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RR RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHME #2928/01 2751239
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R 011239Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3443
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMFIUU/CDR USNORTHCOM
RUEAHLA/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MEXICO 002928 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR MX
SUBJECT: MEXICO'S PRI TALKS TOUGH ON SECURITY ISSUES 
 
REF: MEXICO 02864 
 
¶1. Summary. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) of 
late has ramped up criticism of President Felipe Calderon's 
handling of Mexico's security problems, probably in large 
part to rally support and to distinguish itself from 
Calderon's National Action Party (PAN) in the runup to the 
2009 legislative and key gubernatorial elections.  The 
September 15 Independence Day attack in Morelia, Michoacan 
State has only given the PRI more ammunition to use in an 
attempt to tarnish the administration's crime-fighting 
record.  While PRI will have to carefully balance its goal of 
scoring legislative victories off Calderon with the Mexican 
public's clamor for more effective and efficient resolution 
of security matters, its efforts may still further complicate 
an already onerous legislative session. End Summary. 
 
Tough Talk... 
------------- 
 
¶2. PRI in recent weeks has upped its criticism of the 
Calderon government's handling of Mexico's security situation 
and has engaged in some grandstanding on security-related 
budget items.  During contentious question and answer 
sessions in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies on 
September 22 and 23 respectively, PRI officials lambasted 
Public Security (SSP) head Genaro Garcia Luna, Attorney 
General Eduardo Medina Mora, and Secretary of Government Juan 
Camilo Mourino for the administration's crime fighting 
measures.  PRI senators walked out of Monday's session to 
protest what they claim was unwillingness on the part of the 
security officials to diverge from prepared talking points 
and address questions posed by opposition lawmakers. 
Moreover, despite a joint declaration signed by all three 
major parties--posted prominently on PRI's official 
website--calling for unity following the Morelia attacks, PRI 
leaders within days of the event censured the Calderon 
government's anti-crime efforts.  PRI Senate coordinator 
Manlio Fabio Beltrones publicly questioned Calderon's ability 
to prevent a further deterioration of Mexico's security 
environment while Mexico City daily Reforma reported that PRI 
deputies met to discuss asking for the resignation of top 
security officials. 
 
...And Some Action 
------------------ 
 
¶4. The PRI is "moving aggressively on crime," PRI Deputy 
Emilio Gamboa, president of the Chamber's Political 
Coordination Board and head of the PRI faction in the Chamber 
told Polcouns on Sepember 29, which will be reflected this 
legislative session.  PRI has demarcated several key areas in 
which it differs from Calderon's proposed security 
legislation and plans to submit its own counter-package this 
week.  Gamboa noted that PRI principally objects to the 
creation of a "national police force," arguing that PRI wants 
better coordination among the various forces rather than a 
"superpolice" that would have a  monopoly on law enforcement 
in the country.  Staffers of PRI Deputy Marco Antonio Bernal 
told Poloffs on September 30 that the party also differs with 
the administration on granting police units the authority to 
seize assets from organized criminals prior to their 
conviction in court and with the mechanism for selecting the 
Attorney General (PGR).  They said that the PRI wants to see 
a PGR more "autonomous" from the executive branch with an 
Attorney General and federal prosecutors nominated, approved, 
and subject to removal by the Senate rather than the 
president.  PRI's security package also reportedly includes: 
 
      --The creation of a new institution that will 
coordinate obligatory exchange of information throughout 
national    police files, including criminal files and police 
databases that include payroll information, fingerprints, 
vehicle registry, and weapons data.  The institution would 
also look to improve coordination between federal,    state, 
and local law enforcement entities and would be in charge of 
implementing public security policies; 
 
      --Increase in penalties for kidnapping and the 
elimination of the Attorney General's (PGR) discretionary 
prosecutorial powers, which currently allows it to pick and 
choose among organized crime cases it investigates    or 
 
MEXICO 00002928  002 OF 003 
 
 
passes to other entities; 
 
      --Encouragement for participation in the National 
Security Council by local governments from border states; 
 
      --Definition and establishment of penalties for crimes 
related to child pornography and prostitution; 
 
      --A discussion of weapons trafficking and professional 
training for local police; 
 
      --Establishment of a nationwide salary for local and 
state police officials, particularly with the consideration 
that there are areas in which police officials make under 
1000 pesos a month. 
 
¶5.  PRI also continues to quibble with Calderon over the 
proposed 2009 budget.  PRI deputies have objected to both the 
size and the distribution of the proposed budget increase 
directed toward security measures (ref a).  According to 
Gamboa, the PRI is not rankled so much by the decision to 
boost the security budget, but rather by the areas in which 
the administration is making cuts in order to reapportion 
them to security issues.  Gamboa noted that the PRI is loathe 
to see Calderon pull funds from agricultural and educational 
programs while maintaining high levels of spending in 
programs the PRI sees as most useful for PAN electioneering. 
 
Who's on Board, Who's Ready to Fight 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶6.  PRI congressional contacts have suggested that they have 
PRD support on several of its proposals.  Gamboa implied that 
PRD was amenable to much of the PRI's legislative package, 
and Bernal's staffers also noted that the PRD was open to the 
suggested changes to the PGR selection process.  PRD 
Secretary for International Relations Saul Escobar told 
Poloff on September 30 that PRD has its own security package 
in the works featuring an approach geared more toward social 
issues rather than focusing exclusively on punishment.  PRI 
congressional contacts have reiterated the same theme in 
various conversations with Poloff. 
 
PAN Picking Its Battles 
----------------------- 
 
¶7.  PAN Deputy Omeheira Lopez Reyna suggested PAN would need 
to pick its battles in the legislative debates ahead on 
security and the budget. 
 
-- President Calderon had favored folding all local and state 
police forces into one federal force but had retreated in the 
face of apparent PRI threats to withdraw support for a 
consensus energy reform bill.  Instead, PAN would seek 
Congressional backing for its long-discussed, more modest 
proposal to complete the merging of Federal Investigative 
Agency (AFI) officials into the Secretariat of Public 
Security (SSP), resulting in one federal police force. 
 
-- PAN planned to resist PRI efforts to convert PGR into a 
more "autonomous" institution by acceding to the Senate the 
President's present authority to nominate and remove the 
Attorney General and federal prosecutors.  Lopez conceded PRI 
may enjoy PRD support on this issue but noted that the 
government had successfully blocked the PRI's prior effort to 
include this measure in the judicial reform bill adopted in 
June and was prepared to fight this battle again as necessary. 
 
-- Lopez stressed the importance Calderon attached to 
dedicating more resources to security forces, particularly at 
the federal level.  PAN was less than impressed with the 
efficacy of local efforts to face security threats and noted 
that money had not spend down their current 2008 budgets.  In 
the face of PRI's desire to allocate more resources to local 
forces, Lopez remarked that PAN would argue that funding for 
state governments track with concrete performance indices. 
 
-- Lopez indicated that PAN was prepared to push back PRI 
efforts to curtail authorities PAN seeks to grant law 
enforcement officials that would facilitate legal efforts to 
seize the assets of criminal organizations.  She thought that 
PAN could count on PRD support on this measure and signaled 
 
MEXICO 00002928  003 OF 003 
 
 
PAN would also be prepared to make a strong case for this 
with a general public short on sympathy about the "rights" of 
organized criminals. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8.  PRI has opted to take advantage of what it sees as an 
opportune moment to challenge Calderon on his security 
approach.  As the Mexican public clamors for more effective 
anti-crime efforts, however, PRI will have to walk a fine 
line in its efforts to score security points off Calderon if 
its machinations in congress complicate, obstruct, or delay 
the passage of key legislation.  The Calderon administration 
nevertheless may find itself increasingly tied up by a feisty 
PRI legislative bloc looking to differentiate itself in the 
runup to the 2009 elections while still burnishing its law 
and order credentials. 
Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American 
Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / 
GARZA