The Merida Initiative, providing $500 million dollars in aid primarily to Mexican military and police forces, is now before Congress. Find out how U.S. taxpayers' money could wind up increasing impunity, corruption, and human rights violations in Mexico, while missing the mark in the battle against drug-related violence. Defeat Plan Mexico Sign On.
Related Americas Program Articles:
A Primer on Plan Mexico
http://americas.irc-online.org/am/5204
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:
NO to Plan Mexico (article by John Gibler)
http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/americas/mexico/planmexico
EZLN Criticizes the Drug War (article by Kristin Bricker)
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2009/01/ezln-criticizes-drug-war
Mexico's Drug War Death Toll: 8,463 and Counting (article by Kristin Bricker)
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2008/12/mexicos-drug-war-death-toll-8463-and-counting
Michoacan Joint Operation: Human Rights Disaster (article by Kristin Bricker)
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2008/12/michoacan-joint-operation-human-rights-disaster
"Wall of Violence" on Mexico's Southern Border (article by Kristin Bricker)
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2008/12/wall-violence-mexicos-southern-border
Why Plan Mexico will Crash and Burn (article by Kristin Bricker)
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2008/12/why-plan-mexico-will-crash-and-burn
U.S. Police Train Mexican Police to Torture (article by Kristin Bricker)
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2008/11/us-police-train-mexican-police-torture
Kristin Bricker's Spanish articles
http://www.rebelion.org/mostrar.php?tipo=5&id=Kristin%20Bricker&inicio=0
Documents
Plan Mexico 2008 Spending Plan-public.pdf
Thanks to NarcoNews (www.narconews.com) for making this document public.
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
DOS Report on Brad Will.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/
If you are interested in a speaking engagement on the topic to educate the public, contact us (202) 536-2649 or americas@ciponline.org and we can arrange phone interviews and personal appearances.
