>> -- PROTESTING THE VIOLENCE.
NOW THEY GO TO WASHINGTON.
A CARAVAN IS LEADING ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO THE NATION'S
CAPITOL.
JOSE LUIS JIMENEZ FROM THE FRONTERAS DESK AND DAVID SHIRK
OF THE TRANSPORTER INSTITUTION FROM UCSD JOIN US TO TALK ABOUT
THE CARE A VAN AND THE DRUG WAR.
JOSE, WITH THIS MAN LOSING HIS SON TO THE DRUG VIOLENCE, WHAT
ARE THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND WHAT ROLL DID IT PLAY IN HIS
ACTIVISM.
>> YES, HIS SON WAS FOUND TORTURED AND KILLED WITH SIX
OTHER YOUNG MEN IN 2011 INSTEAD OF WALLOWING
IN HIS BRIEF HE GOT ACTIVE.
HE HAS LEAD A PROTEST WITH ABOUT 200 PEOPLE ENDING UP IN MEXICO
CITY AT THE MAIN SQUARE WITH ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE.
>> WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE CARE A VAN.
>> THE PURPOSE IS THEY HAVE, VERY HAVE FIVE GOALS IN MIND.
FIRST, END THE WAR ON DRUGS.
THEY FEEL IT'S A FAILURE.
DRUGS MOVE BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE BORDER.
ARMS FLOW SOUTH.
IT'S NOT WORKING.
SECOND, THE LEGALIZATION OF SOME DRUGS, ESPECIALLY MINOR ONES
LIKE MARIJUANA.
THAT WILL CUT DOWN ON THE CARTELS.
THEY WANT TO MOVE ONTO ASSAULT WEAPONS AND THE BAN SHOULD BE
REINSTITUTED TO STOP THE ARMS GOING INTO MEXICO RESPONSIBLE
FOR A LOT OF DEATHS DOWN THERE.
FURTHER THEY BELIEVE MONEY LAUNDERING SHOULD BE ADDRESSED
TO STOP THE FLOW OF MONEY TO THE CARTELS.
FINALLY, SOMETHING BEING TALKED ABOUT LATELY A LOT IN MEXICO AND
ADDRESSING THE DRUG ADDICTION IN THE U.S.
THIS IS THE MAIN -- FOR THE CARTELS.
>> DAVID, WHERE DOES THIS ISSUE
RANK IN THE CURRENT U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.
>> XAVIER CESILIA IS WELL KNOWN IN MEXICO
FOR FIGHTING THE DRUG CARTELS.
HE'S VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN AMONG MOST PEOPLE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
ONE IMPORTANT MOVE IS TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF VISIBILITY OF THE
MOVE.
TO CHANGE COUNTER DRUG EFFORTS IN MEXICO, HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
ON THE LARGER NATIONAL SCALE WE ARE INCREASINGLY SEEING GREATER
TOLERANCE TO THE IDEA OF LEGALIZATION OF DRUGS, FOR
EXAMPLE, IN THE WAKE OF THE RECENT SHOOTINGS THAT WE HAVE
SEEN IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
I THINK THERE IS ALSO A CERTAIN EMPHASIS ON GUN CONTROL.
SO, THERE MAYBE A MOMENT, A OPPORTUNITY, A WATERSHED AT THIS
PARTICULAR IMPORTANT IN TIME TO THINK ABOUT SHIFTING POLICY.
AT LEAST ON BOTH OF THOSE ISSUES.
THERE IS A LOT OF ATTENTION TO MONEY LAUNDERING AS WELL.
SO, WE MAYBE AT A NICE MOMENT TO RETHINK SOME OF OUR STRATEGIES
AND THE PRIORITIES FOR THE WAR ON DRUGS.
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE DEEPER.
FIRST OF ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE CRITICAL ABOUT U.S. POLICIES ON
THESE VERY ISSUES.
THEY SAY LOOK, PROHIBITION ENRICHS THE DRUG TRAFFICKERS.
LAUNDERED DRUG MONEY AND WEAPONS CONTINUE TO FLOW INTO MEXICO
UNABATED.
ARE U.S. AUTHORITIES DOING ALL THEY CAN TO STOP THIS AND ARE
U.S. BANKS DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO STOP THE MONEY LAUNDERING.
>> I THINK MOST U.S. BANKS ARE COMPLIANT WITH U.S. STANDARDS
AND LAWS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION THAT'S TURN,
OBVIOUSLY, TO THE DARK SIDE.
THE QUESTION OF WHETHER WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN, WE'RE PUTTING
A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF OUR POPULATION BEHIND BARS BECAUSE
THEY TRAFFIC IN OR USE DRUGS.
WE ARE SEIZING $300 MILLION TO $400 MILLION AT THE BORDER FOR
MARIJUANA AND COCAINE.
WE'RE DOING A LOT BUT THE NET EFFECT ON DRUG USE IN THE UNITED
STATES IS MINIMAL.
WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN WITH THE CURRENT STRATEGY.
THE CRITIQUE IS IT'S NOT HAVING MUCH IMPACT.
RETHINKING HOW WE DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF DRUG USE, LARGELY A
MEDICAL AND PSYCH LOGICAL PROBLEM FOR USERS ARE REALLY
WHAT WE NEED TO START THUNKING ABOUT.
>> DAVID SHIRK AND JOSE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.