Update: This is Your Southern Neighbor on Drugs

Just days before the massive protests kicked off to pressure the U.S. government to capitulate to the demands of millions of illegal immigrants and their supporters, the Mexican government and Vicente Fox disregarded their professed commitment to the war on drugs.

Fox had indicated that he was prepared to sign a drug decriminalization bill passed by Mexico's Congress. It would legalize the possession of a wide array of illicit drugs for personal use.

What a difference a few days make.

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -- 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.

Fox's decision was unexpected, given that the legislation was initially designed by his office and introduced by his party. This week, his spokesman praised the law and insisted the president would quickly sign it, despite rumblings from a shocked Washington.

...[T]he bill allowed for the possession of up to 5 grams (0.18 ounces) of marijuana, 5 grams (0.18 ounces) of opium, 25 milligrams (0.0009 ounces) of heroin and 500 milligrams (0.018 ounces) of cocaine.

It also decriminalized the possession of limited quantities of other drugs, including LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, amphetamines and peyote — a psychotropic cactus found in the Mexican deserts.

All signs had indicated that the ink from Fox's signature was already drying on the bill.

Perhaps Washington applied a little pressure.

It was absolutely the worst timing for Mexico to pass drug decriminalization legislation.

How could Fox expect the U.S. to provide employment for Mexico's people and to force American taxpayers to cover their health benefits and educate them when Mexico was proving to be an unreliable ally in the war on drugs?

Critics, including politicians on both sides of the border, said relaxing the rules so much would attract drug users to Mexico from around the world and complicate its drug war.

...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 [in] tourist towns feared the reforms would attract a flood of hard-partying U.S. thrill seekers.

See the irony here?

Mexico wouldn't want to do anything to attact "a flood of hard-partying U.S. thrill seekers" to cross its borders and partake in drugs of their choice.

Nooooooo, Mexico doesn't want a flood of "undesirables" entering the country.

Attracting drug users from around the world isn't what Mexico wants.

Imagine a flood of people coming INTO Mexico, and putting a strain on their already "beleaguered police."

There would have been some poetic justice in that; but thankfully, for whatever reason, Fox came to his senses and decided that signing the bill as is wouldn't be wise.

Unfortunately, that might only be temporary.