[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 115 (Thursday, September 6, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9151-S9153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
MEXICAN PROGRESS IN THE DRUG WAR
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I have come to this Chamber because I
want to make a few comments of welcome to President Vicente Fox. I had
the pleasure of speaking with him at Secretary Powell's lunch yesterday
and listening to him in the House of Representatives in the joint
session this morning.
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Because I have been critical of Mexico's efforts to stop drug
trafficking, their unwillingness to arrest cartel leaders, to
vigorously prevent the laundering of drug money, their refusal to
extradite a single Mexican national on drugs charges, and because of
the widespread corruption within the ranks of Mexican law enforcement,
I thought I should come to the Chamber today while President Fox is in
our country to say recent reports I have had indicate there has been
truly a dramatic change in Mexico.
I believe he is to be commended for that. It looks as if he is
responsible for an entirely new attitude on the part of his country in
the fight against drugs. I wish to take a few moments to commend him
and to say how important this is to the United States and to the people
of this country.
We all recognize that we have a demand problem in this country. In
fact, there is even a growing demand problem in Mexico today as well.
But, nevertheless, the flood of narcotics across the border represents
a major problem for both our nations. It brings with it also collateral
problems in the United States and in Mexico: violence, corruption, and
even, as we have seen, the brutal torture and murder of
literally hundreds of public officials, judges, prosecutors,
journalists, and any who dare either to cross the cartels or stand in
their way.
It is fair to say that these major consequences of the drug trade
require that we solve the problem together. Simply put, the Fox
administration has made more progress in the war against drugs over the
last 6 months than the Government of Mexico made over the previous 9
years.
I would like to share some examples, some specifics, if you will, of
the progress made by Mexico through the leadership of this brave new
President.
Prior to the Fox administration, not one major Mexican national drug
cartel member had ever been extradited to the United States on drug
charges--not one, ever--despite a whole list of pending requests.
Since President Fox took office, however, this has changed
dramatically. In fact, I had the privilege, at the Davos World Economic
Summit, in January, to meet briefly with President Fox. At that time I
handed to him directly a list of requested extraditions, prepared by
our Drug Enforcement Administration. He said he would take action. I
did not really believe him at the time, but he has.
After years of court battles, earlier this year the Mexican Supreme
Court ruled that Mexican nationals could, indeed, be extradited to the
United States.
Since January, 14 fugitives have been extradited to our country from
Mexico. Four of these were Mexican nationals, and three of the four,
for the first time, were Mexican nationals extradited on major drug
charges. That may not sound like much, but I can assure you it is a big
deal, because many of us who have worked in this area for years believe
extradition is a major deterrent to the cartel leadership.
The defendant in the Supreme Court case, Everardo Arturo Paez
Martinez, is a key member of the Arellano Felix cartel. The United
States has been requesting his extradition for years. He was extradited
to the United States to stand trial. He is here today.
Miguel Angel Martinez-Martinez, an accused drug trafficker, was
extradited and is awaiting trial in San Diego. Martinez is a principal
figure in the Joaquin ``Chapo'' Guzman Organization. This Sinaloa-based
cartel is believed responsible for smuggling tons of cocaine and other
illicit narcotics into the United States over many years, and for
trying to build a 1,400-foot tunnel from Tijuana to Otay Mesa in
California.
Rafael Camarena Marcias has also been extradited to the United
States. He was responsible for successfully building a tunnel between
Agua Prieta, Senora, and Douglas, AZ, through which up to 2 tons of
cocaine flowed every day.
Extradition has always been the most visible and effective sign of
how seriously the Mexican Government is taking the fight against drug
cartels. I am very proud to say thank you to President Fox and to the
Government of Mexico for their cooperation in this regard.
It is not easy for Mexico to target these individuals and send them
to the United States for trial. It is politically difficult, for many
in Mexico do not believe that Mexican citizens should face trial in the
United States, and it is difficult for personal safety reasons as well.
Let me give an example. The lawyer who represented Everardo Arturo
Paez in opposing extradition for 3 years and who failed to prevent his
extradition was found murdered. That is the reward for not succeeding
with a cartel. I am told that others may well be in personal jeopardy
as well.
President Fox's leadership has given the entire country new courage
to stand against the cartels, their killers, and their traffickers.
In addition to extraditing those already under arrest, the Mexican
Government has also made new arrests of certain leaders of Mexican
cartels. Adan Amezcua, one of the three Amezcua brothers, was arrested
in 1997, but he was freed by a corrupt judge who has since been fired
from the bench. Amezcua was rearrested by Mexican officials this past
May.
Why are they important? The Amezcua brothers are major
methamphetamine traffickers. They are responsible single-handedly for
the introduction of methamphetamine throughout this country. Indeed,
the cartel and its nationals still run meth labs throughout the United
States.
In cooperation, the Governor of Quintana Roo, Mario Villaneuva, who
was arrested while he was still Governor, asked to serve out his term
of Governor of Quintana Roo, and then he disappeared the day after he
left office and has been gone. Well, he was arrested in May for major
drug crimes in Cancun, and today he is in a maximum security prison in
Mexico.
In February, the Government dismantled an entire cell of the Arellano
Felix cartel, perhaps the most vicious cartel operating right out of
Tijuana. They arrested 7 of its leaders. They seized 8 houses, 18
vehicles, 19 firearms, and communication devices.
Seizures of illegal drugs have been on the rise. Some of them are at
an all-time high. In February, the Mexican Government seized 14 tons of
marijuana in cookie boxes; in April, another 131 tons. In February,
they seized 8.8 tons of cocaine aboard the fishing vessel Forever My
Friend, and the 10 crew members have been transported to San Diego; in
May, another 12 tons of cocaine aboard a vessel flying a Belize flag.
Overall, this past year, 24 tons of cocaine have been seized from
fishing vessels as a result of cooperation between Mexico and the
United States.
The Mexican Government has also addressed the serious issue of
internal corruption. The captain of the Mexican Army, Luis Rey Abundis
Murga, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for assisting the Carillo
Fuentes cartel. Retired general, Jorge Mariano Maldanado Vega was
sentenced to 26 years for aiding the same organization. And Mario Silva
Calderon, former agent of Mexico's national police, was sentenced to 36
years in prison for similar activity.
As Donnie Marshall, former head of the DEA, testified before the drug
caucus earlier this year, no one country can possibly combat the wealth
and sophistication of these major drug trafficking organizations. Only
by cooperating and sharing locally gathered intelligence and assets can
we hope to succeed.
That is why I am so encouraged by the progress being made by the Fox
administration.
In the past I know that American law enforcement and even Mexican law
enforcement felt that the other side could not be trusted. Now finally
that is changing. A new 117-member Mexican organized crime unit, which
works hand in hand with our DEA, has fostered new relationships and
trust between the law enforcement agencies of our two nations. It is
only with this type of cooperation that we can hope to defeat the drug
cartels and stem the flow of illegal drugs onto the streets.
Before I yield the floor, I would like to address one request
President Fox made earlier today regarding passage of S. 219, the Dodd
certification legislation.
Let me be clear: I continue to support the certification process. We
have nothing to replace it. I happen to believe it has some salutary
value. Because President Fox has asked, I would
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be prepared to support a suspension of the certification process with
regard to Mexico for the 3 years as requested by President Fox. I would
do so because he asks and in the new spirit of cooperation between our
two nations. I would be very pleased to work with my colleagues to pass
such legislation immediately.
I am not, however, prepared to abandon the process entirely with
respect to all countries, as S. 219 would do. There are many places in
the world where progress has not been made. Syria, Iran, Burma, and
Afghanistan are just a few examples of continuing major problem
countries. Only a robust certification process gives Congress and the
President the tools we need to encourage change in these nations.
I hope the Senator from Connecticut would work with me on a
compromise that would address only Mexico so we can move forward on
this issue.
In closing, I again welcome President Fox to the United States. We
look forward to working with him in our continuing mutual fight against
the drug cartels. I personally, deeply, say thank you and salute this
brave and courageous new President.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota.
Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from California for
her fine words. It was a superb speech President Fox gave today in
joint session.
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