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Mexico: Weekly Political Blotter, Sep 11-15
Weekly political blotter covering Mexican political developments including MORENA party politics. One item notes the Mexican Congress heard testimony on alien life.
Analysis
On September 12, 2023, Jaime Maussan brought two alleged alien corpses to the Mexican Congress. Former U.S. Navy pilot Ryan Graves testified alongside him about UAP encounters. The hearing debated adding UAP language to Mexico's Aerial Space Protection Law, which would have made Mexico the first country to formally acknowledge alien life. But Graves publicly distanced himself afterward, calling Maussan's display an "unsubstantiated stunt" that detracted from actual pilot experiences. Scientists had already discredited similar specimens Maussan had presented before. The cable -- a routine weekly political blotter from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico -- buries the hearing among items about MORENA party infighting and cartel assassinations of prosecutors, which tells you how seriously the embassy took it.
Key Findings
- Mexican Congress heard UAP testimony on September 12, 2023 from Jaime Maussan and Ryan Graves
- Two alleged alien corpses were presented to Congress by Maussan
- Videos of Mexican pilots' encounters with fast-moving flying objects were shown
- Experts requested legislators recognize UAP, guarantee airspace security, and allow UAP study
- If the Aerial Space Protection Law is approved with UAP language, Mexico would become the first country to formally acknowledge alien life on Earth
- Ryan Graves expressed disappointment with Maussan's "unsubstantiated stunt" for taking away from actual pilot experiences with UAP
- Scientists have discredited previous alleged alien corpses presented by Maussan
Page Extractions 7 pages
Page 1
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doc_typecable
classificationUNCLASSIFIED
page_descriptionFirst page of a State Department diplomatic cable from US Embassy Mexico reporting on Mexican political developments for the week of September 11-15, 2023, including a section on Mexican Congress testimony regarding alien life.
dates
- 2023-09-16 | cable date
- 2023-09-16 at 1601:50Z | cable DTG (160150Z SEP 23)
- 2023-09-11 to 2023-09-15 | reporting period (Sep 11-15)
- 2023-09-11 | Ebrard announcement date
- 2026-02-25 | release date
people
- Marcelo Ebrard | Former Foreign Secretary | Mexico | announced challenge to MORENA election
- John Powers | Acting-Director | US Department of State | releasing official
- Pablo Vazquez | Mexico City's New Security Secretary
- Ricardo Monreal | Former MORENA Senate Leader | subject heading mention
organizations
- AMEMBASSY MEXICO | originating agency
- MORENA | Mexican political party
- INE | Electoral authority
- WASHDC | action addressee
- SECSTATE | action addressee
- Mexico City Security | governmental body
locations
- Mexico | country focus
- Mexico City | location
- Guerrero | state with criminal violence
- Guadalajara | city with mayoral activity
references
- Reference A) 23 MEXICO 2468 | prior cable
- Reference B) 23 MEXICO 2166 | prior cable
- Reference C) 23 MEXICO 2346 | prior cable
- MRN: 23 MEXICO 2544 | message reference number
- E.O. 13526 | Executive Order classification authority
assessmentsMexican Congress received testimony on alien life (noted as topic in political blotter)
redactions
- "SENSITIVE" marking struck through with "SBU" designation
- "SBUTJ" designation for sensitive but unclassified material
quotes
- "This edition of Mission Mexico's Political Blotter features:" | content introduction
- "Ebrard Challenges MORENA Election, Threatens to Leave Party" | headline topic
- "INE Names Commission Members Ahead of 2024 Election" | topic
- "Mexican Congress Hears Testimony on Alien Life" | notable topic
- "Former Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard announced September 11 he would challenge the results of MORENA's presidential contender selection" | key statement
Page 2
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classificationUNCLASSIFIED
page_descriptionContinuation of State Department cable providing analysis of Ebrard's political challenges and INE commission member designations for the 2024 Mexican elections.
dates
- 2023-09-10 | Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo formally certified MORENA selection process results
- 2023-09-18 | date Ebrard announced travel across country would begin
- 2023-09-08 | deadline for independent candidate registration (passed without Ebrard action)
- 2024-06 | scheduled elections date
- 2024-09 | INE commission designations end date
- 2024-09-09 | INE council approval of commission designations
- 2026 | earliest date new political party could be formed under electoral law
people
- Marcelo Ebrard | Former Foreign Secretary | challenging MORENA selection results
- Alfonso Durazo | Sonora Governor / MORENA National Council President | certified selection process
- Sheinbaum | MORENA's certified presidential candidate
- MORENA and allied party legislators | supporters of Ebrard
organizations
- MORENA | Mexican political party / ruling coalition
- INE | Electoral authority / commission oversight body
- Citizen's Movement (MC) | opposition party (Jalisco wing mentioned as opposing Ebrard)
- Broad Front alliance | opposition coalition
- MORENA Honesty and Justice Committee | intra-party conflict resolution body
locations
- Mexico | country
- Sonora | state (Durazo's gubernatorial location)
- Jalisco | state (MC opposition wing)
assessments
- MORENA unlikely to validate Ebrard's challenges
- Ebrard's options limited to: joining MC, creating "Ebrardista current" in MORENA, or joining Broad Front
- Cannot form new party in time for June 2024 elections
- INE designations considered a defeat for MORENA despite obtaining presidency of key commissions
- Ebrard's attacks on MORENA leadership increasingly make party membership impossible
- Ebrard's leverage limited despite support from dozens of legislators reluctant to leave party
references
- Electoral laws | regulate party formation timelines
- 2024 elections | upcoming presidential and legislative elections
quotes
- "not be interested in remaining in MORENA" | Ebrard statement
- "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" | INE process description
- "Analysts considered the designations a defeat for MORENA because, although its bloc obtained the presidency of key commissions" | analytical assessment
- "End comment." | diplomatic conclusion marker
Page 3
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classificationUNCLASSIFIED
page_descriptionContinuation of cable documenting Mexico City Security Secretary resignation and appointment of replacement, with details on INE commission power shifts.
dates
- 2023-09-09 | Omar Garcia Harfuch resignation date / Pablo Vazquez Camacho appointment announcement date
- 2023-09-10 | electoral process begins / constitutional deadline for police officials to step down
people
- Omar Garcia Harfuch | Mexico City Security Secretary | resigned September 9 | MORENA candidate frontrunner
- Claudia Sheinbaum | MORENA leadership (referenced in Garcia Harfuch statement)
- Pablo Vazquez Camacho | Under Secretary of Citizen Participation and Crime Prevention | new Mexico City Security Secretary
- Marti Batres | Mexico City Head of Government | announced Vazquez appointment
organizations
- Mexico City | city government
- Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) | government agency employing Vazquez (4 years)
- Federal Security Secretariat (SSPC) | previous employer of Vazquez
- Prosecutor's General Office | previous employer of Vazquez
- National Institute of Criminal Sciences | where Vazquez was guest criminology professor
- Mexico Autonomous Institute of Technology | Vazquez's bachelor's degree institution
- London School of Economics and Political Science | Vazquez's master's degree institution
- MORENA | party with Garcia Harfuch as leading candidate
- INE Auditing Commission | tasked with reviewing party expenditures
- INE Complaints Committee | tasked with analyzing electoral violations
locations
- Mexico City | focus location
- Sicily | organized crime study location
- Macedonia | organized crime study location
observations
- INE pro-MORENA bloc does not have majority in auditing commission
- INE complaints committee shifted from pro-MORENA to anti-MORENA majority
- Garcia Harfuch leads both MORENA and opposition candidates in almost every poll
assessments
- Mexico City's constitution requires officials with police force roles to step down before electoral process begins if intending to run for public office
- Vazquez has background in violence prevention, reintegration programs, and organized crime studies
references
- ref A | previous cable regarding Garcia Harfuch's interest in running for head of government
- "Cease Fire" program | gun violence and homicide reduction program
- "Reconnect" program | recidivism prevention program for first-time offenders
quotes
- "collaborate with Claudia Sheinbaum, who with her vision and leadership will give continuity to the country's transformation." | Garcia Harfuch resignation video statement
- "Notably, the complaints committee (tasked with analyzing electoral violations and which previously had a pro-MORENA majority) now has an anti-MORENA majority." | analytical observation
Page 4
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classificationUNCLASSIFIED
page_descriptionContinuation reporting on Ricardo Monreal's withdrawal from Mexico City head of government race and criminal violence against prosecutors in Guerrero state.
dates
- 2023-09-12 | Ricardo Monreal announcement of not running for Mexico City head of government
- July 2023 | prior attacks against prosecutors (referenced)
- August 2023 | additional prosecutor attacks
- mid-September 2023 | two prosecutors killed within a week
- 2023-09-12 | Fernando Garcia Fernandez assassination date
- 2015-2018 | Monreal's tenure as Cuauhtemoc mayor
people
- Ricardo Monreal | Former MORENA Senate Leader | finished last in presidential contender selection
- Omar Garcia Harfuch | Mexico City Security Secretary / MORENA candidate
- Clara Brugada | Iztapalapa Mayor / potential Mexico City head of government candidate
- Claudia Sheinbaum | MORENA leader announcing Monreal's campaign role
- Adan Augusto Lopez | Former Interior Secretary / Sheinbaum's political coordinator
- Lopez Obrador | leader with whom Monreal had disagreements
- Fernando Garcia Fernandez | State delegate of Federal Attorney General's Office (FGR) in Guerrero | assassinated
- Monreal's daughter | running for mayor of Cuauhtemoc
- Sandra Cuevas | Current mayor of Cuauhtemoc (PRO party) / tied to Monreal / seeking opposition candidacy
organizations
- MORENA | ruling party
- Federal Attorney General's Office (FGR) | federal prosecutorial agency
- PRO party | opposition party (Cuevas affiliation)
locations
- Mexico City | focus location
- Cuauhtemoc | Mexico City borough
- Guerrero | state experiencing prosecutor violence
- Chilpancingo | Guerrero capital where Garcia Fernandez was attacked
observations
- Armed men appeared to coordinate attack on Garcia Fernandez from two vehicles
- Criminals kidnapped and killed a prosecutor from his home
- Pattern of criminal violence against prosecutors (July, August, mid-September attacks)
assessments
- Monreal lacked chance of winning MORENA presidential nomination
- Monreal unwilling to cause divisions within party
- Monreal's fall from power attributed to disagreements with Lopez Obrador
- Monreal's appointment to Sheinbaum campaign suggests willingness to collaborate
- Cuevas reportedly has close ties with Monreal despite being from opposition party
references
- ref B | prior cable regarding July and August prosecutor attacks
- Sheinbaum administration | potential future government
quotes
- "hop[ing] for better times." | Monreal statement on his intentions
- "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." | Monreal's reasoning
- "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." | analytical statement
- "First reports noted armed men appeared to coordinate the attack as they shot at Garcia from two vehicles." | Garcia Fernandez assassination details
Page 5
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classificationUNCLASSIFIED
page_descriptionContinuation reporting on Guerrero prosecutor violence, Guadalajara gubernatorial campaign launch, and Mexican Congressional hearing on alien life and unidentified aerial phenomena.
dates
- 2023-09-09 | Victor Manuel Salas Cuadras assassination
- August 2023 (late) | Patricia Jacqueline Salgado kidnapping
- 2023-09-11 | Interior Secretary Luisa Maria Alcalde statement at presidential press conference
- August 2023 | rift between Jalisco MC and national party
- 2023-09-12 | Pablo Lemus gubernatorial campaign launch
- 2023-09-12 | Mexican Congress hearing on UAP and alien life
people
- Victor Manuel Salas Cuadras | Guerrero state FGE regional prosecutor for Tierra Caliente region | assassinated
- Patricia Jacqueline Salgado | Head FGE prosecutor in Coyuca de Catalan | kidnapped late August, later found alive
- Luisa Maria Alcalde | Interior Secretary | statement on prosecutor attacks
- Pablo Lemus | Guadalajara Mayor / MC candidate for Jalisco governor
- Jaime Maussan | Mexican journalist | UAP testimony expert
- Ryan Graves | Former U.S. Navy pilot | testified on UAP before U.S. Congress
- Dante Delgado | MC national coordinator
- Enrique Alfaro | Jalisco Governor
- Samuel Garcia | Nuevo Leon Governor
- Luis Donaldo Colosio | Monterrey Mayor
- Emilio Gonzalez | Former Jalisco Governor / PAN party
- Ricardo Villanueva | University of Guadalajara (UdeG) Rector / Hagamos party
organizations
- Guerrero state attorney general's office (FGE) | prosecutorial agency
- Interior Secretary office | federal security agency
- Ciudadano's Movement (MC) | political party
- National Action Party (PAN) | opposition party
- Hagamos | party affiliated with UdeG
- University of Guadalajara (UdeG) | educational institution
- Mexican Congress | legislative body
- U.S. Congress | reference to prior testimony venue
- U.S. Navy | Graves' service organization
locations
- Guerrero | Mexican state
- Tierra Caliente region | Guerrero region with violence
- Coyuca de Catalan | location of prosecutor violence
- Jalisco | Mexican state
- Guadalajara | city in Jalisco
- Nuevo Leon | Mexican state
- Monterrey | city in Nuevo Leon
- Mexico | nation holding Congressional hearing
observations
- Victor Manuel Salas Cuadras' body found with approximately 50 gunshot wounds
- 20 armed commandos kidnapped Patricia Jacqueline Salgado
- Pattern of attacks against prosecutors in recent months
- Pattern related to recent law enforcement arrests and seizures
- Mexican Congress heard UAP testimony on September 12
- Two alleged alien corpses presented to Congress
- Videos of Mexican pilots' encounters with fast-moving flying objects presented
- Congressional hearing debated language on UAP in Aerial Space Protection Law
assessments
- If Aerial Space Protection Law approved with UAP language, Mexico would become first country to formally acknowledge alien life
- Experts requested legislators recognize UAP, guarantee airspace security, and allow UAP study
- Lemus holds commanding lead over political rivals
- Pattern of violence against prosecutors attributed to law enforcement actions
references
- ref C | prior cable regarding August rift between Jalisco MC and national party
- Aerial Space Protection Law | proposed legislation regarding UAP
- U.S. Congress testimony | Graves' prior testimony venue
quotes
- "I want to ask for your support to build a social and collective project," | Lemus campaign announcement
- "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." | Salas assassination details
- "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." | official statement
- "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" | UAP hearing details
- "which, if approved, would make Mexico the first country to formally acknowledge the presence of alien life on Earth." | potential legislative consequence
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doc_typecable
classificationUNCLASSIFIED
page_descriptionContinuation with Ryan Graves' criticism of the alien corpse presentation, includes photograph of alleged non-human remains presented by Maussan, and cable signature/approval block.
dates2023-09-12 | Congressional hearing date (implicit from context)
people
- Ryan Graves | Former U.S. Navy pilot | expressed disappointment with Maussan's "unsubstantiated stunt"
- Jaime Maussan | Mexican journalist | presented alleged remains of non-human beings to Congress
- SALAZAR | cable signature
- Moreno, Sergio A | MEXICO drafter
- Cortazar, Eduardo | POL drafter
- Karimi, Amanda | POL drafter / POL cleared by
- Tejeda, Maria de los Angeles | EXEC drafter
- Naranjo, Brian | POL cleared by
- Conlon, Steven | ECON cleared by
- Harder, J | PD cleared by
- Okwuje, Ifeoma | INL/PROG cleared by
- Bernsteen, Gregory | CONS/AG cleared by
- Johnson, Mark | EXEC approved by
organizations
- Congress | Mexican legislative body receiving testimony
- Reuters | photo credit for alien corpses image
- U.S. | reference to Graves' home country
observations
- Alleged remains of non-human beings presented to Mexican Congress
- Remains shown in photograph: humanoid figure with distinct facial features and skeletal structure
- Scientists have discredited previous alleged alien corpses presented by Maussan
assessments
- Ryan Graves lamented that Maussan's display took away from his and other pilots' actual experiences with UAP
- Graves expressed disappointment with Maussan's presentation as "unsubstantiated stunt"
- Scientific consensus: previous alleged alien corpses presented by Maussan have been discredited as evidence of alien life
references
- Figure 1 | photograph of alleged non-human remains
- Reuters | news source crediting photograph
quotes
- "the hearing, Graves lamented the display took away from his and other pilots' experiences with UAP and expressed disappointment with Maussan's 'unsubstantiated stunt.'" | Graves' reaction
- "Scientists have discredited previous alleged alien corpses Maussan presented as evidence of alien life." | scientific assessment
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classificationUNCLASSIFIED
page_descriptionFinal page of State Department cable containing distribution and transmission information.
peopleMoreno, Sergio A | MEXICO | released by and info addressee
organizations
- NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL | Washington DC | routine distribution
- WHITE HOUSE OFC OF THE VICE PRESIDENT | Washington DC | routine distribution
- DNI (Director of National Intelligence) | Washington DC | routine distribution
- CIA | Washington DC | routine distribution
- DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) | Washington DC | routine distribution
- HQ USNORTHCOM | routine distribution
- DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | Washington DC | routine distribution
- DEPT OF JUSTICE | Washington DC | routine distribution
- HQ USSOUTHCOM | Miami FL | routine distribution
- WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS | routine distribution
- ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE | routine distribution
- CARACAS, AMEMBASSY | transmission addressee
references"Released in Full" | declassification status
redactionsSBU (Sensitive But Unclassified) marking struck through / canceled
quotes
- "Released By: MEXICO:Moreno, Sergio A" | cable release authority
- "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 DIPL POSTS Routine; ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE Routine" | distribution list
- "XMT: CARACAS,AMEMBASSY" | transmission addressee