http://en.rian.ru/images/15792/20/157922061.jpg When asked on whether the strengthening of ties between Russia and Mexico would affect U.S.-Russian relations, Toner said "no, I don't believe so."
The United States has no objections to Russian-Mexican joint efforts to fight drug trafficking in the Latin American state, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner has said.
Russia has reiterated its readiness to help Mexico fight the drug criminality, a major woe for the U.S. neighbor. The joint U.S.-Mexican Merida Initiative with the same goal has been widely criticized. Critics say the project has yielded no significant results despite huge investments.
Answering the journalist's question on how the U.S. views Russia's initiative, Toner said there were no grounds for anxiety.
"I mean, Mexico is a close neighbor, friend, partner with the United States. I would just say it's welcome to pursue bilateral relationships with any country it wants to, including Russia," he said.
When asked on whether the strengthening of ties between Russia and Mexico would affect U.S.-Russian relations, Toner said "no, I don't believe so."
Merida Initiative is a security cooperation between the United States, Mexico and Central American states aimed at combating the drug trafficking, transnational crime and money laundering. The assistance includes training, equipment and intelligence.
Mexico has been the main hub for drug trafficking from Latin America to the U.S., with annual drug supplies estimated at around $40 billion. Some 45,000 servicemen have been involved in anti-drug operations at the border between the two countries.
In his New Year's speech, Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared fighting drug crimes in Mexico the government's top priority for 2010.
The Russian Special Forces purpose regiments or Spetsnaz, Specnaz (Russian: Войска специального назначения, (спецназ) tr: Voyska spetsialnogo naznacheniya, pronounced [spʲetsnaz]) is a general term for “special forces” in Russian, literally “special purpose units”. Russian special forces (Spetsnaz) can refer to any élite or special purpose units under subordination of the Federal Security Service (FSB) or Internal Troops of Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the units controlled by the military intelligence service GRU.
The Mexican Special Forces Airmobile Group (Grupo Aeromovil de Fuerzas Especiales, GAFE) is a military entity under the Ministry of National Defence (Secretaria de la Defensa Nacional, SEDENA) Originally created in 1986 as a special forces unit called Rapid Intervention Forces (Fuerzas de Intervención Rápida) GAFES.It’s a group with no more than 500 members, carefully selected from the Mexican Army Special Forces Corps and specially trained in counter-terrorism.
March 1st, 2017, 06:15
vector7
Re: Mexico - Russia Ties
Quote:
Flashback: Mexico sees Russian gambit in Ukraine as chance for American land grab
On Friday, in Geneva, Mexico signaled alarm at the treatment of its large Mexican minority in the United States, comparing American actions to prevent the use of Spanish to attempts in Ukraine and Estonia to prevent the use of Russian.
While Mexico’s foreign policy has been generally benign toward the United States since hostilities in the Mexican-American War ended in 1848, the Latin-American country has been keeping a close eye on developing events in Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula.
Russia has maintained that annexation of the Crimea peninsula is justified because it has the right to protect Russian speakers outside of Russia’s borders.
Mexican political leaders have taken note, perhaps sensing an opportunity to gain long-lost territory and increase the size of its economy by expanding northward into areas currently administered by the United States.
Mexico has begun enthusiastically supporting protections for linguistic minorities, a Mexico City diplomat told the United Nations Human Rights Council.
“Language must not be used to segregate and isolate groups,” the diplomat said, according to details provided to The Daily Caller by the U.N. Mexico has officially expressed concern about “steps taken in this regard by belligerent elements in the United States.”
As an example, the Mexico City envoy mentioned a Texas middle school principal’s attempt to ban the use of Spanish in classrooms.
The Mexican diplomat then forthrightly compared the treatment of Mexicans in the United States to the treatment of Russian speakers in Ukraine.
Mexico, the diplomat said, has the right to protect Spanish speakers who have migrated without documentation to the United States in search of economic opportunity. He further noted that, unlike in Ukraine, these migrants very often remain full Mexican citizens.
The text of the Mexican remarks is strikingly similar to language recently used by Russian envoys to protest demands by Estonia that Estonia’s considerable Russian minority should learn to speak Estonian.
In response, a U.S. diplomat asserted that the government in Washington, D.C. has endorsed protection of the rights of Spanish-speaking minorities “to the utmost international standards.” The American remarked that some leaders in the ruling Democratic party have pushed for immigration reform which would grant citizenship to Spanish-speaking Mexicans who initially entered the United States illegally.
Both Ukraine and Estonia were members of the Soviet Union until the Soviet Union’s dissolution.
Similarly, Mexico held parts of Texas, New Mexico and California before losing the land to the United States as a result of the Mexican-American War.
China and Mexico have pledged to strengthen military cooperation and elevate mutual ties to a new level.
The pledge was made during a meeting between Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Fan Changlong, and visiting Minister of National Defense Salvador Cienfuegos and Minister of the Navy Vidal Francisco Soberon from Mexico on Oct. 28.
Fan spoke of China's willingness to develop military cooperation and relations with Mexico to a higher level and to enrich their comprehensive strategic partnership.
Cienfuegos and Soberon acknowledged China's impressive development achievements. They also hope both nations will jointly advance the new type of military relationship via closer communication and stronger cooperation.
Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan later held talks with the two Mexican senior military officials.
"China and Mexico have maintained good communication between their defense ministries and the two militaries," said Chang.
He pointed out that China is willing to work with Mexico for a military relationship compatible with the two countries comprehensive strategic partnership.
Chang also briefed the Mexican visitors on the 6th plenary session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, which was held from October 24th to 27th, from Monday to Thursday.
Cienfuegos and Soberon said Mexico was willing to learn from China's experience in governing the country and the military, and boost mutual cooperation in military operation, logistics, personnel training and peace-keeping.
Titled “Intervención Rusa en México para eliminar el mal gobierno,” the petition was posted by a user under the provocative nickname, Freppo Sovietico. Source: Vladimir
Astapkovich/RIA Novosti
A petition published on the website, change.org, appeals to Russian President Vladimir Putin to help Mexico solve pressing issues, reported (in Russian) RIA Novosti on Jan. 15.
Titled “Intervención Rusa en México para eliminar el mal gobierno,” the petition was posted by a user under the provocative nickname, Freppo Sovietico. He claims that "the political situation in Mexico is the worst in the nation's history,” and that the country "is bleeding from plundering by these rats.”
Freppo Sovietico said, ”We need somebody capable of stopping corrupt Mexican politicians, who are giving everything away and are stealing everything.” In addition, he claimed that rampant corruption in Mexico benefits the country’s powerful northern neighbor. “American imperialists and the United Nations are doing nothing apart from spreading sensational news stories.” In conclusion, the author of the petition exclaimed, “Vladimir Putin, Latin America needs you.”
The petition has already been closed, but it gathered 13,390 signatures that were sent to Putin. The petition was signed not only by Mexicans, but also by Russians living in the country. If the petition passes all the bureaucratic hurdles and reaches the desk of President Putin, then reaction to it is likely to come in the form of a comment from the Kremlin press secretary, Dmitry Peskov. RBTH will continue to follow the matter.
Social tensions in Mexico have recently increased considerably, in particular because of inflation and rising gas prices. The people are especially unhappy with high levels of government and police corruption, and their close relations to the drug cartels. In recent weeks, thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest rising food and fuel prices. Meanwhile, the Mexican peso has hit a historical low against the U.S. dollar.
Within days after Mexico canceled a $1.4 billion order for U.S. helicopters, Moscow swooped in for the sale.
Mexico’s president-elect, Andres Mannuel Lopez Obrador, said the eight Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, intended for the Mexican Navy, were too expensive.
But Sputnik News, the Russian news site always lavish in praise of Russian weapons, helpfully offered some advice. “Are there more affordable alternatives with similar capabilities out there?” Sputnik asked, noting that the Mexican Navy already operates Mi-17 transport helicopters.
Can you guess what’s coming?
“Sikorsky and its parent company Lockheed Martin isn’t the only game in town as far as naval helicopters go,” Sputnik wrote last week. “Russia’s naval workhorse, the Ka-27, has comparable capabilities, and would likely to be much cheaper, if it were made available.”
“The Ka-27M, the latest modification of the tried and proven Ka-27 design, is equipped with an advanced integrated radar, acoustic and menetometric sensors and SIGINT suite, and a 360 degree monitoring system enabling the semi-automatic search and detection of surface, air and ground-based targets,” the news site said. “Armament can include light homing torpedoes, 50 and 250 kilogram [110 to 551 pound] anti-submarine bombs, heavy machine guns, and four external hardpoints for an assortment of other weapons. The customizable package would almost certainly be enough for fighting drug traffickers.”
Sputnik described the Seahawk’s price, which it claimed to be $170 million apiece, as “hefty.” But Sputnik was vaguer about the cost of a Ka-27. “Details on the price of the gunship Ka-27s are hard to come by, although a single Ka-27PV, the armed version of the Ka-27PS, has an estimated price tag of $14.5 million. The Russian defense ministry's 2014 and 2016 outlays to modernize existing anti-submarine warfare configuration Ka-27PLs came in at just over $10 million apiece.”
Sputnik also praised the Ka-27 as being cheap to operate, sturdy and reliable, and customizable for a variety of missions.
The helicopters are used by Russia’s Border Guard Service, as well as the Algerian, Chinese, Indian, Syrian, Ukrainian, Vietnamese and Yemeni navies.
But Mexico, the southern neighbor of the United States?
Not a chance, says Inigo Guevara, a former director of Mexico’s National Security Council and now director at Jane’s Defense and Security in Washington, DC. First, Lopez Obrador and his transition team are new to the helicopter issue and lack the defense expertise to assess it.
Guevara also noted that no actual contract for the Seahawk has been signed. The Mexican Navy is looking for a helicopter, capable of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, to equip eight light frigates being built under license from a Dutch shipyard. The first will be launched late this year, but building them all will take six to eight years, which means the MH-60R order would be staggered over several years.
While the European NH90NFH naval helicopter is also under consideration, “the MH-60R is understood to be the favorite given that the Mexican Navy, Air Force and Federal Police have all selected, procured and operate the UH-60M Black Hawk,” says Guevara.
In addition, Sputnik’s claim that the MH-60R costs $170 million is exaggerated, according to Guevara. That number is based on a U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency estimate submitted to the U.S. Congress. It is “a theoretical price tag, not an actual sale, order, contract or anything similar. It’s a very high level figure that includes everything that Mexico could ever want on the MH-60R, plus similar price quotes for components and weapons.”
“The actual price for the MH-60R fleet is likely to be much lower,” Guevara adds.
Mexico does operate both Russian and American helicopters, as do other Latin American nations, Guevara points out.
“However, it is highly unlikely that the Mexican Navy will consider a Russian naval helicopter for its embarked role.”
December 10th, 2018, 21:27
vector7
Re: Mexico - Russia Ties?
Quote:
Originally Posted by vector7
At the 6:30 mark starts even more interesting information. :eek:
More caravans are coming from Brazil and Venezuela. Mexico has gone Left with the last election. The dictators from Venezuela and N. Korea (who is arriving from Cuba) is coming to the Mexico inauguration. At 8:25 Russia is investing in airports in Mexico, Putin is opening factories for new military equipment, planes, tanks and armored vehicles. Tax free and 10% of all military equipment made are staying in Mexico.
Forward positioning?
Guess who is coming to the border in support of the thousands upon thousands of migrants that want to storm through the San Diego-Tijuana border point of entry? Watch this report from Mexican journalist Alex Backman.
By Cristina Maza Washington's request to extradite two Russian arms dealers who allegedly attempted to sell weapons to Mexican drug cartels so they could shoot down U.S. helicopters was denied by U.S. ally Hungary, officials revealed Tuesday.
Hungary, a member of the European Union and a U.S. ally, opted to extradite the accused arms dealers, Vladimir Lyubishin Sr. and his son Vladimir Lyubishin Jr., to their home country of Russia instead. It is unclear whether the men will face trial in Russia.
“The United States is disappointed in the Hungarian government’s decision to extradite the Lyubishins to Russia. The United States had a strong case, built in cooperation with members of Hungarian law enforcement,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement Tuesday.
“Hungary is a partner and friend of the United States, but this decision raises questions about Hungary’s commitment to law enforcement cooperation.”
The story of the Lyubishins was described in detail on Friday when Hungarian reporters revealed the findings of a three-month investigation into the case. The two Russian arms dealers had been residing in Hungary for years and entered into a relationship with representatives for Mexican cocaine dealers, according to the report and court documents reviewed by Newsweek.
The Mexican cartels wanted the weapons to defend themselves from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Russians were told. The men had planned to sell Kalashnikov rifles, machine guns, anti-tank and air-to-surface missiles to the cartels, among other arsenal. The deals were allegedly facilitated by a Turkish middleman who met the Russians in Cyprus and Hungary.
Lawyers representing the two Russians told reporters that the men were unaware that the purchase was being made for drug cartels.
In reality, the entire deal was a setup planned by the DEA. The two Russians were arrested around a year and a half ago in a secret operation codenamed Perseus, which was led by the DEA and Hungarian counterterrorism forces. The suspects were also accused of smuggling cocaine into the U.S.
Court documents filed in the Southern District of New York in 2016 demonstrate that U.S. officials believed at least one of the Russians would soon be extradited. But reporters investigating the case in Hungary said that Moscow successfully pressured Budapest so the men would be released.
“The story of the Lyubishin affair has two parts involving different actors. The first part was the secret investigation and DEA sting operation, which involved the DEA, the FBI and Hungarian authorities—police and counter-terror units. The cooperation was very good, as usual. Hungarians were helping with surveillance, for example, then with the raid and the house searches,” Szabolcs Panyi, an investigative reporter with the publication Direkt 36 in Hungary, explained to Newsweek.
https://s.newsweek.com/sites/www.new...-594x594_0.jpg
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin (from left) give a joint press conference following their meeting at the Kremlin, in Moscow, on September 18. Alexey Druzhinin/AFP/Getty Images
“The second part is when the story reached a political level. It became political when Hungary’s government realized they have to explain to the Kremlin why they extradited two Russians to the U.S. Russia is very aggressive in similar cases exerting pressure to secure their citizens involved in arms trafficking,” Panyi added.
Hungary’s controversial Prime Minister Viktor Orban has deepened his country’s ties to Russia at the same time he ran afoul of the European Union over his tough stance on migration and crackdown on the free press and judiciary.
This is not the first time this month that Hungary has helped an accused criminal escape justice, either. Earlier this month, Nikola Gruevski, the former prime minister of Macedonia who was convicted on corruption charges, vanished the day before his jail sentence was to begin and suddenly reappeared in Hungary. Investigators claim he was smuggled across the Balkans in a vehicle belonging to the Hungarian embassy.
The Hungarian government is now considering Gruevski’s asylum request, a fact many analysts found ironic given Orban’s hard-line anti-migrant and anti-asylum views.
Mexico plans to assemble Russian helicopters, the director general of the Mexican investment and international cooperation agency Promexico, Paulo Carreno, confirmed on Tuesday, according to RIA news agency.
“Soon Mexico can start assembling Russian helicopters here,” Carreno said during the visit of a Russian business mission to Mexico organized by the Russian Export Center.
About a year ago, Russian Trade Minister Denis Manturov mentioned such a possibility during his visit to the country.
The head of Promexico told the news agency that for the time being there was no start date set for the move.
“We don’t have exact information about the beginning of the assembly, we are waiting for the companies themselves to announce this, and then we will be able to join and assist this process,” Carreno said.
In July, Mexico’s president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador canceled a $1.36 billion order for eight helicopters from the United States for the country’s Navy, citing the high price as a reason for the move. The U.S. State Department approved the sale of the helicopters, which are built by Lockheed Martin, a Pentagon agency said in April.
