MEXICO CITY – Mexico's new president yesterday pledged to substantially raise the wages of the armed forces, calling them a crucial weapon against heavily armed drug gangs terrorizing the nation.
The move came a day after Felipe Calderón's inauguration was marred by brawls in Congress and street protests.
At a breakfast with the military's top brass, Calderón praised the army for defending the nation and battling organized crime.
“I will propose a substantial increase in troops' wages in recognition of the unquestionable effort and loyalty of our armed forces,” he said.
Mexico's military plays little role in international conflicts and instead is used mainly in the fight against drug traffickers and leftist guerrilla groups, and in recovery efforts after natural disasters.
Calderón won the July election by less than 1 percent of the votes over Andrés Manuel López Obrador of the leftist Democratic Revolution Party.
López Obrador claims Calderón conspired with outgoing President Vicente Fox to steal the election, and he has led mass marches and street blockades. López Obrador set up a parallel government and declared himself Mexico's “legitimate president” last month.
