VZCZCXRO1004
PP RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHHO #0274/01 1780031
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 270031Z JUN 06
FM AMCONSUL HERMOSILLO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1494
INFO RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 0533
RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUEHHO/AMCONSUL HERMOSILLO 1880

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HERMOSILLO 000274 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/MEX; 
EMBASSY MEXICO FOR PAS, POL, ECON, MCCA; 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON EINV OEXC MX
SUBJECT: CULIACAN CONFERENCE EXPLORES REFORM ALTERNATIVES FOR MEXICAN 
DEMOCRACY 
 
HERMOSILLO 00000274  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U)  Summary:   On May 25, little more than a month before 
Mexico's national elections, the annual binational academic 
conference in Sinaloa on democratic development comparatively 
examined presidential and parliamentary systems.  Participants 
reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of Mexico's presidential 
system, the U.S. presidential model and the Canadian 
parliamentary system in an academic exercise designed to look 
for ways to alter the structure of the Mexican system to be more 
reactive to the needs of the Mexican people. They proceeded on a 
basic working premise that the Mexican system is structurally 
flawed and cannot provide adequately for the needs of the 
Mexican citizenry.  Part of the debate also involved sharp 
criticism of U.S. immigration policy.  It also included 
discussion of development in Sinaloa fueled by drug money 
laundering.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U)  The May 25 conference was organized by the Universdida 
Autonoma de Sinaloa School of Law (UAS), the Sinaloan Center of 
Sciences, the Universidad de Occidente and the Instituto Federal 
Electoral.  It received support and funding from the Public 
Diplomacy (PD) Section of U.S. Consulate Guadalajara and 
CODESIN, a public-private development entity based in Culiacan. 
Participating Americans included Dr. David Shirk, University of 
San Diego, who was sponsored by Guadalajara to speak about the 
U.S. presidential system, and Mark Bliss, U.S. Consulate 
Hermosillo, who served as a commentator and USG representative. 
Guadalajara PD LES Maria Elena Saucedo was a panel moderator. 
 
¶3. (U)  Gonzalo Armienta Hernandez, director of the Law Faculty 
at UAS, used his opening remarks to introduce a scathing 
critique on U.S. immigration policy.   He referred negatively to 
the U.S. Senate debate on immigration that was taking place 
simultaneously, and to President Bush's recent address on 
immigration, but dwelt on the proposal of some for a barrier 
along parts of the border, calling it a "wall of shame." 
 
¶4. (U)  The President of UAS, Cesar Sanchez Montoya, took up the 
unexpected topic with a more balanced presentation on the 
immigration situation.  He pointed out that Mexican migrants go 
to the United States illegally because the Mexican government is 
not making opportunities available for its citizens.   He said 
that the types of opportunities that migrants seek in the U.S. 
are "not made in Mexico". Montoya tied this into the theme of 
the conference that alternative ideas for reform need to be 
explored to make Mexico, a "country rich in natural resources 
and other wealth," more responsive to the needs of its citizens. 
 These remarks were well-received. 
 
¶5. (U)  When the conference moved to the scheduled agenda, Dr. 
Jeffery Allen Weldon, Autonomous Techological Institute of 
Mexico (ITAM), spoke on Mexico's presidential system, and Duncan 
Wood, ITAM, on the Canadian parliamentary system.  Dr. Shirk 
gave an excellent presentation on the origin and history of the 
American system of government and analyzed several strengths and 
weaknesses of this model.  ConOff Bliss talked about the 
informal powers of American presidents, including the ability to 
capture the attention of the country and world because of 
position and use of television, giving the recent address given 
by President Bush on immigration as an example.  The real 
comparison weighed in the conference was what happens when the 
legislature or the executive is more powerful. 
 
¶6. (U)  At the break, the media besieged Conoff with questions 
about the status of proposed measures raised in the immigration 
debate.  ConOff explained that the reform proposals are not yet 
law and discussed elements of  President Bush's position (taken 
from his speech).  He noted that that the President's views had 
largely been adopted by the Senate and that continuing 
discussions between House and Senate will likely result in a 
compromise bill. 
 
¶7. (U)  During the conference's afternoon session, the group 
"Sociedad en Movimiento" was participated and showed a video 
outlining Mexico's natural wealth, proud heritage and 
possibilities along with the failures of government to provide 
opportunities for workers and young people.  This group's basic 
premise, echoed by other participants throughout the day, was 
that changes in the structure of Mexico's democracy are 
necessary to attend to the needs and interests of the citizenry. 
 
¶8. (SBU)  One of the most interesting discussions concerned the 
book "Queen of the South," which describes how a young woman is 
drawn into the drug trade in Sinaloa, and the cottage industry 
of money laundering businesses that have grown-up along Avenida 
Benito Juarez in Culiacan, site of the conference.   Some viewed 
this as a cautionary tale of where government fails to provide 
opportunities and other - in this case nefarious influences -- 
 
HERMOSILLO 00000274  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
supplant government.    Others pointed out that Culiacan is a 
thriving capital city which has benefited from some $300 million 
in capital investment over the last 10 years (according to 
CODESIN), and that very little of this investment was Foreign 
Direct Investment, or money from the Mexican federal level.  It 
was largely locally generated.  (Comment:  By some estimates, 70 
percent of all business activity in Sinaloa is related to 
narco-trafficking.  This figure may be high, but the point is 
clear.  End comment.)  Although the source of a portion of 
investment funds in Sinaloa was suspect, some conference 
participants noted that it was good news simply that this 
development was taking place, that ultimately people and 
government benefited from it, and that there existed the 
possibility that associates of organized crime could become 
legitimate.  Others regarded the situation as bad news, and 
argued in rebuttal that, should the investment from this type of 
development not pay the expected returns, government is not 
prepared to handle the fallout from organizations that feel as 
though they can operate with impunity. 
 
¶9. (U)  Comment:   The conference in Sinaloa sparked lively and 
detailed debate which -- despite the occasional odd view - was 
worthy of a conference seeking ways to strengthen democratic 
governance in Mexico.  Dr. Shirk, the U.S. sponsored presenter 
did an excellent job.  Consulate Hermosillo appreciated the 
opportunity to participate.  End Comment. 
CLARKE