50 People Who Matter 2010 | 17. Felipe Calderon

Mexican brave.

By New Statesman Published 21 September 2010

Mexico's president runs a country in the grip of a pseudo civil war.

In 2006, cracking down on the drug cartels was a way to secure support, but the bloody campaign has left 28,000 dead. In addition, Mexico's border with the US is now patrolled by over 20,000 guards to tackle the huge increase in attempts at illegal immigration.

Calderón faces a stark choice: be tough on drugs and risk public security, or soften the approach, consider legalising drugs and take the consequences.

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7 comments

Israel's picture

Sun, 2010-11-21 18:19 — Israel (not verified)

Alejandro doesn’t known anything about president Calderon, every sentence on his comment is a mistake; Calderon is one of the best president all times.

Lu's picture

Fri, 2010-11-26 07:45 — Lu (not verified)

Mexico is a newly industrialized nation, narco trafficking can set their economic success backwards. Calderon is protecting many mexicans hardwork.

ed's picture

Thu, 2010-11-11 07:46 — ed (not verified)

thanks to president calderon Mexico will one day be a much more prosperous country, it has been a long time coming that Mexico had the capacity of a president that had to courage to stand to organized crime

manuel's picture

Fri, 2010-12-10 08:00 — manuel (not verified)

alejandro you're a dick

Alejandro's picture

Thu, 2010-09-30 19:40 — Alejandro (not verified)

This man could not be important por the globe. Maybe he is doing something good por the Earth. But he is always drunk, he hits his wife and he always talk trash about people people killed in clashes.

For example, one time there as a clash in Juárez in a party. And two young people were killed. Then Calderon said: "No problem, they were narcos"
Are you serious? Those are good students they were in a party having some fun.

This president is not a good father, is not a good president and he is not a good human for this world.

Eugenio's picture

Sat, 2010-10-09 11:14 — Eugenio (not verified)

Calderón is a great president and his fight should be relevant to the whole world. We Mexicans are tired of the problems that both drug dealers and drug demand of the U.S. bring on us. Calderon has not only used his federal and military forces, but also has demanded to the US government to help by regulating the sale of weapons and decreasing the demand of drugs.

Mexicans support this effort, on the military parade of last month everyone was cheering the army, yelling things like "don't give up" "be brave" "hard on them".

And yes, the majority of people dying are related to the drug cartels. That is a fact that even the left winged media can't deny.

One day, our sons will have a peaceful and secure Mexico because of the efforts we decide to do today and we should thank Calderon for being up to the task.

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