The Merida Initiative — the cornerstone of U.S.-Mexico security cooperation — completed its fifth year in 2012.

Launched under the George W. Bush administration, Merida promised $1.4 billion over three years to “support Mexico’s law enforcement in the fight against organized crime.” The Obama administration revised and expanded Merida’s mission, moving from a heavy emphasis on military equipment to a more comprehensive bilateral strategy that seeks to reduce the role and influence of organized crime. The initiative now encompasses four priorities (called pillars): disrupting the operational capacity of organized crime, institutionalizing the rule of law, creating a twenty-first-century border to speed the flow of legal commerce and stop that of illegal goods, and building strong and resilient communities that can stand up to criminal intrusions.

The main problem today is not Merida’s design but its uneven implementation, with the gains in some areas offset by minimal progress in others.

via Shannon K. O’Neil: Refocusing U.S.-Mexico Security Cooperation.