Blitzer - Calderon Interview: Mexican President Felipe Calderon in Situation Room

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THE SITUATION ROOM

Interview with Mexican President Felipe Calderon; Analysis of Special Election Results

Aired May 19, 2010 - 17:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Thanks very much, guys.

Happening now, the presidents of the United States and New Mexico standing together against Arizona's controversial immigration law.

But is Mexico just as tough -- or even tougher -- on illegal immigrants?

Stand by for my exclusive interview with the president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon...

I'm Wolf Blitzer.


You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

President Obama today ratcheted up his criticism of Arizona's immigration law -- one of the darkest clouds over his relationship with the visiting president of Mexico. And it may just have been just what Felipe Calderon wanted to hear. Mr. Obama explained why his administration may, in fact, go ahead and challenge the Arizona law in court -- a law that he calls a misdirected expression of frustration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think the Arizona law has the potential of being applied in a discriminatory fashion. Now, after it was initially passed, the Arizona legislature amended it and said that this should not be carried out in a discriminatory way. But I think a fair reading of the language of the statute indicates that it gives the possibility of individuals who are being suspicious of being illegal immigrants from being harassed or arrested. And the judgments that are going to be made in applying this law are troublesome.

What I have directed my Justice Department to do is to look very carefully at the language of this law to see whether it comports both with our core values and existing legal standards, as well as the fact that the federal government is ultimately the one charged with immigration policy. And I expect to get a final report back from the Justice Department soon, at which point, we'll make some decisions in terms of how we are going to address that law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: After president Calderon's visit to the White House, he came right here to THE SITUATION ROOM for an exclusive interview. This is his only television interview during his state visit to Washington.

I asked him, what's wrong with the folks in Arizona wanting to protect their border?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRES. FELIPE CALDERON, MEXICO: That is not exactly the problem. I fully respect the right of any nation to establish the legislation that that nation wants -- or their people -- and, of course, the right of any nation to enforce the law and protect their own borders.

But the problem is first that we need to -- to face this challenge in a comprehensive way as President Obama says. And that implies to recognize the rights and the contribution of the people to the growth of this great nation.

But, on the other hand, and in particular, in Arizona, there is some racial profiling criteria in order to enforce the law that it is against any sense of human rights and, of course, is provoking a very disappointing things -- or a very disappointing opinion in Mexico and around the world, even here, in America.

BLITZER: Because the governor of Arizona says there is no racial profiling, that they're not going to simply stop someone who looks Mexican. They're going to have to have -- the police are going to have to a reason for stopping someone. And if that reason then asks -- results in them asking for papers, that's a different matter.

CALDERON: It could be. And I fully respect the opinion of the governor. But from the point of view of not only Mexican people, but also Mexican-American people and specialists and analyzed the new law precisely had this kind of risk.

BLITZER: Even the amendments that were made -- the changes that were made in this law in Arizona?

CALDERON: Even with that, because what is -- the reason is we need to clarify -- and, in particular, it would be fine if the judicial authorities are able to clarify how dangerous or how bad is the law. If the authorities say it is good, we will respect.

But, anyway, I think that we need to focus in a different way the solution of my -- of immigration here in the States.

BLITZER: You heard the president of the United States say that he doesn't have the votes in the Senate, maybe not in the House of Representatives, to pass comprehensive immigration reform that would include a pathway to citizenship -- U.S. citizenship for illegal immigrants.

So what -- in the meantime, is there anything wrong with states trying to tighten up their security?

CALDERON: The point is to introduce these kinds of elements, especially racial profiling aspects that are attempting against what we consider human rights. It's the principle of discrimination, which is against the values of this great nation.

BLITZER: Has your foreign ministry issued a travel advisory to Mexicans not to visit Arizona?

CALDERON: Yes, because according with this law, it's -- there is some risk for Mexican people, especially because...

BLITZER: And so if a tourist goes to Mex -- to Arizona and has the proper visas, the proper papers, what's the risk?

CALDERON: The risk is that it -- well, they looks like Mexicans. And, exactly, they are Mexican, even they are visiting and buying things in Arizona.

Let me tell you what the Mexican -- Mexican consumption in Arizona implied like $3 billion a year. So the tourism and other activities of Mexican people in Arizona works a lot for Arizona's economy.

BLITZER: So you think Arizona will pay a price for this -- this new law?

CALDERON: I don't want that. I only want an -- a mutual understanding. And, in particular, I don't want to move these controversial feelings. I don't want to exacerbate bad feelings between Mexicans and Americans. We need to find out a solution.

What is clear for me is that that law is not a solution at all.

BLITZER: All right. Let's talk a little bit about Mexico's laws. I read an article in "The Washington Times" the other day. I'm going to read a paragraph to you and you tell me if this is true or not true. This is from "The Washington Times": "Under the Mexican law, illegal immigration is a felony punishable by up to two years in prison. Immigrants who are deported and attempt to reenter can be imprisoned for 10 years. Visa violators can be sentenced to six year terms. Mexicans who help illegal immigrants are considered criminals."

Is that true?

CALDERON: It was true, but it is not anymore. We derogate or we erased that part of the law. Actually, the legal immigration is not a -- is not a crime in Mexico. Not anymore, since one year ago. And that is the reason why we are trying to establish our own comprehensive public policy talking about, for instance, immigrants coming from Central America...

BLITZER: So if...

CALDERON: -- (INAUDIBLE).

BLITZER: So if people want to come from Guatemala or Honduras or El Salvador or Nicaragua, they want to just come into Mexico, they can just walk in?

CALDERON: No. They need to fulfill a form. They need to establish their right name. We analyze if they have not a criminal precedent. And they coming into Mexico. Actually...

BLITZER: Do Mexican police go around asking for papers of people they suspect are illegal immigrants?

CALDERON: Of course. Of course, in the border, we are asking the people, who are you?

And if they explain...

BLITZER: At the border, I understand, when they come in.

CALDERON: Yes.

BLITZER: But once they're in...

CALDERON: But not -- but not in -- if -- once they are inside the -- inside the country, what the Mexican police do is, of course, enforce the law. But by any means, immigration is a crime anymore in Mexico.

BLITZER: Immigration is not a crime, you're saying?

CALDERON: It's not a crime.

BLITZER: So in other words, if somebody sneaks in from Nicaragua or some other country in Central America, through the southern border of Mexico, they wind up in Mexico, they can go get a job...

CALDERON: No, no.

BLITZER: They can work.

CALDERON: If -- if somebody do that without permission, we send back -- we send back them.

BLITZER: You find them and you send them back?

CALDERON: Yes. However, especially with the people of Guatemala, we are providing a new system in which any single citizen from Guatemala could be able to visit any single border (INAUDIBLE) in the south. And even with all the requirements, he can or she can visit any parts of Mexico.

BLITZER: I ask the questions because there's an argument that people in Arizona and New Mexico and -- and Texas, they say they're only trying to do in their states what Mexico itself does in the southern part of Mexico.

CALDERON: I know. And that is a very powerful argument. But that is one of the reasons why we are trying to change our policy.

And let me be frank, Wolf. In the past, Mexican authorities were in a -- in a -- in an unfortunate way in the treatment for immigrants. But now we are changing the policy. We changed already the law. And that is different today. We are trying to write a new story, talking about immigrants, especially coming from Central American countries.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

BLITZER: We're going to have a lot more of my exclusive interview with the president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon. I'll ask him about the almost 23,000 Mexicans who've died in the Mexican drug war on his watch and whether the illegal cartels are winning. That's coming up later this hour here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Here's a snapshot of where Americans stand on immigration. Our most recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll asked if the United States should make it easier for illegal immigrants to become U.S. citizens. One third of those questioned said yes; two-thirds said no.


BLITZER: ... The presidents of the United States and Mexico confronting drug violence at the border.

Are the cartels, though, winning?

Stand by for more of my exclusive interview with the president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon....


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)


BLITZER: ...I'm Wolf Blitzer.


You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

The Mexican president, Felipe Calderon, is set to arrive at the White House just about a half hour or so from now for this evening's state dinner.

But first, more of my exclusive conversation earlier today with Felipe Calderon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: This drug war is -- is getting out of control. I know you've tried, since becoming president, to do something. But in "The Wall Street Journal," they just did a story the other day and -- and CNN has similar information. Nearly 23,000 people have been killed in Mexico since you launched your war on these drug cartels -- these drug gangs.

Is that right?

CALDERON: There are several things that I need to clarify. First, it is not exactly a war on drugs, in the sense that my object is not only and not mainly drugs, or narcotrafficking itself. It's not a war on drugs in the old sense of Mr. Nixon established here in the States.

My focus is to guarantee the safety for Mexican families, which are under threat of the organized crime in Mexico.

BLITZER: Because the murders and -- and the kidnappings, it seems to me, from afar, as if it's almost out of control.

CALDERON: It is not out of control. It is part of the process that we are stopping. Fortunately, we started to take action on time. Before, previous to me, the authority was not enough strong, was not -- was not applying the low in the right sense. That that is the reason why the organized crime started to grow in Mexico. Part link with narcotrafficking in the old sense and part linked with the new markets in order to develop the distribution of drugs in Mexico...

BLITZER: All right...

CALDERON: But after that...

BLITZER: Because I -- I'm wondering, are the drug gangs, the cartels, are they winning this war right now?

When I hear a number like 23,000 people killed since you launched your initiative...

CALDERON: No. They -- they are not winning.

Let me clarify that the other part of my answer. Most of that -- 90 percent of those casualties are of -- are casualties of criminals themselves that are fighting each other. It's very clear for us according -- with our records, that it's possible to understand, for instance, in one particular homicide, what could be the probable reasons for that, and 90 percent of that are criminals linked in one way or another to the gangs. Now, the Mexican gangs are passing through a very unstable process, splitting themselves and fighting each other. That explains most of those casualties. They are not --

BLITZER: These are not innocent civilians among the 23,000?

CALDERON: Some of them.

BLITZER: You're saying that many of them are gang members themselves?

CALDERON: 90 percent.

BLITZER: 90 percent?

CALDERON: 90 percent, yes. 90 percent out of all of the homicides that we are able to understand or explain the causes of that. 2 percent of that, less than 2 percent are innocent civilians, yes, more of less killed by the criminals. That's the worst part of that.

BLITZER: I'd like you to turn around and look at that picture of Diego Fernandez. You know him?

CALDERON: Very well. He's my friend.

BLITZER: He's your friend. He was once a presidential candidate.

CALDERSON: Yes.

BLITZER: What has happened to him?

CALDERON: We don't know, not yet. There's no evidence until now that this kidnap is related with organized crime. That's the truth.

BLITZER: He's been kidnapped? You can confirm that?

CALDERON: It could be, this one (INAUDIBLE).

BLITZER: Because there's some suggestion he was kidnapped to send you a message.

CALDERON: No, the criminals used to send me a very clear message in another way. I think it's a very sensitive case. It's very tough for me, of course, because Diego is a very good friend of mine, a very good friend, a member of my party. But there is not evidence that this situation is related with organized crime. There's no evidence of it's clearly a kidnap case because -- well, according with the investigation and courts.

BLITZER: Have there been anything demanding anything? Ransom?

CALDERON: Not one. No one.

BLITZER: You've had nothing like that?

CALDERON: Nothing. It's a mystery now. Of course, for me, it's very important to preserve. the confidence on the privacy of this investigation. We will find Diego and, of course, we are working with all the resources we have to find him.

BLITZER: How worried are you about your personal safety?

CALDERON: Well, you know, there are risks, of course, with the job I have. Let me be honest in this. Beyond the risks, beyond the dreadness (ph), to be president is the highest honor that any one Mexican could have. I am really happy with that. I learn from when I was a child that it is an honor to serve your country. I serve my country. I am the highest rank. I don't remember these risks that, of course, there are according to with the job I am doing.

BLITZER: Mr. President thanks so much. Welcome to Washington. You have a huge, huge challenge ahead of you. We wish you only the best.

CALDERON: Thank you very much. Thank you, Wolf.
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