(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The vast majority of people in Mexico are in favour of receiving monetary and logistical help from the United States to fight drug traffickers, according to a poll by Demotecnia published in Milenio. 82 per cent of respondents agree with allowing American officers to train Mexican police and military personnel.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The vast majority of people in Mexico are in favour of receiving monetary and logistical help from the United States to fight drug traffickers, according to a poll by Demotecnia published in Milenio. 82 per cent of respondents agree with allowing American officers to train Mexican police and military personnel.
In addition, 69 per cent of respondents agree with the Mexican government receiving funds from the U.S. However, less than half of respondents feel comfortable with the idea of receiving weapons from the U.S. or letting American troops into Mexico.
Mexican voters chose their new president in July 2006. Official results placed Felipe Calderón of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) as the winner with 36.68 per cent of all cast ballots. Calderón—a former energy secretary—took over as Mexico’s head of state in December. During his campaign, he vowed to combat illicit drug trafficking and drug-related crime, as well as to boost Mexico’s economy.
One of Calderón’s first measures was to send military personnel to northern towns severely affected by drug trafficking. More than 6,300 people have died in 2008 and 2009, many of them caught in conflicts between drug cartels. Under the so-called Merida initiative, the U.S. is giving Mexico $1.4 billion U.S. in order to combat organized crime and drug trafficking.
Last month, U.S. state secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton visited Mexico and declared: "These criminals [in Mexico] are outgunning law enforcement officials" with "military-style equipment. (…) And since we know that the vast majority, 90 per cent of that [weaponry], comes from our country, we’re going to try to stop it from getting there in the first place."
Rodham Clinton also discussed the role of the United States in the drug trade, saying, "I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility. Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade."
Polling Data
Would you agree or disagree to each of the following proposals to fight drug trafficking? ("Agree" listed)
|
Allowing Mexican police and military personnel to receive training from United States officers |
82% |
|
Allowing the Mexican government to receive money from the United States |
69% |
|
Allowing the United States to send weapons to Mexico to fight drug traffickers |
45% |
|
Allowing the United States to deploy troops in Mexico to fight drug traffickers |
40% |
Source: Demotecnia / Milenio
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 500 Mexican adults, conducted on Mar. 28, 2009. Margin of error is 4.5 per cent.
