ID:201431
Date:2009-04-08 13:55:00
09MEXICO1020

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R 081355Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5980
INFO ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
HQ USNORTHCOM
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L MEXICO 001020 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2017 
TAGS: PREL, SNAR, MX 
SUBJECT: THREE CONGRESSIONAL CHAIRMAN BRING MESSAGE OF 
SUPPORT TO PRESIDENT CALDERON 
 
Classified By: CDA Leslie Bassett for reasons 1.4 (b,d) 
 
1.  (C)  Summary:  Rep. Silvestre Reyes, Chair of the House 
Permanent Subcommittee on Intelligence (HPSCI), joined by 
Rep. Ike Skelton, Chair of the House Armed Services 
Committee, and Rep. Howard Berman, Chair of the House Foreign 
Affairs Committee, visited Mexico March 26-27 to convey a 
message of support to President Felipe Calderon.  During a 
cordial meeting with the President the three chairmen 
emphasized that the U.S. would support Mexico for the "long 
haul" in the effort against organized crime, offered to do 
what was possible to expedite Merida support, and expressed 
their personal appreciation for President Calderon's courage. 
 The President responded by highlighting the urgent need for 
non-invasive inspection equipment to allow Mexico to conduct 
in-bound inspections to interdict assault weapons.  "You can 
count on me," he told the chairmen, not just in the effort 
against drug cartels but also as a proponent within the 
region for free trade and rule of law.  The chairmen also 
attended a small country team briefing and held a press 
conference before departing.  In addition, Rep. Skelton laid 
a wreath at the monument to Mexico's child martyrs.  Codel 
members did not clear this cable.  End Summary. 
 
The Changing Attitude of the Cartels 
------------------------------------ 
 
2.  (C)  President Calderon opened substantive discussion by 
describing changes in cartel operations over the last ten 
years which led up to today's scenario in which they used 
assault weapons to defend territory which they needed both to 
access U.S. markets and to expand Mexican markets for drugs. 
Between 2000 and 2004 the Government of Mexico seized 3000 
assault weapons.  Once the U.S. ban on assault weapons was 
lifted in 2004 the numbers spiked dramatically, Calderon 
continued.  Between 2007 and 2009, over 15000 such weapons 
have been seized, including missile launchers, AK-47s and 
Barret 50 calibres.  The heavy weapons were used by criminal 
organizations to confront government entities, to intimidate 
local officials and law enforcement, and to wage battle 
against other cartels.  Calderon argued for a reinstatement 
of the assault weapons ban.  Meanwhile the government was 
working to keep the pressure on the cartels.  Calderon said 
he was also working to reinforce the presence of the 
government throughout Mexico, especially in areas of 
vulnerability such as Ciudad Juarez.  Since the government 
deployed 5000 troops to the city the murder rate had fallen 
70 percent.  Calderon noted that using the military was a 
short term solution so at the same time he was insisting that 
mayors and state governors meet their responsibility to 
provide order.  Federal support is conditioned on locals 
vetting police, increasing recruitment and providing the 
necessary equipment and training. 
 
The Challenge of Corruption 
--------------------------- 
 
3.  (C)  Calderon noted the challenge of corruption, 
recounting that the former head of security in Ciudad Juarez 
was under arrest in Texas for transporting a ton of 
marijuana.  "In order to fight corruption you must sweep the 
stairs from top to bottom," Calderon continued.   Already 
almost half of the highest level government officials had 
been vetted, Calderon reported, as part of "Operation 
Limpieza."  His personal goal was to leave behind a clean, 
credible police, Attorney General's staff, army and navy. 
But he needed more support from local authorities and 
governors to do the same at their level -- some were more 
committed than others. 
 
4.  (C)  Calderon briefly outlined his strategy to both 
confront crime and build Mexico's institutions.  First, he 
said, was to improve technological capabilities by 
integrating criminal, police and judicial information in 
Plataforma Mexico.  Second was to establish a national 
ballistics registry that would allow them to trace weapons 
used in criminal acts more efficiently.  Third was legal 
reforms leading to oral trials under an accusatory system. 
And fourth was a more aggressive prevention strategy to 
rescue public spaces from traffickers, ensure schools were 
safe, and prevent and treat addiction more effectively. 
 
5.  (C)  Asked about US military weapons and night vision 
equipment being used by cartels, Calderon said such 
instances, if they occurred were exceptions.  However, the 
cartels were always looking to upgrade their equipment and 
sensationalize their tactics.  There were reports, for 
example, that the cartels had plotted to take down his plane 
using grenade launchers, although in the end nothing had 
happened.  Their use of torture and mutilation of bodies 
shows their decision to move to a higher profile in their 
effort against government entities.  In a confrontation with 
police in Hidalgo criminals had thrown grenades, killing at 
least one officer.  Calderon went on to say he believes the 
cartels have powerful links to the U.S. and could one day use 
the same kinds of aggressive techniques against U.S. law 
enforcement unless we are mutually successful. 
 
Merida Priorities 
----------------- 
 
6.  (C)  Turning to Merida, Calderon said one thing Mexico 
needed was more access to information and intelligence 
developed by the United States.  Thanks to equipment the U.S. 
had provided the government had managed to thwart a planned 
assassination of a key politician in one state.  The 
cross-border nature not just of the illicit narcotics trade 
but of the criminals behind it meant the U.S. and Mexico had 
to work closely together.  Calderon noted the murder of a 
U.S. Marshal in Ciudad Juarez, expressing his condolences and 
his commitment that there would be a full investigation into 
the matter.  Calderon went on to say that another Merida 
priority for him was non-invasive inspection equipment which 
Mexico needed urgently to expand inbound inspections of 
travelers/cargo from the U.S. as well as to deploy along 
Mexico's southern border.  Rep. Berman assured Calderon that 
the U.S. was committed to supporting him, and that Speaker 
Pelosi was very interested in seeing what Merida assistance 
could be accelerated. 
 
The Military-to-Military Relationship 
------------------------------------- 
 
7.  (C)  Chairman Skelton inquired about the 
military-to-military relationship and how that was evolving. 
Calderon replied that today the Mexican army was beginning to 
see the benefit of cooperating with the U.S.  "I have the 
full support of the army to establish better cooperation with 
the U.S. army, " Calderon stated.  He added that he had told 
the army to "do what it takes" with the U.S. army in order to 
beat back the cartels. 
 
Sustaining Public Support 
------------------------- 
 
8.  (C)   "We will not sentence future generations to more 
violence," Calderon continued, noting that of the 6500 
murders last year, 65 percent were concentrated in three 
states (Chihuahua, Baja California and Sinaloa) and over 90 
percent of the victims had some kind of tie to criminal 
activity.  Asked if there was political momentum to go back 
to the old practice of looking the other way, Calderon 
replied, "There is a serious risk."  Certain sectors in the 
past made informal agreements with criminals in exchange for 
a degree of security, and they are arguing for that again. 
But, Calderon continued, his commitment was to enforce the 
law. 
 
The Opportunity for the U.S. 
--------------------------- 
 
9.  (C)  As the meeting ended, Rep. Berman asked about 
prospects for the Summit of the Americas.  Calderon replied 
that President Obama has an opportunity to recover U.S. 
leadership in the region.  His charisma, his positions, all 
resonated with Latin America very positively.  It wouldn't be 
easy, as there were some "tough guys" in the neighborhood, 
Calderon pointed out.  The Mexican leader said he finds 
himself "almost alone" in defending free markets, human 
rights and the rule of law.  But just as Secretary Clinton 
offered a fresh message during her visit to Mexico, President 
Obama had the same opportunity to invigorate the dialogue 
with the entire region. 
 
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