Sergio Alcocer, the Undersecretary for North America of the Mexican Foreign Ministry, confirmed that U.S. security agencies such as the FBI, CIA, DEA and Border Patrol, will no longer count on free access to participate with Mexican authorities.

This is part of a new policy change in the administration of Mexican President, Enrique Peña Nieto, and is a radical shift from the strategy that was used by the ex-president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon, where authorities in Mexico and the United States worked closely together to fight against organized crime and drug trafficking.

Alcocer said that previously there was not a specific agency in Mexico that would coordinate all these collaborations. The U.S had access with the police, the navy and the Mexican army. Now, all activities will go through the Federal Interior Ministry, an agency that controls all domestic and security policies in Mexico.

This announcement comes just days before Barack Obama’s visit to Mexico.

Obama will meet first with Enrique Peña Nieto, where it is expected that they will discuss mainly on topics such as national security and the economy.

Part of the changes in the management of the country by Enrique Peña Nieto has been to modify the strategy on the war against organized crime for crime prevention. This due to the result from the previous strategy, in which more than 70,000 people died and more 25,000 are missing.

Brenda.Colon@Sandiegored.com

Omar.Martinez@Sandiegored.com