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UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED SBU DEPARTMENT OF STATE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA MRN: 23 MEXICO 2544 Date/DTG: Sep 16, 2023 / 160150Z SEP 23 From: AMEMBASSY MEXICO Action: WASHDC, SECSTATE Routine E.O: 13526 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ASEC, TSPA, KJUS, KCRM, MX Captions: SENSITIVE Reference: A) 23 MEXICO 2468 B) 23 MEXICO 2166 C) 23 MEXICO 2346 Subject: (U) Mexico: Weekly Political Blotter, Sep 11-15 (U) Mexico: Weekly Political Blotter, Sep 11-15 1. (SBU) This edition of Mission Mexico's Political Blotter features: - Ebrard Challenges MORENA Election, Threatens to Leave Party - INE Names Commission Members Ahead of 2024 Election - Mexico City Security Secretary Steps Down, Might Run for Mexico City Head of Government - Pablo Vazquez Becomes Mexico City's New Security Secretary - Former MORENA Senate Leader Ricardo Monreal Will Not Run for Mexico City Head of Government - Criminals Targeting and Killing Prosecutors in Guerrero - Guadalajara Mayor Launches Gubernatorial Campaign - Mexican Congress Hears Testimony on Alien Life (SBU) Ebrard Challenges MORENA Election, Threatens to Leave Party 2. (SBU) Former Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard announced September 11 he would challenge the results of MORENA's presidential contender selection Released in Full John Powers, Acting-Director US Department of State [ILLEGIBLE]
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UNC CLASSIFIED process, alleging irregularities. On September 10, Sonora Governor and MORENA National Council President Alfonso Durazo formally certified the results of the party's selection process; while Durazo indicated he would continue to examine Ebrard's complaints, he also indicated he did not assess that the end results would change in light of Ebrard's allegations. Ebrard said he expected the MORENA Honesty and Justice Committee (responsible for solving intra-party conflicts) to hear his challenge, but also added he would "not be interested in remaining in MORENA" if the party rejected his allegations. He announced he would travel across the country starting September 18 to meet with supporters and formalize the creation of a new national political movement. Some outlets reported Ebrard created a new political party, but electoral laws would not allow this until 2026. 3. (SBU) Comment: Having moved on from its contender selection process, MORENA is unlikely to validate any of Ebrard's challenges and therefore his options seem limited: he could join Citizen's Movement (MC) as its presidential candidate (despite some strong opposition within MC, especially from the party's Jalisco wing), remain with and create a new "Ebrardista current" within MORENA, or join the opposition Broad Front alliance. He cannot form a new party in time for the June 2024 elections, and the last day to register as an independent candidate (September 8) came and went without his taking action. His latest statements and attacks on MORENA's leadership however, increasingly make it impossible for him to remain in the party: the party has certified Sheinbaum as its candidate, Sheinbaum has embarked on a nationwide tour, and there is no sign whatsoever that there will be a do-over of the poll, as Ebrard desires. Ebrard retains the support of dozens of MORENA and allied party legislators, but even they seem reluctant to leave the party, which limits his leverage. End comment. (SBU) INE Names Commission Members Ahead of 2024 Election 4. (SBU) The INE council approved the designation of presidents and members of key INE commissions September 9 who will oversee the 2024 elections. After a contentious session where some councilors seemed at odds on the designations (pro-MORENA councilors opposing anti-MORENA councilors, according to analysts), INE agreed on the makeup of the commissions that will be in place until September 2024. Analysts considered the designations a defeat for MORENA because, although its bloc obtained [ILLEGIBLE] presidency of key commissions (for Released in Full UNC CLASSIFIED Page 2 of 7
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UNC CLASSIFIED example the auditing commission, tasked with reviewing party expenditures), the pro-MORENA bloc still does not have a majority in them. Notably, the complaints committee (tasked with analyzing electoral violations and which previously had a pro-MORENA majority) now has an anti-MORENA majority. (SBU) Mexico City Security Secretary Steps Down, Might Run for Head of Government 5. (SBU) After expressing interest in a possible run for Mexico City head of government last week (ref A), Mexico City Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch resigned September 9, saying in a video he would "collaborate with Claudia Sheinbaum, who with her vision and leadership will give continuity to the country's transformation." Mexico City's constitution requires officials with a role in police forces to step down before the electoral process begins (September 10) if they intend to run for public office in the city. Garcia Harfuch leads potential MORENA and opposition candidates in almost every poll. (SBU) Pablo Vazquez Becomes Mexico City's New Security Secretary 6. (SBU) Mexico City Head of Government Marti Batres announced September 9 Under Secretary of Citizen Participation and Crime Prevention Pablo Vazquez Camacho would replace Garcia Harfuch as Security Secretary. Vazquez has worked four years for Mexico City's Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC). In his role as Under Secretary, Vazquez implemented and coordinated violence prevention and reintegration programs, including the "Cease Fire" program to reduce gun violence and homicides and the "Reconnect" program to prevent recidivism in first time criminal offenders, according to media outlets Milenio and La Silla Rota. Prior to SSC, Vazquez worked for the federal Security Secretariat (SSPC) and in the then-Prosecutor's General Office. Outside of government, he has been a guest criminology professor at the National Institute of Criminal Sciences in Mexico City. Vazquez has a bachelor's degree in international relations from the Mexico Autonomous Institute of Technology and a master's degree in criminology from the London School of Economics and Political Science, according to press reports. La Silla Rota reported Vazquez also studied organized crime in Sicily and Macedonia. [STAMP:] Released in Full UNC CLASSIFIED Page 3 of 7
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(SBU) Former MORENA Senate Leader Ricardo Monreal Will Not Run for Mexico City Head of Government 7. (SBU) After finishing last in the MORENA presidential contender selection process and after Omar Garcia Harfuch's resignation and potential entry to the Mexico City head of government race, former MORENA Senate Leader Ricardo Monreal announced September 12 he would not run for Mexico City head of government. Predicting the candidate selection would come down to either Garcia Harfuch or Iztapalapa Mayor Clara Brugada and noting he had no chance of winning the MORENA nod, Monreal said he did not want to cause divisions within the party. In a series of interviews, Monreal also said he had no interest in serving as a cabinet member in a potential Sheinbaum administration and would now focus on teaching, writing, and "hop[ing] for better times." Yet on the same day Sheinbaum announced Monreal as her campaign's organization and territorial coordinator, and former Interior Secretary Adan Augusto Lopez as her political coordinator. 8. (SBU) Comment: Monreal went from being one of the most powerful figures in the ruling coalition to an outcast in only a few years, mostly because of his open disagreements with Lopez Obrador. His addition to Sheinbaum's campaign despite having a close relationship with her shows he is willing to collaborate, although likely in exchange for positions for his close advisors. On September 12, media reported Monreal's daughter would run for mayor of Cuauhtemoc, the Mexico City borough where Monreal served 2015-2018. Meanwhile current mayor of Cuauhtemoc Sandra Cuevas (PRD), who reportedly also has close ties with Monreal, is trying to secure the opposition's candidacy for Mexico City head of government. End comment. (SBU) Criminals Targeting and Killing Prosecutors in Guerrero 9. (SBU) Criminals killed two Guerrero prosecutors within a week's time mid-September following attacks against two other prosecutors in July (ref B) and August. Criminals assassinated the state delegate of the Federal Attorney General's Office (FGR) in Guerrero, Fernando Garcia Fernandez, while he drove his vehicle to his office in Chilpancingo September 12. First reports noted armed men appeared to coordinate the attack as they shot at Garcia from two vehicles. In addition, criminals kidnapped from his home and then killed [ILLEGIBLE] ONCE Released in Full Page 4 of 7
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UNC CLASSIFIED recently appointed Guerrero state attorney general's office (FGE) regional prosecutor for the Tierra Caliente region, Victor Manuel Salas Cuadras, in Coyuca de Catalan September 9, according to Proceso. Security officials found Salas' body with approximately 50 gunshot wounds. In a separate late August incident, media reported 20 armed commandos kidnapped Patricia Jacqueline Salgado, recently appointed as head FGE prosecutor in Coyuca de Catalan. Authorities later located Salgado alive but have made no arrests thus far. Interior Secretary Luisa Maria Alcalde said during the September 11 presidential press conference there was a pattern of attacks against prosecutors in Guerrero in recent months, which was related to recent law enforcement arrests and seizures. (SBU) Guadalajara Mayor Launches Gubernatorial Campaign 10. (SBU) Guadalajara Mayor Pablo Lemus (MC) launched his campaign for Jalisco governor during his second annual mayoral address on September 12. "I want to ask for your support to build a social and collective project," Lemus announced. He called for party unity, and specifically welcomed MC national coordinator Dante Delgado's representative despite the rift that emerged in August between Jalisco MC and the national party (ref C). Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro, Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia, Monterrey Mayor Luis Donaldo Colosio, and other MC leaders from Jalisco and Nuevo Leon (the two states MC governs) all attended the event. Lemus highlighted the presence of former Jalisco Governor Emilio Gonzalez (National Action Party - PAN) and University of Guadalajara (UdeG) Rector Ricardo Villanueva (Hagamos, affiliated with UdeG). Polls show Lemus holds a commanding lead over rivals from across the political spectrum. (U) Mexican Congress Hears Testimony on Alien Life 11. (U) Congress heard testimony on unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) September 12, from experts including from Mexican journalist Jaime Maussan and former U.S. Navy pilot Ryan Graves, who previously testified before the U.S. Congress. The hearing was to debate language on UAP in the Aerial Space Protection Law which, if approved, would make Mexico the first country to formally acknowledge the presence of alien life on Earth. Experts asked legislators to recognize UAP, guarantee airspace security, and allow UAP to be studied. Experts also presented to Congress two alleged alien corpses and videos of Mexican pilots' encounters with fast-moving flying objects during flight. Released in Full Page 5 of 7
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UNCLASSIFIED the hearing, Graves lamented the display took away from his and other pilots' experiences with UAP and expressed disappointment with Maussan's "unsubstantiated stunt." Scientists have discredited previous alleged alien corpses Maussan presented as evidence of alien life. (U) Figure 1: Mexican journalist Jaime Maussan presented the alleged remains of non-human beings to Congress. (Photo credit: Reuters) Signature: SALAZAR Drafted By: MEXICO: Moreno, Sergio A POL:Cortazar, Eduardo POL:Karimi, Amanda EXEC:Tejeda, Maria de los Angeles Cleared By: POL:Naranjo, Brian POL:Karimi, Amanda ECON:Conlon, Steven PD:Harder, J INL/PROG:Okwuje, Ifeoma CONS/AG:Bernsteen, Gregory Approved By: EXEC:Johnson, Mark [STAMP:] Released in Full UNCLASSIFIED Page 6 of 7
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UNCLASSIFIED Released By: MEXICO:Moreno, Sergio A Info: NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC Routine; WHITE HOUSE OFC OF THE VICE PRESIDENT WASHINGTON DC Routine; DNI WASHINGTON DC Routine; CIA WASHINGTON DC Routine; DIA WASHINGTON DC Routine; HQ USNORTHCOM Routine; DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC Routine; DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC Routine; HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL Routine; WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPLO POSTS Routine; ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE Routine XMT: CARACAS, AMEMBASSY UNCLASSIFIED SBU [REDACTED] Released in Full