E8 6 UNCLASSIFIED PTQ7515 RELEASED IN FULL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 MEXICO 10314 PTQ7515 01 OF 02 0823062 ACTION ARA-01 INFO LOG-00 OASY-00 TEDE-00 PA-00 ACDA-10 DINT-00 INR-00 PM-00 G-00 ACDE-00 DOEE-00 L-01 PRS-00 INLB-01 SRPP-00 ADS-00 P-00 027W ------------------5791A6 CIAE-00 EUR-01 M-00 SP-00 SMEC-00 OIGO-01 NSAE-00 PMB-00 082307Z 38 R 082312Z AUG 96 FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7317 INFO AMEMBASSY OTTAWA AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA AMEMBASSY BOGOTA IRS WASHDC USINS WASHDC EPIC EL PASO TX TREASURY WASHDC DIRONDCP WASHDC DIRFBI WASHDC USIA WASHDC 2404 DOJ WASHDC DEAHQS WASHDC CUSTOMS WASHDC SECDEF WASHDC ALL USCONS MEXICO C O N FI D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MEXICO 010314 E O 12958 DECL 06 28 02 CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 MEXICO 10314 01 OF 02 082306Z UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY DAVID W COX DATE CASE ID 20 NOV 2006 200504408 UNCLASSIFIED INL-01 H-01 OMB-01 DRL-09 TAGS SUBJECT UNCLASSIFIED KJUS KCRM PREL PGOV -SNAR MX MORE PRESSURE ON LOZANO REACTIONS TO THE OTHON RELEASE 1 CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT AMBASSADOR JAMES JONES REASON CLASSIFIED BY 1 5 B 2 SUMMARY JUDGE MARIO PARDO REBOLLEDO'S AUGUST 7 DECISION TO RELEASE ACCUSED COLOSIO ASSASSINATION SECOND GUNMAN OTHON CORTES VAZQUEZ HAS RESULTED IN A WAVE OF PUBLIC CRITICISM OF ATTORNEY GENERAL ANTONIO LOZANO AND SPECIAL PROSECUTOR PABLO CHAPA SOME MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE STUDYING THE ASSASSINATION HAVE STATED THAT LOZANO SHOULD CONSIDER RESIGNING ALTHOUGH PRI AND PRD LEADERS OFFER MORE MUTED CRITICISMS PUBLIC REACTION SO FAR HAS TREATED JUDGE PARDO'S FINDING OF INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE AS A FAIR ONE AND WE HAVE SEEN LITTLE COMMENT INDICATING THAT THE FINDING IN ANY WAY NEGATES THE SECOND GUNMAN THEORY LOZANO TOLD AMBASSADOR AUGUST 8 THAT HE WILL APPEAL THE DECISION HE ALSO TOLD U S OFFICIALS THAT SWEEPING CHANGES IN THE FEDERAL JUDICIAL POLICE WHICH HE HAD EXPECTED TO UNVEIL AUGUST 9 WILL NOW BE POSTPONED TO AUGUST 12 OR 13 END SUMMARY SEARCHING FOR A SECOND GUNMAN ----------------------------CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 MEXICO 10314 01 OF 02 082306Z 3 ONE OF LOZANO'S FIRST MAJOR ACTS UPON BECOMING ATTORNEY GENERAL WAS TO APPOINT PABLO CHAPA BEZANILLA AS SPECIAL PROSECUTOR FOR THE COLOSIO RUIZ MASSIEU AND POSADAS ASSASSINATIONS LOZANO AND CHAPA CHARGED WITH REVIVING INVESTIGATIONS THAT HAD STALLED UNDER ATTORNEYS GENERAL APPOINTED BY EX-PRESIDENT CARLOS SALINAS EXPANDED THE SCOPE OF THE COLOSIO INVESTIGATIONS TO ENCOMPASS THE UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED POSSIBILITY OF A CONSPIRACY AND A SECOND GUNMAN BEYOND THE ALREADY-CONVICTED MARIO ABURTO THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD IDENTIFIED THEIR SECOND GUNMAN IN OTHON CORTES HIRED AS A BODYGUARD BY COLOSIO CAMPAIGN SECURITY CHIEF GENERAL DOMIRO GARCIA REYES AND ARRESTED HIM ON FEBRUARY 25 1996 4 JUDGE PARDO'S AUGUST 7 DECISION TO RELEASE OTHON FOR LACK OF SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE HAS NOT BEEN TREATED AS A NEGATION OF THE TWO GUNMEN THEORY INSTEAD EVEN OPPOSITION POLITICIANS CRITICAL OF LOZANO STATE THAT HE OR SOME NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL MUST WORK HARDER TO FIND A SECOND GUNMAN PREDICTABLE BUT MUTED CRITICISM --------------------------------5 WHILE MEMBERS OF LOZANO'S OWN PARTY THE PAN HAVE DEFENDED HIM SOMETIMES DISAGREEING WITH THE JUDGE'S DECISION AS WELL THE PRI AND PRD HAVE ATTACKED THE STRONGEST ATTACKS SO FAR CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 MEXICO 10314 01 OF 02 082306Z HAVE COME FROM MEMBERS OF CONGRESS'S SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE COLOSIO ASSASSINATION IN SOME CASES CALLING FOR RESIGNATIONS TYPICAL WAS SENATOR ALFARO MOLINA PRI OF SONORA WHO WAS QUOTED AS SAYING LOZANO AND CHAPA SHOULD CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF RESIGNING THESE CRITICS STATE THAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING SENDING PRESIDENT ZEDILLO A LETTER ASKING FOR LOZANO'S RESIGNATION 6 THE LEADERSHIP OF THE PRI AND PRD TOOK A MORE CAUTIOUS LINE TYPICALLY NOTING THE JUDGE'S DECISION IN A POSITIVE WAY AND CALLING FOR A MORE PROFESSIONAL INVESTIGATION BY THE PGR IN THE FUTURE BUT THE PRESIDENT STILL SEEMS SOLID ----------------------------------- UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED 7 ONE REASON FOR THE MUTED TONE FROM PRI CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ7516 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 MEXICO 10314 02 OF 02 PTQ7516 0823072 ACTION ARA-01 INFO LOG-00 OASY-00 TEDE-00 PA-00 ACDA-10 DINT-00 INR-00 PM-00 G-00 ACDE-00 DOEE-00 L-01 PRS-00 INLB-01 SRPP-00 ADS-00 P-00 027W ------------------5791B9 R 082312Z AUG 96 CIAE-00 EUR-01 M-00 SP-00 SMEC-00 GIGO-01 NSAE-00 PMB-00 082307Z 38 FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7318 INFO AMEMBASSY OTTAWA AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA AMEMBASSY BOGOTA IRS WASHDC USINS WASHDC EPIC EL PASO TX TREASURY WASHDC DIRONDCP WASHDC UNCLASSIFIED INL-01 H-01 OMB-01 DRIB-09 UNCLASSIFIED DIRFBI WASHDC USIA WASHDC 2405 DOLT WASHDC DEAHQS WASHDC CUSTOMS WASHDC SECDEF WASHDC ALL USCONS MEXICO C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 MEXICO 010314 E O 12958 DECL 06 28 02 CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 TAGS SUBJECT MEXICO 10314 02 OF 02 082307Z KJUS KCRM PREL PGOV SNAR MX MORE PRESSURE ON LOZANO REACTIONS TO THE OTHON RELEASE LEADERS IS BECAUSE OF PRESIDENT ZEDILLO' S APPARENT DESIRE TO RETAIN LOZANO A POINT MADE BY SOME COLUMNISTS THERE HAS BEEN NO HINT OF ANY CRITICISM OF LOZANO FROM THE PRESIDENT OR ANY OTHER SOURCE FROM INSIDE THE ZEDILLO ADMINISTRATION THE PGR SAYS IT WILL APPEAL --------------------------8 IN AN AUGUST 8 CONVERSATION AN OBVIOUSLY PREOCCUPIED LOZANO TOLD AMBASSADOR THAT HE EXPECTED TO APPEAL THE JUDGE'S DECISION LOZANO SAID THAT HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FALLOUT OVER THE DECISION WOULD AFFECT PLANS TO ANNOUNCE A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THE CORRUPT AND INEFFECTIVE FEDERAL JUDICIAL POLICE ON FRIDAY AUGUST 9 DETERMINED TO CARRY OUT THE SHAKEUP HE TOLD EMBASSY LEGATT THAT HE DID NOT EXPECT TO POSTPONE THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO ANY LATER THAN AUGUST 12 OR 13 9 COMMENT ALTHOUGH THE CALLS FOR LOZANO'S RESIGNATION ARE INCREASING HE APPEARS TO HAVE A UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED STRONG SUPPORTER IN PRESIDENT ZEDILLO IN LOZANO ZEDILLO HAS A SACRIFICIAL LAMB WHO CAN TAKE MUCH OF THE PUBLIC BLAME FOR HIS CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 MEXICO 10314 02 OF 02 082307Z GOVERNMENT'S FAILURE TO MEET THE MEXICAN PEOPLE'S HIGH PERHAPS OVERLY HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF THE ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATIONS ANOTHER REASON THAT'THE PRI HAS THUS FAR REMAINED MUTED IN ITS CRITICISM IS THAT PARTY LEADERS REALIZE THAT REPLACEMENT OF LOZANO WITH A PRIISTA WOULD OPEN THE PRI UP TO THE SAME CRITICISMS WHICH LOZANO TAKES NOW 10 PAN MEMBERS' SUPPORT OF FELLOW PARTY MEMBER LOZANO STRUCK US AS A BIT ANEMIC THIS MAY REFLECT MERE CAUTION ON THEIR PART OR A FEAR THAT HE IS BECOMING A LIABILITY WHO MAY HURT THEIR OTHERWISE PROMISING CHANCES GOING INTO CRUCIAL 1997 CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS 11 THE KEY USG INTEREST IN THE AFFAIR REMAINS THAT OF CONTINUITY WITHIN THE PGR WHILE WE HAVE OFFERED OUR CRITICISMS OF LOZANO'S SHORTCOMINGS IN THE PAST INCLUDING THE PGR'S INEPTITUDE IN IMPORTANT INVESTIGATIONS SUCH AS THE ASSASSINATIONS HE CONTINUES TO APPEAR UNCORRUPT SERIOUS AND DEDICATED TO EXPANDING COOPERATION WITH THE USG IN LAW ENFORCEMENT MATTERS THE ONLY HOPE FOR LONG TERM REFORM OF CORRUPTION UNPROFESSIONALISM AND DISORGANIZATION IN THE PGR LIES IN CONTINUITY OF TRUSTED PERSONNEL ANY CHANGE IN PGR LEADERSHIP AT THIS TIME WOULD NOT ONLY STOP ANY CHANCE OF SUCH REFORM FOR THE MOMENT SUCH AS THE COMMENDABLE UPCOMING SHAKEUP OF THE FEDERAL CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 MEXICO 10314 02 OF 02 0823072 JUDICIAL POLICE BUT THREATEN IMPORTANT BILATERAL COOPERATION PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE BORDER TASK FORCES AND VETTED INVESTIGATIVE UNITS END COMMENT JONES CONFIDENTIAL NNNN UNCLASSIFIED