Summary of Info available on US military involvement in Mexico/C (fwd)

[glevy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

The following was posted on PEN-L by Michael Perelman. I thought that
this list would be interested as well. I am deleting "headers." -- Jerry

From: D Shniad <shniad@xxxxxx>

Forwarded message:
> From: "CECILIA RODRIGUEZ" <moonlight@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Organization:  NATIONAL CENTER FOR DEMOCRACY
> Date:          Wed, 20 Dec 1995 19:58:34 +0000
> Title:Summary of Information on US Military Involvement In Mexico and
> Chiapas
>
>
> -------------- Enclosure number 1 ----------------
>      SUMMARY OF INFORMATION REGARDING US INVOLVEMENT IN
> DEVELOPING CONTRAS IN CHIAPAS AND US MILITARY INVOLVEMENT IN
>                      MEXICO AND CHIAPAS
>
> EQUIPMENT
> *  25  military vehicles from the US crossed the  border  at
> Ciudad Juarez the previous day. (December 6, 1995 Diario  de
> Juarez)
>
> *Secretary of Defense William Perry maintained that his
> country will collaborate in the improvement of our defense
> capacity in air and maritime space in the modernization of
> military hardware and in the improvement of personnel for
> combating the drug trade. He insisted that the bilateral
> relationship, aided before on two bases--the political and
> commercial-now will also be founded on one more, that is, on
> the question of security. After pointing out commercial and
> economic collaboration--such as the NAFTA and the recent aid
> Mexico received due to the economic crisis of last December-
> -the chief of the US Armed Force maintained, ''when it comes
> to stability and security, our destinies are also
> indissoluble linked. "   Members of the United States
> retinue asserted that Mexico bought a radar worth seven
> million dollars as well as 12 Huey-H1 helicopters to fight
> drug trafficking. (La Jornada, October 24, 1995)
>
> * The US wants to rent 12 Huey helicopters to Mexico (New
> York Times, September 24, 1995)
>
> * The government of President Ernesto Zedillo has requested
> the purchase of airplanes, armament, radars and
> communication systems worth a total of $27  million to
> reinforce the capacities of the Armed Forces and Federal
> Attorney General. see attached list (El Financiero, August
> 29, 1995)
>
> *In 1991, the United States Army donated a total of 609
> vehicles and diverse war material to the [Mexican] Armed
> Forces La Jornada, July 1995
>
> *Mexico's U.S. supplied military helicopter fleet could be
> nearly doubled, to almost 200, by Pentagon transfers,
> including several dozen state of the art Blackhawk choppers.
> (New York Times May 23, 1995)
>
> *Mexican army has been spending "considerable amounts" on
> Navstar GPS guidance systems, a critical weapon in satellite
> warfare (Jane's 1995 Intelligence Review
>
> * From 1988 to 1992 the US exported over $214 million in
> arms to the PRI government, an amount 16 times higher than
> France,  the second-place supplier (El Proceso, December 12,
> 1994)
>
> *In 1994 Clinton authorized a new arms export package for
> Mexico, including over $64 million of sophisticated
> electronic equipment and satellite guided UH-60 Blackhawk
> helicopters
>
> *U.S. Huey and Bell 212 helicopters along with C-130
> Hercules troop transport planes were used against the
> Zapatistas in 1994
>
>
>
> IMMIGRATION CONTROL
> *In  Nogales,  Arizona, the INS practiced responding  to  an
> "immigrant  invasion from Mexico".  They practiced  erecting
> cyclone-fence corrals, herding immigrants through  them  for
> emergency  processing and loading them onto bus convoys  for
> travel  to mass detention centers.  It is the third  set  of
> exercises  this year---previously conducted in  Orlando  and
> McAllen,  Texas.   Immigrants eventually could  be  held  in
> prisons,  military bases or tent cities.  (New  York  Times,
> December 8, 1995)
>
> *  Donald  E.  Schulz,  an associate professor  of  National
> Security  with  the US Army's  War College  stated  that  "a
> hostile  government could put the US investments  in  danger
> [in  Mexico], jeopardize access to oil, produce a  flood  of
> political refugees and economic migrants to the north.   And
> under  such  circumstances, the  United  States  would  feel
> obligated  to militarize its southern border." (December  6,
> 1995 La Jornada)
>
> *  A  US  contingency plan "to contain a  possible  wave  of
> immigrants...  provides military logistical support  to  the
> Border Patrol, training exercises [by the INS and the Border
> Patrol], detention of immigrants in inactive military  bases
> and  construction of concrete barricades on the border  with
> Mexico.   A pilot project to detain 380 immigrants for up to
> 18  months  is  planned for Miramar Naval Station  near  San
> Diego.    Training  exercises  covering   actions   in   the
> countryside,  the  rapid processing of undocumented  persons
> and  their  transportation to detention centers were  to  be
> carried  out  in Nogales, Arizona and McAllen, Texas  during
> November. (November 12, 1995 El Financiero)
>
>
> TRAINING OF OFFICERS
> *A  senior  US defense official briefly mentions that  there
> are  "routine exchanges of officers attending [US]  military
> schools  and  [Mexican] military schools",  and  that  "[US]
> senior  officers  visit Mexico as part of  the  US  Capstone
> program.   The  Mexican  military routinely  visit  the  US'
> National  Defense  University".  (October  20,  1995   press
> briefing)
>
> *There are US advisors "preparing" counterinsurgency
> commandos or paramilitary groups among indigenous
> organizations not affiliated with the Zapatistas in order
> that they, at the appropriate time, struggle against the
> Zapatista Army of National Liberation...The [Mexican]
> government has replaced the "armed wing" with the federal
> Attorney General and state public security bodies, led by
> "old masters" such as General Arturo Acosta Chaparro [who
> directed the army's massacre of students in xxx on October
> 2, 1969, and who was trained in the US' School of the
> Americas]... (La Jornada, November 7, 1995, article
> regarding Radio Universidad's interview with Sub. Marcos)
>
>
> INTELLIGENCE EFFORTS
> * Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Propp is named as the
> head of a Secret or Covert Operations team operating since
> June 1994 in Chiapas.  He was detected in San Cristobal de
> las Casas since that time and was in Guadalupe Tepeyac with
> the Mexican military unit that took that village on February
> 10, 1995.  He also was seen in San Quintin..It is confirmed
> that the United States government interfered in
> communications amongst the EZLN delegation to the dialogues
> in San Andres and passing the information to the
> government's delegation.  Another report is that the United
> States Army is acting as an intermediary in bringing
> Argentinean mercenaries to Chiapas; people have reported
> them with the paramilitary groups, the "white guards".  (La
> Brecha de Uruguay, interview with Sub. Marcos, Oct. 28,
> 1995)
>
> *Major John Kevin Kord, and Lieutenant Colonel Alan Hasson
> Sanchez are US military men identified as being in Chiapas
> during the Mexican military offensive in February.  (El
> Norte Chiapas, February 12, 1995)
>
> *"American intelligence services" actively assisted in
> determining the (alleged) identity of Zapatista leader
> subcomandante Marcos (New York Times, February 10, 1995)
>
> *[FBI] staff in  Mexico participate in training Mexicans, in
> the development of common strategies against organized
> crimes and in the prosecution of crimes involving American
> citizens, stated Paul Bresson, spokesperson for the FBI.
> The head of the FBI team in Mexico is Stanley Pimental, and
> he has a handful of special agents working under him
> including James Wells, Gilberto Contreras and Ornelo Flores.
> Mexico is one of 21 countries in which the FBI operates and
> has one of the largest staff--approximately 10 people.  (El
> Financiero, November 6, 1994)
>
> *The CIA fields a substantial, expanding network of agents
> and covert operatives in southeastern Chiapas (ex-CIA
> officers John Stockwell and Ralph McGehee)
>
>      Consolidated list of Equipment Needs to Combat Drug
>      Trafficking By the Distinct Entities of the Federal
>                          Government
>
>          Published by El Financiero, August 29, 1995
>
> 1. Secretary of National Defense (Sedena)
> $81,839,427
>      Purchase of Radars                           $72
> million
>           Phase III TPS-70, Radar TPS-63
>           Phase IV  TPS-70
>
>      Electrical, Hydraulic and Sanitation  Infrastructure
> $ 9,564,729
>      for the three radar sites
>
>      Communication equipment  for the three            $
> 274,698
>      radar sites
>
> 2.  Secretary of the Navy
> $47,500,000
>      Purchase of 2 Dornier 228-212 airplanes with
> $18,000,000
>      Flir night vision equipment, Comint Communication
>      System and Ocean Master  Radar
>
>      Purchase of 15 Search and Detect Equipment with   $
> 4,501,950
>      Flir ANIAAQ-21 Night Vision and Sparry Primus 500
>      Radar Detection Equipment
>
>      Purchase of 2 BO 105 CBS Super Five Helicopters
> $16,289,925
>      and 11,987 M-16-A2 Automatic rifles, 5.6X 45 millimeter
> caliber
>
>      Purchase of 5 MI-8 Helicopters equipped with Flir
> $ 8,750,000
>      night vision, Comit communication systems and Ocean
> Master radar
>
> 3. Federal Attorney General (PGR)
>      Equipment for a Satellite Network
> $15,000,000
>           Master Station and Remote stations for 52    $
> 5,500,000
>           connection sites
>           Afis System to make idenfications from       $
> 6,000,000
>           fingerprints, voice prints, and aliases
>           Security Equipment for voice, fax and data   $
> 500,000
>           communications
>           Fail-safe computer system (hardware & sofware)$
> 3,000,000
>
>      Center for Drug Control Planning (PGR)
>      Hardware and software and encoded telephone  $ unknown
>      and fax equipment for communications
>
>      National Institute to Combat Drugs
> $93,000,000
>      VHF-FM radios, HF-ALE radios and airplanes,       $
> 36,609
>      information equipment
>
>      General Director of Aerial Services
>           3 Factory-Services UH-IM helicopters
> $11,500,000
>           and parts
>           2 Donated Kaman SH-2G helicopters
>           2 Donated Grumman E-2C helicopers       $
> 8,000,000
>           Funds to Repair Bell 206/02615/212
> $20,000,000
>           helicopters
>           Funds to repair fumigation equipment         $
> 1,500,000
>           Training and specialized courses for         $
> 5,000,000
>           pilots
>           Supply of parts, repairs and aerial equipment
> $38,000,000
>           to provide ground support to the general fleet
>           of the PGR
>           Support for the renovation and maintenance of
> $ 1,500,000
>           rural bases
>           2 Flight Simulators
> $13,000,000
>           Security Equipment for Technical Personnel   $
> 1,000,000
>           and Pilots
>
>   GRAND TOTAL                                  $237,000,000
>  CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF EQUIPMENT AND SOPHISTICATED ARMAMENTS
>              ACQUIRED BY THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT
>    ( based on an article from La Jornada, August 21, 1995)
>
>                           1988-1992
>
> 2000      HUMMER Armored troop transport vehicles
>
>
>                             1990
>
> 7         ARAVA planes
> 100       HUMMER Armored vehicles
> 100       MACK armored artillery vehicles
> 5         MACK-TALLER armored vehicles
>
>
>                             1991
>
> 710       HUMMER Armored Vehicles
> 60        M925 A2 5 Ton Tactical Trucks
> 2         SIKORSKY Helicopters
> 13        PILATUS PC-7 Planes
> 4         PORTER Turbo Planes
>
>      (Vehicles and war materials donated by the US Army)
> 400       Jeeps
> 32        Ambulances
> 106       Pickup trucks
> 15        Transport Trailers
> 15        Water trucks
> 30
> 11        Ambulances
>
>
>                             1992
> 597       HUMMER Armored Vehicles
> 10        McDONNELL DOUGLAS   Helicopters
> 4         ARAVA Planes
> 15        MAULE Planes
> 1000      Parachutes for Paratroopers
> 424       HK-19 3-40mm Machine guns ("for military units in
> the southeast")
> 430       HIGH EXPLOSIVE Grenades  (same destiny)
> 26        COBRA I anti-riot vehicles
>
>
>                             1993
>
> 1600      HUMMER Armored troop transport carriers
> 5         Rapid Attack Vehicles
> 221       CLE vehicles
> 332       HK-19 3-40mm machine guns
> 266       Electric prods
> 4585      Night sticks
> 21        Electric shields
> 84        Anti projectile "escopetas"
> 17,784    HK-19     Grenades
> 22,200    Tear Gas Grenades
> 26        COBRA I Anti-riot vehicles
> 26        CADILLAC armored cars
>
>
>                             1994
> (Purchases of armament ideal for land and jungle combat)
> 6    SIKORSKY Helicopters
> 17   PILATUS PC-7 Planes
> 38   BELL Helicopters
> 22   MCDONELL DOUGLAS Helicopters
> 2    BELL-206 Planes
> 16   MAULE Planes
> 4    ARVANA Planes
> 1    HERCULES C-130 Plane
> 2    SCHWEIZER Planes
> 10   Artillery weapons for BELL Helicopters
> 10   Artillery weapons for MD-530 Helicopters
>
> (Field Equipment, Rations and Night Vision)
> 660,000 combat rations
> 660,000 combat rations
> 473,000 field sets
> 120,000 Army belts
> 102,000 KEVLAR helmets
> 70,000    Canteens
> 70,000    USA model mess kits
> 2,232          AITOR survival knives
> 2,232          Machetes
> 20,672     Flack jackets
> 608        LASER targets
> 208        telescopic lens for night vision
> 3297       HUMMER Troop armored vehicles
> 110        MACK armored vehicles
> 168      DNC-1 Vehicles
> 90       DN-2 Armored vehicles
> 57       RAM CHARGERS converted into VHS-WT-500
>
>
> Donations of Arms and Weaponry
>
> 270  MK-1 cohetes
> 500  BUNDICE lanzacohetes
> 859  HK-19 40mm Machine guns
> 500  Semiautomatic rifles
> 374  38 calibre escopetas
> 192,874  M430 40mm calibre grenades
> 40,000     M918 40mm calibre grenades
> 85,678     M781 40mm calibre grenades
> 109       Telescopic lens
>
> Donations for the Military Police
> 254
> 2516 Anti-riot
> 2233 Granade carrier
> 3466 Gas masks
> 2974 Night sticks
> 2993 Helmets
> 1365 Electric shields
> 3266 Flame throwers
> 100  Anti-riot
> 100  Anti-riot
> 30   CL vehicles with catapult
> 30   Vehicles with BULLDOZER to dissipate protests or
> disturbances
>
>



--
Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
Chico, CA 95929

Tel. 916-898-5321
E-Mail michael@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



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