Mexico's Fox Sobers Up on Drug Law

Fearing an influx of gringos, Mexican President Fox has changed his mind on the new drug possession laws:

In a surprise reversal, Mexican President Vicente Fox will not sign a widely criticized reform to decriminalize the possession of small quantities of marijuana, cocaine and heroin, his office said on Wednesday.

The president's office said the law, which also toughened sentences for dealing and holding larger amounts of the intoxicants, would be sent back to Congress for revision.

"In our country the possession of drugs and their consumption are, and will continue to be, crimes," the office said in a statement.

[...]

Hundreds of people, including many police officers, have been killed in Mexico in the past year as drug cartels have battled for control of lucrative smuggling routes.

The violence has raged mostly in northern Mexico, but in recent months has spread south to Pacific coast resorts like Acapulco.

Beleaguered police in the crime-racked Mexican border region warned that the legalization law would make its already chaotic cities rowdier and more unruly. And authorities tourist towns feared the reforms would attract a flood of hard-partying U.S. thrill seekers.

They're clearly gringophobic, though I bet some pressure from Washington helped Fox make his decision.