As Mexico continues to spiral into chaos with their out of control cartel violence, the U.S. government continues to fuel the drug war by providing weapons, helicopters and hummers to what is considered by many to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
As Breitbart Texas’ Bob Price reported, a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute revealing that Barack Obama has led the U.S. Government to the number one spot as the world’s top weapons exporter.
A number of those weapons and war vehicles have made their way to Mexico who, despite claims otherwise, continues as a warzone where cartel gunmen openly challenge the Mexican military in fierce gun battles.
Just last week, the border city of Reynosa became national news when the capture of a Gulf Cartel boss set off a fierce hour’s long firefight, Breitbart Texas previously reported. During the fighting, the rumor that cartel gunmen had shot down a Mexican military helicopter spread like wildfire.
While the Reynosa helicopter proved to be false, Mexican cartel members have successfully shot down police and military helicopters in the past.
In 2011 members of the ultra-violent cartel previously known as la Familia Michoacana opened fire on a Mexican police helicopter forcing it down, U-T San Diego reported at the time.
In April 2014, a group of Gulf Cartel gunmen tried unsuccessfully to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter, the Mexican marines aboard managed to shoot back and kill three of the gunmen forcing the others to flee, Mexico’s SDP Noticias reported at the time.
While officials are reluctant to describe the cartel situation in Mexico as a war, officials on both sides of the border have been stockpiling weapons in order to deal with cartels. A YouTube.com (below) video posted in 2011 by the blog Guerra Del Narco claims to show Mexican marines shooting at Zetas out of a helicopter.
Another YouTube.com video (below) from another blog shows a helicopter full of Mexican Federales getting ready for battle. In the last seconds of the 5:42 video the cops rein gunfire on a group of cartel gunmen.
In December 2008, the U.S. Government and Mexico kicked off the Merida initiative in an effort to help Mexico deal with their out of control cartel problem. Since Obama took office in January 2009, Mexico has received $1.2 billion in aid, training and weapons and is expected to receive a total of $2.3 billion, according to the U.S. Department of State.
So far, the Mexican government has received four CASA surveillance planes valued at $50 million, and several Blackhawk helicopters that were issued to the Mexican Navy and the Federal Police.
“These aircraft have proven invaluable in confronting criminal organizations who would otherwise have used the advantage of difficult terrain to operate with impunity,” the U.S. Department of State is quoted in a Merida Initiative report.
Just last month the State Department requested three additional Blackhawk helicopters with six machine guns from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The three helicopters which along with the needed training and spare parts are valued at $110 million are destined for Mexican authorities.
In May 2014, the State Department had requested close to 3,400 all-terrain vehicles commonly called hummers from the DSCA that were destined for Mexican troops. The vehicles, parts and training have a cost of $556 million.
In April 2014, they also requested 18 Blackhawk helicopters with 36 machine guns also from DSCA. The helicopters and the equipment have a value of $680 million.
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