Episode 77: A 1986 US Embassy Memo on the Mexican Legal System and the Camarena Case

Cartels, Conspiracies, and Camarena

A September 1986 memorandum from the US Embassy in Mexico City to the State Department in Washington D.C. sought to "clear up some of the confusion that has been created by efforts to explain Mexican legal proceedings using US definitions" and to "promote a greater understanding of the differences between the Mexican and U.S. legal systems."

In this Episode, we highlight the key differences discussed in the memorandum, including the burden of proof on a criminal defendant in Mexico, the unique elements of a trial in Mexico, and the active role of Mexican judges in the prosecution of a criminal case.

We also take a brief look at the memorandum's discussion of the status of the Camarena-related trials, including the identification of key defendants detained by Mexican officials.