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| Mexico Interior Secretary Blake Mora dies in helicopter crash | Mexico Interior Secretary Blake Mora dies in helicopter crash |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Mexico's Secretary of the Interior, Francisco Blake Mora, has died in a helicopter crash outside Mexico City, officials say. | Mexico's Secretary of the Interior, Francisco Blake Mora, has died in a helicopter crash outside Mexico City, officials say. |
| The helicopter was travelling to Cuernavaca in neighbouring Morelos state for a meeting of prosecutors when it went down. | The helicopter was travelling to Cuernavaca in neighbouring Morelos state for a meeting of prosecutors when it went down. |
| All eight people on board were killed. It is not clear what caused the crash. | All eight people on board were killed. It is not clear what caused the crash. |
| Mr Blake Mora, 45, was appointed to the post last year and was a key figure in the war against drug cartels. | Mr Blake Mora, 45, was appointed to the post last year and was a key figure in the war against drug cartels. |
| The helicopter had initially been reported missing. Some Mexican media reports said there was heavy cloud at the time. | The helicopter had initially been reported missing. Some Mexican media reports said there was heavy cloud at the time. |
| Francisco Blake Mora was one of the president's right-hand men. Not only because he was in charge of domestic affairs, but also because he became one of the most strident voices of Mr Calderon's strategy against the drug cartels. | |
| In recent months, he helped coordinate the army, navy and federal police in the fight against drug trafficking in violence-torn cities like Veracruz or Acapulco. | |
| But his death could be a severe blow to Mr Calderon at a personal level too. Three years ago, one of the president's best friends, then Interior Secretary Juan Camilo Mourino, was killed in a plane crash in Mexico City. | |
| That accident was one of the saddest moments for Mr Calderon since he took power in 2006, he said. Mr Camilo Mourino was remembered by members of the cabinet, including Mr Blake Mora, this week. His last message on his Twitter account (@FBlakeM) was actually dedicated to Mr Mourino. | |
| "Unfortunately the interior secretary, his [assistants] and the helicopter crew were found dead," government spokeswoman Alejandra Sota said. | "Unfortunately the interior secretary, his [assistants] and the helicopter crew were found dead," government spokeswoman Alejandra Sota said. |
| Deputy Interior Secretary Felipe Zamora and the interior ministry's chief press officer Alfredo Garcia were also reported to be on the helicopter. | |
| Mexican television showed wreckage from the helicopter strewn across a hillside. | Mexican television showed wreckage from the helicopter strewn across a hillside. |
| Drug war hardliner | Drug war hardliner |
| The interior secretary is Mexico's senior cabinet position and the top official after the president, with responsibility for domestic affairs and security. | The interior secretary is Mexico's senior cabinet position and the top official after the president, with responsibility for domestic affairs and security. |
| Mr Blake was President Felipe Calderon's fourth interior secretary. One of his predecessors, Juan Camilo Mourino, was killed in a plane crash in Mexico City three years ago. | Mr Blake was President Felipe Calderon's fourth interior secretary. One of his predecessors, Juan Camilo Mourino, was killed in a plane crash in Mexico City three years ago. |
| Mr Blake began his political career in the north-western border city of Tijuana in the mid-1990s, later serving as interior secretary for Baja California state. | |
| He also served as a federal congressman from Mr Calderon's National Action Party. | |
| He earned a reputation as being a hardliner in Mexico's struggle with drug cartels. | He earned a reputation as being a hardliner in Mexico's struggle with drug cartels. |
| Mr Blake Mora frequently travelled to cities badly affected by the cartels, such as Veracruz and Ciudad Juarez, to help co-ordinate the government's response. | Mr Blake Mora frequently travelled to cities badly affected by the cartels, such as Veracruz and Ciudad Juarez, to help co-ordinate the government's response. |
| More than 40,000 people are reported to have died from drug-related violence since President Calderon sent in the army to help combat the cartels in 2006. | More than 40,000 people are reported to have died from drug-related violence since President Calderon sent in the army to help combat the cartels in 2006. |