HDNet's "Dan Rather Reports" Revisits Mexico's War on Drugs

In "Mexican Standoff", Dan Rather returns to Mexico to see who is winning Mexico's U.S.-backed war on drug traffickers - Tuesday, March 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET

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HDNet

Mar 28, 2011, 11:15 ET

DALLAS, March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Four years after reporting from the front lines of Mexico's bloody war against drug traffickers, Dan Rather returns to Mexico to speak to some of the country's top experts and observers about the rising death toll.

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More than 34,000 Mexicans have been killed since Mexican President Felipe Calderon took office in 2006, and declared war on drug trafficking. Critics say this rising death toll is a sign that the U.S.-backed effort is failing.

Dr. Jorge Castaneda, Mexico's former Foreign Minister, says the cartels will keep growing stronger and richer as long as Americans keep demanding illegal drugs. He offers one bold solution: legalizing drugs. "We can start with marijuana," said Castaneda. "Even the U.S. Embassy here says that 60 percent of profits of the Mexican cartels come from marijuana. Let's say it's 40 percent. Solving 40 percent of any problem these days is not bad."

Rather also speaks to courageous reporters who have risked their lives shining a light on Mexico's shadowy underworld. Anabel Hernandez faced death threats after publishing a book linking drug traffickers to Mexican government officials and businessmen and now is protected by bodyguards 24 hours a day. She has no regrets.

"I believe that we have to fight for our freedom, for the freedom to talk, for the freedom to denounce the corruption," she said.

"Dan Rather Reports: Mexican Standoff" premieres on tomorrow night HDNet, Tuesday, March 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET with an encore at 11:00 p.m. ET.

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