Mexico Drug Prosecutors Detain 2 Army Generals

MEXICO CITY -- Two army generals, including a former assistant defense secretary, were detained by anti-drug prosecutors and are being questioned for alleged links to drug traffickers, authorities said Wednesday.

Soldiers detained retired Gen. Tomas Angeles Dauahare and Gen. Roberto Dawe Gonzalez, the Attorney General's Office said in a brief statement released late Tuesday. The office gave no other details.

An official at the Attorney General's Office said the officers are being investigated for alleged links to a Mexican drug cartel, but he would not say which cartel. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to discuss the case.

President Felipe Calderon named Angeles Dauahare as assistant defense secretary in 2006. He left the post in 2008, when he retired.

Dawe Gonzalez is currently assigned to a military base in the western state of Colima.

President Felipe Calderon deployed 50,000 soldiers and other military personnel to fight organized crime shortly after taking office in December 2006.

A few senior military officers have been arrested for alleged links to drug traffickers during Mexico's long struggle to control the cartels.

Retired Gen. Juan Manuel Barragan Espinosa was detained in February for alleged links to organized crime and Gen. Manuel Moreno Avina and 29 soldiers who were under his command in the border town of Ojinaga, across the border from Presidio, Texas, are being tried on charges of torture, homicide, drug trafficking and other crimes.

In 1997, Gen. Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo was arrested when he was Mexico's drug czar. He was charged with protecting then-cocaine kingpin Amado Carrillo Fuentes.

Raul Benitez, a security expert at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said having such high ranking military officials under investigation for ties to organized crime "is a blow to the army because they are generals who had top posts in the Defense Department."

More than 47,000 people have been killed in drug violence since Calderon launched his expanded offensive, according to government figures.

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• Paramedics load a body near the site where dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border found in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• Forensic experts examine the area where dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• Forensic experts examine the area where dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• A federal policeman guards the area where dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border found in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• Federal policemen guard the area where dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border found in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• Federal police on vehicles escort the three forensic trucks where bodies were placed after dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• A federal policeman guards the area where dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border found in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• The shadow of a forensic agent is cast on a piece of road as he uses a substance to try to obtain a print of a tire track in the site where dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border found in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• Federal police guard as forensic experts examine the area where dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• Federal police on a vehicle guard one of the three forensic trucks where several bodies were placed after dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border found in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• A forensic agent inspect the area where dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were dumped on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border, in the town of San Juan, near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• Federal police on a vehicle guard one of the three forensic trucks where several bodies were placed after dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border found in the Km 47 of the Reynosa-Cadereyta road in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

• Federal police on a vehicle guard two of the three forensic trucks where several bodies were placed after dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, were found on a highway connecting the northern Mexican metropolis of Monterrey to the U.S. border found in the Km 47 of the Reynosa-Cadereyta road in the town of San Juan near the city of Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, May 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Palma)

Comments

[donnieb]

08:49 PM on 05/18/2012

any high elite politician or general schould be seated in electric chair 2 months after proof that he/she was involved in any criminal or any financial crime activity. this law would alone stop 90% crimes in any country. None of the criminal enterprize would not exit 5 minutes without government protection.

[gumby321]

07:40 PM on 05/18/2012

JUST THINK IF OUR COUNTRY WOULD JUST LEGALIZE ALL DRUGS. THEY TAKE ALL THE BAD GUYS OUT OF THE MIX. OUR DEFICIT WOULD BE GONE AND WE WOULD HAVE A SURPLUS OF MONEY. FOR ALL OF YOU WHO THINK THIS IS CRAZY. LET ME JUST SAY THIS, THAT PEOPLE CAN GET ANY TYPE OF DRUG THEY WANT NOW. SO WHY ARE WE WASTING MONEY ON ANOTHER WAR THAT WE WILL NEVER WIN. WE CAN PAY THE FARMERS TO GROW WEED, COCCA, AND OPIUM. IT WOULD BE A WIN WIN FOR ALL. THE JAILS COULD BE EMPTIED OUT FOR ALL THE B.S. DRUG BUSTS. SO THEN WE CAN FEED ALL THE STARVING KIDS IN THIS COUNTRY.

[rickmail6]

11:01 AM on 05/17/2012

I have never gone to Mexico...whether on business or pleasure....without someone trying to shake me down for something or other. Typical event: during a layover at Monterey some airline guy demanded a new "tax" on every member of our group. Since our booking agent was very experienced in writing Mexican travel tickets, I knew this was bogus. So I took advantage of my high school and college Spanish and went to talk to the airport manager. Those two got into a "Mexican Standoff" which allowed us to get on our plane to Puerto Vallarta and get out of there.

[jhNY]

02:42 PM on 05/17/2012

And yet, I have, several times, traveled to Mexico and nobody tried to shake me down for anything. Anecdotal evidence is compelling stuff, I hear.

[gumby321]

07:45 PM on 05/18/2012

I RODE DOWN THROUGH MEXICO WITH A BUNCH OF GUYS AND WIVES ON HARLEYS. EVERYONE THAT I SPEAK TO ALL SAY I WOULD NEVER TAKE MY BIKE DOWN THERE. WE HAD AND ALWAYS HAVE A GREAT TIME WHEN WE GO DOWN THERE. NEVER ANY TROUBLE WITH ANYONE. IN FACT IT WAS THE TOTAL OPPOSITE. WE STAYED IN THE TOWN CALLED SAN PHILLIPE. THE FOOD AND LODGEING WERE GREAT AND I ALWAYS TELL THOSE THAT WON'T GO THERE I TELL THEM YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE MISSING.

[duey35]

10:30 AM on 05/17/2012

Isn't one of the cartels mostly ex military personel ? Los Zetas used to be hired muscle.

[hmj200000]

09:39 AM on 05/17/2012

Mexico is a failed state. And they continue to export poverty and drugs to the US.

[Ricardo Estrada]

12:54 PM on 05/17/2012

And you guys keep consuming it

[jhNY]

02:46 PM on 05/17/2012

The US has a failed drug policy-- demand has never lowered significantly over all the long years of the War on Drugs. And a failed immigration policy-- we continue to demonize yet employ those who will work for us for less than legal wage, and we have yet to effectively constrain their employers, who, after all, are ourselves.

[SPIKEYD]

09:37 AM on 05/17/2012

O.K. time to throw in the flag and legalize, distribute, and manage drug use here
in the U.S. and bring these cartels down over night and end this nightmare. Most addicts
want help but need their fix. We give them, clean, pure narcotics and stimulants in
a controlled clinical environment and then wean them off if they want off. We end Mexico's
problem and the source of cash and violence in our inner cities.

[driller7530]

09:31 AM on 05/17/2012

your agency reports 47000 people killed in this story , 57000 in others, the generals arrested were just members of the opposing cartel , not the one that Caulderon has money in, happens every day in mexico, kill off the competition literally, arrest the visible members, get back to bussiness ,

[Ed Forney]

09:08 AM on 05/17/2012

The prosecutors better watch their backs.

[michaelat33685]

07:56 AM on 05/17/2012

I'm surprised it's not half or more of the Mexican military.

[zrh115]

07:30 AM on 05/17/2012

'ummm...doesn't Obama meet Mexico's 'leaders'on aregular basis?

[driller7530]

09:32 AM on 05/17/2012

just when he needs some fresh stock and a free "Bump"

[jhNY]

02:48 PM on 05/17/2012

Baseless character assassination is funny-- to you, I guess.

[jhNY]

02:47 PM on 05/17/2012

Not nearly so often as GWB did-- what's your point?

[John Nardi]

07:25 AM on 05/17/2012

I have as feeling that right around election time the heads of the cartels will be recieving a surprise present each delivered with percision accuracy. Barrack will continue to allow stories of atrocities and outright blatant murders to permeate the news and get Americans all fed-up then around September of election year each head and high ranking official of each cartel will be recieving a jdam inn their lap. I'll be they are under surveilence right now by some seal posing as someone in each organization. Its how Escobar met his end.

[slaterlabsmot]

07:36 AM on 05/17/2012

Build it long and build it high. Add a "shoot to kill" mentality on the US side of the border for any individuals who can't take "no" for an answer.

[Drewsky3d]

09:50 AM on 05/17/2012

Jeff Foxworthy would say......"If your draconian approach to immigration control is about as well calculated as North Korea's......you might be a redneck!!"

[Taisposo]

05:20 PM on 05/17/2012

Considering the inability of our political parties to do a damn thing to help the
country, I'd say we are the failed state.

[Cory111]

07:03 AM on 05/17/2012

I wonder how the Cartels make their money. I guess like any business you are required to have customers. It seems drugs are one of their products, I don’t recall seeing any of their Ads on TV.
So who is buying all of these drugs is the question? Are they selling them to just those within Mexico’s borders or is their prime customer base in South America?
Let’s not blame the Cartels we might be well advised to take a very close look at who is actually their very best customer. As the expression goes, “It takes two to tango” we might consider another dance partner.

Obama 2012-2016

[PRETTYWOMAN-2]

05:33 AM on 05/17/2012

wow !..... ~Cuba~ looks like Disney-World compared to ''Cartel-Land'' !!

[ElCojonuo]

10:32 PM on 05/16/2012

I smell a COUP in Méjico.
They've gone without one for quite some time now; the situation is heading that way.

[bojorco]

03:48 AM on 05/17/2012

A coup, by whoup?

[ElCojonuo]

10:34 AM on 05/17/2012

The Military, who else does Coups.

[jhNY]

02:51 PM on 05/17/2012

Here in the US-- the Supreme Court.