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A6 WORLD NEWS
Monday 7 deceMber 2020
Mexican president wants to restrict US agents in Mexico

By MARK STEVENSON Acting U.S. Attorney Seth
Associated Press DuCharme told a judge
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mex- at the time, "The United
ico's President Andrés States determined that the
Manuel López Obrador has broader interest in main-
tossed another hot potato taining that relationship in
to U.S. President-elect Joe a cooperative way out-
Biden with a proposal that weighed the department's
would restrict U.S. agents in interest and the public's
Mexico and remove their interest in pursuing this par-
diplomatic immunity. ticular case."
The proposal submitted qui- But despite that victory, this
etly this week by López Ob- week's proposed changes
rador would require Drug indicate Mexico isn't willing
Enforcement Administra- to let the matter rest.
tion agents to hand over all Cienfuegos, a general who
information they collect to led Mexico's army depart-
the Mexican government, ment for six years under
and require any Mexican then-President Enrique
officials they contact to Peña Nieto, was the high-
submit a full report to Mex- est-ranking former Mexican
ico's Foreign Relations De- Cabinet official arrested
partment. since top security official
"The proposal is that foreign Genaro Garcia Luna was
agents will not have any Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stands during the commemoration of his sec- arrested in Texas in 2019.
immunity," according to a ond anniversary in office, at the National Palace in Mexico City, on Tuesday, December 1, 2020. Cienfuegos was secretly in-
summary of the president's Associated Press dicted by a federal grand
proposal to the Mexican jury in New York in 2019. He
Senate published Friday. ing to be leaked, it's going agent would be required vast majority of counter- was accused of conspiring
In most countries, the chief to compromise agents, it's "to deliver a written report drug successes in Mexico with the H-2 cartel in Mex-
DEA agent in the country going to compromise infor- to the Foreign Relations De- comes from DEA informa- ico to smuggle thousands
often has full diplomatic mants," Vigil said. partment and the Public tion," he said. of kilos of cocaine, heroin,
immunity and other agents The history of leaks is well Safety Department within The proposal appears to re- methamphetamine and
have some form of limited documented. In 2017, the three days." flect Mexico's anger about marijuana while he was de-
or technical immunity. commander of a Mexican "It's just going to make a the arrest of former Mexi- fense secretary from 2012
"The proposal requires that police intelligence-sharing burdensome system," Vigil can Defense Secretary to 2018.
foreign agents give Mexi- unit that received DEA in- said, adding, "It is going Salvador Cienfuegos in Los Prosecutors said intercept-
can authorities the informa- formation was charged to hinder bilateral opera- Angeles in October. ed messages showed that
tion they gather," accord- with passing the DEA data tions, it is going to hinder Under the pressure of Mex- Cienfuegos accepted
ing the proposed changes. to the Beltran Leyva drug bilateral exchange of infor- ico's implicit threats to re- bribes in exchange for en-
Mike Vigil, the DEA's former cartel in exchange for mil- mation. This is going to be strict or expel U.S. agents, suring the military did not
chief of international op- lions of dollars. much more detrimental to U.S. prosecutors folded, take action against the
erations, said of the hando- The proposed changes Mexico than to the United dropping their case so cartel and that operations
ver of all information, "That also specify that any Mexi- States." Cienfuegos could be re- were initiated against its ri-
is not going to happen." can public servant — state, "Ninety percent of the infor- turned to Mexico and inves- vals. He was also accused
"Sadly, there is endemic federal or local — who has mation sharing goes from tigated — though he has of introducing cartel lead-
corruption within the (Mexi- as much as a phone call or the DEA to Mexico, rather not so far been charged — ers to other corrupt Mexi-
can) government. It's go- text message from a U.S. from Mexico to the US. The under Mexican law. can officials.q

St. Nicholas visits Czech children while adapting to virus

PRAGUE (AP) — The coro- and take them directly to A long line of cars at the
navirus pandemic has hell - unless the angel inter- La Putyka Circus base in
made life difficult for a lot venes. Prague formed an eager
of people in the Czech Re- The Czech health minister audience for the drive-thru
public, and that includes insisted the traditional trio performance. The kids still
Saint Nicholas. needed to follow the gov- hoped to find a stocking
Every year on Dec. 5, ernment's infection-control filled with chocolates, or-
Nicholas appears in cos- measures just like everyone anges and nuts on a win-
tume on streets across the else, which meant wearing dow, but with the angel,
European country, joined masks and practicing so- devil and Nicholas in town,
by a winged angel and cial distancing. they know it won't be long
a masked devil rattling a A new circus company in until Christmas.
metal chain. Prague offered another Saint Nicholas was a Greek
The trio goes door-to-door option on Saturday. The Christian bishop who lived
visiting children and giv- troupe set up an imagi- at the turn of the 3rd and
A member of the new circus company Cirk La Putyka, dressed ing them candy and small nary heaven and hell and 4th centuries. Known for his
as St. Nicholas, reacts with people driving through with their
cars during a performance in Prague, Czech Republic, Satur- gifts, if they have been invited families to come in goodness and generosity,
day, Dec. 5, 2020. well-behaved. If not, the cars to watch devils jump- he is said to have inspired
Associated Press devil threatens to put the ing, angels flying and Saint the creation of Santa
girls and boys in his sack Nicholas waving. Claus.q