Mexico's Calderon cancels APEC trip after minister's death

Nov 13, 2011, 1:33 GMT

Mexico City - Mexican President Felipe Calderon cancelled plans to attend weekend Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Hawaii after a key figure in his anti-drug fight was killed in an apparent accident.

Interior Minister Jose Francisco Blake died Friday in a helicopter crash in Morelos state, the second interior minister of Calderon's administration to die in an air accident.

Blake, 45, was in charge of security and the anti-drug fight as Mexico battles an escalating wave of violence. One of his predecessors, Juan Camilo Mourino, was killed in 2008 when his Lear jet crashed in Mexico City.

Questions were posed Saturday in the Mexican capital about whether the helicopter crash was an accident or resulted from an attack.

Calderon said heavy fog was a possible cause of the accident, but also said the accident would be investigated with help from experts from the United States and France.

US President Barack Obama, the host of the APEC summit in Honolulu, told Calderon by telephone that he was 'shocked and saddened' to learn of Blake's death. Eight people died in the accident.

Blake's government aircraft, a Super Puma, was flying from Mexico City to Cuernavaca, 85 kilometres south of the capital, when it changed its route and crashed for unknown reasons in an unpopulated area.

Calderon took part in a special ceremony for Blake Saturday that included a military ceremony, where he saluted Blake as friend and important fighter for the good of Mexico.

'He was dedicated to his country until the last moment of his life,' Calderon said.