Mexico, U.S. 1.4 Billion Aid Package To Fight Organized Crime

MEXICO CITY, DF(AP) – The U.S. and Mexico today announced a 1.4 billion dollar aid package to fight drug trafficking and other organized crime south of the border.

President Bush submitted a request to the U.S. Congress for $00 million dollars of the package to fund security cooperation with Mexico. U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza says Bush also requested $50 million dollars to fight drug trafficking in Central America.

Bush spoke with Mexican President Felipe Calderon by phone about the so-called “Merida Initiative.” It’s named for the Yucatan Peninsula city where the bilateral negotiations began.

The plan does not involve sending U.S. troops onto Mexican soil. Mexico’s Foreign Relation Department says the initiative will allow both countries to confront — more efficiently — the common threat of transnational organized crime.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)