Op-Ed piece from Hugo Torres in the San Diego Union Tribune:

By Hugo Torres
November 7, 2008

Most of you reading this article likely are aware of the ongoing effort being made by the governments of Baja California and elsewhere in Mexico to eliminate organized crime and the damage it causes, both north and south of the border.

What some of you might not be aware of is the depth of the Mexican government's commitment to win this struggle and the gains we have made.

For the first time, federal, state and local agencies are working together to defeat the cartels. That's why army troops and federal and state police are helping patrol cities including Rosarito Beach.

We have this struggle here in Rosarito and elsewhere because we are along the corridor where drugs have traditionally flowed from South America and other countries to users in the United States, and many have been eager to capitalize on that.

Recently, more drugs have been remaining for use in Mexico as cross-border smuggling has become more difficult, thanks to the efforts of both U.S. and Mexican law enforcement.

Drug smuggling is a huge multibillion-dollar business, one that is entrenched, corrupting and violent.

Since September in Rosarito Beach, we have had 29 killings. Seven of those have been of police officers. Our investigations have shown that nearly all of those killed, including the majority of officers, have been linked to organized crime elements.

Most of the deaths have been caused by rival factions of one cartel assassinating each other. The more pressure the government places on organized crime, the more various factions fight among themselves to control remaining business.

In December an unsuccessful attempt was made on the life of our police chief, a former Army captain, and I have received death threats. The events have only made us more committed.

For anyone who in the past has come to Mexico to traffic in or use drugs – stop. You face greater danger in these times than ever before, as traffickers become even more vicious. You – not those who follow the law – are the ones at serious risk.

What are we in Rosarito doing to further combat organized crime elements and ensure that all others remain safe?

In my campaign last year for mayor, we made improving our city Police Department the key issue. We are the only city to subject all of our officers to tough ethics testing. We have replaced about 50 percent of the force, while increasing its size from 147 to 178.

We improved police equipment and pay, added a special tourist police force, and we have received training assistance from police agencies in the United States. An ombudsman's office has been established to assist our visitors 24 hours a day.

More work remains, but with changes already made we have had no major crime against a visitor to Rosarito this entire year. It is a record of which we are proud and one we believe not many regions anywhere can claim. It is one we are committed to maintain.

For nearly all of our 140,000 residents, day-to-day life goes on largely as normal, albeit with more visible presence of law enforcement. This increased presence actually makes our city safer for everyone.

That includes our hundreds of thousands of visitors. That's why the year – including a busy spring break, Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July, the Rosarito-Ensenada Bike Ride and Labor Day – again passed without major incident involving a tourist.

We are convinced that we have made real progress, and we have the strong backing of our residents.

Recently, representatives of community groups expressed overwhelming support for our efforts. The support included that of major groups representing the 14,000 expatriates living here; from the United States and elsewhere, they are among our strongest backers.

In Rosarito and elsewhere in Mexico, we will do everything we can to win this war against those who damage societies on both sides of the border and put the future of our youth at risk. We ask your understanding and support as we do so.

It is truly a multinational problem that needs multinational solutions.

For the millions in the United States who for decades have loved coming to Baja, we hope you will obtain a full understanding of the situation in our city from friends and relatives living here – and that you will continue to support and visit us.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20081107/news_lz1e7torres.html