Secretary of State Clinton heads to Mexico at a time when drug wars
have created bloodshed on the borders as trade tensions also mount.

Clinton's two day trip to Mexico comes ahead of next month's visit by
President Barack Obama.

Mexican soldiers pour onto the streets along the border with the United
States, fighting an increasingly violent drug trade that has claimed 7,000
lives since early 2008..

It's a battle that can be seen in other parts of Mexico, where the
government is up against -- resilient and well armed cartels.

As US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton heads to Mexico, the escalating
drug violence is expected to be high on the agenda.

Deputy Attorney General David Ogden.

Deputy Attorney General David Ogden, saying:
"The Secretary really wants to stress that while we have a certain
set of issues that we need to deal with in terms of law enforcement,
counternarcotics and the like, the violence problems --- that we really value
Mexico as a partner across the board."

The trip comes one day after the Obama White House rolled out a sweeping
crackdown on the smuggling of narcotics, guns and money fueling Mexico's drug
trade.

Drugs are not the only border problem between the US and its southern
neighbor.

With Mexican trucks now banned from US highways -- Mexico has slapped
tariffs on an assortment of American goods raising fears of an expanded trade
war. The friction is also raising questions about the state of the North
American Free Trade Agreement.

Juan Carlos Hidalgo of the Cato institute.

Juan Carlos Hidalgo of the Cato institute, saying:
"A small trade war has erupted between Mexico and the US and I
think Secretary Clinton should be wise to go to Mexico to reaffirm to Mexican
authorities the us commitment to Nafta, which allows Mexican truckers into the
US."

Beyond Mexico the truck question is also seen as something of a test case
for the Obama Administration and its appetite for free trade.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Mexico next month for
bi-lateral meetings ahead of the Summit of the Americas.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters