On Wednesday Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States shares at least part of the blame for the drug trafficking–related violence that has already killed thousands in Mexico in the past year alone. “Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade,” she said while on her way to Mexico City, CNN.com reports.

Clinton is set to meet with Mexican president Felipe Calderón and other leaders while in Mexico to talk about tactics both countries can collaborate on in fighting the drug trade. “Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians,” she continued. “So, yes, I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility.”

For that reason, Clinton reiterated that the U.S. has already allotted $700 million in aid to Mexico (and congress wants to make sure it’s being used effectively before giving more aid). “We are going to demonstrate that we are spending it in an accountable and effective manner that will assist the Mexicans” in law enforcement and justice.

“This is more about trying to act proactively,” Clinton said in a CNN television interview from Mexico City. “We need to help them, or we'll see the results in our own country. "[Traffickers] are causing all kinds of criminal activity [in the U.S.]. It has an effect on us, so we want to prevent it from going any further.”