then makes sense as a tactical end run to enable the U.S. to remain involved "regardless of who is elected president."

El Paso Times: Brownfield outlined the initiative's four pillars and said Mexico has spent billions of its own dollars to beef up its national security.

These pillars are disrupting the capacity of organized crime to operate, enhancing the Mexican government's capacity to sustain the rule of law, creating a modern border structure (at land crossings, ports and airports), and building strong and resilient communities. Through the Mérida Initiative, the U.S. government seeks to help Mexico rebuild its police, judicial and corrections systems, a process that experts agreed will take time.

Brownfield said that the Mérida Initiative will continue regardless of who is elected president next year in Mexico. (AMB emphasis) "We will proceed and we will succeed. We have no choice," he said.

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