Mexico traffickers bribed former anti-drug chief, officials say

Los Angeles Times, 11/22/2008
In a spiraling probe of corruption at the top levels of Mexican law enforcement, authorities said Friday that the nation’s former anti-drug chief had accepted $450,000 to tip off traffickers. Noe Ramirez Mandujano, a veteran federal prosecutor who headed an elite organized crime unit known by its initials in Spanish, SIEDO, was [...]

Mexico’s Calderon Warns Obama Against Renegotiating Trade Deal

Bloomberg, 11/22/2008
Mexican President Felipe Calderón warned Barack Obama against trying to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, saying restricting commerce would only encourage illegal Mexican emigration to the U.S. “The day access is closed, workers will jump over whatever river or wall you put there,” Calderon told business leaders today at the Asia-Pacific Economic [...]

Mexico Economy Can Reach 6% Growth Goal by 2012, Carstens Says

Bloomberg, 11/22/2008
Mexico can meet its goal of annual economic growth of 6 percent by 2012 because strong public finances will help the country recover quickly from a worldwide slowdown, Mexican Finance Minister Agustín Carstens said. Mexico has been able to boost government spending in the face of a global economic crisis for the first time [...]

Is Carlos Salinas returning to Mexican politics?

Financial Times, 11/22/2008
At around midday on the last day of July, a tiny man with a shiny head and a small, bristly moustache turned up in Chihuahua in northern Mexico to promote his latest book. The diminutive figure was that of Carlos Salinas, the country’s former president and probably Mexico’s most dynamic – and most [...]