Mexican drug cartel offers to disband if country protects its people, Mexico refuses "negotiating"

[News_Editor]

Mexican drug cartel offers to disband if country protects its people, Mexico refuses "negotiating"

2010-11-12 00:05:10 GMT+7 (ICT)

MEXICO CITY (BNO NEWS) -- Members of Mexican drug cartel "La Familia Michoacana" set up several banners throughout the central western state of Michoacan, offering to disband, but government authorities responded quickly, saying they would not negotiate with any criminal organization.

According to the statements, the drug cartel is willing to cease its operations and return to its regular productive activities if Mexico's government authorities guarantee peace in the region and "commit to assume the state's control sturdily and decisively."

"If the government accepts this public commitment and carries it out, La Familia Michoaca will dismantle in order for federal authorities to no longer continue to violate Michoacan's human rights," the banners states.

However, Mexico's Attorney General's Office (PGR) spokesperson Ricardo Najera said that the "law is not negotiable," backing previous statements by President Felipe Calderon and his administration's stance on the possibility of making a pact with organized crime.

"The PGR cannot make pacts with crime and even less, with organized crime," Najera said. "Its obligation is to enforce law in every aspect."

Nonetheless, government officials have stated that it is unknown whether those messages are authentic.

In July 2009, a man who identified himself as Servando Gomez Martinez, "la Tuta," publicly announced that La Familia Michoacana drug cartel was willing to make a "national pact" and hold talks with President Calderon. During his announcement, Gomez Martinez said the cartel's dispute was with the police because they "come and create culprits," taking innocent people throughout the state of Michoacan.

"We respect the National Army and Navy," he added, but then Government Secretary Fernando Gomez Mont insisted that authorities do not hold talks or negotiate with criminals.

Over 9,000 people have been killed in drug-related crime in Mexico this year, and since December 2006, the country's death toll has reached 28,300 when a government offensive was launched against criminal organizations.

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