DRUG VIOLENCE CONTINUES IN NORTHERN MEXICO DESPITE MILITARY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MONTERREY 000130 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR DS/IP/ITA AND DS/IP/WHA; WHITE HOUSE FOR ONDCP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR PGOV ASEC ECON MX SUBJECT: DRUG VIOLENCE CONTINUES IN NORTHERN MEXICO DESPITE MILITARY PRESENCE REF: A) MONTERREY 58, B) MONTERREY 73 MONTERREY 00000130 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Drug-related violence in Northern Mexico has continued despite an increased military presence. The new wave of violence left a state investigator and two former police officers dead and, for the second time in less than a month, drug cartels assassinated two men only hours after President Calderon visited Monterrey to reiterate his promise to fight organized crime. Several innocent bystanders were also seriously wounded, including a nineteen month old girl who was rendered blind by a drug-cartel hitman's bullet intended for her father. Two days before the attempted assassination of a federal Congressman, the GOM sent over 3000 soldiers, navy personnel, and federal police to the two northern states on February 16 in an effort to curb the killings. Post is encouraged by the GOM's apparent commitment to stem the tide of drug-related violence in the region, and will continue to work closely with local law enforcement officials to monitor the situation. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- -------------- NEW WAVE OF ATTACKS LEAVES BABY BLIND -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) Despite a push by state and federal law enforcement to crack down on violence in Northern Mexico after January's increase in drug-related assassinations (reftel A),the killings continued, leaving more dead and wounded officials and innocent bystanders in its wake. On February 3, assailants shot and killed an investigator with the Nuevo Leon Attorney General's Office as he exited a furniture store in Santiago, a town just outside Monterrey popular with tourists. The officer, the sixth to be killed in the area this year, died instantly after being hit by several bullets fired from automatic rifles. A week later on February 10, unidentified "sicarios" (hitmen) shot and killed two former police officers in downtown Monterrey. One February 13, an innocent bystander was shot and wounded during a high speed pursuit and shootout between rival drug gangs in Guadalupe, greater metropolitan Monterrey. Several kilos of cocaine were found in one of the armored vehicles involved in the ensuing collision. ¶3. (SBU) On February 15, President Calderon visited the Monterrey area to reiterate his promise to fight organized crime and violence in the state. Later that same day, two men were shot and killed by "sicarios" in separate incidents in the city. One was a local businessman assassinated outside of a convenience store, and the other was a young man gunned down in the parking lot of his father's business. NOTE. These assassinations are strikingly similar to those that occurred immediately following Calderon's last visit to Monterrey on January 17 (reftel A). The warning message to President Calderon, who has made fighting drug-related violence a top priority, certainly appears to be the same. END NOTE. ¶4. (U) (SBU) On February 17, a nineteen month old girl and her father were seriously wounded when "sicarios" opened fire on the family's car as they were leaving their home in Santiago, greater Monterrey. The father, who has known ties to the Sinaloa drug cartel, was shot six times, but managed to drive to the local police station where the family sought help for their daughter. The girl was rendered blind by a bullet wound to her head and remains in critical condition at a local hospital. To date, authorities have not arrested any suspects involved in the shooting. ¶5. (SBU) Finally, a Mexican Congressman survived an assassination attempt when his car was ambushed by "sicarios" on February 19 in Nuevo Laredo. The Tamaulipas state attorney reported that a vehicle drove up alongside the Congressman's car and opened fire, killing the driver and seriously wounding the Congressman. Representative Horacio Garza Garza, who represents Nuevo Laredo in the Mexican lower house of representatives and who previously served as the city's mayor, was flown to a Mexico City hospital on February 20. Post law enforcement officials believe that the attack was in retaliation for the Federal government's increased military presence in Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon. NOTE. Immediately after the assassination attempt, Post was informed that local, state, and federal police officers would immediately ramp-up their patrolling of Nuevo Laredo. However, a source close to the Consulate reported that less than MONTERREY 00000130 002.2 OF 002 two hours after the incident, there was little or no police activity visible in Nuevo Laredo. END NOTE. -------------- -------------- GOM RESPONDS WITH MORE MILITARY -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) In response to the continued violence in Northern Mexico, the GOM dispatched approximately 3000 soldiers, navy personnel, and federal police on February 16 to the northern states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon. In a news conference, Mexican Defense Minister Guillermo Galvan told reporters that the military will set up checkpoints in and around the two states. Post law enforcement confirmed that the campaign will focus on stopping the flow of narcotics and weapons along known drug trafficking routes. This increased military presence comes less than a month after the Mexican military began operating checkpoints in the Monterrey metropolitan area (reftel B). NOTE. Interestingly, Post's RSO noticed that, despite the public announcements about increased military presence, there were no troops at the usual checkpoints between Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo as of February 17. However, RSO did note that the military has installed a new checkpoint at the main entrance to Colombia International Bridge in Nuevo Laredo and is inspecting all cars and trucks entering the bridge from the main access road. END NOTE. ¶7. (SBU) COMMENT. Post continues to be concerned that the drug cartels are targeting high-ranking officials and that none of these assassinations result in the arrest or prosecution of those responsible. Particularly troubling is the attempted assassination of Congressman Garza Garza two days after the increased military presence in the region, and the reported lack of military action immediately following his assassination. Nonetheless, we remain encouraged by the commitment of the Mexican federal government to fight organized crime, as exemplified by this increased military presence in Northern Mexico. While Governor Gonzalez previously rejected the Mexican military's presence for fear of damaging Nuevo Leon's reputation as a safe and prosperous state, the Governor now publicly touts the military checkpoints as part of his larger plan to combat drug-related violence in the state. Post privately believes that the military's intervention in state security matters was forced upon Governor Gonzalez and that, to save face, he must appear to support the campaign. In a February 19 interview with a leading Monterrey newspaper, Milenio-Diario, the Consul General was asked about the military campaign in Nuevo Leon. The CG responded that he believed it was a good decision undertaken jointly by the state and federal governments. Post will continue to monitor the situation closely and report on significant events. END COMMENT. MORENO