New York Times, 5/17/2010
If President Felipe Calderón of Mexico looks a little preoccupied during the state dinner President Obama has planned for him in Washington this week, it would not be hard to understand why.
One of Mr. Calderón’s close friends was recently kidnapped. Blood was found in the man’s vehicle. His whereabouts remain unknown.
When Mr. Calderón addresses a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, he will face a tricky task: How can he discuss the violence in his country with enough urgency to secure more assistance from Washington but also reassure American lawmakers that Mexico is not spinning out of control?
