Mexico

Mexico captures 'El Teo,' top drug trafficker in Tijuana

The capture of alleged Tijuana drug trafficker Teodoro “El Teo” Garcia Simental marks the third high-profile take-down of a Mexican drug trafficker in less than a month. He is considered among the most vicious traffickers in the country.
Halting drug war corruption: What Mexico can learn from Colombia

As Mexico struggles to contain its drug traffickers and endemic corruption, Colombia, which has long developed strategies to confront both, may provide a guide.
Saving an Aztec salamander

An effort to save the axolotl – a type of salamander – is also a bid to preserve an ancient culture.
Mexico drug war: Marine hero's family killed

Mexican officials announced Tuesday that the family of a fallen marine, who died in a two-hour shootout last week that took down top drug cartel boss Arturo Beltran Leyva, has been shot and killed by hitmen believed to be tied to Mr. Leyva's gang.
Mexican drug lord: Why Arturo Beltran Levya's death matters

The death of Mexico's top drug lord gives President Calderon a much-need victory in his three-year old strategy of using the Mexican military to attack drug-trafficking cartels, say analysts.
Arturo Beltran Leyva: Mexico's top drug boss killed

In a raid Wednesday, Mexico police shot Arturo Beltran Leyva, the "boss of bosses," the top drug lord in the country. Beltran is the highest ranking figure taken down since President Felipe Calderon took office in 2006.
The rise of Mexico's La Familia, a narco-evangelist cartel

Mexico and the US are working together bring down Mexico's newest, most violent drug cartel. Last month, 303 alleged La Familia members were arrested in 38 US cities. Fifteen members were indicted Friday in Chicago.
For Mexicans seeking to cross the US border, it's not just about jobs anymore

New surveys find the recession has reduced Mexican immigration, but that millions still want to come to the US – and some more for safety than for jobs.
Mexico replaces attorney general in drug-war shift

The cabinet shakeup could signal a hardening of the government's military stand against organized crime.
Global News Blog
Mexico quietly decriminalizes drug use

Now marijuana, cocaine, LSD, and heroin will be tolerated for personal use. It's part of a bid to free up resources and jail space so that authorities can focus efforts on big-time traffickers.
Briefing: How Mexico is waging war on drug cartels

Who are the most powerful cartels, what are the risks of using the military to confront them, and how much progress has Mexico made so far?
Global News Blog
Mexico soccer win vs. US is vindication for many grievances

Mexicans feel distinctly aggrieved toward the US on issues from immigration reform to the economy. On Wednesday, soccer was their revenge.
Mexico's drug war: Cartel kills 12 federal officers

The torture and killings could foreshadow a new surge in battles between authorities and drug cartels in the Mexican president's home state of Michoacán.
Drug cartels launch Mexico's 'Tet offensive'

Gunmen shot up police stations across the country in an apparent retaliation for the arrest of a suspected leader of La Familia drug cartel.
Mexico's Calderon takes drug war to his home state

First, corrupt police were targeted. Now, nearly 30 local officials in Michoacán have been arrested for alleged drug ties.
Bold prison break? Just another day in Mexico's drug war.

The freeing of more than 50 inmates at a state prison – allegedly by members of a drug cartel – garnered headlines worldwide.
How Mexico is tackling the swine flu

Schools and nightclubs are closed. Health officials have new powers to quarantine homes.
Drug war at forefront of Obama's visit to Mexico

He's likely to stress shared responsibility for rising border violence during trip that begins Thursday.
US targets gun flows into Mexico in bid to stem drug violence

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Attorney General Eric Holder visit Mexico Thursday to meet with their counterparts.
Hillary Clinton to Mexico: The US feels your pain

The secretary of state's humility in reaching out to Mexico is part of Obama's plan to change sinking world opinion of the US.
Clinton says US shares responsibility for Mexico's drug violence

The "insatiable" American demand for illegal drugs is part of the problem, she says, and hints at changes ahead in US drug-control policies.
What Mexican drug war? Spring-break students defy travel warnings.

Universities and the US government warned American students about the risks of travel in Mexico. But Cancún numbers are off only slightly.
US tightens up violent Mexican border

Hillary Clinton arrives Wednesday with a new border security plan that signals greater cooperation between the two countries.
Drug violence tarnishes Mexico's international image

The US State Department has issued a new travel advisory warning of 'large firefights' across the country.
Terrorism & Security
Drug violence surges in Mexico

President Felipe Calderón's decision to confront organized crime has spurred drug cartels to fight back.