A Kiss and A Slap

In its relationship with the government of President Felipe Calderón, the administration of Barack Obama has been consistent in three positions from the start:

1. To recognize and applaud the efforts of the Mexican state and its leader in the fight against organized crime.

2. In discourse, admit that Washington is responsible for the growth of the phenomenon, but in practice provide very little help through the much-publicized Merida Initiative and do almost nothing to fix the lack of arms control.

3. To express their concerns, through formal or informal channels, about the delicate situation in the country and make it clear that, although the U.S. applauds the efforts of the Mexican government, these efforts are not sufficient.

While Barack Obama seeks to commend Felipe Calderón by comparing him to Elliot Ness, the Pentagon leaks that Mexico is a “failed state.” While Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security for the United States, states that she is filled with confidence and trust for the Mexican Army, Navy, and the Attorney General, our neighbor’s military is concerned about the “narco-insurgency.” Days after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared herself a “fan” of the Mexican president, the Under Secretary of the Army, Joseph Westphal, said that the traffickers would overthrow the federal government. In addition, he declared that the U.S. Army would have to send troops into Mexico soil (one day later, a government official distanced Obama’s government from such “personal” assessments and apologized for what was said. But the fact remains that what was said, was said.)

One does not even have to mention America’s distrust of the Mexican authorities exposed by WikiLeaks, or that this week Washington has arrived at a total of 14 citizen travel advisories to avoid travel or to exercise extra caution in 14 Mexican states.

A few days before the scandalous statement made by Under Secretary Westphal, Janet Napolitano made a speech directed at the Mexican criminal cartels, which warned them to not even think of bringing their violent methods into U.S. territory, because they would be fought against with all the State’s strength.

Just a few hours after Westphal’s apology, Napolitano argued before the U.S. Congress that there is a large risk and possibility that terrorist organizations, like al-Qaida, could work with Mexican criminal groups such as Los Zetas.

The stick and the carrot. Again and again. The kiss and the slap. The Mexican government only manages to get indignant when they get the devastating diagnosis. Then they smile for the photo when they come knocking on the door with flowers.