Posted on 08/03/2005 1:57:58 PM PDT by One_American
MEXICO CITY — Mexico insisted today that the United States reopen its consulate in Nuevo Laredo, saying that a wave of killings and violence gripping the border city never got bad enough to prompt its closing in the first place.
Ruben Aguilar, a chief spokesman for President Vicente Fox, said U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza planned to meet in Mexico City with Interior Secretary Carlos Abascal and Geronimo Gutierrez, assistant foreign secretary for North America. He said the closed-door discussions will access the situation in Nuevo Laredo, and that Mexican authorities would urge Garza to reconsider his decision to shut down the consulate there for a week that began Monday.
"Not only do the conditions exist to reopen the (consulate), but the conditions for closing it never existed," Aguilar said at his daily briefing with reporters.
A U.S. State Department official, speaking on customary condition anonymity, said he wouldn't comment on Aguilar's statements, saying "we have a continuing dialogue with our Mexican counterparts and we regularly meet."
In a statement announcing the consulate would be closed last week, Garza made reference to "continued violence along the border" and an "alarming incident" recently, in which a group of men arriving in several vehicles fired machine guns, grenades and a rocket launcher at a home neighbors say was a safe house for drug smugglers in southern Nuevo Laredo.
Surprised and angered by the move, Mexico has called the ambassador's decision extreme and said it "doesn't correspond to reality."
More than 100 people have been killed in violent ways in the city across from Laredo, Texas, since January, including 15 police officers. Authorities say two powerful drug gangs are battling for control of key smuggling routes into U.S. territory.
"This increase in violence has to do first with a dispute for power between organized criminals, and second with the concentrated efforts of the state to confront organized crime and obligate it to react," Aguilar said Wednesday.
In early June, Nuevo Laredo's police chief was gunned down hours after taking office, and police opened fire on a group of federal agents sent in to restore order, forcing Fox's government to launch a purge of local officers.
That purge was to be completed today, with 460 remaining officers from the original force of about 770 are back on the job in new uniforms, carrying reconditioned guns and riding patrol cars equipped with GPS locators, said Daniel Pena Trevino, the newly appointed municipal police chief.
Most of those dismissed during the purge lost their jobs after failing to show up for drug tests, authorities say.
I think opening a Fallujah consulate comes ahead of reopening Nuevo Laredo's one.
Ruben, and his boss Vincente, can go piss up a rope.
We closed the consulate to protect the safety of our personnel, not to pretend everything is wonderful for Mexican PR. It's not wonderful, and the Mexican government, such as it is, needs to regain effective control of their damned territory.
Anything I say here will get me suspended.
I guess rocket and grenade attacks in the city isn't "bad enough".
They didn't close the US Embassy in Moscow when it came under a rocket attack a few years ago.
There's a slight difference between an embassy and consulate.
Tell you what Mr. Fox, we'll open the consulate if you close the border.
"Drug test? I don't need no stinkin' drug test!"
Yes, and there is a big difference between having someone shoot at your facility and having the rocket attack be across town.
And there is a bigger difference between one attack and putting your citizens in the middle of a crime and corruption ridden cesspool known as nuevo laredo.
"Not only do the conditions exist to reopen the (consulate), but the conditions for closing it never existed," Aguilar said at his daily briefing with reporters.
If Mexicans want to go about their daily routine with bullets whizzing past their heads, more power to 'em. I'm used to a slightly higher quality of life.
So you think the Department of State should be moved out of DC?
I think everything should be moved out of DC.
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