FEBRUARY 17 AMCONSULATE MONTERREY EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTERREY 000080

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/18/2019
TAGS: ASEC SNAR KCRM PINS CASC MX
SUBJECT: FEBRUARY 17 AMCONSULATE MONTERREY EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE
MEETING

REF: A) MONTERREY 074; B) MONTERREY 458

CLASSIFIED BY: Bruce Williamson, Consul General, Monterrey,
State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)

1. (C) Summary. The Consulate General Monterrey EAC convened
on February 17 to discuss ongoing demonstrations sponsored by
the drug cartels against the military, a recent incident during
which an unknown person tailed a Post official while departing
the Consulate Building, and the reliability of the
state/municipal police units posted outside the Consulate
General building. Post held a town hall meeting later that day
to brief American direct hire employees, and will take several
other steps to further strengthen our security posture. End
Summary.

Demonstrations and Recent Security Incidents


2. (C) In addition to the Consul General, RSO, Econ, Cons,
Mgt, IPO, FCS, DEA, ICE, ATF, GSO, and CIS, visiting Washington
based DS/IP officials attended the meeting. The Consul General
and RSO briefed the EAC on the ongoing demonstrations against
the Mexican military, organized by the drug cartels (see reftel
A). On February 13, post issued a warden message to Amcits
about the protests. Demonstrations are very rare in Monterrey,
and these have continued for the last week at different
locations, shutting down major thoroughfares. Several of the
demonstrations have occurred in close proximity to the
Consulate. After police arrested one of the organizers, a cell
leader for the Gulf Cartel, the arresting officer was threatened
and later killed. We understand that the police have decided
not to investigate their fellow officer's assassination. FSN
RSO Investigator and commander of the state police local guard
force had a verbal run-in with another Gulf Cartel organizer who
attempted to park his vehicle near the Consulate. The
demonstrations continue and the state police are very reluctant
to intervene.


3. (C) RSO also briefed the EAC about an unknown car tailing
the A/RSO as he left the building February 12 at 19:15 hours.
As the pursuer followed him the wrong way up a one way street
post considers this to be a confirmed case of surveillance.
A/RSO identified the car as a four door black sedan. When the
pursuing car tried to pull up alongside the A/RSO vehicle, which
had diplomatic license plates, the A/RSO was able to lose the
pursuer by switching lanes to enter an adjoining highway. The
pursuer almost rammed his car into a concrete barrier attempting
to follow the A/RSO. A DHS/ICE employee was also tailed in
October 2008 (see reftel B). In addition, an unknown person
tried to enter a Consulate house in a gated community last week,
but the guard prevented the person from coming into the gated
community.


4. (C) Finally, RSO discussed the local police's security
posture around the Consulate. Following the October 11 attack
on the Consulate, there have been two police cars from the city
of San Pedro and a state SWAT team deployed in front of the
Consulate, in addition to the local guard force of state police
officers. The night of February 12, at around 22:00 hours, the
SWAT team warned the San Pedro police that they were moving off
for unclear reasons. The SWAT team then redeployed, without RSO
knowledge or approval, to the rear of the building. The San
Pedro police interpreted these actions as an indication of a
possible attack and informed the RSO, who was still working in
the building. Based on their demeanor, the local guard force
appeared unaware of any threat. It is unknown if this was a
misunderstanding, a warning, or a probe to see how the police
forces would react.

Consulate Actions


5. (C) EAC participants agreed that the Consulate should hold
a town hall meeting for American direct hire employees to advise
them of the ongoing situation and the security precautions that
they and their families should take. The town hall was held
that afternoon. Employees were asked to vary their routes to
and from work, and to maintain their awareness as they circulate
about the city. RSO has issued security notices regarding what
steps to take in case one of them is caught up in a
demonstration and will reissue its notices on good security
practices. At the EAC and the town hall American employees were
urged to inform their supervisors if they are going on a trip
away from Monterrey, and when they expect to return. Finally,
IPO noted that the Consulate has two satellite phones available
for use by employees going on official travel in areas where
cell phone coverage is lacking.

WILLIAMSON