VZCZCXRO0162
PP RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHME #0081/01 0111641
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 111641Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0122
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MEXICO 000081 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM AMBASSADOR GARZA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KJUS KCRM SNAR OVIP MUKASEY MICHAEL MX
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR THE VISIT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL MICHAEL B. 
MUKASEY TO MEXICO, JANUARY 15-16, 2008 
 
¶1.  Welcome to Mexico City.  Mexico is key to USG success in 
combating the trafficking of drugs, persons, arms and precursors, 
terrorism, and other transnational threats.  Since entering office 
last December, Felipe Calderon's government has moved with 
unprecedented speed to improve public security. 
 
----------------------------- 
Strengthening Law Enforcement 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2.  Specific measures include: launching aggressive anti-drug 
operations in ten states; raising pay for the military; replacing 
numerous high-ranking federal police officers in an anti-corruption 
campaign; launching a billion dollar project to create real-time 
interconnectivity between all police and prosecutors, as well as a 
unified national crime database; and, proposing congressional bills 
to unify federal police forces and reform the judicial system. 
 
¶3.  The GOM has greatly strengthened law enforcement cooperation 
with the USG, which along with a more flexible attitude by the 
courts has allowed for the extradition of a record 83 criminals to 
the U.S. in 2007, exceeding 2006's record level.  The GOM is now 
extraditing cartel kingpins of significance and has seized record 
hauls of cocaine, methamphetamine precursors, and bulk cash and 
other assets. 
 
¶4.  The ongoing security campaign has reduced the broad geographic 
range and legal impunity that the cartels have traditionally enjoyed 
in Mexico, although progress is tenuous and uneven.  Addressing 
personal security challenges ranks regularly as the number one 
priority in public opinion polls.  Calderon has accomplished more in 
his first year than almost any other recent Mexican president in 
countering unlawfulness and murder. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Stakes Rising for Security Officials 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  The human price Mexico has paid has been high: over 2007, almost 
250 police and military officials have been killed.  Mexican 
political leaders are not shy about reminding us that U.S. demand 
for drugs, money laundering, and illegal arms flows from our side of 
the border help fuel Mexico's drug war. 
 
------------------- 
Human Rights Issues 
------------------- 
 
¶6.  Members of the political opposition and human rights groups have 
expressed concern about the continued use of the military for 
internal security and the potentially corrupting influence this 
fight poses to the institution.  The National Human Rights 
Commission (CNDH) has investigated and reported on several 
incidents. 
 
¶7.  To date, the Secretariat of Defense has shown a willingness to 
deal with abuses committed by soldiers, including investigating 
individuals accused of violations in the state of Michoacan and 
prosecuting soldiers who killed a family at a roadblock in the state 
of Sinaloa.  In October 2007, eight soldiers were tried on charges 
relating to the beating of 7 policemen and the rape of some 14 
women.  Four of the soldiers were acquitted; the other four were 
convicted and sentenced up to 41 years, marking the first time 
troops have been tried and convicted in civilian courts. 
Outstanding allegations against members of a variety of federal, 
state and local security elements remain unresolved and under 
investigation. 
 
------------------------- 
Other Security Challenges 
------------------------- 
 
¶8.  EPR attacks on Pemex pipelines in July and early September have 
added another dimension to Mexico's security concerns, raising the 
specter of home-grown terrorism.  Calderon also recognizes that 
Mexico's own southern border remains extremely vulnerable to 
immigration, trafficking in persons, and the smuggling of 
contraband, and that securing this border is of vital importance to 
U.S. security.  Mexico faces a variety of security challenges -- 
both mature and incipient. 
 
-------------- 
Justice Reform 
-------------- 
 
¶9.  The Mexican Senate passed judicial reform legislation in 
December that would facilitate transition to an oral trial system, 
give law enforcement officials broader search and seizure authority, 
 
MEXICO 00000081  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
allow consensual monitoring of telephone calls, and give police more 
responsibility for conducting investigations.  Since the Senate 
modified several articles of the draft prior approved by the House 
of Deputies, the Senate version will return to the House for 
consideration in February.  Several leftist parties and human rights 
activists described the legislation as a "step backwards," giving 
the State excessive authorities at the expense of the accused.  Many 
jurists, however, believe effective implementation of the 
legislation will make the Mexican system work more transparently, 
expeditiously, and fairly. 
 
------------------------- 
Privileges and Immunities 
------------------------- 
 
¶10.  The Embassy sent a diplomatic note to SRE in early 2007 
requesting that all DEA agents be afforded protections equivalent to 
those of Internationally Protected Persons (IPPs).  In both Mexican 
and U.S. interpretations that implies administrative and technical 
status under the Vienna Convention on diplomatic Relations.  SRE 
replied by asking how many law enforcement officers needed 
IPP-equivalent protections.  State/L undertook a lengthy review 
which indicated that many law enforcement -- not just DEA -- might 
not have the necessary diplomatic protections.  We so informed SRE, 
and requested follow-up conversations to determine specifically what 
the existing protections are for law enforcement officials, 
especially those assigned to US consulates in Mexico, and whether 
they too could be afforded IPP-equivalent protections.  We await 
SRE's reply to this matter. 
 
---------------- 
Visa Revocations 
---------------- 
 
¶11.  In 2007, Embassy Mexico processed 111 visa revocations for 
persons involved in narcotrafficking, their families or those 
involved in drug-related activities.  Our Consular Section worked 
together with DEA and ICE among other Mission agencies to develop 
the information in these cases. 
 
------- 
Economy 
------- 
 
¶12.  The Calderon administration has registered some impressive 
economic accomplishments during its first year -- maintaining 
macroeconomic stability, keeping inflation at a reasonable 4%, and 
lowering barriers to trade.  The president secured quick 
congressional approval of the 2007 and 2008 budgets, and won passage 
of an unpopular but necessary government workers' social security 
reform.  His effort to reform Mexico's tax system paid off on 
September 14 when Congress approved a tax reform that will boost 
government revenues by 2.1% of GDP by 2012.  Much remains to be 
done, however, to arrest Mexico's slipping global competitiveness. 
The GOM's challenge is to implement structural reforms required for 
growth sufficient to raise 40% of Mexicans out of poverty. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
President Facing Difficult Political Environment 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶13.  Having completed his first year in office, Felipe Calderon has 
crafted an image as an activist president, consolidating his own 
political position and the power of the Mexican state -- no small 
feat given tensions surrounding the 2006 elections and the law 
enforcement challenges the country faces.  The president faces a 
difficult political environment here, with an active and vocal 
opposition challenging him regularly. 
 
¶14.  Prosperity ranks with security as the key priority in the minds 
of most Mexicans.  If his programs and policies prove unsuccessful 
in generating the kind of growth necessary to create sufficient jobs 
and reduce poverty, Calderon could quickly find himself vulnerable 
to a reinvigorated political opposition.  All three of the main 
political parties have their eyes on bellwether 2009 congressional 
elections. 
 
---------------------- 
U.S.- Mexico Relations 
---------------------- 
 
¶15.  The Calderon government has demonstrated pragmatism in its 
posture toward the United States and bilateral cooperation, 
particularly in law enforcement, has never been stronger.  However, 
the failure of immigration reform in the United States was a 
political setback for the president.  The result is that he enjoys 
less political space in which to openly cooperate with the U.S. on 
issues of mutual bilateral importance. 
 
MEXICO 00000081  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
 
 
GARZA