President Felipe Calderón urged the Mexican Navy marines not to shirk from their task of confronting adversity and not to allow their minds to be influenced by weakness, since perseverance, discipline and coordinated work are the key to success.
As he led the farewell ceremony for the Cuauhtémoc Training Ship in the port of Acapulco, Guerrero, the President declared that the Navy is a crucial element in the challenge facing Mexico today in the fight to combat organized crime and restore Mexicans’ tranquility.
“Thanks to your determination, we have inflicted heavy damage on the operating networks of the main criminal organizations, capturing dangerous kidnappers, drug traffickers and killers to put them in the hands of justice,” he said.
President Calderón was informed of the Navy’s confiscation last week of a fishing boat that was transporting seven tons of cocaine. He said that this action is a clear sign of Mexico’s firm commitment to combatting organized crime and its willingness to work in a coordinated fashion on an international scale.
Accompanied by Navy Secretary Marianao Francisco Saynez Mendoza, National Defense Secretary Guillermo Galván Galván and Governor of the State Zeferino Torreblanca Galindo, the Mexican President urged the unit to reject and cope with the criminals´ action through denunciations and above all through the mechanisms implemented by Federal Government and the Armed Forces.
“Today, we must join together to reject, point out and report on criminals. We must unite and change aspects of our actions or omissions that have permitted or encouraged this point of impunity, particularly the corruption of civil servants’ who have betrayed the supreme duty of serving the nation. We must not allow discouragement and on the contrary, let every cowardly action encourage us to act with more determination every day and never give in or resign ourselves to surrendering our society and our families to criminals’ unpunished action and interests. That is the task of all Mexicans,” he declared.
The President added that he hoped when the Cuauhtémoc Training ship, the Gentleman of the Seas, returns after its passage through 10 ports in the United States, China, South Korea, Russia and Japan, Mexico will also have overcome the world economic situation and work to restore its growth.
“And then, when the moment of adversity has passed, what will remain is having maintained the course, actions and works Mexicans have undertaken together to lead our country to a different and better future,” he said.
President Calderón recalled Vicente Guerrero 178 years after his death and urged the Marines setting sail to today to dedicate every day of their lives to Mexico, like Guerrero, one of the promoters of Mexico’s Independence.