(This page is currently being updated) The Merida Initiative has provided some $1.6 billion dollars so far to U.S. defense contractors, private security firms and others to support the Mexican military and police forces in fighting the war on drugs. Find out how U.S. taxpayers’ money is used to increase violence, impunity, corruption, and human rights violations in Mexico, while failing to decrease the power and brutality of drug cartels.
Sign the petition to Defeat Plan Mexico Sign On.
Americas Program Articles:
A Primer on Plan Mexico
http://americas.irc-online.org/am/5204
Mexico’s False Dilemma: Human Rights or Security
www.law.northwestern.edu/journals/jihr/v10/n3/1/index.html
Hemispheric Conference against Militarization Says No to Merida Initiative, U.S. Military Bases
http://americas.irc-online.org/am/5605
Plan Mexico and the Billion-Dollar Drug Deal
http://americas.irc-online.org/am/4611
Also in Spanish here.
Plan Mexico
http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4684
NAFTA’s Dangerous Security Agenda
http://americas.irc-online.org/am/5813
Americas Policy Program Mexico Blog:
www.americasmexico.blogspot.com
Other articles:
English:
Spanish:
Documents
Plan Mexico 2008 Spending Plan-public.pdf
AFL-CIO Letter:
http://americas.irc-online.org/pdf/MeridaInitiative_AFL-CIO_letter.pdf
Leaked document #1: http://americas.irc-online.org/pdf/MeridaInitiative_FY08-09_descriptions_1-2.pdf
Leaked document #2: http://americas.irc-online.org/pdf/MeridaInitiative_FY08-09_descriptions_3.pdf
CRS Report for Congress, “Proposed U.S. Anticrime and Counterdrug Assistance for Mexico and Central America”
http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/103694.pdf
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate May 21, 2008
http://www.govtrack.us/data/us/110/bills.cbo/h6028.pdf
Merida Breakdown for staff FY2009 450 mill.pdf
Media
Laura Carlsen appeared on the Merida Initiative panel discussion at the Americas Social Forum in Guatemala. Listen to all the panelists to learn more at http://www.narconews.com/Issue54/articulo3218.html.
Listen to an informative talk by Laura Carlsen here:
http://www.radio4all.net/pub/files/knash@igc.org/123-1-20080302-planmexicontl.mp3
Radio interview with Harry Bubbins:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/03/28/18489141.php
Blip TV panel (approximately 17 minutes)
http://blip.tv/file/717142/
USW press release on Plan Mexico here.
Public Service Announcement on Plan Mexico: (3.5 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfImBQGg6RM
Action
Defeat Plan Mexico Sign On
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/gx/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=978
“Defeat Plan Mexico” is now a group on Facebook.
Friends of Brad Will Plan Mexico site
http://www.friendsofbradwill.org/category/plan-mexico/