U.S. Authorities Should Be Punished for ‘Fast and Furious’ (Excelsior, Mexico)

Do Mexicans have a right to feel intruded upon, now that the United States has admitted allowing high-powered weapons to be sold to representatives of the Mexican drug cartels? Excelsior columnist Jesus Ortega Martinez writes that the recent U.S. sting operation ‘Fast and Furious’ undermines the Mexican state, violates international law and endangers innocent people on both sides of the border.

For Mexico’s Excelsior, Jesus Ortega Martinez writes in part:

The North American authorities already consider the activity of the Mexican drug cartels a national security matter. They are correct in this and have acted accordingly. But these same authorities forget that the activities and goings-on of the U.S. gun-trafficking cartels, in addition to inciting uncontrollable violence in Mexico, are increasingly weakening the Mexican government. Obama, the State Department and U.S. Congressional leaders are literally playing with fire by irresponsibly fomenting the immense and growing deterioration of the Mexican state, which directly impacts the fragile security of their own country.

An example of such irresponsibility and lack of scruples is operation ‘Fast and Furious’, which, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, allowed the transfer of thousands of firearms from the United States to drug traffickers in Mexico. It has now been established that the operation was planned and even funded by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI.

This information, which has now been acknowledged by the U.S. Congress, should be cause for indignation in Mexico, and be sufficient to prompt the Calderón government, supported by international law, to demand an explanation in the face of this clear violation of our laws and gross violation of our sovereignty.

The Mexican government should not only turn to international authorities to demand punishment for those responsible for Fast and Furious, but should demand action on the part of the Obama government against gun traffickers, be they North Americans or Mexicans.

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