How dare they!

How bizarre…

Rather than, as politicians in the United States have been demanding, the Mexicans have developed a  southern border strategy that does not call for mass detention camps, or expulsions, or even something so weird as the U.S. insistence on people who enter without visa, or overstay their visas, “illegal” (it’s about the only country in the world where such things are considered criminal… maybe North Korea ).

According to a senior Mexican government official, the ”guiding principles” of the southern border strategy, developed by Mexico’s secretariats of governance, defense, navy and the attorney general’s office, are ”absolute respect to human rights; migrant protection through policies to regulate migratory flow and NOT to close the border; and a frontal fight against corruption.”

The Mexicans accept that there are serious problems (including weapons and human trafficking) but don’t see a U.S. style “solution” as anything that would meet their needs.

 

For good measure, the Mexicans are starting to wonder why they ever got involved in that stupid government bailout for the U.S. arms and military supply industry called “Plan Merida”.

”We don’t need the United States’ money. All of the money we’ve received from the Mèrida Initiative since 2008? Every year we spend nine times that much on security.” […] ”Of course, the United States has an interest in our security. We have an interest in the United States’ security as well, particularly when it comes to the huge market for illegal drugs there. And if the United States used the same tactics internally that they ask Latin America to use, military or street law enforcement intervention to stop crime, there would be chaos in the streets.”

Mexico officials, looking at what’s best for Mexico, and what’s the most humane way to deal with refugees from Central America. And not asking “how high?” when the U.S. says “jump”?

How utterly bizarre. And refreshing.

David McComber, NY Times Syndication. Mexico develops a border strategy, but will it suit US?
(Telegram.com)