MEXICO CITY — Mexico on Thursday quadrupled the number of federal police in a gang-plagued western state after a cartel’s revenge slaying of 20 officers and troops.
Amid the violence, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton indicated Thursday that the U.S. is committed to the so-called Merida Initiative, a $1.4 billion funding package aimed at helping Mexico to train and equip its anti-drug efforts.
Mexico could certainly use it: The government deployed 1,000 more federal police to Michoacan, home base for the La Familia cartel, bringing the total to 1,300, officials said. They will be backed by Black Hawk helicopters and armored vehicles.
La Familia cartel launched its coordinated offensive Saturday within minutes of the arrest of its reputed operations chief, Arnoldo Rueda. The Associated Press
