Rave Radio: Offline (0/0)
Email: Password:
Anonymous
New Account
Forgot Password
News (Media Awareness Project) - Mexico: President Felipe Calderon To Visit Juarez Next Week
Title:Mexico: President Felipe Calderon To Visit Juarez Next Week
Published On:2010-10-09
Source:El Paso Times (TX)
Fetched On:2010-10-10 15:02:53
PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON TO VISIT JUAREZ NEXT WEEK

Mexican President Felipe Calderon is expected to visit Juarez next
week to reinforce his initiatives to revitalize the crime-plagued
city. Exactly when he will be in Juarez is uncertain.

Jaime Torres, a Juarez city spokesman, said Calderon will visit either
Wednesday or Thursday to discuss the "Todos Somos Juarez," or We Are
Juarez, initiative, with city and state officials.

A spokeswoman for Calderon said that the president is planning to
visit Juarez on Tuesday, but that his agenda wouldn't be confirmed
until Monday.

Torres said Friday he wasn't able to confirm the exact day of
Calderon's visit.

Calderon visited Juarez in March to discuss the initiative after the
federal government sent 700 million pesos, or about $55 million, to
Juarez for economic development as part of the campaign. Torres said
the campaign deals with 117 "actions" aimed at developing more
educational, cultural, health, safety and economic programs.

Calderon will also visit with incoming Juarez Mayor Hector Murguia,
who will be sworn into office Sunday, and look at any changes proposed
by new Chihuahua Gov. Cesar Duarte.

As the new governor and mayor take office, Torres said, "everything is
going to change."

Duarte said Calderon's visit is very important to review and establish
new strategies to fight organize crime in the state.

"Chihuahua's government open its arms to the federal government to
plan in-depth alternatives and solutions to the security crisis in our
state," Duarte said.

Calderon may talk about the ongoing drug war in Juarez and propose
changes to the city's police force, Torres said.

Murguia has said Juarez, a city of 1.3 million, needs at least 7,000
police officers. The city now has 3,000.

At the state level, Duarte said, the new Policia Unica, or One Police
Force, will be trained by the Colombians.

The single police force is a partnership between the Department of
Public Safety and the Chihuahua attorney general, in order to avoid
separation that fosters crime, and to restore people's confidence in
government, Duarte said.

Duarte said he was able to visit officials in Colombia and coordinate
their assistance to help Chihuahua's new police.

The Colombian police will share their experience in fighting organize
crime. Anti-abduction, anti-extortion units and an intelligence unit
will be created, he said.

Duarte said officials are also looking forward to working with police
agencies from the United States, Italy and Chile.

The president's visit next week will be his fourth to Juarez this
year.

He visited Feb. 11, days after 15 young people were massacred at a
birthday party. He returned six days later with a promise to send
specially trained federal police to investigate kidnappings and extortions.

His latest visit to Juarez coincided with the killings of two U.S.
Consulate employees and an El Paso County jail detention officer.
During each of his visits, Calderon was met by thousands of protesters
frustrated with the growing violence, which has killed more than 6,400
people since 2008.

Officials didn't confirm whe ther Calderon will attend Tuesday's
soccer match between Mexico's national team and Venezuela's team at
Benito Juarez Stadium in Juarez.
Member Comments
No member comments available...