Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–3, Documents on Global Issues, 1973–1976

188. Letter From Mexican President Echeverría to President Ford¹ ²

Mexico City, January 16, 1976

Subject:

• Letter to President Ford from President Echeverria on narcotics cooperation

1. Following is text of letter from President Echeverria for President Ford on Narcotics Cooperation.

2. Quote. Mr. President: Messrs. Lester L. Wolff and Benjamin A. Gilman, distinguished members of the House of Representatives of the United States of America, accompanied by His Excellency Joseph John Jova, your country’s Ambassador to Mexico, paid me a visit last Wednesday, January 7, at which time we took up, among other subjects, the matter of the increase in drug abuse in the United States and in the illegal traffic in narcotics and psychotropic substances between our two countries.

3. In view of the importance and seriousness of the problem, I asked Messrs. Wolff and Gilman to meet with me again, which we did last Saturday, January 10, with the Attorney General of the Republic, the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs, Public Education, and Health and Welfare, as well as the Director of the Mexican Center of Drug Addiction Studies, who has charge of coordinating preventive, curative, and rehabilitation activities in that field.

4. As a result of those talks, it was possible to confirm the evident interaction that exists between supply and demand and the complexity of the problem and of its solution which takes in widely varying sociological aspects, involving educational factors—including those relating to mass communications media—health factors, and of course action directed toward the prosecution of crimes against health.

5. It was recognized also that in recent years, with strict respect for the sovereignty of each State, there has been effective cooperation between the two Governments which has made it possible to obtain excellent results in the struggle against the drug traffic and the use and abuse of illicit drugs. Nonetheless, it is necessary to increase our joint action in order to obtain still better results.

6. I put forward to the U.S. legislators the idea of creating twin national commissions, one in each of our countries, which would undertake a study of all aspects of this question and propose solutions that would enable our two Governments to embark on new lines of action and expand the coordination of their efforts.

7. In my opinion each national commission might be composed of officials of the Executive Branch responsible for the prosecution of crimes against health, the elimination of the illicit use of narcotics and other dangerous drugs, and the cure and rehabilitation of the victims of drug addiction. Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the respective Congresses, as well as representatives of family heads and of the mass communications media would also be invited to participate in the commissions.

8. Each national commission would study the problem and recommend actions, which would be discussed at meetings of the two commissions. The commissions should establish machinery that would ensure the efficacy and celerity of their work, possibly through executive committees. The frequency of their meetings would be agreed upon according to their work requirements.

9. For my part, I am proceeding to establish the Mexican Commission pursuant to the terms stated above, in the understanding that my Government will continue to act intensively in the fight against the traffic in narcotics and other aspects of this problem, maintaining, as it has done hitherto, the close coordination existing between the competent agencies and organs of our two Governments.

10. In view of the foregoing, I take pleasure in proposing that you consider the desirability of establishing a United States Commission for the purposes stated above, which would be in contact with the Mexican Commission on a standing basis.

11. Feeling certain, as I do, that this proposal on a matter of such extreme importance to mankind will merit your sympathetic response, I take this occasion to renew to you the assurance of my highest consideration and personal esteem. End quote.
Jova

1. Source: Ford Library, Parsons Files, Box 22, Mexico, November 1975–May 1976. Limited Official Use. Sent as telegram 629 from Mexico City to the Department of State. Translated from the original Spanish by the Division of Language Services, Department of State.
2. Echeverría informed Ford about meetings held with U.S. representatives and announced the establishment of a national commission to study drug-related concerns.