Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume E–11, Part 1, Documents on Mexico; Central America; and the Caribbean, 1973–1976

87. Telegram 10691 From the Embassy in Mexico to the Department of State¹

Mexico City, December 5, 1975, 0400Z.

10691. Subj: Echeverria and U.S. Prisoners Issue. Ref: Mexico 10687.

1. I took advantage of being alone with Echeverria (during the conversation he had asked an aide to close the door) to speak with great sincerity and frankness regarding the prisoners. I expressed warmest appreciation for Mexico’s collaboration on drug program but then stressed that it was possible to be vigorously anti-narcotics and at the same time to be concerned regarding prisoners’ welfare. I expressed appreciation for improvements in this situation thanks to collaboration received from Attorney General Ojeda Paullada and the effects of his circular regarding notification and access. (Several principal officers at our ongoing consular conference have stressed that the situation, while far from perfect, has noticably improved. Monterrey, for instance, tells us that the last ten narcotics arrestees have not alleged brutality during interrogation.) Despite this improvement, the interrogation situation still requires constant vigilance. Similarly, though we had received help regarding prison conditions from Ministry of Interior and others. Situation also far from satisfactory.

2. I told the President that he knew that Mexico’s adherence to the defense of human rights was well known. Even so, things happen during interrogation and subsequently during prison confinement which did not redound to the good name of Mexico and particularly on everything that Luis Echeverria Alvarez himself stands for.

3. Methods of interrogation that verged on torture and subsequent prison conditions that had, along with enlightened humane aspects such as conjugal visits and rehabilitation programs, characteristics that verge on the medieval, were sources of deep concern to me personally, to American public opinion and to the U.S. Government. I recognize that prison administration methods, with the use of the “mayores” system were traditional and couldn’t be changed overnight but at least improvements were possible. A system in which the “mayores” were ofttimes convicted murderers and under which instances of shakedowns and extortion were so prevalent as to (in some cases, not in all) make one think that the U.S. prisoners were considered sources of income more than anything else cannot help but trouble us. I asked the President to reflect on whether or not we might not work out some system under which complaints could be submitted (perhaps through some permanent oversight committee) and to consider the possibility of moving some of the prisoners out of the more disreputable jails such as Lecumberri.

4. The President was not unmoved by my plea. This is obviously one aspect of Mexican life of which he is not proud. (Undoubtedly he also realizes that the current press and congressional interest in this subject is not doing Mexico’s and Echeverria and even Echeverria’s aspirations for UN leadership any good at all.) The President assured me that he would give all aspects of this matter thought and perhaps at the Rogers breakfast, at which the Under Secretary of Interior will probably be present, we might discuss some practical measures.

Jova

1. Summary: Jova and Echeverría discussed the treatment of American prisoners in Mexican jails.

   Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D750423–0578. Confidential. Telegram 10687 from Mexico City was not found.