Very tough times for Pres Calderon

We like Pres Calderon a lot.

We think that Mexico is rather fortunate to have a man like Calderon at this moment in its history.

From fighting cartels to a virus, Mexicans are being tested. It looks like the Mexican government is responsibly tackling an extremely difficult health crisis.

Let's hope that Mexicans continue to support their strong and brave president. I'm happy that Mexicans have shown serenity rather than panic.

Let's also hope that Pres Obama embraces responsible leaders like Colombia's Uribe and Mexico's Calderon.

They are the future: fiscal reforms, free trade, honesty and a check on the kind of populism that has killed prosperity in Latin America!

Today, The Washington Post has a good editorial about Mexico: Beleaguered Mexico---A capable but struggling democratic government needs more support from the United States.

The Wash Post reminds us that Pres Obama and the Dems have done little about Mexico:

"Unfortunately, Mr. Calderón has never gotten as much support as he needs from the United States.

In recent months Congress has resisted full funding of the Merida Initiative, which is supposed to help train and equip Mexican security forces;

the program is bogged down in red tape.

President Obama recently sympathized with Mr. Calderón's account of the 15,000 or so assault weapons captured by his forces since 2006, almost all of which were smuggled from the United States.

But he didn't agree to seek congressional approval for restoring a ban on assault weapons. Mr. Obama has not acted on immigration reform and did nothing to stop Congress from blocking cross-border traffic by Mexican trucks, in violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement."

During the presidential campaign, we warned our Mexican friends that "hope and change" was just a lot of hype disguised as a governing strategy.