MEXICO CITY — Mexico and the Bush administration are negotiating plans to greatly increase levels of U.S. aid and intelligence sharing on narcotics trafficking, presenting President Felipe Calderon with a politically challenging balancing act as his nation tries to stem runaway drug violence and assuage fears of a greater U.S. role in Mexican affairs.
If approved by Congress, the reported aid package to Mexico would be well below the $5 billion Washington has spent fighting the cocaine industry in Colombia over the last seven years. But politically, such an agreement could mark a turning point in U.S.-Mexico relations, which for decades have been marked by mutual suspicion despite closer trade ties.
Already, Mexico is installing a surveillance system, funded by the U.S. State Department, to enable eavesdropping on e-mails and cellphone calls.
Further details of the new aid have been kept secret, but officials said Wednesday that proposals totaled hundreds of millions of dollars and included more surveillance, a national radar system, as well as communications systems, aircraft and training.
"We're talking about technology, training and equipment," said U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas). "The Mexicans want surveillance equipment for wiretapping and that sort of assistance. And beyond that, radar for better aircraft surveillance."
Cuellar said the White House should release details of the proposal so that he and other foreign aid supporters could lobby congressional colleagues. Mexico, he said, receives less than $69 million a year in U.S. foreign assistance.
"We finally have a Mexican president who's willing to take brave steps," Cuellar said. "But if we lose that opportunity, the window will close."
An aide to Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the subcommittee controlling foreign aid expenditures, complained that his office had heard nothing from the White House about a deal.
"Sen. Leahy believes that in Iraq and beyond, this administration is accustomed to writing checks for hundreds of millions of dollars and expecting Congress to cash them without consultation or question," aide David Carle said.
During a U.S. State Department briefing Tuesday, spokesman Sean McCormack would not elaborate on the aid package but confirmed negotiations between the countries were continuing.
"President Calderon has taken a brave and firm stance in fighting these drug cartels," he said, "and we want to talk to them about how we can support that."
