Mexico president: Fighting drugs, crime top priority after year in office

By Jessica Bernstein-Wax

ASSOCIATED PRESS

1:04 p.m. December 1, 2007

MEXICO CITY – Fighting drug gangs and organized crime remains the top priority of Mexico's government, President Felipe Calderón said Saturday as he marked his first year in office.

“The biggest threat to Mexico's future is lack of public safety and organized crime,” Calderón said in a speech at the National Palace. “But with one year in office, I am more convinced than ever that we are going to win this battle.”

Calderón said that since launching a nationwide military and police offensive against drug gangs in January, security forces have arrested some 15,000 people with links to organized crime and made enormous drug busts.

Mexican authorities last month seized 26 tons of cocaine, in what they called the world's biggest single cocaine bust. In October, authorities seized 11 tons of cocaine in northern Mexico.