Posted on 01/07/2004 4:21:08 PM PST by hotpotato
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The presence of U.S. security agents at Mexican airports as part of a crackdown on U.S.-bound flights has upset politicians, churchmen and rights groups who say Washington is infringing on Mexico's sovereignty.
Mexico's human rights ombudsman said Tuesday it has lodged an official complaint with several government ministries demanding to know the legal basis for the presence of U.S. security agents at Mexico City airport in recent days.
Witnesses say U.S. Transportation Security Administration agents are supervising extensive security checks on passengers and hand-luggage that have caused delays.
The watchdog demanded the government respect the law and ensure passengers are not searched by foreigners on home soil.
"The United States has every right to apply the security measures and requirements it wants to allow foreigners to enter their territory or not...but it doesn't have the authority to apply them in Mexican national territory," the ombudsman said.
Nationalistic Mexicans look with admiration at Brazil which is fingerprinting U.S. visitors in retaliation for new U.S. anti-terrorism controls on passengers from many countries, including some Mexicans, at U.S. airports.
Mexico has stepped up security in line with the U.S. crackdown, putting armed, undercover federal police on flights to key U.S. destinations in response to U.S. fears hijackers could launch a terror attack on a U.S.-bound airline.
Two Aeromexico flights from Mexico City to Los Angeles were canceled over New Year due to security concerns although neither government has announced what the specific threat was.
Legislators from Mexico's main opposition parties have voiced concern over the security measures and may summon Transport Minister Pedro Cerisola to Congress to explain them.
Even Mexico's top cardinal Norberto Rivera added his voice to the protests over the weekend. "I think that basically supervision here in Mexico has to be done by Mexicans and that another country can't come and intervene," he said.
Mexico and the United States share a 2,000-mile border that is crossed illegally by hundreds of thousands of Mexicans each year, raising U.S. concerns that Mexico could be an easy springboard for attacks on the United States.
Mexico, which sends 90 percent of exports to the United States, its main trading partner, says the presence of U.S. officials at its airports is legal.
Alfonso de Maria y Campos, an official at the foreign ministry, told reporters that international accords allowed intelligence officials from U.S. agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI and the Department of Homeland Security to operate in Mexico.
"They are allowed to exchange information, which is what they are doing, but not carry out operational tasks," he said.
Giberto Lopez, head of civil aviation, said a security risk was set off over the holiday period by the discovery of two abandonned suitcases, one at Tijuana airport on the U.S. border and the other at the airport for Acapulco, a beach resort especially popular with U.S. tourists.
Electronic screening detected signs of explosives in the cases but more checks showed the bags did not pose any danger.
How unusual is this really? Doesn't Israel have its own security agents covering security at El Al terminals here in the U.S.?
| Rank | Location | Receipts | Donors/Avg | Freepers/Avg | Monthlies | |||
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| 46 | Thailand | 50.00 |
1 |
50.00 |
7 |
7.14 |
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Let's make a deal. Mexico takes back it's illegal immigrants, and we'll take back our security people. Fair? Fair.
Well put. Let them eat Tacos.
How funny is this ... coming out of Mexico?
BTW! Don't we have officers in the Canadian airports sending flights south? Seems like it's just a simple convenience to passengers. You clear there, get on the plane and walk off here just like a domestic flight. I like it!
Boo frickin who. Take a look in the mirror.
Are you saying we *didn't* ask? That our agents just took it upon themselves to go down to Mexico and act as security agents checking passengers boarding flights without permission?
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