Mexican state "left in hands" of drug gang

[n2doc]

MEXICO CITY, Oct. 15, 2011 (Reuters) — Mexican President Felipe Calderon said on Friday the eastern state of Veracruz, which has been convulsed by a wave of killings, had been "left in the hands" of the violent Zetas drug cartel.

"I think Veracruz was left in the hands of the Zetas. I don't know if was involuntary ... I'd like to think so," Calderon said at a meeting in Mexico City with campaigners trying to end drug-related violence that has racked the country.

The president did not elaborate on who was to blame for the situation in Veracruz, a state on the Gulf of Mexico ruled by the main opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).

Polls show the PRI is in pole position to oust Calderon's conservative National Action Party (PAN) in presidential elections in July, and the government's war on drug cartels has been a major source of friction between the main parties.

more

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre79e0gk-us-mexico-drugs/

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Some context the news media will not give you

the Destapado, aka his official successor, is doing all but well... and right now the PRI and another party are getting ready to run a candidate in a coalition government. Polls show that the pan is not doing well.

So read this as political.

[Hydra]

2. I would like to point out that Calderon belongs in that office

...About as much as Bush belonged in the WH. I wonder if things would be going better if the elected leader was in office.

[SteveM]

3. Some don't like to hear this, and the truth is uncertain, but Zetas may be in charge...

of that area, and bargaining for formal power-sharing within the federal government of Mexico. Some of the "out there" speculation with regards the "Fast and Furious" and "Gun-walking" scandals is that the BATFE, which allowed over 1,500 arms to "walk" into Mexico, did not "lose" the arms south of the border: The guns were destined for La Sinaloa cartel, possibly through the auspices of other agencies, and the only drug cartel with a chance of slowing down the Zetas' consolidation of power. The purpose of this scenario was to keep the war going on by pumping up Sinaloa to combat the Zetas more effectively.

By now, most have read how the BATFE also allowed thousands of grenade "parts" to be sent across our border for presumably later re-assembly in Mexico. Grenades are now quite popular with the drug gangs.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/08/05/americas-third-wardid-us-cut-deal-with-sinaloa-cartel/

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/14/earlyshow/main20120395.shtml