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FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2924
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MEXICO 002470 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM MX PGOV PHUM PREL SNAR
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR DRL ASSISTANT SECRETARY DAVID 
KRAMER; AUGUST 17-18 
 
REF: A. MEXICO 2353 
     ¶B. MEXICO 2337 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Welcome to Mexico City.  Mexico remains key 
to USG success in combating the trafficking of drugs, 
persons, arms and precursors, terrorism, and other 
transnational threats.  Although President Calderon has made 
great strides in taking on Mexico's drug cartels and 
improving public security, these advances have come at a high 
human price for both civilians and officials at the federal, 
state, and municipal levels.  Facing multiple law enforcement 
challenges while attempting to sharpen the capabilities of 
the weak policing tool in its possession, the GOM's robust 
plan to combat organized crime has drawn criticism from some 
civil society groups concerned that safeguards to protect 
human rights in Mexico are being overshadowed by national 
security concerns.  On the other hand, sectors almost 
universally applaud judicial reforms which, once implemented, 
should greatly enhance rule of law.  End Summary 
 
------------------- 
Political Landscape 
------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The president faces a hardening political 
environment here, in the advance of legislative and key 
gubernatorial elections next year.  The window of opportunity 
to effectively cooperate with a divided congress on major 
reform initiatives, such as the currently pending energy 
reform, is rapidly closing.  While security issues are 
paramount, prosperity is also a key priority in the minds of 
most Mexicans.  Calderon has successfully passed some 
important economic reforms but more are needed to 
significantly raise growth rates, especially in light of 
current global trends. 
 
-------------- 
Justice Reform 
-------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The human price Mexico is paying for the war on 
organized crime remains high, with almost 2000 drug related 
killings so far in 2008, including  194 police and military 
officials.  A new disturbing trend in recent months has been 
the slaying of several senior police officials.  In June, 
President Calderon signed into law major judicial reform 
legislation to facilitate transition to an oral trial system, 
give law enforcement officials broader search and seizure 
authority, allow consensual monitoring of telephone calls, 
and give police more responsibility for conducting 
investigations.  Effective implementation of the legislation 
will make the Mexican system work more transparently, 
expeditiously, and fairly.  A share of Merida Initiative 
support is tagged to assist Mexico with putting this improved 
system into place. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The procedural codes for consistent implementation 
of the police reforms at the federal, state and municipal 
levels are currently being discussed in the Mexican Congress. 
 A law designed to protect the human rights of Mexican law 
enforcement officials is also being discussed in the 
legislative body.  Essentially, this law would standardize 
salaries, benefits, training and educational opportunities, 
and promotion opportunities for all law enforcement 
officials.  This past April, the Public Security Secretariat 
(SSP) initiated the program Plataforma Mexico (Mexican 
Platform), which provides distance learning training to 
federal police officials throughout the country.  Through 
technical coordination with Mexico's National Autonomous 
University, 10,000 officials have been trained nationally. 
Although the program has not been officially instituted at 
the state and municipal levels, SSP has extended distance 
learning courses to 115 priority municipalities where an 
estimated 70 percent of the Mexican population resides and 
where 80 percent of all crimes reportedly occur. 
 
------------ 
Human Rights 
------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) By historic standards in the region, the Mexican 
military's track record on human rights is good. Since the 
year's inception, there have been seven reported shootings of 
civilians by soldiers at military checkpoints.  Human rights 
NGOs argue these shootings constitute a pattern of gross 
violations of human rights, more specifically the "right to 
life".  While not all checkpoint shootings appear to 
constitute a "gross violation of human rights" by 
international standards, these incidents clearly involve 
 
MEXICO 00002470  002 OF 003 
 
 
serious breaches of military discipline and professionalism. 
The Mexican Military (SEDENA) has taken steps in recent 
months to address the issue of accountability for soldiers 
accused of committing human rights violations through the 
creation of the Directorate General for Human Rights, but it 
remains reluctant to engage civil society.  The National 
Human Rights Commission accepts civilian complaints against 
all public officials and ministries, including SEDENA.  Once 
an allegation of human rights abuse has been investigated, a 
non-binding recommendation is issued. 
 
---------- 
Key Issues 
---------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Leahy Vetting: Despite the GOM's sensitivity to the 
vetting issue, Embassy officials have consulted with the SRE 
regarding the procedures and requirements for Merida-related 
vetting.  The Embassy maintains regular contact with the 
National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) as well as with the 
human rights community and continues to seek their input to 
enhance and expand the local database used by the Embassy to 
check potential recipients of US assistance.  The Embassy 
continues to make use of close contacts with the Office of 
the Attorney General and the Ministries of Public Security, 
Government, Defense and the Navy to accumulate data and 
review information related to potential recipients of USG 
assistance. 
 
¶7. (SBU) To manage the vetting process at Embassy Mexico 
City, Post has recently hired a full-time vetting 
coordinator.  Additionally, GOM representatives have informed 
us that they intend to establish an internal, interagency 
process to more closely review the credentials of potential 
recipients of US assistance under the Merida Initiative. 
While this effort by the Government of Mexico 
is not intended to replace USG vetting, it can effectively 
complement USG efforts. 
 
¶7. (SBU) UNHCHR: May 23 marked Amerigo Inglaterra's last day 
as UN High Commissioner in Mexico City.  Although the motive 
for his departure has not been confirmed, allegedly 
Calderon's administration asked Louise Arbor, the UN High 
Commission for Human Rights, to remove Inglaterra after he 
made a number of controversial statements criticizing the 
Mexican Military's role in the fight against organized crime 
and for his public statements in support of a recent Human 
Rights Watch report criticizing the CNDH for not pressuring 
the Mexican government to address human rights concerns.  The 
Merida Initiative designates a USD 1 million earmark for 
UNHCHR to conduct human rights training for Mexican Military 
officials serving in traditional military roles.  The issue 
stirred some controversy in Mexico when it was initially 
mentioned through national press sources. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Brad Will Case: Progress on the Brad Will case 
remains slow despite vigorous efforts by the Will family and 
Embassy engagement.  Embassy officials, including Ambassador 
Garza, have continued to express the concerns and the 
interest of the US government and the Will family to the 
Mexican federal and Oaxaca state authorities.  To date, no 
charges have been filed. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Civil Society: Provided that human rights concerns 
are adequately addressed, human rights defenders are willing 
to support the Merida Initiative.  Attitudes regarding the 
military's engagement in the GOM's anti-narcotics operations 
range from ambivalence to complete opposition.  In recent 
months, several NGOs have contrasted what they characterized 
as President Calderon's hands-off approach to civil society 
concerns with that of the former president.  The Fox 
administration, they argue, established clear channels for 
dialogue with civil society groups and permitted greater 
access to law enforcement elements, particularly the PGR 
whereas the Calderon administration has eliminated such 
avenues. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Despite the criticisms of some human rights NGOs, 
Calderon has, in fact, shown interest in civil society's 
concerns and has made substantive efforts to incorporate its 
opinions into the GOM's overall human rights agenda.  Putting 
his personal stamp on a Fox administration initiative to 
improve police-civilian interface, on June 25, President 
Calderon inaugurated a new Board of Directors for the Citizen 
Participation Council (CPC) of the Attorney General's Office 
(PGR) and announced the reactivation of toll free emergency 
phone numbers, which will allow citizens to send in anonymous 
tips.  President Calderon had earlier called on citizens to 
provide crime information to police using a complaint system 
 
MEXICO 00002470  003 OF 003 
 
 
that has been in place for nearly six years.    Although some 
remain skeptical of the effort, the president's underscoring 
of its importance could have a salutory effect. 
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 / 
BASSETT