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### Viewing cable 08MEXICO1487, SCENE SETTER FOR THE VISIT TO MEXICO OF FBI DEPUTY

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08MEXICO1487 | 2008-05-16 14:02 | 2011-01-23 21:09 | SECRET | Embassy Mexico

`

    VZCZCXRO6479
    RR RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
    DE RUEHME #1487/01 1371454
    ZNY SSSSS ZZH
    R 161454Z MAY 08
    FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1886
    INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
    RHMFISS/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
    RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC

` `

    S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 MEXICO 001487

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2027
    TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER KCRM SNAR MX
    SUBJECT: SCENE SETTER FOR THE VISIT TO MEXICO OF FBI DEPUTY
    DIRECTOR JOHN S. PISTOLE, MAY 21-23, 2008

    Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Charles V. Barclay.
    Reasons: 1.4 (b),(d).

    ¶1. (U) Welcome to Mexico City. Mexico is key to USG
    success in combating a wide array of transnational security
    threats which undermine our ability to confront global
    terrorism. A stew of widespread criminality, drug
    trafficking, corruption and impunity has created an enabling
    environment for a variety of ill-intended elements here.
    There is much good news, however: the U.S. - Mexico
    relationship on security issues, including counter-terrorism
    and counter-narcotics, is excellent and we have no evidence
    that foreign terrorist organizations have gained a foothold
    here. Equally important, a resolute president is taking
    aggressive actions to combat organized crime that will make
    Mexico an even more valued partner in years to come. Your
    visit here will provide an excellent overview of Mexico's
    challenging security environment. While your interlocutors
    will have well-defined opinions on the nature of the security
    challenges facing Mexico -- that do not always reflect our
    own thinking -- engaging them will advance our dialogue
    greatly.

    Mexico's Security Environment and Commitment

    ¶2. (U) Mexico remains relatively inhospitable to local and
    international terrorist groups intending to operate within
    the country. In July and September of 2007, the Popular
    Revolutionary Army (EPR), a domestic guerrilla group,
    attacked oil and gas pipelines, causing significant economic
    damage. Several months ago, this group issue a communiquQ
    threatening CISEN, Mexico's civilian intelligence
    organization. Attacks, however, are sporadic and it is
    doubtful domestic groups have the wherewithal to make an
    impact with sustained armed operations. More recently, EPR
    and the GOM have been floating possible scenarios under which
    they would entertain a dialogue but have yet to reach
    agreement.

    ¶3. (S) Mexican authorities are receptive to concerns raised
    by foreign governments regarding potential infiltration by
    foreign groups, stepping up security and surveillance when
    circumstances warrant, investigating special interest aliens
    and taking action against human trafficking and smuggling
    operations that might be exploited by terrorists. (A March
    2007 procedural change, however, has complicated this
    picture. Instead of holding SIAs in one central facility
    near the capital, migration authorities now detain and
    release such individuals where they are originally found,
    complicating our ability to investigate and track them. CBP
    has been working with senior migration officials, who are
    sympathetic to our concerns. On a positive note, CISEN,
    which is our primary interlocutor on counterterrorism, has
    allowed USG officers to interview foreign nationals detained
    at Mexican immigration detention centers dispersed around the
    country for potential CT information of interest.)

    ¶4. (U) Mexico strengthened its anti-terrorism regime last
    year with passage of legislation outlawing terrorist
    financing and associated money laundering, significantly
    toughening penalties for a variety of terror-related
    activities in the process. While the legislation lacked some
    important provisions, such as assets forfeiture measures, it
    represented a significant step forward in suppressing those
    who plan, facilitate, finance or commit terrorist acts. It
    is also worth noting, that the judicial reform bill passed in
    February includes provisions for asset forfeiture. Money
    laundering remains a serious problem and Mexico needs to
    dedicate more resources to combat this problem.

    ¶5. (S) The GOM coordinates well with the USG in a variety of
    counter-terror areas. Mexico has begun exploring programs
    designed to deter terrorists from using Mexico's seaports as
    staging areas for introducing terror-related materials.
    Mexico cooperates with USG elements in countering money
    laundering activity and its military is actively looking to
    gain greater control over its vast maritime zone through
    equipment upgrades and counter drug initiatives. CISEN and
    DNI's Open Source Center recently negotiated a formal
    information sharing arrangement which will permit
    subscription to each other's open source products.

    ¶6. (U) In July 2007, the Mexican Government created the
    Specialized High-Level Committee on International
    Disarmament, Terrorism, and Security -- otherwise known as
    the National Authority -- to "unify, coordinate, design, and
    articulate the government of Mexico's public policies to
    comply with international obligations on disarmament,
    nonproliferation and terrorism." CISEN is the titular head
    of the National Authority which is to serve as a coordination

    MEXICO 00001487 002 OF 003

    entity. The other permanent members include the Foreign
    Ministry (SRE), the Finance Ministry, the Defense Ministry
    (SEDENA), the Navy (SEMAR), the Attorney General's Office
    (PGR), the Secretariat of Public Security (SSP), and the
    Transportation and Public Communications Ministry. The
    National Authority consists of six permanent working groups
    including nuclear weapons, chemical and biological weapons,
    conventional weapons, terrorism, administrative and legal
    harmonization and international security. Tasks undertaken
    by the working groups include legislative and administrative
    harmonization; export controls consultation; development of a
    Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives
    (CBRNE) national controls list; the national industry
    registrar; industry outreach and awareness; enforcement;
    inspection, verification and control; capacity building; and
    intelligence sharing.

    ¶7. (U) Areas of concern remain. Mexico's large territory
    and traditionally weak enforcement of the movement of peoples
    and goods both at its borders and within Mexico make it a
    potential transit point for terrorists intending to launch
    attacks against the U.S. Moreover, in recent years,
    criminality has taken on a growing presence in Mexico and
    engendered concern that the government had lost significant
    ground in many locales to narco-cartels. Rampant
    lawlessness, widespread corruption and the government's
    long-standing inability to confront either had been seen as
    troubling threat indicators to those watching our southern
    border for signs of potential terrorist infiltration.

    Aggressive New Posture on Law Enforcement and Security

    ¶8. (U) In the past year and a half, however, the GOM has
    taken aggressive steps to turn the situation around. Since
    taking office, Calderon has launched anti-drug operations in
    ten states, raised pay for the military, and replaced
    numerous high-ranking federal police officers. He launched
    improvements to inter-agency communications and oversaw a
    successful effort to pass legislation unifying federal police
    forces and reform the judicial system. These enhancements, if
    fully implemented, should strengthen the GOM's security
    capabilities across the board and make it better able to
    confront potential challenges from all manner of ill-intended
    non-state actors. For the time being, the government's
    aggressive posture has provoked violent struggles within and
    among cartels as well as attacks on security personnel
    producing record numbers of drug related homicides including
    the killing of police and military officials

    ¶9. (U) Calderon has also placed a high premium on
    strengthened law enforcement cooperation with the U.S. which
    extends on cases run out of the Attorney General's Office
    ranging from child pornography and fugitives to kidnapping
    and money laundering. He has significantly expanded the
    number of criminal extraditions, instructed key members of
    his security team to engage their USG counterparts fully and
    worked closely with us to develop a joint approach to
    counter-narcotics through such efforts as the Merida
    Initiative, a program to provide Mexico with $1.4 billion in
    assistance to help it combat organized crime. Post's Office
    of the Legal AttachQ has provided Mexico's Public Security
    Secretariat (SSP) with training in a variety of fields
    including counterterrorism, interview techniques, and
    fingerprinting; we also sponsored approximately 60 officials
    at FBI Training Academy last year for the LEEDS Course. The
    emerging pattern of bilateral cooperation across the board is
    highly positive and likely to take on momentum in years to
    come.

    Old Attitudes Complicate Dialogue on Security Issues

    ¶10. (U) Despite Mexico's commitment to broaden bilateral
    cooperation, there are differences between the U.S. and
    Mexican approaches to global affairs to be considered when
    seeking dialogue with Mexican interlocutors on security and
    foreign policy issues. Mexico is still developing an
    "over-the-horizon" view of the world and the potential
    security threats it throws up. It does not share our
    position on the need for robust, forward-based defense of our
    security interests in the Near East or South Asia. It places
    less emphasis on the potential threat to the region emanating
    from groups such as Al-Qaida. It is less nervous about
    Iranian diplomatic, economic and political outreach in the
    region than we are.

    ¶11. (C) Closer to home, Mexico has traditionally sought to
    play a regional role that is independent of the U.S. With
    the exception of the Fox administration, Mexican governments
    -- including Calderon's -- have generally sought to maintain
    warm ties with Cuba. Similarly, until recently, the GOM had

    MEXICO 00001487 003 OF 003

    sought to avoid conflict with the current Venezuelan
    government. Mexican officials and citizens alike have viewed
    the activities of populist governments, and even certain
    armed groups, in the region as relatively benign. One senior
    official in Mexico's Foreign Relations Secretariat recently
    told us that even the FARC had its "historical context" which
    conveyed a certain amount of legitimacy to the organization.
    You should remember that Mexicans still view global and
    regional security issues through a different prism than we do
    when discussing such issues.

    ¶12. (C) Comment: The Calderon administration has committed
    to significantly strengthening the security relationship with
    the United States, but remains keen to balance this effort
    against its desire to be seen in the region as an influential
    -- and independent -- actor. Security cooperation,
    particularly in the area of counter terrorism initiatives,
    will necessarily be low key for some time to come. That
    said, security cooperation in combating organized crime has
    never been better. We expect your visit will only reinforce
    burgeoning cooperation we are observing across the board when
    it comes to law enforcement activities. End Comment.

    Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at
    http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity
    and the North AmericanPartnership Blog at
    http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap /

    GARZA

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