MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Major reshuffle in Mexico includes war on drugs, oil and agriculture

President Felipe Calderon strong hand against drugs cartels has cost 13.500 lives

Mexican President Felipe Calderon announced Monday the resignation of Attorney General Eduardo Medina-Mora, his point-man in the offensive against drug cartels, but gave no indication that the current strategy of full confrontation with the gangs would change.

At a ceremony announcing Cabinet changes Medina-Mora predicted history would judge the tough approach with drug gangs as correct.

“The strategy for recovering the public’s security and the tactic of changing the way things were have been correct,” he said. “Progress has unquestionably been made. The historic decision to use all the power of the state to put a stop to the power of the criminal organizations was fundamental to ensure our future as a nation.”

“History will have to recognize the correctness and valour of this decision,” Medina-Mora said, referring to an offensive launched when Calderon took office in late 2006 and in which 13,500 people have been killed in drug-related violence.

Cabinet changes at midterm are not unusual in Mexico. Calderon, whose term runs from 2006 to 2012, gave no explanation for the officials leaving, including Agriculture and the head of the country’s oil corporation, Pemex, although there had been rumours for some time that Medina-Mora would be giving up his post.

Calderon said he will nominate lawyer Arturo Chavez to replace Medina Mora, and indicated the fight against the gangs won’t stop. He said Chavez “has wide experience in law and specifically in combating organized crime.”

Chavez was not present at the ceremony. Calderon must submit his nomination for the attorney general’s job to the Senate for ratification. Medina Mora will be assigned to as yet unspecified foreign post.

Calderon also announced the resignations of Agriculture Secretary Alberto Cardenas and the director of the oil monopoly, Pemex, Jesus Reyes Heroles. Modernizing and opening the oil industry has been almost an obsession for Calderon