As Barack Obama prepares himself to become the 44th president of the United States of America, the world's most powerful kingdom, we are reminded of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, when the Three Kings came bearing gifts for the newborn savior of the world.
While Mr. Obama may not be the savior of the world, he seems undoubtedly to be considered as such by those who , unlike the Three Kings, are gathering in Washington without gifts but undoubtedly asking for some. The first among them appears to be President Felipe Calderón, President of Mexico, who will be meeting Mr. Obama on Monday.
President Calderón arrives in Washington with a truckload of problems: security, immigration and economic.
Back in 2000, when the newly elected president of Mexico, rancher Vicente Fox met with the newly elected president of the United States, rancher George W. Bush down in Mexico, there was mucho euphoria on both sides. Both boot-wearing presidents were going to be great amigos, solve the problem of illegal immigration and support Mexico in its efforts to become an equal partner with the United States and become a first world country. The events of 9/11 put an end to their plans.
As Jorge Ramos, Univision reporter and one of the 25 most influential Hispanics in the United States, commented in his editorial in Reforma (09/01/09), Mr. Obama is the great salesman of Hope: he is expected to end the war in Iraq, capture Osama bin Laden, end global warming, end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, end all dictatorships, and help Latin America, Africa and Asia (to name a few).
Ramos went on to say that during a press interview with Mr. Obama in Denver, Colorado in May 28, 2008, he asked Mr. Obama if he planned to legalize millions of illegals living in the United States. Obama replied he did not. "But," he said, "I can guarantee that in the first year (of my administration) we will have a proposal for immigration reform."
So what does President Calderón want? His first concern (and that of most Mexicans) is that of security. Over 5,000 persons were murdered in 2008 in drug-related violence. Most recently the headquarters of Televisa -- Mexico's leading television network -- in Monterrey, was attacked by unknown assailants who warned, "Stop reporting about us and report on the 'narcomandatarios'." This could be interpreted as more reporting about cartel bosses rather than their operatives.
Throughout 2008 President Calderón has embarked on an all out war on the drug cartels by using the army to carry out the offensive. While his government reports on many successful raids on drug safe houses and even 'safe' towns, the resulting violence has spread throughout Mexico. One such safe house was raided in an upscale residential area Mexico City. Those captured included a couple of Colombian women, two white tiger cubs and a monkey. In another raid, Miss Sinaloa, Laura Elena Zuñiga was captured along with her boyfriend Angel Orlando García, head of a Juarez drug cartel, and a truck full of weapons and over $53,000 dollars in cash. Miss Sinaloa said they were simply going shopping.
Since the overthrow of many of the drug lords in Colombia (with the assistance of the United States), Mexico has become the gateway for drugs entering the United States, the world's apparently biggest consumer of drugs. Conversely, the United States has become the biggest supplier of firearms to Mexico thanks to the ease with which firearms can be purchased there.
We venture to say that perhaps security is a common concern of both presidents and Mr. Obama's analytical ability in problem solving could bring about a solution to this dilemma which cannot be solved by sending both the Mexican and U.S. armies to fight these drug wars.