Merida Initiative
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This was an agreement between the US and Mexico that was signed in 2008. The goals were combating: drug trafficking, organized crime, and money laundering. The Mexican government pointed out that the drug trade is a shared problem between the US and Mexico; the US government was appreciative of the fact that then-president Felipe Calderon was willing to work with the United States on these issues (many previous Mexican presidents had not). The U.S. Congress passed a bill giving Mexico $400 million and other Central American countries $65 million to the purpose of addressing these issues - it was signed into law by George W. Bush. Money was spent training officers and on equipment such as drug scanning machines and military vehicles and weapons. Criticisms/concerns: The US had tried something similar with Columbia (called the Plan Columbia) and it failed - drug trafficking actually increased there. Concern that the interrogation methods used by the officers would include torture and/or limit the freedoms and personal privacy. Also concern that it would help fund (and make too powerful) the Mexican military.