Mexico's Troops Bring Aid To Gulf Victims

by Diego Cevallos

(IPS) MEXICO CITY -- Several hundred Mexican troops were sent Wednesday to the United States to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, one of the few offers of foreign aid that has been accepted so far.

Although a number of developing countries have offered direct material aid, to help the tens of thousands of people who lost everything under the floodwaters covering parts of three southern states, only Mexico's offer has been taken up by Washington.

Over the next few days, Americans will see something they probably never imagined: Mexican troops -- albeit unarmed -- working in U.S. territory.

President Vicente Fox said he was proud that "our glorious national army" had the opportunity to provide assistance to the United States.

In the 19th century, the United States annexed more than half of Mexico's territory, and since then relations between the two nations have been marked by periodic tensions.

"I would expect the aid to be taken for what it is," said Mexican Foreign Minister Ernesto Derbez.

"The people of Mexico see the people of the United States as brothers and sisters in suffering at this time, and see the U.S. as a country in need of help, support and solidarity. In addition, Mexicans are grateful for the assistance that the U.S. has occasionally provided to Mexico in similar situations," he added.

The Mexican storm relief convoy was to cross into the United States late Wednesday. A navy ship was sent as well. The vehicles are carrying a total of 550 engineers, doctors, nurses, dentists, cooks, communications experts and rescue workers.

The aid includes some 165 tons of food, water and medicines, blankets, water treatment plants, mobile kitchens, all-terrain and amphibious vehicles, ambulances, rescue boats and helicopters.

On Aug. 29, Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast states of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, causing an estimated 10,000 deaths in New Orleans alone, according to the city's mayor, Ray Nagin.

The dead include at least four Mexicans, while 90 Mexican immigrants remain missing.

Local authorities estimate that at least 140,000 Mexicans and a similar number of Hondurans live in the areas hit by the Category 4 hurricane.

The governments of Mexico and Honduras dispatched consular officials, and non-governmental organizations sent in dozens of volunteers to help immigrants left homeless by the storm.

"The United States is a global power that should supposedly be able to deal with this tragedy on its own," said Heberto Romero, spokesman for Hondurans United in the state of Texas, one of the many civil society groups working with the victims.

"But its response has appeared to be very inefficient, to say the least," he told IPS by telephone from Houston.

"We are all proud that Mexican troops have been sent, because that demonstrates the solidarity and capacity of Latin Americans," he added.

Tens of thousands of storm refugees have flowed into Houston over the past week.

The activist, a Honduran who has lived in the United States for more than five years, has come across many Hondurans and Mexicans in the shelters -- people who have lost everything in the storm and subsequent flooding.

"It has been very difficult for Latinos to deal with this tragedy, because many of them are undocumented migrants who are afraid of being deported," he said.

"I hope the presence of the Mexican troops will generate trust and confidence among Latino immigrants, and that they will come forward to express their needs, so they can receive help," he added.

More than 90 countries have offered aid to the United States. But so far Washington has only accepted relief assistance from Canada, Mexico, Japan and the European Union, while directing monetary donations to go through the Red Cross and other organizations.

Cuba was among the countries that offered support, including 1,600 doctors and 34 tons of medicines, despite the four-decade U.S. embargo against the socialist Caribbean island nation.

But White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan responded that the government did not want an offer of aid from Cuba, and wanted Castro to offer freedom to his people instead.

Over the past week, the Bush administration has drawn fire from the media, politicians, artists and citizens for its handling of the catastrophe, as well as the botched preparations.

"But we Mexicans are coming to the rescue, so Mr. Bush needn't worry. Now he'll see how things are done," joked Mexican taxi driver Fernando Ortega.