Pubdate: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 Source: El Paso Times (TX) Copyright: 2002 El Paso Times Contact: http://www.elpasotimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/829 Author: Diana Washington Valdez MEXICO'S SOUTHERN BORDER HAS SIMILAR WOES CANCUN, Mexico -- Mexico's southern border with Guatemala and Belize experiences the same kind of problems seen in the El Paso-Juarez area: illegal immigration, drug trafficking, explosive growth, and environmental and water disputes. Recently, Mexican military authorities intercepted two groups of undocumented immigrants from South and Central American countries. Had they not been caught, they would have made their way to the northern border, perhaps crossing through El Paso. The undocumented immigrants paid a smuggler about $4,000 each to help them get to the United States. The beach resort community of Cancun also sees undocumented immigrants from Cuba and other parts of the world, including Europe. They don't have immigration papers that permit them to be in Mexico or the United States. In some cases, they are trying to get jobs in the tourist industry but don't have Mexican work permits. The Drug Trade Mexican marine police patrol the coastline, much like our Border Patrol spends its time watching the desert, looking for contraband activity. The Juarez drug cartel, which imports cocaine from Colombia, controls the drug trade in Cancun. Drug dealers often use small motorboats and yachts to ferry cocaine to Mexico's beaches. Federal investigators say that some Cancun hotels that cater to tourists offer "room service" on small cocaine orders, which adolescents as young as 14 years old deliver. If fact, it was in Cancun that Rafael Aguilar, a former Juarez law- enforcement official and founder of the cartel, was shot to death, allegedly on orders of the late Amado Carrillo Fuentes, who wanted to control the organization. Pope's Visit Pope John Paul II may have left Mexico, but politicians and some church organizations are still fuming over President Vicente Fox kissing the pope's ring in public during the pontiff's fifth visit to the country. Officials of the Revolutionary Democratic Party and evangelical Protestant leaders contend that Fox's gesture was one of submission by one head of state to another. They also alleged that he violated a Mexican federal law that prohibits government officials from participating in any kind of religious service while acting in an official capacity. Fox denied any wrongdoing. Along with a couple of state governors and federal Cabinet members, he attended the July 31 canonization Mass for Juan Diego. Fox is Catholic. Was it devotion or a photo opportunity? After all, the pope seems to enjoy the kind of celebrity status that no Mexican politician has managed to attain. His picture was everywhere -- on posters, bumper stickers, pins and lottery tickets. His popularity was undeniable. Fox and the other politicians suffering from weak poll numbers probably wanted to find out his secret. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh