E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION

Vol. 143 WASHINGTON, MONDAY, MARCH 10, 1997 No. 29 Senate The Senate met at 12 noon and was As I announced on Thursday, there The Senator from California is recog- called to order by the President pro will be no rollcall votes today during nized to speak for up to 2 hours. tempore [Mr. THURMOND]. our session, and any votes ordered f today will occur on Tuesday, either PRAYER early in the morning or, more than STATE DEPARTMENT EXPLA- The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John likely, after the party conference and NATION OF ’S CERTIFI- Ogilvie, offered the following prayer: caucus lunches. I will be continuing CATION Gracious God, You have promised discussions with the Democratic leader Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, that ‘‘In quietness and confidence shall in the hope of reaching an agreement Senator COVERDELL may well come to be our strength.’’—Isaiah 30:15. on the resolution which would allow us the floor during this period. I hope he Thank You for prayer in which we to complete action early this week. does. I will be happy to defer, and yield can commune with You, renew our con- In addition, it is possible the Senate parts of my time to him as well. victions, receive fresh courage, and re- will consider the Pen˜ a nomination this Mr. President, 1 week ago I joined affirm our commitment to serve You. week. I will notify Senators as to when with Senator COVERDELL and Senator Here we can escape the noise of de- that nomination is scheduled and when HELMS to introduce resolutions of dis- manding voices and pressured con- a vote will occur. But I presume that approval, to overturn the President’s versation. With You there are no vote would probably not occur before decision to certify Mexico for antidrug speeches to give, positions to defend, late Wednesday, or Thursday more cooperation. party loyalties to push, or acceptance than likely. Last week I went home and I read the to earn. In Your presence we can sim- Also, there is a likelihood this week State Department’s Statement of Ex- ply be and know that we are loved. You that the Senate will consider the Hol- planation, which is just 11⁄2 pages. love us in spite of our mistakes and lings resolution relating to a constitu- I must say, I read this document with give us new beginnings each day. tional amendment regarding campaign disbelief. At best, this document— Thank You that we can depend upon reform. which purports to make the case for Your guidance in all that is ahead of I thank all Senators for their atten- Mexico’s certification—is a fairy tale. us. Suddenly we realize that this quiet tion. I suggest the absence of a At worst, it is a complete whitewash. moment has refreshed us. We are re- quorum, Mr. President. Today, I would like to take some time plenished with new hope. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Now we can return to our outer world and go over parts of it, and indicate my clerk will call the roll. thoughts on some of the subjects men- of challenges and opportunities with The legislative clerk proceeded to greater determination to keep our pri- tioned and refute some of the claims. call the roll. Let me begin by saying that section orities straight. We want to serve You Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I 490 of the Foreign Assistance Act re- by giving You our very best to the ask unanimous consent that the order quires the President to certify that leadership of our Nation to which You for the quorum call be rescinded. Mexico has ‘‘cooperated fully with the have called us. In the name of our Lord The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. SES- United States, or taken adequate steps and Savior. Amen. SIONS). Without objection, it is so or- on its own’’ to combat drug trafficking. f dered. Despite the best intentions of Presi- f RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY dent Zedillo and the best efforts of the LEADER RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME State Department to put a pretty face The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under on the situation, the Department’s able majority leader is recognized. the previous order, the leadership time Statement of Explanation, I believe, Mr. LOTT. I thank the Chair. is reserved. defies credibility. SCHEDULE f The State Department claims that Mr. LOTT. Today, under a previous ‘‘The Government of Mexico’s 1996 order, a number of Senators are sched- MORNING BUSINESS counterdrug effort produced encourag- uled to speak in morning business. At 3 The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under ing results and notable progress in bi- p.m., following the allotted morning the previous order, there will now be a lateral cooperation.’’ The facts tell a business, the Senate will begin consid- period for the transaction of morning different story. eration of Senate Resolution 39, the business not to extend beyond the hour Let me begin with drug seizures: Governmental Affairs Committee fund- of 3 p.m., with Senators permitted to The State Department’s Statement ing resolution, which was reported out speak therein for not to exceed 5 min- of Explanation indicates that ‘‘Drug of the Rules Committee last Thursday. utes each. seizures and arrests increased in 1996.’’

∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.

S2035 S2036 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 1997 While this is technically true—yes, ing the increased drug shipments falls impunity. He also described how the there was a slight increase in 1996 in disproportionately on United States Mexican drug cartels are expanding both drug seizures and arrests of drug border agents because Mexico does lit- their criminal reach into the United traffickers—that is only because the tle to enforce the border. States. 1995 levels were so dismal. A larger United States Customs and Border As we debate whether or not to dis- look of Mexico’s record of drug sei- Patrol officials have said publicly that approve of Mexico’s certification, I zures, going back just a few years to Mexican traffickers are today going to hope all of my colleagues will take the 1992, gives a very different perspective. extraordinary lengths to move their time to read Mr. Constantine’s testi- The 23.6 metric tons of cocaine seized products. They are constructing secret mony. It makes the case better than by Mexico, while slightly higher than compartments in 18-wheelers. They are anything I have seen that Mexico’s ef- in 1995, is just about half of what was saturating areas with hundreds of forts have, in fact, not met the stand- seized in 1993. So, you see, in 1993 they mules carrying backpacks with 40 kilos ard for certification. seized 46.2 metric tons of cocaine. Look of marijuana each, and even sacrificing Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- how it has dropped off and leveled off large loads of marijuana at the border sent that Mr. Constantine’s testimony since then. to allow more valuable shipments of be printed in the RECORD after my re- Second, drug arrests did increase cocaine and heroin to slip through be- marks. modestly in 1996 over 1995. But look hind them. And they have begun to use The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without back a few years and it tells a more sea lanes in much greater proportion. objection, it is so ordered. compelling picture. In 1992 you had For the State Department to state (See exhibit 1.) 27,369 drug arrests. In 1996 you had that there has been improved perform- Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I 11,038. That is not a stepped-up effort, ance by Mexico in intercepting drugs understand the Government Printing it is a stepped-down effort. So, after a at the border is incomprehensible to Office estimates that it will cost $1,152 precipitous drop, by more than 50 per- me. Low seizure figures, low arrest fig- to print this testimony in the RECORD. cent, a barely discernible 5- or 10-per- ures, falling street prices in our I also ask unanimous consent that the cent increase, in my view, is not im- cities—these are hardly indications of Government Printing Office estimate provement. They are not encouraging full cooperation by Mexican authori- be printed in the RECORD at the conclu- results and there is not notable ties in combating drug trafficking. sion of my remarks. progress. Let me speak about the cartels in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Today, Mexico is the transit station Mexico. The State Department’s State- objection, it is so ordered. for 70 percent of the cocaine, a quarter ment of Explanation touts the arrests (See exhibit 2.) of the heroin, 80 percent of the mari- of ‘‘several major drug traffickers,’’ in- Mrs. FEINSTEIN. I do this, Mr. juana, and 90 percent of the ephedrine cluding Juan Garcia Abrego, leader of President, because I think this is testi- used to make methamphetamine, en- the , Jose Luis Pereira mony that is crucial to a decision that tering the United States. Salas, linked to the Juarez and Colom- will shortly be before the Senate. This These statistics reflect, I believe, bian Cali cartel, and Manuel Rodriguez is our No. 1 drug enforcement agency more drugs flowing into our cities and Lopez, linked to a minor operation in the United States, and I think it is our communities. How do we know this called the Castrillon maritime smug- important that the testimony of the now? Just look at some of the street gling organization. head of that agency be read by Mem- prices. But who the Mexicans fail to capture bers considering this issue. According to the California Bureau of tells a much more important story. In Perhaps the most powerful of all car- Narcotic Enforcement, in 1993, when fact, the State Department admits as tels today is the Amado Carrillo- Mexican cocaine seizures were near much when it says, ‘‘the strongest Fuentes organization, also known as their peak, a kilo of cocaine sold on the groups, such as the Juarez and Tijuana the Juarez cartel. This organization streets of for $21,000. cartels, have yet to be effectively con- operates out of Rancho Hacienda de la Today, that same kilo of cocaine aver- fronted.’’ Natividad today, near Cuernavaca, ages $16,500, and I am told that in Let me repeat that: ‘‘the strongest Morelos, outside of Mexico City. It places you can get it for $14,000 a kilo. groups * * * have yet to be effectively runs multi-ton quantities of Colombian You can see how these prices have confronted.’’ cocaine toward Mexican distribution dropped. The drop is even more dra- So here is the State Department ex- sites and then into the United States. matic if you look at black tar heroin, plaining to us that Mexico has fully co- The organization runs these drug which the DEA says is nearly the ex- operated with the United States, and trafficking operations in Chihuahua, clusive province of Mexican family-op- yet telling us in the same breath that Mexico City, Mayarit, Nuevo Leon, erated cartels, based in Michoacan. The Mexico has taken no serious action Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Sonora, Jalisco, Baja, price per ounce has dropped from $1,200 against the organizations and individ- CA, Tamulipas, Veracruz, and in 1993 to $400 today. uals most responsible for the bulk of Zacatecas, among others. So today, the street price of black the drug trafficking. Despite the ‘‘encouraging results and tar heroin has dropped to one-third of This is also not how United States notable progress’’ cited by the State its price 4 years ago. drug enforcement officials describe the Department, the Juarez cartel is today Unfortunately, demand remains high, efforts in Mexico. Let me share with as strong as it has ever been. Worse, it so when the prices drop, the obvious my colleagues what our own drug en- is spreading its tentacles into the Unit- conclusion is that you have more sup- forcement officials say about how fully ed States, and this concerns me deeply. ply. The falling price can be attributed Mexico is cooperating in antidrug ef- One law enforcement official told me it to increases in the amounts of cocaine forts. controls a majority of the cocaine in and heroin flowing across our southern DEA administrator, Thomas Con- Los Angeles. border. I hardly consider this to be evi- stantine, has described the Mexican Operations linked to the Amado dence of ‘‘encouraging results and no- drug cartels, in a statement he made to Carrillo-Fuentes organization have table progress.’’ a House committee the week before today been identified in the Texas When the street prices begin to last, as ‘‘the leading organized crime cities of El Paso, Houston, McAllen, climb, then I, for one, will begin to be- organizations in the Western Hemi- Midland, Odessa and San Antonio, and lieve that the supply is being cut. sphere, and for some reason,’’ he con- in California’s major cities such as Los So street prices are dropping despite tinues, ‘‘they seem to be operating Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento; also, the fact that stepped up enforcement with impunity.’’ in Nevada’s major city, Las Vegas; Illi- on the U.S. side of the border has re- His testimony is a chilling account of nois’ major city, Chicago; the major sulted in increased seizures. the extensive operations of the major city in the State of New York, New U.S. border agents at the McAllen, Mexican drug cartels and how corrup- York City; and Florida’s major city, TX, border station seized 176,000 pounds tion within Mexican law enforcement Miami. of marijuana in 1996, 20 percent more agencies has allowed the cartels to con- Do we know who the leaders of this than in 1993. But the burden of combat- duct their deadly trade with virtual cartel are? Yes, we do, and so do the March 10, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2037 Mexican authorities. Amado Carrillo- Alberto Benjamin Arellano-Felix is get the rest of the year, but on March Fuentes heads the organization and the leader of the organization and has 2, frequently it is business as usual. controls the cocaine, marijuana and overall responsibility for management Just hours before the President’s de- heroin transportation to the United of the cartel’s drug-trafficking oper- cision on certification was to be made States. His brother, Vincente Carrillo- ations. public, the Mexican Government an- Fuentes, is primarily responsible for His brother, Ramon Eduardo nounced with great fanfare the arrest the group’s marijuana trafficking oper- Arellano-Felix, is responsible for the of Humberto Garcia Abrego, a leader of ation. group’s security operations, which in- the Gulf cartel. These men are considered by Presi- clude well-trained paramilitary-style Leave aside the question of why dent Zedillo to be Mexico’s primary na- forces who assassinate rivals and trai- Mexican authorities were unable to ar- tional security threat. Amado Carrillo- tors. rest this man the rest of the year but Fuentes has been indicted in Florida Has any action been taken by the miraculously found him on February and in Texas on heroin and cocaine Mexican authorities to rein in the op- 27. What happened next is critical to charges. Yet, he has never been tried in erations of the Arellano-Felix organi- the integrity of the effort. Mexico, nor has an request zation? Have there been any arrests of Only hours after the decision to cer- for crimes committed in the United its senior leaders? tify Mexico was announced, Humberto States been honored. No, the State Department informs Garcia Abrego simply walked out of Have the Mexican authorities taken us. This cartel has ‘‘yet to be effec- custody. The Mexican Attorney Gen- any action whatsoever that has ham- tively confronted.’’ Is this an example eral’s office called his release ‘‘inex- pered the operations of the Amado of the ‘‘encouraging results and nota- plicable.’’ You could not write a script Carrillo-Fuentes organization? The an- ble progress’’ cited by the State De- that would illustrate our problem with swer to date is no. In fact, there is partment? Mexico’s inability to deal with the car- ample evidence to show that the The Amado Carrillo-Fuentes cartel tels any better than this incident. Carrillo-Fuentes organization has fed- and the Arellano-Felix cartel, to the Yet, the State Department assures us eral police and government officials on best of my knowledge, are operating that there have been ‘‘encouraging re- their payroll, including the former with absolute impunity. But even the sults and notable progress.’’ Not with head of the counternarcotics effort in smaller cartels are hardly touched by respect to the cartels. I sincerely do Mexico, General Gutierrez, who was ar- Mexican authorities. not believe that the cartels’ operations rested 3 weeks ago. I think two recent incidents illus- have been altered, reduced or impeded Just a few days ago, Mexico did try trate just what sort of cooperation the at all. to arrest Mr. Carrillo-Fuentes. Let me United States is receiving from Mexico Those officials whom the cartels can- read from the Los Angeles Times, with respect to the cartels. not buy they kill. dated Saturday, March 8: On February 26 of this year, the The cartels have unleashed a reign of In an apparently stepped-up search for al- Washington Post published an hour- terror on honest Mexican law enforce- leged , long interview—hour-long interview— ment officials. The DEA reports that 12 more than 100 troops backed by light tanks with Miguel Angel Caro Quintero, lead- prosecutors and law enforcement offi- commandeered a luxury hotel in er of the Sonora cartel, who is under cers have been assassinated in Mexico late Thursday night. . . . in just the last year alone, most of Carlton Hotel manager Carlos Hodria said indictment in the United States for Friday that about 150 soldiers arrived unan- crimes committed in the United States them in connection with the Tijuana nounced in trucks and tanks and that the op- and for whom the United States has re- cartel. eration lasted about 40 minutes, jarring most quested extradition. Let’s start with an incident on Feb- of the hotel’s personnel and 296 guests. He Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- ruary 22, 1996, just about a year ago. quoted military officers as saying they were sent that this article be printed in the Approximately 40 Juarez municipal po- ‘‘searching for a person.’’ RECORD at the conclusion of my re- lice opened fire on agents from the Obviously, when you roll tanks up to marks. Mexican Attorney General’s office, re- a hotel, whomever you are looking for The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without sulting in the death of one is going to know that and be long gone. objection, it is so ordered. commandante and one agent. DEA sus- To my knowledge, no arrests were (See exhibit 3.) pects the local police were providing made. Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, as protection for drug traffickers. The other major cartel at work in he told the Post: On February 23, 1996, Sergio Armanda Mexico is the Arellano-Felix organiza- I go to the banks, offices, just like any Silva, a former operations chief of the tion, also known as the . Mexican. Every day I pass by roadblocks, po- Baja federal police, was assassinated. This organization transports multiton lice, soldiers, and there are no problems. I’m On April 17, 1996, Mexico City’s pre- quantities of cocaine and marijuana in the streets all the time. How can they not vious top prosecutor, Arturo Ochoa and large quantities of heroin and find me? Because they’re not looking for me. Palacios, was gunned down while jog- methamphetamine into the United According to law enforcement, the ging. States where it is distributed by agents Sonora cartel cultivates, smuggles, and May 1996, Mexico City’s top prosecu- employed by the cartel in this country. distributes heroin and marijuana to tor, Sergio Moreno Perez, was kid- The cartel has its base of operations the United States, as well as transport- napped with his adult son in Michoacan in Tijuana, but it is active in Sinaloa, ing Colombian cocaine. It has oper- state. Their bodies were later discov- Jalisco, Michoacan, Chiapas, Baja Cali- ations reaching into Arizona, Texas, ered in a car in Mexico City’s suburbs. fornia Norte and Baja California Sur. It New Mexico, California, Illinois, Michi- June 27, 1996, drug agency is of particular concern to me because gan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Tennessee, commandante Daniel Beruben-Jaime Southern California is the primary North Carolina, South Carolina, and was assassinated in Jalisco. entry point of most of the drugs traf- Louisiana. July 19, 1996, Isaac Sanchez Perez, ficked by this organization. found him, but the former Baja federal police com- The Arellano-Felix organization has the Mexican police, up to the last few mander, was shot in the back of the spread its influence deep inside Amer- days, were not even looking for him. head and killed in Mexico City. ican cities, often recruiting street Perhaps the State Department would August 17, 1996, Tijuana prosecutor gangs to do its distribution and en- explain how this qualifies as ‘‘full co- Jesus Romero Magana was gunned forcement work. Orders are given to operation’’ with the United States. I do down outside his home. He was inves- these agents in U.S. cities directly not see it. tigating the Arellano-Felix organiza- from Tijuana through sophisticated The other incident was a typical Feb- tion. telecommunications networks. ruary story. I sometimes wish Feb- September 14, 1996, Baja federal po- Do we know who the leaders of the ruary would last all year round because lice commander Ernesto Ibarra Santes, Arellano-Felix organization are? the pressure of the March 1 certifi- two of his bodyguards and a cab driver Again, we do, and so do the Mexican cation decision seems to produce all were machine-gunned down in Mexico authorities. kinds of results that we are unable to city. S2038 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 1997 Ibarra had vowed to go after the our children. The gangs they hire kill Third, will the regulations contain Arellano Felix brothers and to purge ruthlessly to protect their turf in our exemptions for any industries? They the federal police ranks of any corrupt cities. should not. federal agents who stood in his way. He It is no exaggeration to say that the In addition, there is a major weak- held his post for 28 days. lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of ness in the new law in that it does not September 21, the body of Hector Americans are literally at stake in the provide for sanctions against banks Gonzalez-Baecenas, assistant to Garcia war against the cartels. And the State and financial institutions that fail to Vargas, was found in the trunk of an- Department’s refusal to face up to comply with reporting requirements. other car. Also tortured. facts does not protect a single child Without such sanctions, Mexico’s September 23, 1996, the body of 43- from the bullets of a drug-running gang money-laundering laws will remain year-old Jorge Garcia Vargas, Tijuana or a driveby shooter. woefully inadequate. district chief of the Federal Let me speak about money launder- Now, there is a report today in the antinarcotics agency was found in the ing. Financial Times of London that Mex- trunk of a car along with the body of The next item of progress in the ico will introduce its antilaundering Miguel Angel Silva Caballero, a former State Department’s statement of ex- regulations this week. We shall see. Federal police commander. Both planation is that ‘‘the Mexican Con- Those regulations will need to be eval- showed signs of torture. gress passed two critical pieces of leg- uated. But why has it taken Mexico November 3, 1996, a former prosecutor islation which have armed the Govern- until mid-March, and a crisis over cer- named Martin Ramirez-Alvarez was ment of Mexico with a whole new arse- tification, to get to this point? That is murdered in Tijuana. His wife reported nal of weapons to use to combat money not a sign of a fully cooperating coun- that an unknown number of individuals laundering, chemical diversion, and or- try. stopped them in a vehicle utilizing red ganized crime.’’ Meanwhile, massive money launder- and blue police strobe lights. They Let us see how good the new money- ing continues in Mexico unabated. And dragged Ramirez-Alvarez out of the ve- laundering law is. it is spilling across the southwest bor- It is true that in May 1996, the Mexi- hicle and shot him point blank six der. can Congress adopted a law that for the times. It is believed the Arellano-Felix California State Bureau of Narcotic first time specifically identified money organization is responsible for the as- Enforcement Chief George Doane testi- laundering as a criminal act. At that sassination. fied last March that ‘‘at a money time, Finance Minister Guillermo Ortiz On January 3, 1997, 27-year-old State counting and shipping house in the Los Martinez committed to develop the Prosecutor Hodin Gutierrez-Rico was Angeles area, agents located $6 million regulations that would implement this assassinated in front of his wife and in cash and financial records in a resi- law by January 1997. children at his residence in Tijuana. The draft of these regulations, which dence occupied by three Hispanic na- Gutierrez-Rico was investigating the would require banks and other institu- tionals, indicating that $75 million had murder of a Tijuana municipal police tions to report suspicious transactions been counted, packaged, and shipped chief and Presidential candidate Luis of currency, were due in January. Well, from the residence via a commercial Donaldo Colosio. More than 120 spent it is now March and the regulations bus company to Mexico.’’ An analysis done by the DEA of all shells were found on the ground, and have not been forthcoming. his body was deliberately run over sev- No doubt, the implementation date of transactions between the San Antonio eral times by a van. these regulations, now scheduled for Federal Reserve and area depository And so it goes. These murders are, to June 1997, will slide, as will the issu- institutions showed a currency surplus me, the most compelling because their ance of a second set of regulations, of $2.96 billion in 1995—a clear sign that message is undeniable: ‘‘Get too close, governing the reporting of large-scale cartels have successfully laundered and you are dead.’’ And not one of transactions. money to their final destination in these cases has been solved to date. These regulations are essential to Mexico. This is why the corruption of the mili- combating money laundering. Report- The DEA’s Donnie Marshall told Con- tary general placed in charge of the ing requirements discourage would-be gress in September that a DEA inves- counternarcotics effort is so paralyz- money launderers, tip off law enforce- tigation known as Zorro II in the Los ing. The question remains: If the high- ment officials to unlawful activity, and Angeles area ‘‘resulted in the arrests of est military man can be corrupted, create a paper trail that can be a pow- 156 people, the seizure of approximately then who is left? erful investigative tool. 5,600 kilograms of cocaine, and over $17 But Mexico’s failure to combat the But until Finance Minister Ortiz is- million in U.S. currency. The majority cartels effectively is having an alarm- sues the regulations and they are im- of this $17 million was seized as it was ing spillover effect into American plemented, it is business as usual. To being prepared for shipment to Mexico cities. Robert Walsh, special agent in date, not a single Mexican bank or ex- or seized from vehicles that were en charge of the San Diego office of the change house has been forced to alter route to Mexico.’’ FBI told my office that all of the major its operations. Marshall also described cambios, or Mexican cartels have members of Unit- And until the regulations have been exchange houses outside the banking ed States gangs working for them. issued, we have no real way of evaluat- system, located along the borders of These agents distribute the drugs ing the impact of the law. Any law is Texas and California, which are a sig- shipped in by the cartels and ship the only as good as its implementation. It nificant factor in the laundering of cash generated from drug sales back to is a giant leap of faith by the State De- drug proceeds where Mexican traffick- Mexico. They also carry out revenge partment to cite the passage of a ers intermingle cash derived from drug murders on orders from Tijuana or money-laundering law as a sign of sales with legitimate exchange busi- Juarez. major progress when, to date, it has ness. My staff recently visited 22 of Prof. Peter Lupsha of the University been neither implemented nor en- these exchange houses. of New Mexico, who has studied the forced. So the State Department sees en- cartels for decades, says, ‘‘I don’t be- There are some key questions that couraging results and notable progress lieve anyone in La Cosa Nostra could must be answered: in the area of money laundering as order a murder 2,000 miles away and ex- Will the regulations prevent bank well. I say that today there is no effec- pect it to be carried out. Carillo- employees or ministry staff from tip- tive effort to deter the laundering of Fuentes can do that and much more.’’ ping off drug cartels about investiga- drug money anywhere in Mexico. That is why the State Department’s tions? CORRUPTION utter denial that the problem is get- Second, will the regulations provide The State Department’s statement of ting worse is so dangerous. As much as immunity for employees who report a explanation sees progress even where— these cartels are destroying Mexico, suspicious transaction and are acting by its own admission—none exists. their reach is expanding. They have in good faith? If not, they may be re- This is how the Department describes agents in many of our large and mid- luctant to report transactions as re- Mexico’s so-called progress on combat- size cities. Their drugs are reaching quired, or killed if they do. ing corruption: March 10, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2039 In an effort to confront widespread corrup- In Calexico, CA, former INS inspector So we can praise the Mexican Gov- tion within the nation’s law enforcement Richard Felix admitted to FBI agents ernment for arresting Gutierrez, but agencies, former Attorney General Lozano that he pocketed up to $500,000 in their delay in notifying the United dismissed over 1,250 federal police officers bribes for permitting loads of cocaine and technical personnel for corruption or in- States of their suspicions about the competence, although some have been re- and marijuana to pass uninspected general begs an important question: Is hired, and the Government of Mexico in- through his port of entry lane. this a sign of the full cooperation for dicted two former senior Government offi- In El Paso, former Customs and INS which Mexico has just been certified? cials and a current Undersecretary of Tour- inspector Jose Trinidad Carrillo gave COOPERATION WITH U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT ism. drug traffickers a price list for his help The State Department’s statement of Now, the sentence, in a sense, refutes in getting drugs through his border- explanation then goes on to describe itself. When you say that some have entry lane: $10,000 per car, or $40 per the extensive cooperation that has been rehired, of course, if they were in- pound of marijuana and $250 per pound taken place between the Mexican and nocent, we would want them to be re- of cocaine. United States Governments: Stories of officials of U.S. border hired. But if they were guilty, we The United States and Mexico established would want them to be prosecuted. So towns being bribed are now surfacing. the High-Level Contact Group on Narcotics let’s look and see what happened. Some of this I heard myself in the tes- Control (HLCG) to explore joint solutions to According to the DEA, of the 1,250 of- timony of a border rancher to the Judi- the shared drug threat and to coordinate bi- ficers dismissed for corruption, not a ciary Committee last year. lateral anti-drug efforts. The HLCG met single one was successfully pros- President Zedillo appears to be try- three times during 1996 and its technical ecuted—not one. ing his best to fight drug trafficking, working groups met throughout the year. The rash of murders of prosecutors and he has honest people on his side, Under the aegis of the HLCG, the two gov- and law enforcement officers in Ti- like Elvira Ruiz, one of the few female ernments developed a joint assessment of the juana is a case in point. These assas- police chiefs in Baja, whose life has narcotics threat posed to both countries been consistently threatened by the which will be used as the basis for a joint sinations have been made possible in counter-drug strategy. large part because the Tijuana police cartels. have been so thoroughly corrupted by But the efforts of these people are All the high-level meetings in the the Arellano-Felix organization. unfortunately being completely over- world don’t amount to a hill of beans According to the Los Angeles Times whelmed by the uncontrollable tide of unless there is cooperation and coordi- on March 3, 1997, court papers recently corruption. nation on the ground between law en- filed in United States district court by The arrest of General Gutierrez has forcement agencies of the two sides. the Mexican Government in an extra- been cited by the administration as Once again, the State Department’s dition case contain testimony to the evidence of the Mexican Government’s assertion that these meetings are a effect that—and let me remind you commitment to fight corruption. But sign of real progress misses the point. that this is from court papers submit- the way in which this situation was Whether or not our leaders can work ted by the Mexican Government—‘‘the handled raises serious questions about together is less important than wheth- state attorney general and almost 90 Mexico’s willingness to cooperate with er our cops can work together. percent of the law enforcement offi- the United States. And plainly, at the moment, they cers, prosecutors, and judges in Ti- On February 6 of this year, Defense cannot. Given the staggering level of juana and the State of Baja Secretary Enrique Cervantes Aguirre corruption in the Mexican police, it is California . . . are on the payroll’’ of confronted General Gutierrez, asking no wonder that DEA Administrator the Arellano-Felix organization. him to explain how he came to live in Constantine told the House Committee In the same San Diego court docu- an apartment that was beyond the last week: ‘‘In short, there is not one ments, a former presidential guard, means of his salary. The general began single law enforcement institution in army lieutenant Gerardo Cruz Pacheco, suffering a heart attack and was placed Mexico with whom DEA has an en- told how he recruited soldiers to un- in the hospital. After 12 days of inves- tirely trusting relationship.’’ load drug shipments and helped Ti- tigating, on February 18, Defense Sec- That statement by itself should call juana cartel gunmen assassinate Baja retary Cervantes had Gutierrez placed into question Mexico’s qualification to federal police commander Ernesto under arrest for accepting bribes from be certified. It is echoed by law en- Ibarra Santes in September. the Carrillo-Fuentes cartel. forcement agents on the ground: The Federal judicial police have been Yet during that entire 12-day period, On March 7, 1997, Ed Ladd, president so corrupted by the cartels that it is the Mexican Government gave no indi- of the California Narcotics Officers’ As- sometimes difficult to distinguish be- cation to the United States that it sus- sociation, issued a statement in which tween them and the criminals. That is pected that its top drug official was he announced that the association’s why some were encouraged by the pros- corrupt. In that time, U.S. officials board had voted unanimously to sup- pect of increased participation of the continued regular contacts with port congressional efforts to overturn Mexican military, which has not been Gutierrez’ National Institute to Com- the decision to certify Mexico. This so tainted by corruption, in the anti- bat Drugs, not knowing that its oper- vote, Mr. Ladd said, ‘‘is based on our drug effort. ations were directed by a man in the longstanding experience with the wide- But that’s why the startling revela- pocket of drug kingpins. spread corruption and lack of coopera- tion about Gen. Jesus Gutierrez General Gutierrez had been in Wash- tion shown by the Mexican govern- Rebollo, the head of the National Insti- ington shortly before he was first ques- ment.’’ tute to Combat Drugs—Mexico’s top tioned about his spending habits. He Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- counternarcotics official—who is a 42- met with our drug czar, Gen. Barry sent that the full text the statement of year veteran of the armed forces, has McCaffrey, who called him a man of ab- Ed Ladd, president of the California cast grave doubts upon that hope. solute, unquestioned integrity. Why Narcotic Officers’ Association, be in- When the planned a would Mexico allow Gutierrez to visit cluded in the RECORD at the conclusion raid of the wedding of the sister of Washington when he was suspected of of my remarks. Amado Carrillo-Fuentes, the drug lord corruption, and why—at the least— The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without had been tipped off in advance, some would they not alert the United States objection, is it so ordered. say by General Gutierrez himself. As a side? (See exhibit 4.) result, he escaped arrest by leaving Our own drug enforcement officials Mrs. FEINSTEIN. T.J. Bonner, presi- early or not attending. But Mexican have been forced to conduct damage as- dent of the National Border Patrol troops found federal police providing sessments to determine how much and Council, the union which represents protection for drug traffickers at the what kind of intelligence was provided nearly 5,000 Border Patrol agents, told wedding. to the general, and perhaps passed my staff on March 4, 1997: And most concering to me is that right onto the Amado Carrillo-Fuentes. The level of trust for Mexican authorities corruption is spreading rapidly across We are left to worry that the lives of is almost non-existent. He said that ‘‘the the border into the United States. For our agents in the field and our inform- lack of cooperation includes failure to pro- example: ants have been placed in jeopardy. vide assistance, aiding and abetting criminal S2040 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 1997 activity, and even acts of aggression against Second, to my knowledge, the Mexi- viewed the suspect, a Mexican na- Border Patrol Agents.’’ He described U.S. can government has sent three Mexi- tional, in a Mexican hospital, and the agents observing Mexican officers who were can nationals to the United States. One United States later charged him with clearly escorting aliens and drug smugglers. was Juan Garcia Abrego, head of the murder and sought his extradition. The The police chief of El Centro, CA, gulf cartel, but he was expelled, not ex- Government of Mexico sentenced the Harold Carter, told my staff that his tradited, because he held American as individual to 10 years in prison on a officers are very leery of who they can well as Mexican citizenship. The other narcotics-related charge but has re- trust in Mexico. two were for murder and sexual abuse, fused to extradite him. These are the views of our law en- not for drug charges. For the State Department to say forcement officers. But the question of Third, to date, Mexico has never— that Mexico is fully cooperating on the whether Mexico is fully cooperating never—extradited a single Mexican na- issue of under these cir- with the United States can also be eas- tional to the United States on drug-re- cumstances dishonors the memory of ily answered by looking at Mexico’s lated charges. That, I believe, is a fact. Agent Jefferson Barr. policies on working with DEA agents. Now the Mexican Government says, America’s law enforcement officers In this area, there have been three sig- and the State Department apparently know how serious the problem is. I nificant failings. believes, that Mexico is prepared to ex- One was the failure of the Mexican would like to quote from a March 2, tradite Mexican nationals on drug 1997, press release put out by the Na- Government—the same one that has charges in ‘‘special circumstances.’’ just been certified as fully cooperat- tional Border Patrol Council, local If this is truly a change of policy on 1613, of San Diego. It reads: ing—to adequately fund and staff the the part of Mexico, let us see results. binational border task forces that had There are 52 outstanding extradition The certification of Mexico is a clear blow to the efforts of U.S. Border Patrol agents in been agreed upon by the high level con- requests for Mexican nationals wanted tact group. their daily efforts at thwarting the massive on drug charges. Mexico should honor amounts of illegal drugs entering the coun- What good are high-level meetings these requests now. try every day. Additionally, this certifi- that produce agreements on coopera- It should be pointed out that these cation is a disgrace to the memory of U.S. tion if one side then fails to live up to extradition requests are for crimes Border Patrol Agent Jefferson Barr. its end of the agreement? committed in this country. How can a THE NEED TO WAIVE SANCTIONS Second, Mexico has hampered the good friend, ally, and neighbor deny ex- Some worry that decertifying Mexico ability of the United States military to tradition of 52 people wanted for drug- will harm our relationship with an im- contribute to interdiction efforts. Mex- related crimes committed here, and the portant friend and ally. Others worry ico refuses to allow United States Navy statement still be made that they are that it will make Mexico’s drug prob- ships on patrol for drug smugglers in fully cooperating in our antidrug ef- lem worse. the Pacific to put into Mexican ports forts? Mexico is a friend and an ally, but I to refuel without 30 days notice—and A good place for Mexico to start ask my colleagues: Do we do Mexico without paying cash. As the cartels in- would be with Francisco Arellano-Felix any favors by turning a blind eye to creasingly turn to sea-routes to smug- of the Tijuana cartel, who is currently the depth of the problem? Do we do gle their drugs, this policy seriously in custody in a Mexican prison and Mexico any favors by suggesting that hampers our ability to stop them. wanted on narcotics charges here in the status quo is good enough? Will Also, overflights by U.S. reconnais- the United States. Another good start Mexico take the steps necessary to sance aircraft are still under negotia- would be Miguel Caro Quintero, who combat the flow of drugs if the United tion. These flights would enhance the walks the streets of Sonora without States keeps telling them year after ability of both sides to find and disrupt fear of arrest and grants interviews year after year that they are doing drug shipments. with the Washington Post. He has four enough and that they are fully cooper- The third major failing has been indictments pending against him in the ating? Mexico’s refusal to allow United States United States. The truth is that failure to decertify drug enforcement agents to carry side- Mexican nationals wanted on drug arms to protect themselves while on charges is clearly the highest priority. Mexico makes a mockery of the entire the Mexican side of the border. As a re- These include many of the drug king- certification process. Columbia is de- sult, Mr. Constantine had no choice but pins. But there are other sensitive certified. Mexico is not. And today, the to suspend operations in which DEA cases as well that need to be resolved. drugs coming from Mexico are the agents cross the border, because they John Riley Henrique was indicted by greatest threat. It makes no sense. cannot protect themselves. a Federal grand jury in the eastern dis- I know of few Members of this body, In the last several days, there has trict of California for trafficking at if any, who want to impose sanctions been a flurry of meetings between least 150 kilograms of cocaine from on Mexico. Senate Joint Resolution 21, American and Mexican officials. Did Mexico to the United States. Henrique, which the Senator from Georgia and I the United States gain any conces- an American citizen, is thought to be introduced last week, decertifies Mex- sions? Well, Mexican officials were connected with Miguel Angel Felix ico but authorizes the President to quoted as saying that ‘‘the rules have Guillardo, the mastermind of the 1985 waive all sanctions if it is in the vital stayed exactly where they are’’—which murder of DEA Agent Enrique national interest, and we will give tes- means no sidearms. There you have it. Camarena. timony to that resolution in the For- Full cooperation. Law enforcement sources told my of- eign Relations Committee the day EXTRADITIONS fice that John Riley Henrique was de- after tomorrow. The State Department’s statement of tained by Mexican law enforcement The same is true of House Joint Res- explanation makes another astonishing and then suddenly released without olution 58, which passed the House claim on the subject of extraditions. It warning. He is still believed to be in International Relations Committee by says: Mexico. The Mexican authorities a vote of 27 to 5 last Thursday and will The Government of Mexico established the should find him, apprehend him, and likely pass the full House by a large important precedent of extraditing Mexican extradite him. margin later this week. nationals to the United States under the pro- T.J. Bonner of the National Border I believe that we do have vital na- vision of Mexico’s extradition law permit- Patrol Council testified before the Sen- tional interests in Mexico that require ting this in ‘‘exceptional circumstances.’’ ate Banking Committee on March 28, us not to impose sanctions at this Here is my understanding of the ac- 1996, about the tragic fatal shooting on point. All we are asking for is an hon- tual facts: January 19, 1996, of a Border Patrol est, accurate assessment of whether First, Mexico says it has changed its agent, our agent, Jefferson Barr. Agent Mexico has fully cooperated with us in policy to allow the extradition of Mexi- Barr was killed while intercepting a the war on drugs, and to send the mes- can nationals to the United States. Of group of marijuana smugglers along sage that this cooperation must im- course, we are talking about Mexican the border near Eagle Pass, TX. prove rapidly or Mexico will be fully nationals who are wanted for crimes Before he died, Agent Barr wounded decertified next year. This is what the committed here in the United States. one of his assailants. The FBI inter- law provides, and the facts, I believe, March 10, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2041 speak for themselves. Mexico has not single day to try to keep drugs from about where to live, when to venture out of met the test of full cooperation re- reaching our streets. I believe today their homes, or where they send their chil- quired for certification. those agents have every right to feel dren to school. The drugs—and the attendant betrayed. violence which accompanies the drug trade— STEPS TOWARD RECERTIFICATION have reached into every American commu- I realize that the administration has Senator COVERDELL, Senator HELMS, nity and have robbed many Americans of the been working feverishly to negotiate myself, and others will continue trying dreams they once cherished. agreements with Mexico which will to disapprove the Mexico certification Organized crime in the United States was show that progress is being made, and and enact a vital national interest addressed over time, but only after Ameri- I hope they can do that. But it is too waiver. Similar legislation is moving cans recognized the dangers that organized late to improve Mexico’s performance through the House. We will make our crime posed to our way of life. But it did not best effort. happen overnight. American organized crime in 1996. The year is gone. But let me was exposed to the light of day systemati- lay out some of the steps I believe Mex- Mr. President, I reserve the remain- cally, stripping away the pretense that mob ico needs to take in order to be eligible der of my time and ask unanimous con- leaders were anonymous businessmen. The to be recertified, if she is decertified. sent that Senator COVERDELL and Sen- Appalachian raid of 1957 forced law enforce- First, effective action to dismantle ator HUTCHINSON of Arkansas be per- ment to acknowledge that these organized the major drug cartels and arrest their mitted to speak during morning busi- syndicates did indeed exist, and strong meas- leaders. ness charged to the time under my con- ures were taken to go after the top leader- Second, full and ongoing implemen- trol. ship, a strategy used effectively throughout our national campaign against the mob. Dur- tation of effective money-laundering The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ing the 1960’s, Attorney General Bobby Ken- legislation and rigorously enforced objection, it is so ordered. nedy was unequivocal in his approach to end- bank regulations with penalties for Mrs. FEINSTEIN. I thank the Chair. ing the reign of organized crime in America, those who do not comply. I yield the floor. and consistent law enforcement policies were Third, compliance with all outstand- REMARKS BY THOMAS A. CONSTANTINE, ADMIN- enacted which resulted in real gains. Today, ing extradition requests by the United ISTRATOR, DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRA- traditional organized crime, as we knew it in the United States, has been eviscerated, a States so that cartel leaders and major TION, BEFORE THE HOUSE GOVERNMENT RE- FORM AND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, NATIONAL fragment of what it once was. traffickers can be brought to justice. At the height of its power, organized crime SECURITY, INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, AND Fourth, help at the border. Mexico, in this nation was consolidated in the hands CRIMINAL JUSTICE SUBCOMMITTEE as a friend, an ally, and a neighbor, of few major families whose key players live should help enforce the border and pre- Mr. Chairman, Members of the Sub- in this nation, and were within reach of our vent the flow of contraband. It is not committee: I appreciate this opportunity to criminal justice system. All decisions made enough to see this as simply America’s appear before the Subcommittee today on by organized crime were made within the the subject of Mexico and the Southwest United States. Orders were carried out on problem. And this goes for the seas as Border Initiative. My comments today will well. Not to permit United States mili- U.S. soil. While it was not easy to build cases be limited to an objective assessment of the against the mob leaders, law enforcement tary ships to refuel in Mexican ports law enforcement issues involving organized knew that once a good case was made without 30 days notice is unacceptable crime and drug trafficking problems with against a boss, he could be located within from a friend. specific attention on Mexico and the South- the U.S., arrested and sent to jail. Fifth, improved cooperation with west border. This hearing is extremely time- That is not the case with today’s organized U.S. law enforcement officials, includ- ly, and during my testimony I will provide criminal groups. They are strong, sophisti- ing allowing United States law enforce- the subcommittee with a full picture of how cated and destructive organizations operat- organized crime groups from Mexico operate ing on a global scale. Their decisions are ment agents to resume carrying weap- and affect so many aspects of life in America ons on the Mexican side of the border, made in sanctuaries in Cali, Colombia, and today. I am not exaggerating when I say that Guadalajara, Mexico, even day-to-day oper- and for Mexico to pay their share of these sophisticated drug syndicate groups ational decisions such as where to ship co- the effort and be fully supportive of from Mexico have eclipsed organized crime caine, which cars their workers in the United United States help. groups from Colombia as the premier law en- States should rent, which apartments should Any legitimate American law en- forcement threat facing the United States be leased, which markings should be on each forcement officer detailed to Mexico today. cocaine package, which contract murders and working drugs should be permitted Many phrases have been used to describe should be ordered, which official should be to carry a sidearm —or they should not the complex and sophisticated international bribed, and how much. They are shadowy fig- drug trafficking groups operating out of Co- ures whose armies of workers in Colombia, go. lombia and Mexico, and frankly, the some- Sixth, implementation of a com- Mexico and the United States answer to what respectable titles of ‘‘cartel’’ or ‘‘fed- them via daily faxes, cellular phone, or prehensive program to identify, to eration’’ mask the true identity of these vi- pagers. Their armies carry out killings with- weed out, and to prosecute corrupt offi- cious, destructive entities. The Cali organi- in the United States—one day an outspoken cials at all levels of the Mexican Gov- zation, and the four largest drug trafficking journalist, one day a courier who had lost a ernment, police, and military. organizations in Mexico—operating out of load, the next an innocent bystander caught If Mexico takes these steps, I would Juarez, Tijuana, Sonora and the Gulf re- in the line of fire—on orders of the top lead- support recertification even during the gion—are simply organized crime groups ership. They operate from the safety of pro- current year, which the law allows if whose leaders are not in Brooklyn or Queens, tected locations and are free to come and go but are safely ensconced on foreign soil. there is significant progress in a decer- as they please within their home countries. They are not legitimate businessmen as the These syndicate bosses have at their disposal tified country. word ‘‘cartel’’ implies, nor are they ‘‘fed- airplanes, boats, vehicles, radar, communica- Mr. President, I believe I have laid erated’’ into a legitimate conglomerate. tions equipment and weapons in quantities out a strong case that Mexico did not These syndicate leaders—the Rodriguez which rival the capabilities of some legiti- earn certification as fully cooperating Orejuela brothers in Colombia to Amado mate governments. Whereas previous orga- on counternarcotics in 1996. Have there Carrillo-Fuentes, Juan Garcia-Abrego, nized crime leaders were millionaires, the been instances of cooperation? Of Miguel Caro-Quintero, and the Arellano- Cali drug traffickers and their counterparts course. But can anyone credibly say Felix Brothers—are simply the 1990’s ver- from Mexico are billionaires. sions of the mob leaders U.S. law enforce- that Mexico has fully cooperated with It is difficult—sometimes nearly impos- ment has fought since shortly after the turn sible—for U.S. law enforcement to locate and the United States? It is not even close. of this century. arrest these leaders without the assistance It is important for us to be honest But these organized crime leaders are far of law enforcement in other countries. Their with ourselves about this issue. If we more dangerous, far more influential and communications are coded. they are pro- are not honest with ourselves, we un- have a great deal more impact on our day to tected by corrupt law enforcement officials, reasonably lower our guard against the day lives than their domestic predecessors. despite pledges from the Government of Mex- incredible danger that Mexican drug While organized crime in the United States ico to apprehend the syndicate leaders, law trafficking poses to our children, our during the 1950’s through the 1970’s affected enforcement authorities have been unable to certain aspects of American life, their influ- locate them and even if they are located, the schools, and our communities. ence pales in comparison to the violence, If we are not honest with ourselves, government is not obligated to extradite corruption and power that today’s drug syn- them to the U.S. to stand trial. we dishonor the dedication of thou- dicates wield. These individuals, from their In Mexico, as is the case wherever orga- sands of DEA and Border Patrol agents headquarters locations, absolutely influence nized crime flourishes, corruption and in- who put their lives on the line every the choices that too many Americans make timidation allow the leaders to maintain S2042 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 1997 control. These sophisticated criminal groups to the transporters from Mexico are rou- tention on trafficking cocaine and mari- cannot thrive unless law enforcement offi- tinely paid in multi-ton quantities of co- juana. His brother, Rafael, is in prison in cials have been paid bribes, and witnesses caine, making them formidable cocaine traf- Mexico for his role in killing DEA Special fear for their lives. Later in my testimony I fickers in their own right. Agent Kiki Camarena in 1985. will discuss some of these problems in great- The majority of cocaine entering the Unit- Miguel, along with two of his other broth- er detail. ed States continues to come from Colombia ers—Jorge and Genaro—run the organiza- It is frustrating for all of us in law enforce- through Mexico and across U.S. border tion. Miguel himself was arrested in 1992, and ment that the leaders of these criminal orga- points of entry. Most of the cocaine enters the USG and GOM cooperated in a bilateral nizations, although well known and indicted the United States in privately owned vehi- prosecution. Unfortunately, that effort was repeatedly, have not been located, arrested cles and commercial trucks. There is a new thwarted when Miguel was able to use a com- or prosecuted. evidence that indicates traffickers in Mexico bination of threats and bribes to have his have gone directly to sources of cocaine in charges dismissed by a federal judge in THE CALI GROUP AND TRAFFICKERS FROM Bolivia and Peru in order to circumvent Co- Hermosillo. He has operated freely since that MEXICO lombian middlemen. In addition to the inex- time. We cannot discuss the situation in Mexico haustible supply of cocaine entering the The Caro-Quintero organization specializes today without looking at the evolution of U.S., trafficking organizations from Mexico primarily in the cultivation, production and the groups from Colombia—how they began, are responsible for producing and trafficking distribution of marijuana, a major cash-crop what their status is today, and how the thousands of pounds of methamphetamine, for drug groups from Mexico. The organiza- groups from Mexico have learned important and have been major distributors of heroin tion is believed to own many ranches in the lessions from them, becoming major traf- and marijuana in the W.S. since the 1970’s. northern border state of Sonora, where drugs ficking organizations in their own right. MAJOR TRAFFICKERS FROM MEXICO are stored, and from which drug operations During the late 1980’s the Cali group as- A number of major trafficking organiza- into the United States are staged. Despite its sumed greater and greater power as their tions represent the highest echelons of orga- specialization in marijuana cultivation and predecessors from the Medellin cartel was nized crime in Mexico. Their leaders are distribution, like the other major drug orga- brash and publicly violent in their activities, under indictment in the United States on nu- nizations in Mexico, this group is polydrug the criminals, who ran their organization merous charges. The Department of Justice in nature, also transporting and distributing from Cali, labored behind the pretense of le- has submitted Provisional Warrants for cocaine and methamphetamine. Miguel Caro-Quintero is the subject of sev- gitimacy, posing as businessmen, just carry- many of their arrests to the Government of eral indictments in the United States and is ing out their professional obligations. The Mexico, and only one, Juan Garcia Agrego, currently the subject of provisional arrest Cali leaders-the Rodriguez Orejuela brothers, because he was a U.S. citizen has been sent warrants issued by the United States govern- Santa Cruz Londono, Pacho Herrera— to the U.S. to face justice. The other leaders ment, yet in an act of astonishing arrogance amassed fortunes and ran their multi-billion are living freely in Mexico, and have so far he called a radio station in Hermosillo, Mex- dollar cocaine businesses from high-rises and escaped apprehension by Mexican law en- ico last May indicating that he was bothered ranches in Colombia, Miguel Rodriguez forcement, and have suffered little, if any in- by statements I had made that he was an in- Orejuela and his associates composed what convenience resulting from their notorious nocent rancher and charges made against was until then, the most powerful inter- status, I believe that in order to fully expose him by DEA were untrue. He then had the national organized crime group in history, these syndicate leaders, it is more beneficial audacity to give his address and invite law employed 727 aircraft to ferry drugs to Mex- to refer to them by their personal names enforcement officials from Mexico and the ico, from where they were smuggled into the than by the names of their organizations. United States to visit him—yet he remains United States, and then return to Colombia Amado Carrillo-Fuentes at large. with the money from U.S. drug sales. Using The most powerful drug trafficker in Mex- The Arellano-Felix Brothers landing areas in Mexico, they were able to ico at the current time is Amado Carrillo- The Arellano-Felix Organization (AFO), evade U.S. law enforcement officials and Fuentes, who, as recently reported, allegedly often referred to as the Tijuana Cartel, is make important alliances with transpor- has ties to the former Commissioner of the tation and distribution experts in Mexico. one of the most powerful and aggressive drug INCD, Gutierrez-Rebollo. His organized trafficking organizations operating from With intense law enforcement pressure fo- crime group, based in Juarez, is associated cused on the Cali leadership by brave men Mexico; it is undeniably the most violent. with the Rodriguez-Orejuela organization More than any other major trafficking orga- and women in the Colombian National Police and the Ochoa brothers, from Medellin, as during 1995 and 1996, all of the top leadership nization from Mexico, it extends its tenta- well. This organization, which is also in- cles directly from high-echelon figures in the of the Cali syndicate are either in jail, or volved in heroin and marijuana trafficking, dead. The fine work done by General law enforcement and judicial systems in handles large cocaine shipments from Co- Mexico, to street-level individuals in the Serrano, who appeared before your sub- lumbia. Their regional bases in Guadalajara, committee only two weeks ago, and other United States. The AFO is responsible for Hermosillo and Torreon serve as storage lo- the transportation, importation and dis- CNP officers is a testament to the commit- cations where later, the drugs are moved ment and dedication of Colombia’s law en- tribution of multi-ton quantities of cocaine, closer to the border for eventual shipment marijuana, as well as large quantities of her- forcement officials in the face of great per- into the United States. sonal danger and a government whose leader- oin and methamphetamine, into the United The scope of the Carrillo-Fuentes’ network States from Mexico. The AFO operates pri- ship is riddled with drug corruption. is staggering; he reportedly forwards $20–$30 marily in the Mexican states of Sinaloa Since the Cali leaders’ imprisonment on million to Colombia for each major oper- sentences which were ridiculously short and (their birth place), Jalisco, Michoacan, ation, and his illegal activities generate Chiapas, and Baja California South and inadequate, traffickers from Mexico took on ten’s of millions per week. He was a pioneer North. From Baja, the drugs enter Califor- greater prominence. The alliance between in the use of large aircraft to transport co- nia, the primary point of embarkation into the Colombian traffickers and the organiza- caine from Colombia to Mexico and became the United States distribution network. tions from Mexico had benefits for both known as ‘‘Lord of the Skies.’’ Carillo- The AFO does not operate without the sides. Traditionally, the traffickers from Fuentes reportedly owns a fleet of aircraft complicity of Mexican law enforcement offi- Mexico have long been involved in smuggling and has major real estate holdings. cials and their subordinates. According to marijuana, heroin, cocaine into the United Like his Colombian counterparts, Carillo- extradition documents submitted by the States, and had established solid distribution Fuentes is sophisticated in the use of tech- Government of Mexico in San Diego, Califor- routes throughout the nation. Because the nology and counter surveillance methods. nia, key family members reportedly dispense Cali syndicate was concerned about the secu- His network employs state of the art com- an estimated one million dollars weekly in rity of their loads, they brokered a commer- munications devices to conduct business. His bribes to Mexican federal, state and local of- cial deal with the traffickers from Mexico, organization has become so powerful he is ficials, who assure that the movement of which reduced their potential losses. even seeking to expand his markets into tra- drugs continues to flow unimpeded to the This agreement entailed the Colombians ditional Colombian strongholds on the east gateway cities along the southwestern bor- moving cocaine from the Andean region to coast of the United States. der of the United States. the Mexican organizations, who then as- Presently, Carrillo-Fuentes is attempting The Arellano family, composed of seven sumed the responsibility of delivering the to consolidate control over drug trafficking brothers and four sisters, inherited the orga- cocaine into the United States. In 1989, U.S. along the entire Mexican northern border, nization from Miguel Angel Felix-Gallardo law enforcement officials seized 21 metric and he plans to continue to bribe border offi- upon his incarceration in Mexico in 1989 for tons of cocaine in Sylmar, California; this cials to ensure that his attempts are success- his complicity in the murder of DEA Special record seizure demonstrated the extent and ful. Carrillo-Fuentes, who is the subject of Agent Enrique Camarena. Alberto Benjamin magnitude of the Mexican groups’ capabili- numerous separate U.S. law enforcement in- Arellano-Felix assumed leadership of the ties to transport Colombian-produced co- vestigations has been indicted in Florida and family structured criminal enterprise and caine into the United States. This huge ship- Texas and remains a fugitive on heroin and provides a businessman’s approach to the ment was driven across the Mexican/U.S. cocaine charges. management of drug trafficking operations. border in small shipments and stored in the Miguel Caro-Quintero Ramon Eduardo Arellano-Felix, considered warehouse until all transportation fees had Miguel Caro-Quintero’s organization is the most violent brother, organizes and co- been paid by the Calif and Medellin cartels, based in Sonora, Mexico and focuses its at- ordinates protection details over which he March 10, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2043 exerts absolute control. The AFO maintains United States for the Medellin and Cali orga- and marijuana. Imitating the Colombian well-armed and well-trained security forces, nizations and is also involved in the move- groups, the Mexican organizations are highly described by Mexican enforcement officials ment, storage, and distribution of mari- compartmentalized, using numerous workers as paramilitary in nature, which include juana, and Mexican and Southeast Asian her- to accomplish very specific tasks, such as international mercenaries as advisors, train- oin. This organization controlled the drug driving load cars, renting houses for storage ers and members. Ramon Arellano’s respon- smuggling tunnel between Agua Prieta, So- sites, distributing cocaine, and collecting sibilities consist of the planning of murders nora, Mexico and Douglas, Arizona through profits. Through the compartmentalization of rival drug leaders and those Mexican law which tons of cocaine were smuggled. process each worker performs a distinct task enforcement officials not on their payroll. Guzman-Loera, who has been named in sev- and has no knowledge of the other members Also targeted for assassination are those eral U.S. indictments, was arrested on June of the organization. AFO members who fall out of favor with the 9, 1993 in Talisman, Mexico for narcotics, We are attacking the organizations by AFO leadership or simply are suspected of homicide, and cocaine trafficking and is targeting the communication systems of collaborating with law enforcement officials. presently incarcerated at the Almoloya de their command and control centers. Working Enforcers are often hired from violent street Juarez Maximum Security Prison in Toluca, in concert, DEA, FBI, U.S. Customs Service gangs in cities and towns in both Mexico and Mexico. and the U.S. Attorneys offices around the the United States in the belief that these EFFECT OF MEXICAN ORGANIZED CRIME ON country conduct wiretaps that ultimately gang members are expendable. They are dis- UNITED STATES identify their U.S. based organization from top to bottom. This strategy allows us to patched to assassinate targeted individuals Unfortunately, the violence that is attend- track the seamless continuum of cocaine and to send a clear message to those who at- ant to the drug trade in Mexico is spilling traffic as it flows from Colombia through tempt to utilize the /Tijuana cor- over the border into U.S. towns, like San Mexico, to its eventual street distribution in ridor without paying the area transit tax de- Diego, California and Eagle Pass, Texas. the United States. However, even though manded by the AFO trafficking domain. Last summer, ranchers along the Texas/Mex- The AFO also maintains complex commu- this strategy is extremely effective in dis- ico Border reported they were besieged by nications centers in several major cities in mantling the U.S. based portions of the orga- drug organizations smuggling cocaine and Mexico to conduct electronic espionage and nizations, we are frustrated by not being marijuana across their property—fences were counter-surveillance measures against law able to use this same information to reach torn down, livestock butchered and shots enforcement entities. The organization em- the organization’s bosses in Mexico and their were fired at the ranchers homes at night. ploys radio scanners and equipment capable current counterparts in Colombia. Crimi- Ranchers reported seeing armed patrols in of intercepting both hard line and cellular nals, such as Carillo-Fuentes and Arellano- Mexico with night vision equipment, hand- phones to ensure the security of AFO opera- Felix, personally direct their organizations held radios and assault rifles that protected tors. In addition to technical equipment, the from safe havens in Mexico and until we gar- a steady stream of smugglers back packing AFO maintains caches of sophisticated auto- ner the complete cooperation of law enforce- marijuana and cocaine into the United matic weaponry secured from a variety of ment officials in Mexico, we will never be States. The problem became so acute that international sources. truly effective in stopping the flow of drugs the State of Texas and the Federal govern- A Joint Task Force composed of the Drug from their country. ment sent support in the form of additional Enforcement Administration and the Federal The Southwest Border Strategy is an- U.S. Border Patrol Agents, DEA Special Bureau of Investigation has been established chored in our belief that the only way of suc- Agents, Officers from the Texas Department in San Diego, California, to target the AFO; cessfully attacking any organized crime syn- of Public Safety and the Texas National the Task Force is investigating AFO oper- dicate is to build strong cases on the leader- Guard. Life has returned somewhat to nor- ations in Southern California and related re- ship and their command and control func- mal in that area, as the drug gangs reacted gional investigations which track drug tions. The long-term incarceration of key to law enforcement pressure and have moved transportation, distribution and money laun- members of these organization’s command their operations elsewhere. dering activities of the AFO throughout the and control will cause a steady degradation DEA information supports widely reported United States. of their ability conduct business in the Unit- press accounts that the Arellano-Felix orga- Jesus Amezcua ed States and with the assistance of foreign nization relies on a San Diego, California governments, the long-term incarceration of The Amezcua-Contreras brothers operating gang known as ‘‘Logan Heights Calle 30’’ to the leadership will leave the entire organiza- out of Guadalajara, Mexico head up a meth- carry out executions and conduct security tions in disarray. The Cali syndicate once amphetamine production and trafficking or- for their distribution operations. Six mem- controlled cocaine traffic in the world from ganization with global dimensions. Directed bers of ‘‘Calle 30’’ were arrested by DEA’s a highly organized corporate structure, with by Jesus Amezcua, and supported by his violent crime task force and the San Diego the incarceration of the Cali leaders we see brothers, Adan and Luis, the Amezcua drug Police Department for the murder of a man the cocaine trade in Colombia has become trafficking organization today is probably and his son in San Diego. Since that time 49 far less monolithic and several independent the world’s largest smuggler of ephedrine members of ‘‘Calle 30’’ have been arrested by unrelated organizations are controlling the and clandestine producer of methamphet- the Narcotics Task Force in San Diego on a exportation of cocaine to the U.S. and Mex- amine. With a growing methamphetamine variety of charges from trafficking to vio- ico. This change is a direct result of the in- abuse problem in the United States, this or- lent crimes. carceration of the Cali leaders and their in- ganization’s activities impact on a number On December 11, 1996, Fernando Jesus- ability to fully control their organizations of the major population centers in the U.S. Gutierrez was shot five times in the face dur- from prison. The Amezcua organization obtains large ing rush hour in the then exclusive neighbor- We spoke to you last year about the suc- quantities of the precursor ephedrine, utiliz- hood, the Silver Strand, in Coronado, Cali- cesses of Zorro II, conducted under the aus- ing contacts in Thailand and India, which fornia, after his death was ordered by the pices of the SWBI, during which both a Co- they supply to methamphetamine labs in Arellano-Felix organization. In 1993, a turf lombian distribution organization and a Mexico and the United States. This organiza- battle over the methamphetamine market Mexican smuggling organization were dis- tion has placed trusted associates in the between rival drug gangs from Mexico re- mantled and the infrastructure of both orga- United States to move ephedrine to Mexican sulted in 26 individuals being murdered in nizations were destroyed. Ninety court au- methamphetamine traffickers operating in one summer in the San Diego area. thorized wire taps resulted in the arrest of the U.S. Jose Osorio-Cabrera, a fugitive from U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY VERSUS 156 people and the seizure of $17 million dol- a Los Angeles investigation until his arrest ORGANIZED CRIME IN MEXICO lars and 5,600 kilograms of cocaine. Most im- in Bangkok, was a major ephedrine pur- The Southwest Border Initiative (SWBI) is portantly, neither the Colombian or Mexican chaser for the Amezcua organization. Federal law enforcement’s joint response to organizations have been able to reconstitute Joaquin Guzman-Loera the substantial threat posed by Mexican these distribution organizations. Zorro II Joaquin Guzman-Loera began to make a groups operating along the Southwest Bor- confirmed our belief that cocaine distribu- name for himself as a trafficker and air lo- der. The SWBI, now in its third year of oper- tion in the United States is controlled by the gistics expert for the powerful Miguel Felix- ation, is an integrated, coordinated strategy foreign syndicates located in Colombia and Gallardo organization. Guzman-Loera broke that focuses the resources of DEA, FBI, the Mexico. away from Felix-Gallardo and rose to patron United States Attorney’s Office, the Crimi- Since Zorro II, we have continued to focus level among the major Mexican trafficking nal Division, the U.S. Border Patrol, the U.S. on the command and control function of organizations. Presently, he is incarcerated Customs Service and state and local authori- other transportation and distribution cells in Mexico; however, Mexican and United ties on the sophisticated Mexican drug traf- operating along the Southwest Border and States authorities still consider him to be a ficking organizations operating on both sides throughout the U.S. These investigations are major international drug trafficker. The or- of the U.S./Mexican border. time and resource intensive, but yield sig- ganization has not been dismantled or seri- Through this initiative we have identified nificant results. Additional investigations, ously affected by Guzman-Loera’s imprison- the sophisticated Mexican drug trafficking of similar significance and importance as ment because his brother, Arturo Guzman- organizations operating along the entire U.S. Zorro II, have been developed since that Loera, has assumed the leadership role. The border. These groups are transporting multi- time, however due to the sensitive nature of Guzman-Loera organization transports co- ton shipments of cocaine for the Colombia the investigations. I am precluded from dis- caine from Colombia through Mexico to the groups, as well as heroin, methamphetamine cussing them at this time. S2044 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 1997

CORRUPTION AND INTIMIDATION: TOOLS OF THE trained in all of the aspects of narcotics in- Mexico is a proposed series of Bilateral Task TRADE vestigations. This situation is far from ideal. Forces (BTF’s). The U.S. and Mexico signed Traditionally, organized crime has de- Political officials are also not immune to a memorandum of understanding in 1996, pended on the corruption of officials, and the narcotics corruption: DEA has documented outlining the framework for the United intimidation of potential or actual wit- instances where public officials have allowed States Government and the government of nesses, as well as violence against anyone drug traffickers to freely operate in areas Mexico to conduct joint investigations who stands in the way of business. The under their control. Corruption is the most against targeted drug organizations. These Medellin and Cali traffickers were masters of serious, most pervasive obstacle to progress Bilateral Task Forces (BTF’s) were estab- in addressing the drug trade in Mexico. corruption, intimidation and violence, and lished in Juarez, Tijuana and Monterrey. The In addition to the serious corruption prob- task forces in Tijuana and Juarez have been used these tools effectively to silence and co- lems plaguing anti-narcotics enforcement ef- erce. limited in their ability to collect intel- forts in Mexico, murders and violence are ligence and seize drugs and they have not Organized crime figures in Mexico rou- commonplace methods of silencing witnesses tinely use these tools as well. The recent ar- met their most important objectives of ar- or rivals. Since 1993, twenty-three major resting the leaders of the major syndicates rest of the Commissioner of the INCD in drug-related assassinations have taken place Mexico last week is the latest illustration of and dismantling their organizations. in Mexico. Virtually all of these murders re- During bilateral plenary meetings, Mexi- how deeply rooted corruption is in Mexican main unsolved. Many of them have occurred can officials promised they would allocate anti-narcotics organizations. A good illustra- in Tijuana or have involved victims from Ti- $2.4 million from seized assets the U.S. had tion of the extent of corruption in Mexico juana. In the last year, 12 law enforcement shared with Mexico towards the financing of was revealed when officials, seeking the ex- officials or former officials have been gunned the BTF’s; however, Francisco Molina Ruiz, tradition of two of Arellano-Felix’s contract down in Tijuana and the vast majority of the the former head of the INCD, advised DEA killers, who are currently incarcerated in 200 murders in that city are believed to have that he had been unable to obtain the finan- the United States, submitted papers indicat- been drug-related. cial support necessary to make these Task ing that the State Attorney General and al- A number of these incidents involving law Forces operational. The BTF’s for the most most 90 percent of the law enforcement offi- enforcement officials are a serious indication part are staffed with enthusiastic young offi- cers, prosecutors, and judges in Tijuana and of the depth and breadth of the power of the cers, however, they have neither received the the State of Baja California have been com- traffickers in Mexico. training nor the equipment necessary to The Arellano-Felix organization was re- promised and are on the payroll of the build cases on and arrest these sophisticated sponsible for setting off a bomb at the Ca- Arellano-Felix brothers. In addition, several and wealthy drug traffickers. high ranking police officers regularly pro- mino Real Hotel in Guadalajara, where they The most significant shortcoming of the vide the names of witnesses who give state- intended to kill a rival trafficker, hosting a B.T.F.’s however, lies in its leadership. On at ments against the Arellano-Felixes and have party for his daughter. Two men were killed least two occasions, after having been ad- and fifteen people wounded. even provided information that assisted in vised of pending enforcement actions by In September 1996, Jorge Garcia-Vargas, locating targets for assassination. Just re- their subordinates, corrupt command offi- cently, the Federal Police in Baja California Sub-Director of the Tijuana office of the In- stitute for the Combat of Drugs (INCD) and cers in Mexico City compromised the inves- Norte were replaced with military troops, a tigations. One involved the attempted sei- tacit admission of the level of corruption in former Commandante Miguel Angel Silva- Caballero were found shot to death in their zure of sixteen tons of cocaine belonging to that area. Yet, as we observed with the ar- car in Mexico City. The bodies showed signs the Arellano-Felix family. To be successful rest of Gutierrez-Rebollo, the military is not of torture, similar to those on the bodies of in Mexico, we must be able to share intel- immune from corruption either. Hector Gonzalez-Baecenas. Garcia-Vargas’ ligence with the B.T.F.’s with the confidence Historically, corruption has been a central assistant in Tijuana, and three body guards that it will be promptly acted on and not be problem in DEA’s relationship with Mexican who were tortured and killed five days ear- compromised by corrupt officials that is not counterparts. In short, there is not one sin- lier in Mexico City. Garcia-Vargas’ death the condition that we are currently faced gle law enforcement institution in Mexico came only one year after he took the job in with in our relationship with the bi-lateral with whom DEA has an entirely trusting re- Tijuana. groups. lationship. Such a relationship is absolutely Ernest Ibarra-Santes, the Director of Fed- Unfortunately, I was recently forced to essential to the conduct of business in that, eral Police Force in Tijuana, and two police limit DEA participation in these B.T.F.’s, or any other nation where organized crime officers were executed by machine-gun fire because of a decision by the Government of syndicates traffic in narcotics. as they drove along a main street in Mexico Mexico that would no longer allow us to In the brief time we have allotted to us City. Ibarra-Santes was executed just 29 days guarantee the safety of our Special Agents today, I would like to provide you with some after he became Director and two days after while they were working in Mexico. The at- recent examples of the corruption which we he reprimanded his own force stating ‘‘The mosphere in Mexico is volatile and threats encounter all too frequently in Mexico. Police had become so corrupt they weren’t against DEA Special Agents, along the bor- This January, the Mexican Army raided just friends with the traffickers, they were der, have increased substantially; therefore I the wedding party of Amado Carillo-Fuentes’ their servants.’’ A Mexican Army officer has have rescinded travel authority for all DEA sister. When they arrived at the scene. Mexi- been implicated in this murder. Special Agents to Mexico, to participate in can Federal Judicial Police were guarding Baja State Prosecutor Godin Gutierrez- counter-drug investigations, until they are the party. The MFJP had alerted Carillo- Rico was assassinated in front of his resi- provided appropriate protection, that is com- Fuentes about the planned raid, and he was dence in Tijuana on January 3, 1997. mensurate with the risks inherent in these able to escape. Guiterrez a supervisory state attorney and dangerous assignments. The Arellano-Felix organization routinely former head of a special enforcement unit PROSPECTS FOR PROGRESS bribes government officials to obtain infor- that investigated high profile homicides in Since coming to office, President Zedillo mation from prosecutors’ offices including Tijuana, had assisted DEA in identifying sev- has promised that he would take action information on potential witnesses. eral assassins for the Arellano-Felix organi- against organized criminal groups in Mexico. Despite the firing of over 1,200 government zation. Information strongly links the In that time period he has moved to make officials for corruption charges by President Arellano-Felix’s to this murder which was significant changes to the law enforcement Zedillo, no successful prosecutions of these particularly vicious; Guiterrez-Rico was shot process by sponsoring the Organized Crime individuals has taken place. over 100 times, after which his body was re- Bill to provide the tools needed to success- In March 1996, DEA Task Force Agents ar- peatedly run over by an automobile. fully attack the criminal synidates and rested two individuals who identified them- It is hard to imagine that in our own na- formed the Organized Crime Task Force and selves as police officers from Sonora, Mexico. tion, we would stand for such killings and for the Bilateral Task Forces. However, even Eleven hundred pounds of marijuana were government inaction in solving the murders. with the improved process, the infrastruc- found on the scene, and the police admitted The assassinations in Mexico are akin to ture of the mechanism, itself, is so deci- they worked at the stash house. three Assistant United States Attorneys, the mated by corruption that short term results In July a Mexican Army Division arrested Special Agent in Charge of the DEA office in are very doubtful. nine Mexican Federal Judicial Police Offi- San Diego, the Special Agent in Charge of The real test is in the mid- and long-term. cers and seized 50 kilograms of cocaine and the FBI office in Houston and the Chief of Unless some meaningful reforms are made in $578,000 in U.S. currency. The defendants Police in San Diego being murdered cal- the law enforcement systems responsible for were acting under the direction of the lously by drug dealers. Americans would not targeting and apprehending major organized Commandante for Culiacan, Sinalon at the accept these murders going unsolved and no crime figures in Mexico, that nation, and un- time. arrests being made. For any country’s law fortunately our own, will continue to fight While a great deal of the corruption enforcement agencies to be viable partners an uphill battle as drugs will continue to plagues the law enforcement agencies in in the international law enforcement arena, flow into cities and towns across the United Mexico, the Mexican military and other in- they must apprehend and incarcerate those States. To date, our inability to successfully stitutions are also vulnerable to the corrupt- criminals who murder with such impunity. attack the major organized crime groups in ing influences of the narcotics trade. The COOPERATION WITH MEXICO Mexico, as we have the United States and Mexican Government has replaced police The primary program for cooperative law Colombia, is a direct result of our inability with military officials, who are not fully enforcement efforts with the Government of to arrest the leadership of these groups. March 10, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2045 President Zedillo has acted against corrupt ico to remain corruption free. However, last indictments pending against him in the officials, and has stated that he is commit- week we saw in the arrest of General United States on charges involving cocaine, ted to professionalizing Mexican law enforce- Gutierrez-Rebollo, that some trustworthy marijuana, money laundering and racketeer- ment. Yet the bottom line remains; until the units do exist and can work without com- ing. ‘‘Every day I pass by roadblocks, police, major organized crime figures operating in promise. soldiers, and there are no problems.’’ Mexico are aggressively targeted, inves- The problems of establishing a corruption- ‘‘I’m in the streets all the time. Howe can tigated, arrested, sentenced appropriately free law enforcement infrastructure are not they not find me?’’ he asked at the end of a and jailed, both Mexico and the United insurmountable. However, to become credi- rare, hour-long interview. ‘‘Because they’re States are in grave danger. ble in the law enforcement arena the Govern- not looking for me.’’ What law enforcement steps are necessary ment of Mexico must ensure the integrity of Caro Quintero, 33, is identified by U.S. law for long-lasting progress against organized the units that have the responsibility of enforcement officials as the head of the So- crime leaders in Mexico? We faced the same tracking down and arresting the syndicate nora cartel, which they describe as one of questions in our mutual struggle against the leaders, insuring these individuals are either Mexico’s main drug mafias. Although ar- Colombian organized groups during the past prosecuted in Mexico and receive meaningful rested here in 1992 on tax charges, he has decade. What it took was an all-out effort by sentence commensurate with their crimes or never been convicted of any crime, and Mexi- the Colombian National Police to target and agree to extradite them to the United States can authorities have never charged him with incarcerate the top leaders in Cali. Until the where they will receive punishment similar any drug violation. Government of Colombia was put on notice to that of Juan Garcia-Abrego. U.S. officials see Caro Quintero as a prime that their lack of commitment to this goal example of how weak Mexican laws and an EXHIBIT 2 was unacceptable, the CNP did not have the intricate web of corruption have permitted moral backing it needed to move out aggres- U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, some alleged drug kingpins to operate their sively. In Mexico’s case, it appears that the OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER, syndicates with impunity and live without political will to rid the country of the its Washington, DC, March 10, 1997. fear of arrest, conviction or extradition to narco-trafficking reputation is there; how- Hon. DIANE FEINSTEIN, the United States. At the same time, high- ever, what is lacking are clean, committed U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. ranking politicians, government officials, law enforcement agencies willing to take on DEAR SENATOR FEINSTEIN: We return here- judges, prosecutors, and military and police the most powerful and influential organized with your manuscript entitled ‘‘Re: Remarks officers have enriched themselves by protect- crime figures operating on a global scale. by Thomas A. Constantine’’ submitted to ing the syndicates, and they are rarely pros- We hope that efforts towards this end will this Office for insertion in the Congressional ecuted or investigated. bear fruit. In November, 1996, the Govern- Record, and respectfully invite your atten- After Caro Quintero’s 1992 tax arrest, for ment of Mexico passed an Organized Crime tion to the following regulation of the Joint instance, the United States and Mexico Law which provides Law Enforcement offi- Committee on Printing: launched a joint prosecution effort. ‘‘But it cials with many of the tools needed to suc- (1) No extraneous matter in excess of two was thwarted when Miguel used a combina- cessfully attack the sophisticated drug syn- printed Record pages, whether printed in its tion of threats and bribes to have the dicates in their country. Included as part of entirety in one daily issue or in two or more charges dismissed by a federal judge in the Law were: authorization to conduct elec- parts in one or more issues, shall be printed Hermosillo [capital of his home state, So- tronic surveillance, a witness protection pro- in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD unless the nora], and he’s operated freely since that gram; plea bargaining; conspiracy laws; un- Member announces, coincident with the re- time,’’ said an official of the U.S. Drug En- dercover operations; the use of informants quest for leave to print or extend, the esti- forcement Administration (DEA). by police. mate in writing from the Public Printer of Similar allegations of high-level corrup- For these new law enforcement tools to be the probable cost of publishing the same. tion are aired almost daily here, depicting utilized effectively, the new law mandated (2) No extraneous matter shall be printed decay in Mexico’s justice system and some of the Government of Mexico to form Organized in the House proceedings or the Senate pro- its other institutions, including the mili- Crime Units to conduct the investigations ceedings, with the following exceptions: (a) tary. and further stipulated that the laws could Excerpts from letters, telegrams, or articles The recent revelations have prompted a not be enforced until the unit was formed presented in connection with a speech deliv- more thorough debate among U.S. officials and properly trained. The Organized Crime ered in the course of debate; (b) Communica- over whether President Clinton should cer- Units are now in place and consist of 60 offi- tions from State Legislatures, and (c) Ad- tify by Saturday that Mexico is a reliable cers to investigate crimes specified under dresses or articles by the President and the ally in the international war on drugs. the law. The Government of Mexico has Members of his Cabinet, the Vice President, ‘‘I don’t know if ‘collapse’ is the correct agreed to insure the integrity of the Orga- or a Member of Congress. term’’ for what’s happening to the justice nized Crime Unit through the use of poly- (3) The official reporters of the House or system, Attorney General Jorge Madrazo graphs and regular background investiga- Senate or the Public Printer shall return to Cuellar said in a recent interview. ‘‘But it’s tions. However, like the Bilateral Task the Member of the respective House any the gravest crisis Mexico has faced in the Forces, these units will not be successful and matter submitted for the CONGRESSIONAL modern age.’’ On Tuesday, Madrazo an- DEA might not be able to share sensitive in- RECORD which is in contravention of these nounced a ‘‘top-to-bottom’’ reform of his of- formation with them as long as their super- provisions. fice to address the crisis—the latest in a visors or managers are corrupt. This manuscript is estimated to make ap- number of such reforms announced in recent It is important to remember that law en- proximately 5 pages of the Congressional years. forcement in the United States did not have Record at a cost of $1,152.00. If you still de- reported Sunday that wiretap authority and wide ranging orga- sire to have this matter published in the two state governors—Manlio Fabio Beltrones nized crime laws such as RICO and Continu- Record, permission must again be requested Rivera of Sonora and Jorge Carrillo Olea of ing Criminal Enterprise until the late 1960’s. of the Senate for its inclusion and the prob- Morelos—have aided Amado Carrillo The Government of Mexico is effectively 35 able cost should then be announced and this Fuentes, head of a Juarez-based smuggling years behind us in establishing laws that estimate attached to the manuscript sent to cartel. Despite numerous U.S. intelligence were critical in our successful dismantling of the Official Reporters. reports detailing their drug ties, the Times organized criminal syndicates. If they work Sincerely, reported, ‘‘both [governors] seem to enjoy a properly, the Bilateral task forces and our CHARLES C. COOK, Sr. tacit immunity from concerted criminal in- Southwest Border Initiative can be favorably Superintendent, Con- vestigation in Mexico and the United compared to the Strike Forces established gressional Printing States.’’ by Bobby Kennedy in the 1960’s. This 1990’s Management Divi- A spokesman for Attorney General version of the Strike Force is international sion. Madrazo said neither governor is under in- in scope and pools the resources, expertise vestigation for ties to drug smuggling. and laws of several federal and state institu- EXHIBIT 3 At the same time, some of Mexico’s top al- tions in the United States with those in Mex- [From the Washington Post, Feb. 26, 1997] leged kingpins—including Carrillo Fuentes, ico. Caro Quintero and brothers Jesus and Luis ALLEGED KINGPIN OF SONORA CARTEL It is absolutely essential that the Orga- Amezcua, who are considered among the UNTOUCHED BY LAW nized Crime Units and the Bilateral Task world’s biggest traffickers of methamphet- Forces have integrity insurance programs as (By John Ward Anderson) amine—have no drug charges pending in part of their charter. Unless these units are CABORCA, MEXICO.—Miguel Angel Caro Mexico. Despite indictments against each of trustworthy, informants who cooperate will Quintero, identified by U.S. officials as one these men in the United States, U.S. officials not be safe, undercover investigations will be of Mexico’s drug smuggling kingpins, arrived say they face little threat of being appre- compromised and intelligence sharing proc- in a pickup truck at his modest horse and hended and extradited for trial in the United ess will not function at all. As we have seen cattle ranch here and described life in this States because of tough restrictions against recently, both the military and law enforce- small desert town 60 miles south of the U.S. extradition in Mexico’s constitution. ment have been grievously compromised by border. Until last year, only two Mexican citizens these criminal groups and this brings into ‘‘I go to the banks, offices, just like any had been sent to the United States for trial question the ability of any program in Mex- Mexican,’’ said Caro Quintero, who has four under a 1978 extradition treaty between the S2046 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 1997 two countries. But new laws permit Mexico’s Caro Quintero called the charges ‘‘fabrica- President’s decision to certify does not send foreign minister to find ‘‘an exception’’ per- tions’’ and held up his relatively peaceful this message. We simply cannot stand by mitting extradition. Last year, four Mexican lifestyle as proof he is not wanted by the this decision and we strongly urge Congress citizens were sent to the United States, in- law. He added that he does not believe his to overturn it. cluding two accused drug dealers. brother killed Camarena. The members of the California Narcotics Juan Garcia Abrego, the head of the Gulf Tall, with jet-black hair and a thick mus- Officers’ Association are happy to support cartel who was recently sentenced to life in tache, wearing bluejean pants and jacket Senators Feinstein and Coverdell and other prison in a drug trial in Houston, was not ex- with a plain shirt and a white cowboy hat, members of Congress and take whatever tradited but deported to the United States Caro Quintero looks like he stepped out of a steps are necessary to see that full coopera- because he held dual citizenship. cigarette ad. He said his family—he has tion occurs. Mexican anti-drug officials said Carillo three brothers and six sisters—grew up in the Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I Fuentes has weapons and conspiracy charges neighboring state of Sinaloa, where his fa- ask unanimous consent that the State pending against him. If arrested, they said, ther, who died five years ago, owned a cattle Department’s statement of explanation he would be held while drug trafficking farm. He is married and has two sons, ages 7 on certification be printed in the charges were filed and officials considered a and 12. pending U.S. request for extradition. Caro Quintero said his family came to So- RECORD. Authorities thought they would nab nora about 15 years ago. He denied reports There being no objection, the mate- Carillo Fuentes at his sister’s wedding in that his family owns hotels, movie theaters rial was ordered to be printed in the early January, when private planes ferrying and huge amounts of land in and around RECORD, as follows: guests in and out of local airports led drug Caborca, which is about 75 miles southwest THE WHITE HOUSE, investigators to believe that he would make of the border city of Nogales, in a remote Washington, DC, February 28, 1997. an appearance at the ceremony. But the desert region known as a haven for traffick- MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE Juarez cartel chief never showed up, and offi- ers and clandestine airstrips. Subject: Certification for major narcotics cials say he may have been tipped off by Gen. A 1994 indictment in Arizona charged that Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, the anti-drug czar producing and transit countries. Caro Quintero negotiated with an undercover By virtue of the authority vested in me by who was arrested last week after officials DEA agent to set up a series of such clandes- section 490(b)(1)(A) of the Foreign Assistance charged he had been an informant for tine landing strips to smuggle cocaine into Act of 1961, as amended, (‘‘the Act’’), I here- Carrillo Fuentes for years. A federal judge the United States. by determine and certify that the following indicted Gutierrez yesterday on charges of Caro Quintero said he and his family own major drug producing and/or major drug aiding and protecting cocaine shipments, the only a ranch where they raise cattle and a transit countries/dependent territories have Associated Press reported. farm where they grow honeydews and water- cooperated fully with the United States, or While drug investigations here have been melons for export to the United States. He taken adequate steps on their own, to severely hampered by corruption, U.S. and said the family’s land holdings total about 25 achieve full compliance with the goals and Mexican officials said, until recently they acres. objectives of the 1988 United Nations Conven- were also crippled by a legal system that did ‘‘If I had a cartel, I’d have a lot of money tion Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotics not permit the use of evidence gathered by and my brother wouldn’t be there [in jail],’’ Drugs and Psychotropic Substances: Aruba, wiretaps or paid confidential informants. In he said. The Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, November, however, Mexico’s Congress ap- STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT ED LADD, China, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guate- proved an organized crime bill that legalizes CALIFORNIA NARCOTICS OFFICERS ASSOCIATION mala, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, such tactics and institutes a witness protec- Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, tion program. The Board of the California Narcotics Offi- ‘‘We didn’t have any legal way to introduce cers’ Association voted today to unani- Peru, Taiwan, Thailand, Venezuela, and into evidence taped conversations—wire- mously support Senator Dianne Feinstein Vietnam. By virtue of the authority vested in me by taps—or to protect witnesses who enter into and Senator Paul Coverdell in their efforts section 490(b)(1)(B) of the Act, I hereby deter- plea bargains in return for evidence that can to overturn the President’s decision to cer- mine that it is in the vital national interests be used against kingpins,’’ said Juan tify Mexico. The California Narcotics Offi- of the United States to certify the following Rebolledo Jout, a top Foreign Ministry offi- cers’ Association Board, representing over major illicit drug producing and/or transit cial. Without such tools, he said, ‘‘these peo- 7,000 law enforcement agents and prosecu- tors, is the second largest professional law countries: Belize, Lebanon, and Pakistan. ple are powerful, they are corrupt, and they Analysis of the relevant U.S. vital national are difficult to catch.’’ enforcement association in the nation. To- day’s vote to join with Senator Feinstein on interests, as required under section 490(b)(3) However, Mexican officials conceded, a of the Act, is attached. I have determined critical problem still remains. Because U.S. the decertification issue is based on our longstanding experience with the widespread that the following major illicit drug produc- cases are often built with confidential in- ing and/or major transit countries do not formants and wiretaps, it is unclear whether corruption and lack of cooperation shown by the Mexican government. meet the standards set forth in section 490(b) Mexican judges will allow extraditions to for certification: Afghanistan, Burma, Co- move forward if they are based on U.S. cases It is no secret that drugs are a huge prob- lem in California. What may not be widely lombia, Iran, Nigeria, and Syria. that used wiretaps and confidential inform- In making these determinations, I have ants before they became legal in Mexico. known is the alarming rate in which narcot- ics spill over the California border from Mex- considered the factors set forth in section 490 U.S. officials said they are beginning a of the Act, based on the information con- major extradition push for Caro Quintero be- ico. It is estimated that 50% to 70% of the co- caine, up to 80% of the marijuana and 20% to tained in the International Narcotics Con- cause there are no charges against him in trol Strategy Report of 1997. Because the Mexico. Mexican officials said he is under in- 30% of the heroin are imported in the United States from Mexico. Without the coopera- performance of each of these countries/de- vestigation. pendent territories has differed, I have at- ‘‘The problem is, we don’t know why he tion of the Mexican government in the war tached an explanatory statement for each of doesn’t have charges against him,’’ said the against drugs, we cannot put up a fair fight. the countries/dependent territories subject Foreign Ministry’s Rebolledo. ‘‘We are re- We strongly urge Congress to overturn the President’s decision to certify Mexico. to this determination. viewing how decisions are made and inves- You are hereby authorized and directed to The impact drugs have on our communities tigations are being carried out.’’ report this determination to the Congress exemplifies the need for the United States to Caro Quintero denied being involved in any immediately and to published it in the Fed- demand full cooperation from the Mexican way in drug trafficking. He said he and his eral Register. family are the victims of a vendetta by U.S. government in their efforts to stem the flow WILLIAM J. CLINTON. drug agents seeking revenge for the 1985 of drugs into our country. As law enforce- murder in Guadalajara of DEA agent Enrique ment agents and prosecutors, we have wit- STATE DEPARTMENT STATEMENT OF Camarena. nessed the effects drugs have on our cities EXPLANATION Miguel’s brother Rafael, co-founder of the and communities first hand. Dangerous MEXICO infamous Guadalajara drug cartel, was con- drugs are becoming more prevalent on our The Government of Mexico’s (GOM) 1996 victed in Camarena’s slaying, which U.S. of- streets. For example, the supply of black tar counter-drug effort produced encouraging re- ficials frequently cite as the event that heroin brought into California from Mexico sulting and notable progress in bilateral co- opened their eyes to the growing power and is growing at such an incredible rate that operation. President Zedillo has declared the menace of Mexico’s drug mafias. the price per ounce has been cut in half in major drug trafficking organizations, and With his brother’s imprisonment, ‘‘Miguel just two years—from $800 per ounce to $400 the corruption they foster within govern- Caro Quintero now runs the organization,’’ an ounce. By certifying Mexico again this mental structures, to be Mexico’s principal DEA chief Thomas Constantine told the Sen- year, President Clinton is allowing the drug national security threat. He has intensified ate two years ago. It is one of ‘‘the four flow to continue unchecked. the country’s counter-drug effort, in keeping major [Mexican] drug trafficking organiza- The corruption and violence created by the with international human rights norms, both tions that work closely with the Cali [Co- Mexican drug cartels will not be lessened through legal reforms and operationally, lombia] mafia’’ to smuggle cocaine into the until a strong message is sent that Mexico through the expanded participation of the United States, Constantine said. must improve their anti-drug efforts. The nation’s military services. March 10, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2047 Drug seizures and arrests increased in 1996. ahead of them. Progress in establishing con- particular opposition, time and again, Mexican authorities seized 23.8 mt of co- trols on money laundering and chemical di- in order to maintain office. In that caine, 383 kgs of heroin, 1015 mt of mari- version must be further enhanced and imple- light, I want to say again what I said juana, 171.7 kgs of methamphetamine and 6.7 mented. New capabilities need to be institu- mt of ephedrine (its chemical precursor), and tionalized. Above all, the GOM will have to at the hearing with Secretary Mad- destroyed 20 drug labs. Police arrested 11,283 take system-wide action against corruption eleine Albright at the subcommittee suspects on drug-related charges. Authori- and other abuses of official authority for State, Justice, Commerce on last ties arrested several major traffickers: Juan through enhanced screening of personnel in Thursday afternoon, whereby I was Garcia Abrego, Gulf cartel leader and one of sensitive positions and putting into place on- counseling Secretary Albright, imme- the FBI’s ‘‘Ten Most Wanted’’ fugitives; Jose going integrity controls. diately after her statement about Mex- Luis Pereira Salas, linked to the Cali and While there are still serious problems, and ico and the great progress we were a number of areas in which the USG would Juarez cartels; and Manuel Rodriguez Lopez, making in the drug effort. I said I linked to the Castrillon maritime smuggling like to see further progress, the two govern- organization. ments have agreed on the parameters of a didn’t want to sound as an upstart, I The Mexican Congress passed two critical joint approach to combat the narcotics certainly did not want to sound impu- pieces of legislation which have armed the threat, and are at work on developing this dent in any way, but what I had just GOM with a whole new arsenal of weapons to strategy. The drug issue will remain one of heard from the Secretary was State use to combat money laundering, chemical the top issues in the bilateral agenda and Department boilerplate. diversion and organized crime. The GOM es- will be one of the main issues discussed dur- Why did I say it was State Depart- tablished organized crime task forces in key ing President Clinton’s planned visit to Mex- locations in northern and western Mexico in ico in April. ment boilerplate? I read, back in the record, the statement made by Warren cooperation with U.S. law enforcement. In Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, the Christopher 4 years ago. It was almost an effort to confront widespread corruption distinguished Senator from South within the nation’s law enforcement agen- word for word just exactly what Sec- Carolina [Mr. HOLLINGS], has asked to cies, former Attorney General Lozano dis- retary Albright was saying. You can go cosponsor Senate Joint Resolution 19, missed over 1250 federal police officers and back to Secretary of State Baker’s Senate Joint Resolution 20, and Senate technical personnel for corruption or incom- statement and I will show you it is al- Joint Resolution 21, and has also asked petence, although some have been rehired, most the same thing. From hard expe- and the GOM indicated two former senior for time, which I would ask be charged rience, I have learned that Senator GOM officials and a current Undersecretary to my time. of Tourism. He also sought to expand co- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- FEINSTEIN is on target and doing this operation with the United States and other ator from South Carolina is recognized. Nation a wonderful service. As she governments. Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I points out this influx of drugs is a can- The United States and Mexico established thank the distinguished Senator from cer that is spreading into small towns the High-Level Contact Group on Narcotics California. She has, as usual, done her and communities all over the Nation. Control (HLCG) to explore joint solutions to It is going to take some harsh action of the shared drug threat and to coordinate bi- homework and, her persuasive argu- lateral anti-drug efforts. The HLCG met ments at last Thursday’s caucus where some kind. We have to break this no- three times during 1996 and its technical she debated General McCaffrey tion that we are neighbors and can’t working groups met throughout the year. changed my mind. I had hesitated en- speak freely about our problems. The Under the aegis of the HLCG, the two gov- dorsing her initiative. They taught us situation in Mexico is spinning out of ernments developed a joint assessment of the in the Army years ago, no matter how control. The head of the drug effort narcotics threat posed to both countries well the gunners aimed, if the recoil is down there in Mexico, turns out to be which will be used as the basis for a joint going to kill the gun crew, you do not an associate of the drug cartels. Yet we counter-drug strategy. had him here for 12 days of meetings. U.S.-Mexican bilateral cooperation on drug fire it. law enforcement continued to improve in I had to question myself on the recoil The problem in Mexico was high- 1996, particularly in the areas of money laun- here, from this particular initiative. lighted in the Dallas Morning News: dering, mutual legal assistance, and criminal What good was it going to do? Would it ‘‘The intelligence on corruption, especially investigations. The USG provided training, do more harm than good? It was easily of drug traffickers, has always been there,’’ technical, and material support to personnel determined, after listening to Senator said Phil Jordan, who headed DEA’s Dallas of the Office of the Mexican Attorney Gen- FEINSTEIN, that it was definitely going office from 1984 to 1994, ‘‘but we were under eral (PGR), the National Institute to Combat to do more good because, in line with instructions not to say anything negative Drugs (INCD), the Mexican Treasury, and the about Mexico. It was a no-no, since NAFTA . The Government of the limited time, you find exactly what was a hot political football.’’ Mexico established the important precedent I have learned through hard experi- ence, in the most recent issue of the Well, there you are. What we are of extraditing Mexican nationals to the Unit- doing is following a policy to protect ed States under the provision of Mexico’s ex- London Economist, on page 43: our financial interests; our Wall tradition law permitting this in ‘‘exceptional The Americans’ uncritical support of Mex- circumstances.’’ This paves the way for fur- ico may have helped to spread drug corrup- Street, or our economic interests, ther advances in bringing fugitives to jus- tion in that country over the past decade. which of course has not worked out. tice. Both governments returned record I will never forget, a good 15 years But that is the motivation. That is the numbers of fugitives in 1996. ago or so, when Senator Howard Baker, influence, and not really getting to the Even with positive results, and good co- Senator Paul Laxalt, Senator Simpson drugs and the gangs and the corruption operation with the U.S. and other govern- and the law enforcement and crime ments, the problems which Mexico faces re- from Wyoming, and myself, we were main daunting. The Zedillo Administration down in Mexico. We had a briefing at problem that we have in this country. has taken important beginning steps against that time by President de la Madrid. So, where I indicated I would with- the major drug cartels in Mexico, and to- At that time everything was just hold because I thought it would cause wards more effective cooperation with the peaches and cream. We were getting too much damage and I didn’t have United States and other international part- along fine. We were moving forward on enough to work with, I went to General ners, but the strongest groups, such as the then the drug program and enforce- McCaffrey’s statement. This was in an Juarez and Tijuana cartels, have yet to be ef- ment. I had gone downstairs and for- open session not—a secure briefing. fectively confronted. The level of narcotics gotten my jacket, raced back up to get When asked, ‘‘If this decertification corruption is very serious, reaching into the initiative passed here and Mexico was very senior levels of Mexico’s drug law en- it, and President de la Madrid at the forcement forces, as witnessed by the Feb- time was briefing the Mexican press. decertified, what would happen,’’ he ruary 1997 arrest of the recently-appointed My consulate there was interpreting said—I almost quote it word for word— national counternarcotics coordinator. for me. He was giving us unshirted ‘‘we would not be able to work with our President Zedillo acted courageously to re- dickens. He said, ‘‘We told those grin- friends on drugs.’’ move him as soon as the internal Mexican gos from the north that we weren’t The conclusion of this Senator is we investigation revealed the problem, but this going to stand for this, we weren’t have the wrong friends. We have the has been a set-back for Mexico’s anti-drug going to do this,’’ that was a report of wrong friends. We have been going effort, and for bilateral cooperation. Mexican police, military personnel, pros- a totally different meeting than which through, as Bob Dole says: Same act, ecutors, and the courts need additional re- we had. same scene, been there, done that, sources, training and other support to per- My point is they have constantly again and again and again. Until we form the important and dangerous tasks used the United States against their take up something like the Feinstein S2048 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 10, 1997 initiative, here, we are not going to get stated. Drug use among American teen- vestigation as a result of this early re- any results. agers has nearly doubled in the last 5 lease. Immediately, there is the over- years. Most importantly, more than 70 In the face of these substantive facts, reaction. The Senator from New Mex- percent of illegal narcotics entering President Clinton still certified that ico, Senator DOMENICI, was at the hear- the United States comes from the Na- Mexico was fully cooperating with our ing. He said, ‘‘Oh, I differ with Senator tion of Mexico. antidrug efforts. As a father of three, I HOLLINGS absolutely. We don’t want to Mr. President, as we all know, on cannot in good faith be witness to the overthrow President Zedillo.’’ February 28, the Clinton administra- corruption of the well-being of Ameri- I don’t want to overthrow President tion certified that Mexico cooperated ca’s children. Zedillo. I know from the politics of fully with United States efforts to Mr. President, the resolutions before Mexico that is the best chance that he combat international narcotics traf- us are simple. Mexico has failed with stays on, if the United States jumps ficking during 1996. However, on Feb- regard to antidrug cooperation; how- him; then he is secure in office politi- ruary 27, 1 day before the President is- ever, the President has certified giving cally. That is not the intent. I think sued the certification, the day before them a passing grade. the man is honest. I think he is work- the administration received a biparti- I say to Members of the Senate, both ing hard at it. But I think it is too san letter from 39 Senators, myself in- of these resolutions contain a waiver great a problem for him. And I think cluded, urging our Government to deny provision that would permit the Presi- there are going to have to be some certification to Mexico, the facts un- dent to continue both bilateral assist- changes down there. I don’t see how a equivocally show that Mexico has not ance and multinational development decertification initiative of this kind, fully cooperated with the United assistance for Mexico. By adopting with the evidence at hand, should upset States. these resolutions we are declaring that or overthrow. Seventy percent of the illicit drugs Mexico has not fully cooperated and I was called by the Albuquerque that enter the United States still enter therefore should not receive the United paper over the weekend, that I sug- through Mexico. There has been no States certification. gested we overthrow Zedillo. That is change in those figures or on that Mr. President, based on the facts, in- how things can get that far out of front. cluding the national interest waiver, hand. That is nonsense. If he is that The DEA says that Mexican drug we must send a message to the Nation weak that a decertification initiative traffickers are manufacturing massive of Mexico that the administration here, with the facts at hand, would and unprecedented quantities of high made the wrong decision and that cause him to lose office, then he is very purity meth and supplying it to dis- these resolutions will set that record weak and I think maybe that is the tribution networks here in the United straight while preserving stability in problem. States which are destroying our youth our relationship with Mexico. I think it would be a problem for me, and creating a new front in the drug So, Mr. President, I urge the adop- you, or anyone else down there. This war. tion of both House Joint Resolution 58 thing has grown bigger than us all and Not 1 Mexican national out of the 100 and S.J. Res. 21 for the good of the Na- it is going to take this kind of ap- or more the United States wants cur- tion and for the good of our children. proach to bring ourselves to any kind rently for trial here in the United I yield the floor, and I suggest the ab- of results and stop this. Because it has States on serious drug charges has sence of a quorum. been going on year in and year out and been extradited to the United States, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The we have given way to our economic in- despite the numerous requests that our clerk will call the roll. terests in order to continue. As the Government has issued to the Mexican The assistant legislative clerk pro- London Economist says, ‘‘The Ameri- Government. ceeded to call the roll. can’s uncritical support of Mexico may Our own DEA Administrator, Thomas Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I ask have helped to spread drug corruption Constantine, has recently said: unanimous consent that the order for in that country over the past decade.’’ There has been little or no effective action the quorum call be rescinded. I agree with that statement. That is taken against the major Mexican-based car- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without an editorial, lost in a news column. We tels. . . . The Mexicans are now the single objection, it is so ordered. ought to take heed and I am delighted, most powerful trafficking group—worse Mr. DEWINE. Will the Senator yield? at this time, to join in, and I thank [even] than the Colombian cartels. Mr. DORGAN. I would be happy to. Senator FEINSTEIN for enlisting me as a Mexico’s counternarcotics effort is Mr. DEWINE. Mr. President, I ask cosponsor. plagued by corruption in the Govern- unanimous consent that after my col- I suggest the absence of a quorum. ment and in the national police. league is done speaking that I have 10 The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Among the evidence are that eight minutes. clerk will call the roll. Mexican prosecutors and law enforce- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without The assistant legislative clerk pro- ment officials have been murdered in objection, it is so ordered. ceeded to call the roll. Tijuana in recent months. The revela- Mr. DEWINE. I thank the Senator Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, I tion that Gen. Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, very much. ask unanimous consent that the order Mexico’s top counternarcotics official f for the quorum call be rescinded. and a 42-year veteran of the armed The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without forces, had accepted bribes from the THE ROAD AHEAD IN objection, it is so ordered. cartels casts grave doubts upon Mexi- TELECOMMUNICATIONS Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. President, I co’s ability to curb corruption at the Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I rise stand here today in full support of highest levels of its own Government. today to offer some reflections to ex- House Joint Resolution 58 and Senate While there have been increases in press some concerns about the direc- Joint Resolution 21, resolutions ex- the amount of heroin and marijuana tion of the implementation of the Tele- pressing Congress’ disapproval of the seized by Mexican authorities, cocaine communications Act of 1996. President’s certification to Congress seizures remain low. The 1996 levels are It has been over a year since this that Mexico has fully cooperated with half those seized in 1993. And the same landmark legislation was enacted. To United States antinarcotics efforts holds true on drug-related arrests; they my dismay, and I think to the dismay during the last year. are half the figure of the 1992 level. of some others, some of the concerns Section 490 of the Foreign Assistance Lastly, on the eve of full certifi- that I and others expressed a year ago Act dutifully permits Congress to dis- cation to Mexico, the Mexican police are now concerns that are more real approve Presidential certifications released a notorious money launderer than when we expressed them. made under this section if it enacts a linked to a major drug dealer, and the As the dust begins to settle after the joint resolution to that effect. United States was informed of this fact major titans in the telecommuni- The importance of Mexico’s full co- only after certification was announced. cations industry battled for advantage operation with United States The Mexican police officers who re- under this act, the consumers, unfortu- antinarcotic efforts cannot be over- leased the individual are now under in- nately, appear perhaps to be the losers.