"Health & Medical News"

After months of secret negotiations, the Bush administration announced that it will seek $500 million from Congress for a joint anti-drug campaign with the Mexican government, the Washington Post reported Oct. 23.

The money would be used to buy helicopters, communications gear and inspection equipment, and pay for training and canine units in Mexico as that country’s military and police battle powerful drug cartels. The funding request will be included in a $46-billion supplemental budget request for fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The total aid package to Mexico would total $1.4 billion over several years, if approved.

Bush also wants $50 million to fight drugs in Central America.

“This initiative … represents a fundamental shift in strengthening our strategic partnership and is the single most aggressive undertaking ever to combat Mexican drug cartels,” said Antonio Garza Jr., the U.S. ambassador to Mexico. But some in Congress were critical of the program and of the Bush administration’s secret negotiations with Mexico.

“Congress was not consulted as the plan was developed. This is not a good way to kick off such an important effort to fight the increase in narco-trafficking and violence in the region,” said Rep. Eliot Engel, chair of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. “I hope that the administration will be more forthcoming with members of Congress now that they have announced the plan.”

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