Mexican leader meets anti-crime march organizers

[saltwn]

I've been reading about violence in Mexico for some time and its spill over across the border. Maybe we better pay attention, huh?

My Way News - Mexican leader meets anti-crime march organizers

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Moving quickly to address mounting anger over crime, President Felipe Calderon promised Sunday to adopt several proposals from civic groups who led more than 100,000 Mexicans in marches against daily kidnappings and killings.

Among the measures are the creation of a citizens' panel to monitor government progress in fighting crime, better police recruiting and oversight systems and equipping officers with more powerful weapons, Mexico's conservative president said.

Calderon acknowledged that Mexicans are desperate to see results two years after he took office and began an aggressive battle against drug traffickers and other criminal gangs.

The government "shares the demands and the indignation of the people," Calderon said after meeting with 14 civic leaders who staged Saturday night's candlelight protests in the capital and cities across the country. "We know the biggest problem in Mexico is public insecurity."

Abductions and homicides - including grisly decapitation killings - have surged despite the deployment of more than 25,000 soldiers and federal police to hotspots across Mexico, and the arrest of several top drug lords.

Hours before Saturday's protests, the severed heads of two women were found near the attorney general's offices in northwestern city of Durango, according to local media reports citing the same agency. No motive was given, but drug gangs in Mexico often behead their rivals.

[cnredd]

I haerd on the radio a couple of days ago that Mexico is starting to get interested because the crimewave is starting to intrude on tourist areas...

Oh!...THAT'S what it takes to get the Mexican leadership to notice?...

[Mikeyy]

I am just a little confused. Didn't the Mexican government pay Guilliani's company $10 million to give them a strategy to fight crime? That was money well spent.