Bush seeks funds to help Mexico combat drug trade

By Caren Bohan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush asked Congress on Monday for $500 million to help Mexico fight powerful drug gangs as part of larger program to curb violence and the flow of narcotics into the United States.

Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon have spent several months hammering out the details of the package, which comes as the United States has welcomed a crackdown by Mexico on drug trafficking.

Concerned about killings tied to the narcotics trade, Mexican officials have made a series of drug raids, including one earlier this month in the city of Tampico that resulted in Mexico's biggest cocaine bust.

"The United States will do all it can to support Mexico's efforts to break the power and impunity of drug organizations and to strengthen Mexico's capabilities to deal with these common threats," White House press secretary Dana Perino said in a statement.

Bush's initial $500 million request for Mexico is part of a program that will total $1.4 billion. His administration has also requested $50 million for counter-narcotics efforts in Central American countries.

Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa said the three-year program meant the United States would send its southern neighbor equipment such as surveillance aircraft, drug-detection gear and data-processing technology.

Washington would not send Mexico cash, nor would it ask for guarantees in terms of arrests, get involved in strategy or send soldiers, she told a news conference. "At no point has the presence of U.S. troops or the participation of U.S. personnel or companies been contemplated," she said in Mexico City.

The anti-drug request earlier received a cautious reception from Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, who chided the White House for not consulting Congress more on details of the plan.

'DEVIL IN DETAILS'

"The devil will be in the details, and to this point, the details are scarce," Menendez said. He said he would be concerned if there was too much of a focus on enforcement without broader measures such as economic initiatives aimed at addressing the roots of the drug trade.

Calderon deployed 25,000 troops last December to back up police in fighting the cartels amid a surge in drug-related murders.

The Bush administration has said Mexico's crackdown has contributed to shortages in the United States of drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine, causing street prices to jump.

Bush spoke by phone to Calderon about the counter-narcotics plan before announcing the funding request.

The plan comes as the United States is struggling to compete with other powers in providing assistance and wielding influence in Latin America and elsewhere.

U.S. officials had already emphasized that no U.S. troops will be sent to Mexico as part of the counter-narcotics program, a sensitive issue in Mexico, where many would view a U.S. military presence as a breach of sovereignty.