[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 37 (Friday, March 27, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2726-S2727]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      MEXICO DRUG DECERTIFICATION

 Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I rise in support of Senate Joint 
Resolution 42, the resolution of disapproval.
  Much has already been said on this issue, and I will make my comments 
brief.
  The United States Government has been working with the Government of 
Mexico for over a decade on fighting the flow of drugs.
  Year after year, we have received promises, commitments, and 
declarations to reduce the flow of narcotics from Mexico. But we have 
not seen the concrete actions that are required to block the flow of 
cocaine, heroin, and marijuana into the United States.
  For example, in 1997, Mexico agreed to facilitate the extradition of 
narcotics traffickers. In fact, no Mexican national has been extradited 
and surrendered to the United States as a result of that agreement.
  In a recent hearing, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence 
heard from witnesses from the Justice Department, the Central 
Intelligence Agency, and the Drug Enforcement Administration on the 
status of Mexican antidrug efforts.
  While I cannot go into detail, their testimony was not at all 
optimistic and was, in fact, extremely disturbing to me.
  Of greatest concern is the endemic corruption that runs rampant at 
all levels throughout those Mexican institutions tasked with combating 
narcotics trafficking.
  The story on the front page of today's New York Times, describing 
corruption in the ranks of the Mexican military is, if accurate, 
especially disturbing, since the military is considered less corrupt 
than the Federal police force.
  While Mexican officials often speak of efforts to prevent this 
corruption, no definitive steps have been taken to target the illicit 
drug monies that make this corruption possible. New laws are discussed, 
debated, in some cases even enacted, but they are not implemented.

[[Page S2727]]

  And while there have been a few highly publicized prosecutions of 
corrupt officials, many more are allowed to retire or are simply 
reassigned.
  I wonder whether criminal prosecution is selective and whether such 
determinations are themselves reflections of such corruption.
  Again, actions speak louder than words.
  I understand that the Clinton administration and other regional 
governments are discussing the concept of a regional approach to drug 
cooperation certification, to replace the current process.
  I have serious doubts about replacing the current system with 
regional certification, since the almost certain result would be that 
Mexico and others would be given a pass rather than being held 
accountable for their actions. Simply stated, it would make 
certification a meaningless process of averaging an array of mediocre 
and poor performances.
  Furthermore, before considering Mexico as a member of such a regional 
group, we should consider Mexico's participation in current regional 
counternarcotics efforts. It is hardly encouraging.
  For example, the Joint Inter-Agency Task Force located in Key West, 
FL, is one such organization. It includes representatives from all of 
the United States armed services, as well as law enforcement agencies, 
and an equal contribution from our British and Dutch allies.
  I urge my colleagues to visit the Task Force and hear their 
frustrations regarding Mexico. Again, while Mexico says it is using 
every asset to prevent the transshipment of drugs into the United 
States, the officials there will tell you this is just not so.
  They cite example after example of the detection and tracking of 
drug-carrying ships and planes.
  But when it comes to handing off these targets to the Mexican 
authorities, there is either no response or such a limited and late 
response, the traffickers often escape and disappear into Mexico.
  When we make informal suggestions that Mexico send its 
representatives to the multi-national task force to correct this 
problem, the response is that they are willing to discuss it. But, they 
have been discussing it for several years now.
  Mr. President, for these reasons I strongly support the resolution to 
decertify Mexico. It is time to judge Mexico on its actions rather than 
empty promises.

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