U.S. ambassador to Mexico lashes out on drug war

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After six sometimes tumultuous years as ambassador to Mexico, Tony Garza is speaking out forcefully about U.S. responsibility for Mexico's widening drug violence.

After six sometimes tumultuous years as ambassador to Mexico, Tony Garza is speaking out forcefully about U.S. responsibility for Mexico's widening drug violence.

"As U.S. ambassador to Mexico, I've tried to be honest with both Americans and Mexicans alike, and the truth is, Mexico would not be the center of cartel activity or be experiencing this level of violence, were the United States not the largest consumer of illicit drugs and the main supplier of weapons to the cartels," Mr. Garza said during a recent speech in Texas. "The U.S. and Mexico must fight these criminal organizations together, or we will fail together."

It's that kind of candor that over the years has won Mr. Garza both kudos and criticism on both sides of the border.

As ambassador, he has helped shepherd the U.S.-Mexico relationship through numerous minefields. But as he prepares to leave his post at noon on Jan. 20 -- "to ensure a smooth transition" -- Mexico's bloody drug violence remains his greatest concern, he said in an interview.

6,000 deaths

More than 6,000 Mexicans have died in drug-related violence since President Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006.

"You bet this is cause for concern," Mr. Garza said. "The cartels and drug dealers have crossed that line from recklessly endangering civilians in their attacks on law enforcement officials and other criminals to deliberately targeting innocent men, women and children."

He added: "President Felipe Calderon will not be intimidated. This is not a battle that they -- or us, for that matter -- can afford to lose. ... We've got to stand shoulder to shoulder with them."

Last summer, the U.S. Congress approved the first installment of the $1.4 billion Merida Initiative, aimed at helping Mexico confront the cartels with training and high-tech assistance.

Mr. Garza, a second-generation Mexican-American and Brownsville native, arrived in Mexico in 2002 after his friend President Bush appointed him to head one of the largest U.S. embassies in the world. In an interview over steak tacos at a modest restaurant near the U.S. Embassy, Mr. Garza talked about his tenure as ambassador, his future, and the challenges ahead in the land of his grandparents.

Failing to win U.S. congressional approval for comprehensive immigration reform and the debate over a controversial border fence remain concerns, Mr. Garza said.

"You're not really addressing the question of border security if all you are talking about is building walls," he said. "You have to look at comprehensive immigration reform, the Merida Initiative, trade and, yes, smart barriers."

Analysts say Mr. Garza's access to the White House helped put Mexico on the radar when U.S. foreign policy was focused on Iraq and Afghanistan.

"He was one of the first to sound the alarm that Mexico had a security problem," said Armand Peschard-Sverdrup, chief executive officer of Peschard-Sverdrup & Associates, a consulting firm. "His access to the White House proved to be pivotal."

Mr. Garza's Mexican counterparts applaud his work, though the relationship has had tense periods, such as when Mexico refused to support the U.S.-backed U.N. war resolution against Iraq. And Mexican diplomats objected to Mr. Garza's vocal criticism about what he believed was Mexico's slow response to drug violence during the administration of Mr. Calderon's predecessor, Vicente Fox.

But Mexican officials say those differences helped the relationship mature.

"Ambassador Garza's role has been crucial in helping both governments evolve from a dynamic of finger-pointing to one of recognizing a shared responsibility, as exemplified by the Merida Initiative," said Geronimo Gutierrez F., undersecretary for North America and the Caribbean.

Beyond politics

With his ambassadorship ending, Mr. Garza sees a role for himself outside politics, perhaps teaching or working as a business consultant, dividing his time between Texas and Mexico

"My DNA isn't hard-wired solely for politics," Mr. Garza said. "It's time to do something different. ...While today the issue at hand is security and violence in Mexico and along the border, the fact is that by 2025 Mexico will be among the fifth- or sixth-largest economies in the world."

That doesn't mean Mr. Garza, 49, a former Cameron County judge and Texas railroad commissioner, is ruling out politics for good. But associates say that for now, the ambassador is expected to bank on his credentials and his knowledge of political and business leaders on both sides of the border.

"Tony has one of the sharpest business minds I know, and he has a unique understanding about the U.S. and Mexico markets, and he knows and is trusted by CEOs, investors and entrepreneurs," said James Taylor, a founding partner of Austin-based ViaNovo, an international management and communications consulting firm. "So, I would not be surprised if Tony's next big success story was in the business world."

For Mr. Garza, the biggest change has been personal. In April 2005 he married Maria Asuncion Aramburuzabala, known as Mariasun, a billionaire whose many duties include being vice chairwoman of Grupo Modelo, the maker of Corona and Negra Modelo beers. Mr. Garza jokingly admitted drinking no others "unless it's tequila."

"Mariasun hit me like a bolt of lightning," he said. "Funny how you think you know yourself and have a good sense of who you are and what motivates and challenges you ... and then, bam, you never see it coming. ... But let me tell you, having someone to share your life with is pretty special."

Mr. Garza said he's unsure where he and his Mexican wife will live, though predicting that one foot will remain planted in Mexico and another in Texas, perhaps Dallas, where he attended law school at Southern Methodist University. Or even on the border, the place he still calls home.

"What's that old line about home not being where you're from, it's who you are? That's me," he said. "No matter where I am, Texas is home, and that border is a part of me."

SECURITY INITIATIVE

Ambassador Tony Garza has been credited with sounding the alarm on deteriorating security in Mexico and along the U.S. border. Congress approved the first installment of the $1.4 billion Merida Initiative, which the State Department calls "a new paradigm" of security cooperation. It will provide:

-- Helicopters and surveillance aircraft

-- Non-intrusive inspection equipment and canine units

-- Technical advice and training to support police forces and other justice institutions

Source: U.S. State Department