Mexico's Social Development Minister Ernesto Cordero Arroyo warned today that the "economic downturn is complicating the battle against drug trafficking, draining state budgets and boosting the ranks of the unemployed who may turn to criminal gangs for work":
"An adverse (economic) situation like the one we're faced with obviously complicates the fight against drug trafficking," Social Development Minister Ernesto Cordero Arroyo said. "People have less opportunities of legal work and the illegal jobs are still there, they're still attractive for many communities." * * * Arroyo, attending a labour ministers' meeting in Rome, said the ongoing contraction -- which reached a 9.48 percent annual rate in January -- had made it difficult to increase spending on crucial programmes. * * * "It (the economic downturn) also complicates things because it makes it difficult to strengthen public finances of states so they can combat organised crime, not just in Mexico, but in general," Arroyo said.
Comments