Governor of Coahuila: U.S. is a Hypocrite

Governor Humberto Moreira symbolically hiding his wallet in his sock before taking a stroll in Santa Fe, New Mexico, after announcing that the U.S. is a more violent and insecure country than Mexico.

The Excelsior newspaper of Mexico City reported Monday from the 28th annual Border Governor’s Conference being held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that the Governor of the border state of Coahuila, Humberto Moreira, said the United States is a more violent and insecure country than Mexico, and that the statistical evidence showing the insecurity experienced by U.S. citizens is hidden from view in a “hypocritical” manner.

Moreira, who also aspires to the presidency of the national PRI party after his current term as Governor ends, stated in an interview given from the Conference venue in Santa Fe that he is concerned to be a neighbor of a country that covers up information about its insecurity, “it concerns me very much that we are neighbors, to see a country like the U.S. with so much insecurity.”

In an interview prior to meeting with the host of this year’s Conference, Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, the Governor of Coahuila also stated he would present hard data and statistics showing that violent deaths in his state of Coahuila in the last thirty years equals the number of violent deaths in one year in the state of California.

“I will raise this issue and discuss it, because Mexicans aren’t aware of this information” said Moreira, “they go to the U.S. and face serious security problems they are not aware of. America is a very dangerous place”.

Within this context the Governor of Coahuila felt that the conference should be a forum for “confessions” by the U.S. to spotlight the reasons why it cannot stem the flow and sales of arms into Mexico and to explain how drugs, once they cross the border, flow all the way to New York.

“I have a great curiosity about why the United States does not shed light on this darkness. Let's open our eyes and realize that these men do nothing to stop the flow of arms to our country and do much to hide the insecurity in their country” Moreira added.

“I want to know when they will explain how drugs flow from the border and come to New York. They must also have cartels and corruption," he said, while hiding his wallet in a sock before heading out to walk around the Plaza Guadalupe, outside the hotel where the Conference was held.

The statements by Moreira were the most glaring act in a Conference full of political theater. They were contradictory in that the Governor apparently feels safe enough to reportedly own homes in Texas and Colorado.

The reason for Moreira’s statements may have been to add nationalist credentials to his resume in his quest to become the PRI party leader and were aimed at the PRI party membership. The statements may also have been made as a rebuke against U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Many in Mexico’s political establishment were angered by Hillary Clinton’s recent statements regarding the “Colombianization” of Mexico in its war against the drug cartels.

The 28th Border Governor’s Conference was originally scheduled to convene in Arizona but the Governors of the six Mexican border states boycotted that meeting in protest of the passage of Arizona’s new Immigration Law.

As the result of this boycott Governor Jan Brewer cancelled the meeting which was then rescheduled for New Mexico through the efforts of Governor Bill Richardson. However, Governor Brewer boycotted this meeting in response to the previous actions by the Mexican Governors.

The Republican Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, who is in the midst of a re-election campaign, then decided to boycott the Conference in support of fellow Republican Governor Brewer, and through this act, to solidify the support of the more conservative elements of his party.

This is the second consecutive year that only Governor Bill Richardson attends the conference. The three Republican border Governors did not attend last year’s Conference held in Monterrey, Mexico.

It is unfortunate that this separation is growing when bi-national coordinated action by the U.S. and Mexico is essential for success against the drug cartels.

Sources used for this article:
Excelsior/Carlos Coria Rivas, corresponsal
http://www.excelsior.com.mx/index.php?m=nota&buscado=1&id_nota=663589
The Dallas Morning News/CHRISTY HOPPE
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/071310dntswperryborder.222c0d2.html