Mexico: The War Next Door

60 Minutes: Homeland Security Secretary Says Every American Has A Stake In Mexico's War Against Murderous Gangs

(CBS)  This story was first published on March 1, 2009. It was updated on June 19, 2009.

We take you to a place where kidnappings, torture, and even brutal beheadings have become common. We're talking about Mexico.

Two years ago, Mexico's President Felipe Calderon declared war on the country's powerful drug cartels - the main suppliers of cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine to the United States. In response to the government's assault, the drug cartels have been fighting back hard.

It's gotten so bad, a U.S. military report warned that Mexico could face "rapid and sudden collapse." How worried is the U.S. government about the war next door? 60 Minutes and CNN's Anderson Cooper interviewed the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, for this report, which first aired this past March.

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"The stakes are high for the safety of many, many citizens of Mexico and the stakes are high for the United States no doubt," Secretary Napolitano told Cooper.

The stakes are high, not just because Mexico is a key American ally and trading partner, but because the drug cartels are fighting to control areas right along the U.S. border, just miles from cities like San Diego and El Paso.

Asked if the violence in Mexico is a threat to U.S. national security, Napolitano told Cooper, "It is certainly something that is of major concern. It's our neighbor to the south. It's a major partner in many areas. So it's something, for example, that I, as secretary of Homeland Security, pay a lot of attention to."

There's a lot to pay attention to in Mexico: 60,000 Mexican military and police are fighting against the five major drug cartels which control lucrative smuggling routes into the U.S.

They've managed to arrest some top traffickers, but new and more ruthless leaders have filled the vacuum, battling both the government and each other. They're terrorizing the country with very public acts of violence.

In December, a group of Mexican soldiers was found with their heads cut off, and a note from traffickers warning "for every one of mine you kill, we will kill 10."

A decapitated man was left hanging from a bridge; his head was found in the town square. Last year alone, nearly 6,300 people were killed in Mexico's drug war - more than double the number the year before.

Cartels are also increasingly expanding into human smuggling, extortion and kidnapping. Smaller criminal gangs have also gotten into the game, turning Mexico into one of the kidnapping capitals of the world.

"We are afraid of getting in a car, getting in a taxi, walking in the street alone. Going by the hand with your child," Claudia Wallace told Cooper.

Wallace's 35 year old brother Hugo was kidnapped while on a date in Mexico City. A month after he disappeared, his mother, Maria Isabel got a ransom note with a picture of him wearing a blindfold.

Months later, police told her Hugo had been killed by his kidnappers. And they told her what happened next.

"They took my brother to the bathroom, went to Wal-Mart, bought a saw, an electric saw, and returned to the apartment and cut my brother. And put it in a black bag," Wallace said.

They've never been able to find Hugo’s remains.

Kidnappers don't just target the rich - the poor are victimized as well. A 5-year-old boy whose parents had a stall in a market was kidnapped in October. When the kidnappers thought the police were on to them, they killed the boy by injecting him with acid.

Last summer, 150,000 people marched to voice their frustration over the rising violence. Hugo's mother, Maria Isabel, has become a vocal advocate for victims. But in Mexico today, that can get you killed.

Gunmen riddled her car with bullets last year. "I think that we're at a point in which if the government doesn't put all of its effort into this, the drug traffickers, the kidnappers, and organized crime will ultimately take control of the country," she told Cooper.

In some towns, they have already taken control. Back in February in the city of Juarez, cartels threatened to kill a police officer every 48 hours until the police chief resigned. After two murders he did. Juarez's mayor moved his own family to Texas.

[Goose-Stavo]

I think they just need to legalize marijuana and tax the **** out of the people that sell it and buy it then maybe just maybe we wont be in such of a recession i mean come on now there are Billions of money being made each year by this drug being sold now i think that will help our economy out a lot. STOP CRITISIZING IT AND LEGALIZE it already man........seriously stop procrastinating

[jimhenry1707]

so if you have two or more clunkers at your house you cannot trade both of them for one car. The program is for one per
person.


Jimhenry
Blogger
www.cashforclunkersfacts.info
http://www.cashforclunkersfacts.info

[scohen305]

the drug problem from Mexico could be terminated by switching to a totally electronic currency system. for further information log on to http://www.realworldnewworld.com and http://www.scohen305.blogspot.com why does not CBS begin public dialogue and debate about the issues in these sites?

[Joe-MI]

PS - When I stated, "Most of the problem is corruption of Mexican officials. Many of those officials (I would think most) are heroes."

I'm not stating the corruption officials are heros. The problems in Mexico are corruption officials incontrast to the honest officials who are heroes, doing a good job in a bad situation.

[Joe-MI]

Most of the problem is corruption of Mexican officials. Many of those officials (I would think most) are heroes. However the villain is not law-abiding US gun owners (or firearms aquired because of the rights stated in the second amendment).

Perhaps 90% of the firearms do come from the U.S. Now I want to know what % were originally sold to the Mexican army, Mexican LE, or other governments officials legally, then illegally aquired by the drug cartels. How would more laws hindering the purchase of firearms by U.S. citizens change how many firearms are in Mexico.

Gun politics in Mexico have resulted in some of the strictest gun laws in the world. They can only legally own pistol calibers like .380 ACP, .38 Spl, shotguns, and hunting rifles. The firearms shown on the news are already illegal in Mexico, if it does not stop possession of auto-fire firearms in Mexico, how are more U.S. firearms bands going to prevent cartels from aquiring these firearms? There are already laws in the U.S. and Mexico to prevent this, yet it is still happening. Did you see the firearms the cartels have. I can't even purchase most of those firearms legally, I'm a life long resident of MI, U.S. citizen, who's greatest legal wrong doings have been a few traffic tickets.

If you want to do a real story, investigate how the weapons find their way from Mexican government warehouses into the hands of the cartels. In addition, it is near impossible for gun-owners to aquire ammunition or the components to make ammunition in the last six or so months. How are the cartels?

[cbs_bull]

So, it's the US drug users are funding the Mexico drug gangs and the US gun dealers are providing assault weapons to killers. I'm proud of being an American now...

[misscowgirl]

Napolitano and the so-called Dept of Homeland Security are a JOKE.

The southern border is wide open for anyone who wants to come in. We have anywhere from 13 to 30 million illegal aliens here most of whom come from Mexico.

They broke the law entering our country, they are not guests they are criminals from day 1. They are allowed to get away with that so why should they obey any of our laws?

Our way of life is on a steep downhill slide. Can anyone see a connection here?

Besides cheap labor you have drug runners & gang members making their way across the border while we are told that there's nothing that can be done.

Join NumbersUSA.com or another similar group & make your voice heard. Demand that immigration laws be enforced & the border be closed.

Like they say 'It ain't rocket science'.

Last, legalize marijuana & you get rid of a big part of the failed drug war.

[bren4824]

NO AMNESTY!!!

If the 20 million illegals are able to get amnesty?they will then bring in millions more of their family members through chain migration.

Then, obama, Piglosi, etc. will make sure that they are registered to vote.

Once they are registered to vote, they will then take over our politics/election.

Once they take over our politics/elections?-do you "really" think that they are going to be concerned about protecting your rights/opportunities??-------- Do you think that they are going to be concerned about protecting the rights/opportunities of your children/grandchildren??

What is going to be left for you??

What is going to be left for your children and grandchildren??

Join millions of US citizens throughout the country by joining this FREE site now???

http://www.numbersusa.com

[Realitynarc]

If you have a MULTIMILLION dollar product to distribute for a Columbian partner ,does HE let you send Jose into USA to buy SEMIAUTOMATIC weapons at high prices or does HE(OR make YOU) FURNISH FULLY AUTOMATIC weapons to protect his MILLIONS that you the MEXICAN DISTRUBUTION PARTNER are going to produce thru your Canadian,USA and Pacific Rim/Euro drug hiways that you forward HIS cocain,etc. on to its final destiniations?!!USE your head people the foriegn MACHINE GUNs are the UZI,H&K,Russian AK and Chinese AK all come off the boat or plane fully AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUNS with ammo,grenades ;Rocket Launchers.ETC.
NO ONE with sense is going to protect his MULTI BILLION DRUG DISTRUBUTION with essentially is a deer rifle by ANY MILITARY STANDARD!!

[HerpieTheLoveBug]

Love all the shoot the druggies talk. Nice of you to care about your fellow man. Any of you get past grade school? It is prohibition that is causing the problems. Not the drugs. Then that dolt of a president Nixon called it a War so all you dumbasses could get worked up about it and think of it as so. Much like the War on Terrorism. Another dumb idea brought out for the gullible. They are wars on us, the people. All the while stripping our liberties from us bit by bit. We are now socialist countries (USA and Canada anyway) and have strayed from the constitutions of both these counties. Want to end these wars? It would be fairly easy. Legalize all drugs, educate our children about them truthfully, and find a way to regulate them that is controled by local government, not federal. Terrorism? Maybe the USA could stop trying to be the world police and stay out of other countries business, close down all the military bases worldwide, and bring the troops home. That would end the terrorism problem for the most part. One final thought, how exactly would you propose the borders be sealed? Good luck with that.

[IrqWarVet]

Once again CBS, great job on your softball questions of government officials and the way you perpetuated the myth that 90 percent of all automatic weapons used by the cartels come from the US...Of course, you didn't follow this myth up with factual evidence that might have taken a little more investigation and some tougher questioning...

What if those guns were coming from China, South America, or worse yet, corrupt Mexican government, police and military officials??? Now wouldn't that be real stry that might be closer to the ever elusive truth in mainstream media?????

[barnone-LA]

Why did you make the 90 percent mistake in the story?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2009/04/02/myth-percent-guns-mexico-fraction-number-claimed/

You should know the 90% of guns from US is a "Mistake". The mistake is that 90% of the guns that they Check on with the ATF are from the US. Well, you don't call the ATF if the gun is stamped made in china or doesn't have a US serial number. DUH.


Years ago, I couldn't wait for 60 minutes. Then I saw a "mistake" in their reporting. It wasn't a big deal. Then another and another.

I thought I would give them another chance with this important story so I watched Sunday night, great first story, then they stated the 90% figure. This is either another "mistake" or it was intentional. I wonder which? Do you?

[boomer2009]

The part about where the weapons come from is very misleading. In watching the peice it appears that grenade launchers, hand grenades and the full automatic weapons are purchased in the US----not possible under current laws. No wonder ABC, CBS and NBC viewership is going to FOX.

[toddlarado]

This answer to this and many other problems we have is so simple, Legalize Marijuana. There has been enough debate on this subject. The Majority of American voters believe Marijuana should be Legalized. Something is wrong with the leaders of our Country and the media. The word "morons" comes to my mind.

[punoyletra]

I could not believe my ears when Janet napolitano said that shehad not had time to get to renew the ban of the sale of assault weapons that just expired. Is she on the take too?

[boomer2009]

Stop using the drugs and you won't have to worry about any of their weapons!

[boboberg]

I LOVE these stories because they drive home the point that all over the USA there are thousands and thousands of tons of pot being grown, transported, sold and smoked and there's NOTHING the cops can do about it, they don't even catch 5%. Pot should be legal. Mexico just legalized possession of small amounts of all drugs. Switzerland just legalized heroin. Portugal decriminalized all drugs in 2001 and their experience has been positive. Now if you are caught with a 10 day supply of your drug or less you face an administrative court, not a criminal court, but in practice they are just not arresting people. A group of 10,000 very serious policemen, prosecutors, attorneys and citizens have formed a group to legalize ALL drugs, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (http://leap.cc ) They see what happened when we legalized alcohol in 1932 as a good example of how drug legalization would work. This foolish war on drugs has lasted 37 years and cost us over a TRILLION dollars and we are not an inch closer to stopping drugs. How many millions of Americans are we going to lock up in prison for decades? Mark Montgomery [e-mail]

[HGOODGUY]

THE WAR ON DRUGS IS THE SAME AS THE WAR IN VIET NAM IN THAT IT CANNOT BE WON!!
THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO LEGALIZE DRUGS. AS SHOCKING AS THIS MAY SOUND--THINK ABOUT IT!!
THERE IS NO WAY TO FIGHT OR STOP DRUG TRAFFIC BECAUSE IT IS EVERYWHERE. IT SIMPLY CANNOT BE ISOLATED AND CONTAINED BECAUSE OF THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY INVOLVED AT ALL LEVELS.
IF DRUGS ARE LEGALIZED THE FOLLOWING WILL HAPPEN
1--DRUG TRAFFIC AND VIOLENCE WILL STOP DEAD IN ITS TRACKS!!
2--THERE WILL BE MINIMAL VIOLENCE AND LESS DEATHS
3--ADDICTION WOULD LESSEN DUE TO READILY AVAILABE IDENTIFICATION AND HEALTH CARE
4--THE REVENUE FROM TAXES ALONE WOULD PROBABLY BALANCE MANY STATE OR FEDERAL BUDGETS
5--BILLIONS WOULD BE SAVED BECAUSE THE COST OF THE WAR ON DRUGS WOULD BE SAVED AND, AS A RESULT, BE DIVERTED BACK INTO THE ECONOMY.
6--OUR CHILDREN LIVES WOULD BE SAVED BECAUSE, BEING REGULATED, THERE WOULD NO LONGER BE "TAMPERED WITH" OR "POISENED " NARCOTICS.

THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS.
1--LOGIC=THINK BEFORE YOU ACT.
2--EMOTION=ACT BEFORE YOU THINK
LOGIC MAKES MORE SENSE!!

GOOD LUCK TELLING THE GOP ALL THIS!!!

[kezarite]

Anyone who thinks the security of the U.S. is not at stake has their head in the sand. However, the "War on Drugs" as currently constituted on both sides of the border -- all over the world -- is a dismal and total failure. Until drug abuse is addressed as a health issue, efforts to curtail it will be futile: No laws, certainly no armies, will keep the fiend from his fix. Massive and honest education along with medical treatment and decriminalization of use and possession will in the long run be far less expensive in dollars and lives, and far more effective. I speak from the vantage point of over 20 years of being clean and sober. -- Marshall N Brown, Seattle WA

[Politihund]

This story needs some common sense investigation. To think that Mexican Drug Cartels are buying semi-auto weapons from Americans is absurd to the max. Why would a criminal organization, that has millions of dollars and can afford any type of weapon, supposedly buy a semi-auto rifle from some guy off the street who just bought one at a gun shop or show? They buy automatic weapons from other countries where they are commonplace. The Democrats jumped on this rediculous notion to push the reinstatement of the Clinton gun-ban, thinking the average Joe would buy into this insanity. Try looking at it logically and you'll see what BS this is!

[cindyg242]

Anderson Cooper is a moron and the Mexican Attorney General is a lying piece of ****. "Assault rifles, 2200 grenades, missiles and rocket launchers...". How about doing some research before reporting crap? The repelled ban on "assault rifles" was not on automatic rifles (class 3 weapons. The sale of those item is so restricted that makes them harder to get than many of the U.S. national secrets. And where do they get grenades, missiles and rocket launchers? Maybe from the corrupt Mexican police and military, but not from gun dealers in the US. You people are turning dumb and dumber every time I turn on my TV to your channel. It's time to find another media outlet...