Three days of mourning as casino blaze kills 52

MEXICAN President Felipe Calderon declared three days of mourning yesterday and demanded a crackdown on drugs in the US after armed men torched a casino in northern Mexico, killing at least 52 people.

Under intense pressure as violence soars, Calderon said he would send more federal security forces to the city of Monterrey, where gunmen set fire to an upmarket casino on Thursday in one of the worst attacks of Mexico’s drugs war.

Lashing out at corrupt officials in Mexico and “insatiable” US demand for drugs for fomenting the violence, Calderon urged Congress to stamp out drug consumption and stop illegal trafficking of weapons across the border into Mexico.

“We’re neighbours, we’re allies, we’re friends, but you are also responsible,” a sombre and angry Calderon said to the US in a speech after meeting his security advisers.

Pledging to step up the fight on organised crime, Calderon said Mexico was under attack from “true terrorists”, and told all Mexicans to come forward and denounce those responsible.

President Barack Obama called the attack “barbaric” and said his government stood shoulder to shoulder with Mexico in the battle against the gangs.

“We share with Mexico responsibility for meeting this challenge and we are committed to continuing our unprecedented cooperation in confronting these criminal organisations,” Obama said in a statement issued by the White House.