Obama to back Mexico's drugs war

US President Barack Obama is expected to express support for Mexico's war on drugs cartels when he flies into the country on Thursday.

Mr Obama is to hold wide-ranging talks with his Mexican counterpart, Felipe Calderon, on topics including the economy and cross-border smuggling.

Analysts say Mr Obama wants to show solidarity with Mr Calderon.

However, the BBC's Stephen Gibbs in Mexico City says most Mexicans are more concerned about reviving the economy.

Mexico sends 80% of its exports to the US and millions of Mexican families rely on remittances from relatives working north of the border, our correspondent says.

Regional summit

Mexico is the only stop for Mr Obama on his way to the Summit of the Americas, being held in Trinidad and Tobago.

Relations between the US and Mexico hit a low point earlier this year when a US military report said drugs-related violence was in danger of turning Mexico into a failed state.

Over the past two years, some 8,000 people have been killed as gangs battle for control of the lucrative drug trafficking routes into the US.

US President Barack Obama is expected to express support for Mexico's war on drugs cartels when he flies into the country on Thursday.

Mr Obama is to hold wide-ranging talks with his Mexican counterpart, Felipe Calderon, on topics including the economy and cross-border smuggling.

Analysts say Mr Obama wants to show solidarity with Mr Calderon.

However, the BBC's Stephen Gibbs in Mexico City says most Mexicans are more concerned about reviving the economy.

Mexico sends 80% of its exports to the US and millions of Mexican families rely on remittances from relatives working north of the border, our correspondent says.

Regional summit

Mexico is the only stop for Mr Obama on his way to the Summit of the Americas, being held in Trinidad and Tobago.

Relations between the US and Mexico hit a low point earlier this year when a US military report said drugs-related violence was in danger of turning Mexico into a failed state.

Over the past two years, some 8,000 people have been killed as gangs battle for control of the lucrative drug trafficking routes into the US.

But President Obama's administration has since expressed solidarity with Mr Calderon who has sent hundreds of troops to regain control of the worst-affected areas.

During a visit to Mexico City in March, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the US shared responsibility for the drugs problem.

She said America's "insatiable demand" for illegal drugs fuelled the trade and that the US had an "inability" to stop weapons from being smuggled south.

Mr Obama has sent hundreds of federal agents along with high-tech surveillance equipment and drug-sniffer dogs to help Mexico fight the cartels.

On Wednesday, the US placed three Mexican organisations on its list of suspected drug syndicates and Mr Obama also charged a senior official with stopping drugs-related violence crossing from Mexico into the US.

"This is something that we take very seriously, and we're going to continue to work on diligently," Mr Obama said last month.

Aside from combating the drugs menace, correspondents say Mr Obama and Mr Calderon are likely to discuss immigration reforms and ways of increasing trade between their countries.