Increasing violence perpetrated by drug trafficking organizations, gangs, and other criminal
groups is threatening citizen security in Mexico and Central America. Drug-related violence
claimed more than 5,300 lives in Mexico in 2008, and several Central American countries have
some of the highest homicide rates in the world. Mexican drug cartels dominate the illicit drug
market in most regions of the United States and are expanding their operations by forming
partnerships with U.S. gangs. As a result, some of the drug-related violence in Mexico has begun
to spillover into the United States.
On October 22, 2007, the United States and Mexico announced the Mrida Initiative, a multi-year
proposal for $1.4 billion in U.S. assistance to Mexico and Central America aimed at combating
drug trafficking and organized crime. The Administration requested $500 million for Mexico and
$50 million for Central America in FY2008 supplemental appropriations, and another $450
million for Mexico and $100 million for Central America in the FY2009 budget request. While
the Bush Administration did not request any additional funding for domestic programs to
complement the Mrida Initiative, U.S. officials pledged to step up efforts to prevent arms,
precursor chemicals, and bulk cash flows from the United States into Mexico, and to reduce U.S.
drug demand.
In June 2008, the 110th Congress appropriated $465 million in FY2008 and FY2009 supplemental
assistance for Mexico and Central America in the FY2008 Supplemental Appropriations Act,
H.R. 2642 (P.L. 110-252). In the act, Mexico receives $352 million in FY2008 supplemental
assistance and $48 million in FY2009 bridge fund supplemental assistance, while Central
America, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic receive $65 million in FY2008 supplemental
assistance. The 110th Congress did not include funding for Mrida in a continuing resolution (P.L.
110-329) providing FY2009 funding through March 6, 2009 at FY2008 levels.
The 111th Congress may examine the Mrida Initiative as it considers the Bush Administration?s
pending FY2009 foreign aid request, as well as the FY2010 budget to be submitted by the Obama
Administration. Policy debates that may emerge during congressional consideration of Mrida
may include what levels and types of funding should be provided to Mexico and Central America;
how well the interagency community, in coordination with its counterparts in partner countries, is
implementing the Initiative; and the degree to which the nations involved, including the United
States, are fulfilling their domestic obligations under Mrida. Congress may also maintain a keen
interest in enforcement of Mrida?s human rights conditions. This report provides an overview of
the funding provided for the Mrida Initiative and a discussion of some policy issues that
Congress may consider as it oversees implementation of the Initiative. For related information,
see CRS Report RL32724, Mexico-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress, by Mark P. Sullivan and
June S. Beittel. This report will be updated.