Summary of the most important news in Mexico for August 1st to 6th, 2011

• In a surprise and historic decision, on Friday afternoon S&P downgraded US long term debt.  The impact of this decision on Mexico is being debated by analyst and politicians.  Sunday at 10:00 am (central) political and financial analyst Jose Luis Romero Hicks will join me on Living in Mexico and will provide initial reactions. (www.imagen.com.mx)

• This week Finance Secretary Ernesto Cordero said that this year more than 425,000 jobs were created reaching a record number of workers enrolled in the IMSS of more than 15.3 million. And Economy Secretary Bruno Ferrari said the federal government would maintain a policy of prevention to face turbulence in world stock markets. (Comments:  he sounds a bit optimistic.)

• Throught this week, Mexican authorities managed to yet again capture important drug traffickers. Authorities arrested in Michoacán three suspected members of the criminal organization known as the Knights Templar, among them Nery Salgado Harrison, who is known as “Yupo” and is accused of being the head of criminal operations for the group in Apatzingán.Officials in Acapulco arrested Moisés Montero Álvarez who is accused of being one of the leaders of the independent Acapulco cartel aka El Coreano or The Korean. Army troops arrested Valdemar Quintanilla Soriano, known as “Adal”, who is identified as the second highest national operative of the los Zetas drug cartel financial-economic mechanism. ++ José Antonio Acosta Hernández, known as “El Diego”, considered to be one of the top leaders of the La Línea group, which is the armed wing of the Juárez cartel, said that guards allow guns to be taken into the Ciudad Juárez prison.

• In shocking declarations, alleged drug trafficker Vicente Zambada, who goes by the nickname "El Vicentillo," accused the U.S. government of granting immunity to the leaders of the Sinaloa drug cartel, Joaquín "El Chapo Guzmán" and Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, in exchange for information on rival drug gangs.

• DEA chief Michelle Leonhart acknowledged that her agency cooperated with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the botched Fast and Furious operation.

• Earl Anthony Wayne has been confirmed by the US Senate as the new US ambassador to Mexico. The U.S. government said the arrival of Anthony Wayne as new ambassador will not bring an agenda change in relations between the two countries.

•  Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos congratulated Mexican President Felipe Calderón on his fight against drug trafficking and called on him to continue on the same path even though the cost might be very high. President Santos stated his country and Mexico must help Central and South American nations to fight drug trafficking since it is no longer just a local problem but rather a regional one.

• Javier Sicilia said it was regrettable that the Governance committee at the Chamber of Deputies gave initial approval to the National Security Law… He called it a betrayal from lawmakers. Because of this, Sicilia, who heads the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity, broke off talks with deputies accusing them of betrayal after having given the initial go ahead to the National Security draft bill. The Senate and Chamber of Deputies agreed to work together to amend the National Security Law bill and called on the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity to continue with dialogue.

• Writer Carlos Fuentes ruled out Andrés Manuel López Obrador as a leftist candidate for the 2012 presidential elections and said Mexico City mayor Marcelo Ebrard is a better choice.