Mexico hopes $270 million in social spending will help end Juarez drug violence

Washington Post, 8/12/2010

“We have to repair the social fabric here,” said Abelardo Escobar, a cabinet member sent by Mexican President Felipe Calderón with a new rescue package for Juarez, a $270 million surge in social spending.

The money is paying for schools, hospital renovations, student breakfasts, a youth orchestra, anti-violence training and drug treatment centers. There are funds to promote physical fitness, build eco-friendly houses and support free concerts — 160 projects in all.

The government calls the campaign “Todos Somos Juárez” — “We are all Juarez.”

“We need to build trust and a sense of belonging,” Escobar said. “We need to give people hope again.”

Read more…

Calderon makes his third visit to Juarez (In Spanish)

El Universal, 3/16/2010

President Felipe Calderón travels to Ciudad Juárez in midst of the aftermath of the crime against officials of the U.S. Consulate, the growing murder problem, and a lack of results from the plan to rescue the city.

This is the third visit by Calderón to the border city since the killing of the young students in January.

Antonio Vivanco, coordinator of  Calderòn’s advisors, said, on March 4th in a chat on the page http://www.todossomosjuarez.gob.mx, that the program Todos Somos Juàrez is implementing actions such as the establishment of secure corridors of travel on the main travel routes through the city with armored Federal Police vehicles, special operations groups, and air patrols with helicopters.

Read more…