[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9475-S9476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE CASE OF RICARDO CORDERO ONTIVEROS

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I am disappointed to have just learned 
that Mexican officials have arrested Ricardo Cordero. Mr. Cordero came 
to our attention this week with articles in the Washington Post and 
other papers in our country because of charges he made about the degree 
of narcotics-related corruption in Mexico's counterdrug efforts.
  When I read those articles, the thought came to my mind, how come 
this guy is still in Mexico? He will be assassinated, executed, or 
something. But anyway, now he is arrested. It has been on charges of 
corruption and taking bribes himself.
  I do not want to comment on the merits of those charges. He could be 
guilty, of course. But what concerns me, and what needs to concern all 
of us in this body,Cordero's accusations made this week printed in our 
own newspapers.
  The arrest has the appearance of retaliation and intimidation. It 
gives the impression that instead of investigating his allegations, 
that the messenger, in fact, has been punished. If this is the case, 
then it raises further doubts about the ability of Mexico to take 
serious steps to end corruption and to deal with the problems posed by 
drug trafficking.
  Even if Mr. Cordero is guilty of the charges brought against him, it 
is a clear indication of the thorough-going nature of corruption in the 
counterdrug fight in Mexico. If he is innocent, however--and at least 
in our

[[Page S9476]]

country we would believe that he is innocent at this point--then his 
arrest is an example of a system that is on the verge of going out of 
control.
  I want to make it clear here that we will be following Mr. Cordero's 
arrest closely. How his case and his personal safety are handled will 
be the subject of considerable attention. I know that bureaucracies 
hate whistle-blowers, here or, I am for sure, they hate them in Mexico 
as well. The integrity of public institutions, however, can only be 
maintained if people in those institutions, with regard for 
documentation, are able to tell their stories without retaliation.
  Mr. Cordero's case is very disturbing. And if it should prove to be a 
case of retaliation, it does not speak well of Mexico's ability to deal 
seriously with the problems of corruption.
  I call on the Mexican Government to resolve this case quickly, and, 
of course, fairly. I ask our own U.S. administration, even those of us 
here in the Congress, to monitor this case very closely. And in the 
case of the administration, please keep Congress informed. I expect Mr. 
Cordero's rights--most importantly, his personal safety--will receive 
particular attention. Thank you.
  Mrs. BOXER addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.
  Mrs. BOXER. Thank you very much.
  Before the Senator from Iowa leaves the floor, I want to thank him 
for bringing this issue before the Senate.
  Mexico is continually asking for cooperation with this country in the 
areas of trade. I say to my friend, I am in a little bit of a battle 
right now over the dolphin-safe fishing of tuna where the Mexicans are 
really fighting very hard to have us change the rules of the game so 
they can go out and purse seine on dolphin and sell their tuna here in 
competition with our dolphin-safe American tuna people.
  They want our cooperation, and yet we know the drugs are coming from 
Mexico, yet we know they are doing, I would say, virtually nothing to 
stop illegal immigration. I believe it is important to have a warm and 
good relationship with our neighbor, Mexico. But I think the Senator 
has raised an issue that really requires the attention of the U.S. 
Senate. And I will work with him, and I know Senator Feinstein, the 
senior Senator from California, will as well. Again, I want to thank 
him for raising this issue.

                          ____________________