CALDERON ANNOUNCES NEW SECURITY ADVISOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L MEXICO 003162 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SNAR KCRM MX SUBJECT: CALDERON ANNOUNCES NEW SECURITY ADVISOR Classified By: Classified by Charles V. Barclay, Political Counselor fo r reasons 1.4 (b) (d) 1.(SBU) Even before the October 20 announcement that President Calderon had appointed Jorge E. Tello Peon as a new national security advisor in charge of improving coordination between federal law enforcement elements the new appointee had already met with various institutions to develop a strategic plan to address Mexico's organized crime problems. According to embassy law enforcement contacts, the main objectives of the plan aim to: --increase coordination and information-sharing among GOM LE entities; Tello has ordered each agency to name a representative to work on a strategic plan with him. -- reinvigorate existing plans to address Mexico's southern border with Guatemala, including beefing up SEDENA check points on main roads leading up the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and boosting active marine patrols along the Gulf and Pacific coasts. --further enhance the working relationship with banking institutions in Mexico to address the money flow generated and facilitated by organized crime groups. --increase cooperation with USG LE agencies on reducing illegal arms flows into Mexico. ¶2. (C) According to Mexican security analyst Jorge Chabat, Tello is well-respected in Mexico's LE community and was Calderon's initial pick for SSP Secretary. Chabat said Tello turned the position down because he had cancer at the time and preferred to be in Monterrey with his family (working as head of CEMEX's security). Chabat is uncertain how Tello's new role will differ from Sigrid Artz's position, currently Technical Secretary of the National Security Council, and he anticipates overlaps. He also expects that, at least initially, the new position will cause some "noise" or inter-group power conflicts within the GOM rather than resolve them. Separately, a high-level CISEN official told LE emboff that Sigrid Artz would still have overall coordinating role of the Security Council. ¶3. (SBU) Tello has served as Director of the Center of Investigation and National Security (CISEN),Commissioner for the National Institute to Combat Drugs for the Attorney General's Office (PGR) and Undersecretary of Government (SEGOB). Tello was an SSP Undersecretary under Zedillo's Administration, in charge of all Mexican federal prisons, and remained in place into the early Fox administration. President Fox removed and replaced him after the embarrassing escape of Chapo Guzman from Puente Grande Prison. ¶4. (C) Several reports indicate that Tello is an old Genaro Garcia Luna associate and one of the architects of the Federal Preventive Police (PFP) as that agency was developing. (Note: At that time it was widely believed that eventually the PFP would become the enforcement/investigative arm of the PGR. End note.) DEA reports that they have no derogatory information on Tello. 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 / GARZA