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This government document leaked out. It covers the Swiss
investigators' formal interview with Raul in the presence of Salinas's lawyers
and two witnesses. (Note: Some of the questions were not included in the
transcription.)
With reference to the list of questions duly appended to the casefile,
[Salinas] replied:
TO QUESTION 1: Yes, and I wish to give a brief explanation, unless a more
extensive commentary will be permitted upon conclusion of the questioning, but
first -- since the list of questions originates with the Swiss authorities --
I want to express the following to the Swiss government, Swiss financial
institutions and the Swiss people: Switzerland is a country that my family and
I -- especially my wife and I -- have known, loved and respected for many
years.
My wife went to school in Switzerland when she was a girl, I have taken part in
equestrian competitions in Lucerne, my nephews -- my brother's sons -- studied
in Switzerland and two children are currently in school there. All of this
explains the great confidence with which I opened bank accounts in Switzerland,
being cognizant of its standards and rules, and the trustworthiness of the
country's institutional banking system. Secondly, I want to express my
apologies to the Swiss government and to the country's financial institutions,
especially Banque Pictet, a highly responsible house which opened its doors to
me in good faith, and I'm going to explain why I assumed and myself under a
different identity.
To begin with, I beg the Swiss authorities to understand that we are not before
a judge and that, furthermore, I am subject to a trial in which I have been
falsely accused of homicide, so that my statements are limited by the
imperatives of the fact that I am defending myself in a trial. Furthermore, I
am unaware that the Mexican authorities have charged me with any connection
with drug trafficking. This is why I ask the Swiss authorities to understand
that I am going to be absolutely truthful, but that [illegible] to know the
action of the Mexican authorities to defend myself. Fourth, in regard to the
first and subsequent questions asked me, I wish to point out that I am solely
responsible for these accounts and I absolve my brother-in-law Antonio Castanon
Rios Zertuche and my wife Paulina Castanon de Salinas of any responsibility.
Next, I want to repeat my apologies for my mistakes, but I have never taken
part in any criminal activity and certainly never in drug trafficking.
TO QUESTION 2: In Banque Pictet, Geneva, and in Julius Baer Bank and Citibank,
Zurich. There was also an account in another Geneva bank which was closed last
year. Please understand that, due to my present situation, there are facts that
I can't remember precisely, but to the extent that I know the part of the
casefile to which I have had access, I can frankly confirm everything that I am
responsible for. I think those are the banks that I can recall at the moment.
Let me add that I think there is a long-time account in another Swiss bank,
also located in Geneva, but I can't precisely remember the name of the bank,
which I think I visited only once, and the account application was submitted
from the US.
TO QUESTION 3: At Banque Pictet, in the name of Juan Guillermo Gutierrez Gomez.
In another Geneva bank whose name I can't remember precisely at the moment,
there was an account in the name of Juan Jose Gonzalez Cadena. In another
Geneva bank whose name I also can't recall, I believe the account is under the
name Dozart. There is an account in the name of Raul Salinas de Gortari and
another in the name of a company, Noborona (I can't state it's correct name
since I don't have the documents available, but the account paperwork was
submitted from Mexico), at Julius Baer Bank in Zurich. I'm not familiar with
Julius Baer Bank; and I can't tell you how many accounts there are or under
whose names in Zurich, because the accounts were opened by Citibank in New York
and through a Swiss company called Confidas. Now I want to explain the reasons
behind this strategy. To begin with, I categorically deny the slightest
connection with drug trafficking, I categorically deny that these funds could
have the slightest connection with the crime of financing the illegal dealing
in drugs. Any statement by any authority in any country purporting to establish
a relationship between these funds and drug trafficking [illegible] because it
is a completely false presumption. I never had the slightest connection with
drug trafficking or any drug trafficker, that's also an absurd presumption. My
brother, former President Salinas, fought organized drug trafficking with total
firmness. This prison is one sign of that fight and -- in contradiction with
the Mexican Constitution, which they are violating by holding me here on trial
together with convicted felons -- the heads of the major drug trafficking rings
that were fought by President Salinas are being held here: Miguel Angel Felix
Gallardo, Rafael Caro Quintero, Ernesto Fonseca; Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was
here; Humberto Garcia Abrego was or is here, along with dozens of druglords
that President Salinas fought doggedly, all of which -- I repeat -- makes the
idea that I or anyone close to me might be connected with drug trafficking an
absurdity. Let me add that two or three days before I was arrested I was in the
US, a country that I have visited dozens of times during the past six years,
and I was never detained or questioned by US authorities when I entered the
country. On the contrary, I was always warmly received, because I don't have
any [2+ lines missing] does not come from any activity related to my work as a
government official, it's not dirty money, it is lawfully gained. I worked in
the government in 1989 in a government corporation called CONASUPO, and in
1990-91 in the Secretariat for Planning and Budget, under the secretaryship of
Dr. Ernesto Zedillo. My direct superior was Carlos Rojas, the current
Secretary. There was never any situation of corruption or abuse of power in the
institutions where I worked as a government official. But there is an
explanation for this money: after deciding to organize an association of
investor friends, I started to construct various mechanisms for putting
together a fund that could be repatriated to Mexico -- at the end of my
brother's administration -- for various investment projects and which would
serve to obtain a greater volume of credits, because I was and am convinced
that the economic recovery and growth of Mexico will require extensive foreign
financing. The mechanisms [illegible] use of different identities is explained
precisely because I was trying to protect my family name, and it was only
later, when I -- together with an investor friend-- obtained access to the
system set up by Citibank, through Confidas, that I could use my real name. The
goal was to bring together a group of businessman friends to put together an
offshore fund for reasons of safety and in order to avoid entanglement with the
political vicissitudes of President Salinas' term. As I don't have a detailed
knowledge of the steps the Mexican authorities are planning to take, I'm not
going to now reveal the names of the businessmen who invested in one form or
another, since some invested in the form of loans and others in the form of
advances on individual projects. If I were in Switzerland right now, I'd
happily furnish full details, but I can't provide information when I find
myself in a situation where I don't have my files [illegible] other people, but
I declare to the Swiss authorities that these people [illegible] and we are
going to present this explanation clearly. I certainly erred in involving my
wife by having her sign, but she holds no responsibility for, and has no exact
knowledge of, the various participants and projects. In reality, my wife,
Paulina Castanon, [illegible] was behaving like a noble and faithful spouse.
She can probably think of some names of friends who participated, that's
natural and logical, since we got together socially with these businessmen
friends. I don't believe that my brother-in-law, Antonio Castanon, has the
vaguest idea about this strategy, since he never worked with me and I simply
feel affection and gratitude toward him for having stuck by my wife with
brotherly loyalty during these terrible ten months, dropping his work and his
activities to devote himself to Paulina's support.
TO QUESTION 4: In my previous answer, I tried to explain the origin and purpose
of these funds, and pointed out that some of the account applications were
submitted after 1989, that I didn't always submit them directly myself and that
there are even some banks whose names I don't know. Obviously, all of this
information is in my files, but right now I can remember some accounts, and
I'll deal with them now. In the case of Banque Pictet in Geneva, I can speak of
two periods: the first, from 1989 to June 1993, and the second from June 1993
to present. In the first period, I was introduced to Banque Pictet by Ms
Margarita Nava Sanchez, and one or two accounts -- I can't remember -- were
opened with her, but it was precisely within the strategy that I mentioned
before. After June 1993, Ms Nava's name was removed from these accounts, and a
new account was opened under the name of Juan Guillermo Gomez, together with my
wife Paulina. An account in the name of Jose Gonzalez Cadena was opened at the
Suizo [Schweizer?] bank, Geneva, and was closed last year. The accounts at
Citibank Zurich were opened by Confidas, and right now I can't tell you how
many there were. At Julius Baer Bank, I [illegible] the account numbers or
other references for past or present accounts, or the other Dozart account. I
seem to remember that another account was closed when Ms Margarita Nava ceased
to participate and the funds were transferred to Banque Pictet.
TO QUESTION 4B: I think there's an account at Julius Baer in my name; in the
name of fictitious persons at Pictet: under the name of Juan Guillermo Gomez
Gutierrez; and there was an account under the name of Juan Jose Gonzalez
Cadena, another pseudonym. Under company names: there is an account at Julius
Baer under the name Novarone, I think, and there should also be an account
under the name of Juan Manuel Gutierrez Gomez, a real person. Citibank New York
set up a trust called Trocca through Confidas; I don't remember how many
accounts there are under that name. Dozart is also a trust, originally set up
by my present wife's former husband and containing the inheritance from the
deceased first husband, whose name was Alfredo Diaz Ordaz. Those are all that I
can remember at the moment.
TO QUESTION 4C: At Pictet, under the name of Juan Guillermo Gomez Gutierrez; at
the Schweizer [?] Bank in Geneva, under the name of Juan Jose Gonzalez Cadena;
at Julius Baer and Citibank Geneva, and at the bank (whose name I can't recall)
which has the Dozart account, under the name of Raul Salinas.
TO QUESTION 5: Right now, I'm not sure if it was in July 1989, at Pictet,
through Ms Margarita Nava, and the account in the name of Juan Jose Gonzalez
Cadena was opened during the same year, probably around the same time; the
Citibank accounts were later, and the Julius Baer account was from the previous
year.
TO QUESTIONS 6 AND 7: [Answer identical to that to Question 5]
TO QUESTION 8: The first Pictet account was opened by Ms Margarita Nava,
starting in 1993, I opened it under the name of Juan Guillermo Gomez Gutierrez.
At Citibank -- its New York office, specifically -- the entire strategy was
devised by Ms Amy Eliot, who was acquainted with the first investors to make
transfers. Ms Eliot's correspondent in Zurich was a woman named Melly, I
recall, who no longer works for the bank; subsequently it was a woman of
Spanish origin or with Spanish antecedents, because she spoke Spanish very
well. I opened the account under my own name at Julius Baer in Mexico, with
some Swiss representatives of the bank; I believe his name was Curtis, all of
the Julius Baer accounts were opened with Mr Curtis. The Dozart account was
opened in Los Angeles through a bank employee, but I don't recall the names of
either the person or the bank.
TO QUESTION 9: I am the person empowered.
TO QUESTION 10: The total amount is on the order of $100 million, without being
able to specify [illegible] and, in accordance with the strategy that I
outlined previously, I cannot say that I am the owner or beneficiary of this
total, but I repeat that, at the appropriate time, I will explain everything to
the Swiss authorities. I am asking the Swiss Prosecuting Attorney [Carla del
Ponte] to receive members of my family and my defense team so that they can
speak with you privately, but I implore you to understand that, since I don't
know what indictment they might level at me, I can't incriminate other people,
since in reality I'm the manager of a strategy and not the owner of the money
TO QUESTION 11: The reason is that on the one hand, in exchange for my
consultancy and promotion I could obtain resources that could cause me tax
problems; in fact, a portion of the resources is for me, for my consulting and
promotional work, but basically...because at the time that the accounts were
opened under different names I wasn't familiar with the system that Citibank
proposed to me, so fictitious names were used in order not to create a
political scandal. If I had previously known about Citibank's Confidas system I
wouldn't have resorted to fictitious names. I kept the account at Pictet simply
because of that bank's efficiency. But I can add that the name "Dozart" was
inherited, that account already existed, and I opened the account at Julius
Baer in my own name, so that actually I kept only one fictitious name, at
Pictet. I've already explained why: Pictet is an excellent institution, very
efficient, so I decided not to close that account. On the other hand, I closed
the Juan Jose Gonzalez Cadena account and transferred the money to Julius
Baer, under my own name.
TO QUESTION 12: As I recall, only the Juan Jose Gonzalez Cadena account was
initially opened by depositing travelers' checks, all the rest were interbank
transfers.
TO QUESTION 13: [See previous answer].
TO QUESTION 14: I think that I've answered in my previous replies, but I want
to emphasize that I've never had the slightest connection with the crime of
financing the drug trade. I repeat: that is false; the money comes from lawful
sources and it's not possible to believe that cash movements that date back to
over six years ago, no one would have believed back then that they were
connected with drug trafficking if in fact they were so connected [sic]. The
money is lawful in origin and has nothing to do with drug trafficking.
TO QUESTION 15: It's a trust, and I'd have to see the documents in order to
spell out its stated purpose [illegible] I don't recall.
TO QUESTION 16: The transfer orders might have been issued by myself, by Ms
Margarita Nava Sanchez, Mrs Paulina Castanon de Salinas, Ms Amy Eliot or in the
fictitious names of Juan Guillermo Gomez Gutierrez and Juan Jose Gonzalez
Cadena; in any case, whoever participated was acting in accordance with my
instructions, as I'm the person responsible for the accounts.
TO QUESTION 17: I don't recall the number of the account, but remembering the
name, they belong to accounts managed through officers of Citibank and Confidas
(and some other bank), but these are accounts that were opened by bank
officers, I didn't open them directly. As a matter of fact, since I don't have
all the files I couldn't even tell you today what names the officers used for
opening the accounts.
TO QUESTION 17A: It is [was?] in Citibank, and my wife, Paulina Castanon de
Salinas, and the bank officers who opened and managed it should have [had?]
access.
TO QUESTION 17B: I replied to that in previous answers.
TO QUESTION 17C: I don't remember.
TO QUESTION 17D: That has already been answered.
TO QUESTION 17E: I don't recall at the moment, I neither confirm nor deny it.
TO QUESTION 18: I don't recall the number, but in fact it's the name that was
used for accounts in Citibank Zurich.
TO QUESTION 18A: I can't specify the amount, but it should be around $45
million or a bit more.
TO QUESTION 18B: That has been answered previously, it's completely verifiable
that the transfers took place through Citibank New York.
TO QUESTION 19A: I believe I've already answered that question.
TO QUESTION 19B: Let me point out that, as I said before, Ms Margarita Nava
ceased to participate in June 1993, and if she has some other, later accounts
not signed by Juan Guillermo Gomez Gutierrez, they could be accounts
independent of the ones that I was aware of.
TO QUESTION 20A: Because there was no reason to have two accounts, and it was
important to stay with Banque Pictet.
TO QUESTION 20B: It's my impression that I didn't make the transfer directly
myself, it's probable that Ms Margarita Nava Sanchez is the one who
communicated with the Pictet officers, but there was no specific reason that I
can recall, I simply seem to remember that having two accounts created useless
work for the bank and for my supervision, so it was decided to keep just one,
but I can't remember the arguments pro and con. I suppose they were opened
under the same terms and with the same funds that were in the other two
accounts. I seems to me that it was a purely administrative decision, since it
involved the same people and the same money. I don't recall if I traveled in
February 1993, or if it was Ms Margarita Nava. I don't even remember if it was
during that month when I took steps to exclude Ms Margarita Nava from the
accounts, because it was in 1993 that I removed Ms Nava's name from the
accounts, so maybe the reason for changing accounts was in order to leave Ms
Nava out.
TO QUESTION 21: Although I can't confirm it, I believe that I don't have two
accounts at Pictet. It's my impression that Ms Margarita Nava opened an
independent account, but I might be wrong. I think I'm telling the truth.
TO QUESTION 22A: There are only two possibilities, I would have to look over
the documents. An alternative would be that it was a transfer by the investors:
that seems the most likely. Another alternative is that the New York office run
by Ms Amy Eliot was managing some funds in London in accordance with her
optimization strategy, but it was the same money from the same accounts. So if
[illegible] a transfer in addition to what existed as of that date, that could
be the most viable [explanation], that it's one of the loans by the investors,
but on the basis of the documents that I'm allowed to see at present, it's very
[illegible] that it was an internal movement to optimize existing funds, since
$25 million left Zurich on 8 June 1993 on an order from the Trocca
administrators for investment in money market instruments, and twenty days
later the same administrators decided to recall the money. Here in the
documents is the name of an officer, Plange-Rohner, and this type of movement
is quite normal in the money market, there's nothing strange about trying to
optimize resources on various financial markets. That was the duty of the
administrators, and they had facilities for doing so.
TO QUESTION 23A: I recall having ordered this transfer [on June 30 1993] --
which I had my wife carry out -- to a friend of mine (I could give you his name
at a later time) for a business deal, but it was a lawful business deal. At
this moment I don't wish to give the person's name or identify the projected
deal, I believe that it fell through, but I don't want to give more detail for
the reasons that I stated at the outset. Seeing this document, I can tell you
that the total amount transferred to this recipient was actually greater, this
was just a portion, and there was nothing unlawful about it. I want to thank
you for making documents that clarify things available to me. My family or my
attorneys can give you the name of the recipient. He is a friend of mine, and
the deal was a lawful one.
TO QUESTION 23B: I believe that I have answered that question.
TO QUESTION 23C: I've answered that in previous replies.
TO QUESTION 23D: For the transfer.
TO QUESTION 23E: That's what was decided by the participants.
TO QUESTION 24: Because no transfer could be made until the funds had been
assembled: first they had to arrive, then they could be transferred.
TO QUESTION 25: [A document is presented for examination by Salinas] I stated
that when the $15 million was transferred, the total amount was higher, and
these $5 million are part of this block that was moved. Various channels were
used, as agreed upon by the participants, and we came to this agreement because
the recipient wanted it this way. I believe that it would be very easy for the
Swiss authorities to find out who the recipients were and learn that they are
people who have nothing to do with drug trafficking. I'm sure that you can
question them and find out that their business activity has nothing to do with
the crime being investigated here.
TO QUESTION 26: [A document is presented for examination by Salinas] According
to the dates and addressee, it's the continuation of the first $15 million
transfer. If the Swiss authorities wish, they can verify that the $15 million
and these $3 million reached the same recipient and that this recipient's
business has nothing to do with the crime under investigation here.
TO QUESTION 27: On my instructions. This answer also covers Question 27A, since
we were sure that -- since the money had nothing to do with drug trafficking --
the accounts hadn't been frozen. If I had had any doubt -- because, say, my
accounts had actually been linked with drug trafficking -- I would never have
gotten my wife involved. We never expected that anyone would have lied and
that the accounts might be frozen for the crime of drug trafficking. What I did
know was that the Mexican authorities were aware of the existence of a fake
passport in the name of Juan Guillermo Gomez Gutierrez and that the money had
to be moved, but someone lied and made the completely baseless drug trafficking
accusation. I also don't know what interests acted or had a role in making the
Swiss government disclose its banking secrets; I know which interests are out
there to persecute me politically, but I can't understand how it was possible
for the Swiss government to disclose banking secrets without a shred of
evidence, without any real foundation. If I had any mistrust in the Swiss
government or Swiss banking authorities I never would have sent my wife.
Banking secrecy has been violated on account of a lie.
TO QUESTION 27B: Because we knew that the passport that the Mexican authorities
were looking for was in that safe deposit box, along with documents concerning
Citibank, and if the name Juan Guillermo Gomez Gutierrez was known to the
Mexican authorities, they had to be gotten out of that safe deposit box.
TO QUESTION 27C: The ultimate purpose of all of this money in the [illegible]
that I have described was to promote business and employment in Mexico, and Ms
Amy Eliot advised my wife to move those funds. I don't know what words were
actually exchanged between Amy Eliot and my wife, but I suppose that Ms Eliot
wanted to keep Citibank out of this problem or had some information about the
drug trafficking accusation, I don't know, or she helped lead my wife into that
trap, since we trusted Swiss banking secrecy and for this reason -- even after
nine months of incarceration and investigation -- we weren't worried about
moving these funds. There were two events which in large measure led to the
decision to move the money: firstly, the fact that the Mexican authorities knew
about the fake passport and, secondly, Mrs Amy Eliots' advice.
TO QUESTION 28: Luis del Valle is a tax expert who I have known for many years
and whose services I have contracted on various occasions as a tax advisor.
Basically, he's a person that I trust and an expert in tax matters.
TO QUESTION 28A: To accompany and advise my wife.
TO QUESTION 28B: I don't know what exact instructions Luis del Valle had,
because I haven't spoken with him for ten months, but generally speaking he was
to assist my wife.
TO QUESTION 29: I already explained the reason that Antonio Castanon opened an
account at the beginning of this hearing. I'm enormously grateful to him, since
he has put aside his work and his responsibilities and, at this critical
moment, he had to count on a mechanism that would leave him financially secure
to provide continuing support for my wife, Paulina. Both Paulina and Antonio
are part of my defense team and they are devoting all of their time and energy
to show up the lies which have led to my indictment for the crime of homicide.
The mechanism for providing this financial security was by depositing a large
sum to his account (but very small in relation to the total from a group of
investors that I could identify at a later time), I don't know whether or not
he made a transfer, but the intention was to deposit a large sum to his
account, about $1 million, for the purposes that I described. I'm sure that
Paulina and Antonio have made statements in this regard; I'm doing likewise,
because they are people that tell the truth. I don't know why a safe deposit
box was rented, but I suppose it was for keeping documents. I don't have the
foggiest notion whether transfers were made or not, since I've had no contact
with my wife.
TO QUESTION 30: I'm surprised that this business should appear in an inquiry
formulated by the Swiss authorities, because I don't recall that it ever
actually operated: it's sole purpose was to give Margarita Nava a business
reference. I think it was more a matter of vanity than anything else, since
this business never attempted or accomplished anything. At the beginning, when
this business was set up, there was an idea that it would engage in some --
lawful -- transactions, but I don't recall that it ever carried out any
operations, nor do I remember when it was shut down, since it was managed by
Margarita Nava Sanchez. When it was set up I believe that its registered office
was on Calle de Explanada -- I can't recall the number -- but I can't say this
for sure because this Explanada address was given as a reference for Margarita
Nava and Juan Guillermo Gomez Gutierrez -- it must be 1230 Explanada -- but I
want to point out that the Mexican authorities have attempted to link this
address or property with the homicide currently under investigation and have
fabricated phony evidence in this regard. I have already stated and denounced
this before the judge, but none of this money has anything to do with crimes or
misdemeanors, so I repeat: the crime under investigation is without
foundation.
TO QUESTION 31: It's a brokerage firm. I've had deposits in InverMexico which
were declared and which were liquidated some time ago, I don't recall when. I
believe that the InverMexico group is still in operation, but I was simply a
customer and I don't see why this should fall within the scope of the Swiss
authorities' investigation.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION 32: Do you hold, represent or manage accounts under your
true name, fictitious names or corporate names in countries other than
Switzerland?
TO QUESTION 32: I have to say that, as I understand the question, I do not
hold, manage or handle accounts in other countries, except for Mexico. I don't
know whether any of the members of this group of investors might have foreign
accounts which have nothing to do with me but, in the tenor of the strategy
that I described here, this banking took place in Switzerland and with trust in
Swiss banking secrecy -- banking secrecy that has been violated due to lies,
because I repeat: neither I nor any of the people mentioned have the slightest
connection with the crime of financing drug trafficking. This is a false
accusation, and this lie was the basis for violation of Swiss banking secrecy
and for the arrest of two innocent people. I implore the Swiss authorities to
look into the series of maneuvers carried out to persecute me and my family, to
make a fair evaluation of the absolutely innocent involvement of Paulina
Castanon de Salinas and Antonio Castanon and to immediately establish a less
severe, more benevolent and fair situation for those two individuals. There is
no crime of drug trafficking; the strategy that I described will be presented
before the Swiss authorities when they permit me to do so, and before the
Mexican authorities when a formal indictment is handed down, since things have
proceeded to present without a formal indictment, no trial has been opened for
the crime under investigation here. Once again, I request a more lenient
situation, justice and complete exoneration for Antonio and Paulina Castanon,
since they have been detained in the investigation of a nonexistent crime.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION 33: [Line missing] manage or administer them?
ANSWER: In my answer to your previous question, I thought that you were asking
me whether there were other accounts in addition to those already mentioned in
this interrogation. There aren't any others. The accounts in the US and London
already mentioned are part of the same group of accounts that exist here; that
is, they are basically part of the group of accounts structured, organized and
managed by Citibank. That's the way Citibank New York and Citibank Zurich
structured and organized them. They have facilities for opening accounts
anywhere and don't need my direct participation to do so.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION 34: What benefits did you receive for managing this
group of accounts?
ANSWER: The benefits that I received have to be divided into two parts, since
the goal was -- and remains --to generate business with this money, and I was
to share in the profits when deals were closed, depending on the structure and
financing of each deal. Moreover, taxes would have to be paid on those deals
when they went through -- here in Mexico, obviously. On the other hand, even
though I might have a tax problem, but just to show the Swiss authorities my
good intentions in this interrogation, significant profits were realized in the
course of time, and I was able to -- and actually did -- make use of this
money, which I received for the management and consulting that I provided for
each of these investors. There actually were significant profits, and I made
use of them, and I repeat that I'm informing the Swiss government of this to
demonstrate the truthfulness of my entire statement, even though it could
result in a tax problem for me.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION 35: Was the group of investors which you have referred
to in this statement legally constituted in any manner?
ANSWER: No. But I want to make the following frank observations. The article
which was read to me, Article 127bis of the Federal Code of Criminal Procedure,
states that I have the right to receive all information concerning this
judicial investigation, and I request that a copy of my entire casefile be
turned over to my lawyers, together with copies of all documents in the
possession of the Swiss authorities, since these proceedings are being
conducted under Mexican law and the law gives me this right. So I'm requesting
copies of all information received by the Swiss authorities concerning this
case. Of course, I'm also requesting the information that led to intervention
by the US authorities. That is, since it is guaranteed to me by law, I wish to
know what accusations or information were brought before the American
authorities tasked with investigating drug trafficking. Article 128 says that I
have the right to know the identity of the plaintiff, so I have the right to
know who falsely accused me or linked me the crime of financing drug
trafficking. I therefore request that the Mexican authorities represented here
inform me who was the complainant of this crime of drug trafficking and who
falsely linked me [to this crime]. According to the rights that were read to me
at the beginning of this hearing, I have the right to communicate with anyone I
choose for my appropriate defense. In accordance with this right, I request
that I be able to communicate immediately with my wife, Paulina Castanon de
Salinas. In conclusion, I want to add that -- as I have pointed out -- I made
mistakes, but I never engaged in criminal activity. I made procedural mistakes,
and I accept responsibility for them, but any contact with drug trafficking is
absolutely false. The fact that the accounts still exist and that no attempt
was made to erase them shows that I had no intention of concealing the
movements [of money] from the Swiss authorities, because the origin of the
money is lawful and we always trusted Swiss banking secrecy. I also want to add
that, I thanked God when I learned that Antonio and my wife Paulina were
detained in Switzerland, because I have absolute confidence in Swiss justice. I
have only two more observations to make. First, I request that the Swiss
authorities exercise great objectivity and care in examining any evidence that
the Mexican authorities might submit with regard to drug trafficking, because I
have proof that the Mexican authorities invent and fabricate evidence. So I
request that you, Madam Prosecuting Attorney, verify the origin of any such
item of evidence. I also want you to understand that President Carlos Salinas
crossed a number of enormous private interests when he modernized this country,
and what is happening today -- the persecution and attack against me and my
family-- is part of the price paid for modernizing and transforming Mexico. I
knew that this visit by the Swiss authorities was a sign from the hand of God,
I'm truly thankful that these events took place in Switzerland, because I
reiterate my confidence in Swiss law and Swiss officialdom. Once again, I
submit that the explanation [illegible] is at the disposal of the Swiss
authorities, and I request that you allow my family and my defense enter into
direct contact and communication with you. Thank you for listening to me.
[End of text]
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