Dear Ministers of the Mexican Cabinet,

My name is Carlos Bortoni and, personifying Mexican President Felipe Calderón, I will be your Director for the Junta Extraordinaria del Gabinete Mexicano (JEGM) at Harvard National Model United Nations 2010. I am honored to work with all of you, the most notable personalities of our times, in countering the scourge of narcotrafficking that threatens the stability and well-being of our nation. I look forward to meeting all of you this February and I am very excited about seeing how your creativity, your professionalism, and your wits can give Mexico a decisive victory over these drug cartels.

Leaving aside the role-playing, I would like to introduce myself to you on a more personal level, sharing with you along the way some of the things that interest me and what I do as a Harvard student. Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, I moved to the United States in the fall of 2007. I’m a fan of snowboarding, playing soccer, and listening to all types of music.

At Harvard, I am a third-year government major, with a special focus in international relations. Besides directing in our Model UN conferences, I am also the Co-Head Delegate of Harvard’s traveling Model UN team. I am a staff writer for the Harvard Political Review, writing on world and US issues, as well as interviewing political figures like former Mexican President Vicente Fox and former US Drug Czar General Barry McCaffrey. I have also had the opportunity to work with the UN in Chile, a policy think tank in Buenos Aires, and the Mexican government at the state and federal levels.

Thus, I find this particular topic in contemporary Mexican politics as the defining issue of President Calderon’s administration, one that will have serious repercussions within the social, economic, and security spheres. Seeing how much my country has changed since war started has only convinced me of the importance of increasing awareness of the importance of anti-narcotics efforts, and HNMUN will bring together the many angles surrounding this conflict. I would like to welcome you once more to the Junta Extraordinaria del Gabinete Mexicano. Being run entirely in Spanish, Stephanie and I are convinced that the JEGM will give you a unique and thrilling experience, one that brings the challenges of narcotrafficking that Mexican authorities are currently facing. Please contact me if you want to talk about any issues that you may come across or just want to introduce yourselves, and I look forward to meeting you all in February!

Sincerely,

Carlos Bortoni
Director, Junta Extraordinaria del Gabinete Mexicano
Harvard National Model United Nations 2010

Topic Area: War Against Drug Cartels

I, President Felipe Calderón, address you today as your Head of State, as Commander-in-Chief of the Mexican forces, but above all, as a devout and patriotic Mexican. The scourge of drug violence has continued to spread across our country, our streets have been stained with innocent blood, drugs continue to flood our children’s schools and the youth’s nightclubs, dealers are filling their pockets with wealth at the expense of their countrymen, and infiltration has reached even the highest levels of government and the military.

The duty of this Cabinet will be of no simple nature. During this “Junta Extraordinaria del Gabinete Mexicano”, we shall discuss our current policies and ways in which we plan to improve the government’s response against the cartels. Simultaneously, we will have to implement decisive, yet difficult, military decisions as we tackle these criminal organizations, their operations, and the ramifications of their trade. Our policy decisions will surely impact public and foreign perception, and we shall address the reactions of our citizens and other governments. Therefore, Mexico should seek foreign assistance and cooperation through diverse approaches, and options like the OAS and the UN Security Council should serve as possible forums to reach out to the world.

History is being made as we speak. Today’s actions will leave a lasting mark in Mexico’s future; their repercussions will affect not only the security and stability of our nation, but also that of our neighbors. I am honored to serve you as the President of this great nation, to lead our troops in this frontal campaign against organized crime, to instill patriotism and courage in our citizens and give our very lives in the construction of that Mexico that we all dream of. This is why Mexico is in need of each and every one of you, to guarantee our security within and from outside threats, to protect our strategic infrastructure, safeguard life, our national patrimony, and the future of each and every Mexican citizen.

Tema: Guerra contra el Narcotráfico

Yo, Felipe Calderón, Presidente de México, me dirijo a Ustedes como su Jefe de Estado, como Comandante en Jefe de las fuerzas armadas, pero sobre todo, como un mexicano devoto y patriota. La amenaza del mal del narcotráfico se ha esparcido por el territorio nacional, nuestras calles se han cubierto de sangre inocente, las drogas continúan inundando las escuelas de nuestros hijos, los traficantes se enriquecen a costa de sus compatriotas, y la infiltración ha alcanzado los más altos niveles del gobierno y el ejército.

El deber de este Gabinete no es de una naturaleza sencilla. Durante esta Junta Extraordinaria del Gabinete Mexicano, discutiremos nuestras políticas actuales y maneras en las cuales podemos mejorar la respuesta del gobierno en contra de los carteles. Simultáneamente, habremos de adoptar estrategias militares, decisivas pero difíciles, para confrontar estas organizaciones criminales, sus operaciones, y las ramificaciones de sus actividades. Nuestras decisiones seguramente tendrán un impacto en la percepción doméstica e internacional, y deberemos responder a las reacciones de nuestros ciudadanos y de otros gobiernos. Por este motivo, México debe buscar ayuda extranjera y cooperación a través de distintos canales, y opciones como la OEA y el Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU deben servir como posibles foros para dirigirnos al mundo.

La historia está siendo escrita en estos momentos. Las acciones del presente dejarán una huella profunda en el futuro de México; sus repercusiones afectarán no sólo la seguridad y estabilidad de nuestra país, sino también la de nuestros vecinos. Me honra servir como el Presidente de este gran país, dirigir a nuestras tropas en esta campaña frontal contra el crimen organizado, inspirar patriotismo y valor en nuestros ciudadanos y dar nuestras propias vidas en la construcción de ese México que todos queremos. Es por esta razón que México necesita a cada uno de Ustedes, para garantizar la seguridad al interior y contra las amenazas extranjeras, proteger nuestra infraestructura, nuestro patrimonio nacional y salvaguardar la vida y futuro de los mexicanos.