VOA慢速英语2009-IN THE NEWS - Growing Drug Violence Shakes Mexic

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

More than six thousand people died last year in Mexico's drug wars. So far this year the violence has only gotten worse. More than one thousand people have already been killed.

Police have become common targets, especially in border cities in northern Mexico.
　
Federal police officers guard a border crossing in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on Thursday

Criminal organizations are competing for control of drug trafficking into the United States. The American State Department has warned travelers about border areas. But there is some evidence that the violence is spreading to other parts of Mexico.

Last month, gunmen kidnapped a retired¹ army general in Cancun, a beach city popular with American college students on spring break. Mauro Tello Quinones was tortured and killed just days after he arrived in the city to fight corruption² in the local police.

Mexican organized crime groups not only sell in the United States. Those cartels also use some of the money to buy high-powered weapons in the United States and bring them back into Mexico.

Mexico is receiving money for training, equipment and other anti-drug activities under an agreement signed last year with the United States. President Felipe Calderon has deployed⁴ thousands of troops for anti-drug efforts since he took office in two thousand six.

United States officials say the growing violence shows progress by the Mexican government in fighting the drug trade. Its efforts, they say, have led cartels to battle each other for decreasing profits.

Concern is growing that the violence will spread into the United States. The situation along the southern border is being called a national security threat.

Congress held hearings this week. Lawmakers urged the Obama administration to increase efforts to help Mexico crush the drug cartels.

Representative Loretta Sanchez from California noted⁵ that Mexico has now deployed forty-five thousand troops -- around the same number as the United States has in Afghanistan.

LORETTA SANCHEZ: "The United States and this Congress cannot ignore our role in assisting our neighbor and our ally in this fight, and of course in preventing that violence in slipping into the United States."

President Obama said this week that he is not interested in "militarizing" the three thousand kilometer long border. He went on to say, though, that he has not decided⁶ yet about requests from border states to deploy³ additional National Guard troops.

He says the cartels have gained "extraordinary power." He expects to have what he called a comprehensive policy in place in the next few months.

American officials recently announced results from an operation aimed at Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, which also sends drugs to Canada. They announced hundreds of arrests in the United States and the seizure⁷ of twenty-three tons of drugs.

And, this week, President Obama nominated the police chief from Seattle as the new director for the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Gil Kerlikowske says reducing demand for drugs will depend not just on arrests but also on treatment for users.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I'm Steve Ember.

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

2 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

3 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

4 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。