MEXICO: DF MAYOR'S GREEN TIPS AND CRIME BLUES

UNCLAS MEXICO 003121 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NSC TO SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR WHA RESTREPO, WHA FOR DAS ROBERTA JACOBSON, WHA FOR MEX DIRECTOR LEE AND STAFF E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MX PGOV PINR PREL SUBJECT: MEXICO: DF MAYOR'S GREEN TIPS AND CRIME BLUES ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Marcelo Ebrard, Mayor of Mexico City, underscored for the Ambassador on October 23 his top priorities for the city: security, public transportation, waste-control, climate change, solar energy and other renewables, and health care. Ebrard highlighted the city's efforts to increase the use of solar and other renewables and the extraction of methane gas from landfills, as well as its installation of a public bicycle transportation system. Ebrard suggested enhancing current Merida-related cooperation by stepping-up joint efforts to investigate and prosecute criminals for money laundering. Ebrard also told the Ambassador about the efforts of Mexico City's Citizen Security Councils, which receive crime tips by phone texts and circulate questionnaires regarding the police. Ebrard is a dynamic politician, who is likely to appear on the PRD presidential ballot in 2012. End Summary. Cleaning Up Energy -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Ebrard's government seeks to broaden its management over energy resources, particularly renewables. The city is piloting solar energy in a number of homes. It is also testing natural gas on buses. The Ambassador told Ebrard about his plans to make the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City carbon-neutral. Ebrard's staff explained that they are endeavoring to do the same in Mexico City government buildings and the Mexico City Assembly, and Ebrard offered the assistance of his Environmental office in the Embassy's efforts. The Embassy Management section will follow-up as appropriate. ¶3. (U) Ebrard noted that Mexico City installed a public bicycle system, in December 2008, based on a design from Barcelona. The city government designed the bicycles to provide individuals free transportation between metro stations or other common locations in the city. Ebrard also described to the Ambassador how the city plans to extract gas from landfills in the capital for use in private homes. According to experts, methane gas can be extracted from landfills within six months and reaches its maximum production within four to eight years. This project could provide Mexico City a low-cost, rapid source of energy. Partnering with Mexico City on Financial Laundering( -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The Ambassador told the Mayor that the USG seeks to improve cooperation with Mexico on security issues by helping strengthen its law enforcement institutions. Ebrard told the Ambassador that he believes that the current efforts of the USG and Mexico are not sufficiently addressing the growth of organized crime. He noted that the city's work with Hacienda's Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) in tackling money laundering by organized crime represents one of the city's top priorities. Ebrard and the Ambassador agreed that it would be useful for the Embassy's Office of Financial Assets (OFAC) to collaborate with Mexico City's UIF. According to OFAC, Mexico City created and applied civil asset forfeiture law before the equivalent federal law, and Ebrard's efforts have brought about changes in local seizures and asset forfeitures. OFAC Mexico will follow-up on an earlier meeting with UIF to discuss mutual interests and prospects of collaboration. Similar Efforts on Texting Crime Tips -------------- ¶5. (U) The Ambassador shared with Ebrard the Public Affairs Section's efforts to use popular technology, such as Twitter, Facebook, and texting, as a tool to combat crime in Mexico. Ebrard observed that Mexico City had already begun to use texting for this purpose. Through partnership with Telmex, private citizens can text a tip on crime to Citizen Security Councils (Consejos de Seguridad - CSC),which will then process the tips. The CSC then makes efforts to verify whether the crime is taking place and contacts the police. CSC youth also go house to house with surveys about security forces, gauging the public's views on police performance and corruption. Mexico City is a pilot city for the Councils, but a national meeting was recently held to create a federal law instituting CSCs throughout the country. ¶6. (SBU) Comment: Ebrard is a dynamic, forward-thinking politician, popular with the public. He likes to meet with and compare himself to U.S. politicians like Bill Clinton and Rudolph Giuliani; leaders focused on tackling poverty, crime, and illiteracy on a large-scale. He is practical and flexible enough to make alliances within and outside his party. Ebrard is one of the most influential PRD politicians, but as mayor of Mexico City, is somewhat removed from the daily legislative dramas within the party itself. Most PRD politicians focus in great part on in-fighting. Often, their internal debates make it difficult for party politicians to see space for negotiation outside the organization. Ebrard is already a likely presidential candidate for 2012. Ex-presidential candidate Andres Lopez Obrardor (AMLO) could still make a reappearance on the PRD ballot or press the buttons for Ebrard behind the scenes (Ebrard used to work for AMLO when he served as Mexico City's mayor). Otherwise, Ebrard is the PRD candidate to watch. End comment. 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 / FEELEY