History.com describes today’s holiday:
“Cinco de Mayo—or the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage …”
The site explains, in the full article on the holiday:
“Victory at the Battle of Puebla represented a great moral victory for the Mexican government, symbolizing the country’s ability to defend its sovereignty against threat by a powerful foreign nation.”
Mexico should now assert its independence from the policies of the U.S. government, and end its drug war. We discussed the desirability of Latin America legalizing drugs last August. The situation in Mexico has only worsened since then.
The carnage caused by the drug war has intensified, and the U.S. government’s involvement with the futile efforts has increased. In March, the AP reported that the U.S. has been flying drones over Mexico since 2009 in order to gain intelligence on drug trafficking. The program was kept secret from the Mexican Congress and public.
The New York Times, in reporting drone operations since February, discussed other involvement by the U.S.:
“[T]he United States trains thousands of Mexican troops and police officers, collaborates with specially vetted Mexican security units, conducts eavesdropping in Mexico and upgrades Mexican security equipment and intelligence technology, according to American law enforcement and intelligence officials.”
The Times noted, “The American assistance has been kept secret because of legal restrictions in Mexico and the heated political sensitivities there about sovereignty, the officials said.” It further explained:
“In addition to wariness by [President] Calderón’s government about how the American intervention might be perceived at home, the Mexican Constitution prohibits foreign military and law enforcement agents from operating in Mexico except under extremely limited conditions, Mexican officials said, so the legal foundation for such activity may be shaky.”
While a war, including a metaphorical war, usually benefits the government of any country, at the expense of the people, Mexico’s government is losing its drug war. The war has led to massive protests, and jeopardizes the survival of the state. The fact that Mexico nonetheless continues the futile war suggests it is doing so not only because of U.S. aid, but also due to explicit U.S. pressure.
Mr. Calderón could have taken the occasion of the holiday to announce his recognition that Mexico must fully legalize drug possession, cultivation, and distribution. (Mexico decriminalized personal possession of small amounts of drugs in 2006.) Instead, he vowed to win the drug war.
Mexico should reject the wishes of the U.S. government, and take the rational step of legalization. It should not wait for the U.S. to either legalize drugs or approve of Mexico doing so. This is an opportunity for Mexico to defend its sovereignty, as it did in 1862.
In the U.S., December 5th is Repeal Day, little celebrated, but commemorating the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. When Mexico legalizes drugs, people could celebrate a new holiday, El fin de la guerra contra las drogas!
