THE BORDER REPORT

This State Department cable out of Wikileaks caught my eye. 51 FBI informants and 10 DEA "liaison officers" were murdered in Mexico between 2007-09.

When we talk about American law enforcement in Mexico, we generally view the Americans as not being part of the game; for the most part, this has held true since the wars began.

But I wonder about these 61 informants and liaisons. Were the 51 also Mexican informants and therefore murdered for that connection or were they killed because of their ties to the Americans? Same for the 10 liaisons. Were they killed because they were Mexican intelligence officers or because they were working with the Americans?

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THE BORDER REPORT

One rumor I'm hearing today is that U.S. Marines were present with the Mexican Navy last night during the gunbattle with Arturo Beltrán Leyva.

It may or may not be true. I have it tertiary from sources within the Sinaloa factions working here in the U.S. that I talk to from time to time. And of course, every time a significant arrest or killing is conducted in Mexico, there is a healthy suspicion that Americans were somehow involved. This of course, isn't helped by the fact that American federal agents have been spotted at some murder scenes, standing alongside their Mexican counterparts.

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THE BORDER REPORT Arturo Beltran Leyva, the charismatic rising cartel figure of Mexico's narco wars was killed a few minutes ago in a gunbattle with the Mexican Navy in Cuernavaca. Reports from sources within the Mexican Federal Attorney General's Office state that El Barbie, Edgar Valdez Villarreal, had been arrested at the scene. Those reports are now unconfirmed. Also the rumor that Beltran's brother, Mario, was one of those killed tonight. A third had allegedly committed suicide. Milenio is reporting seven dead total. The power move in northern Mexico sounds like it's already begun. Nogales erupted about 11:10 tonight with at least ten gunshots throughout the city. NOTE, another source is telling me it's a celebration not a gunfight. Chapo's people, I presume. "A stray bullet injured a little girl but it's all about the celebration," a friend said. "It's a posada, man." Sources at Justice say that Arturo was almost captured at a party a few nights ago when the Navy arrested Ramon Ayala. No idea if Arturo had been at the party but my guys at Justice insist he left shortly ahead of the Navy's arrival. Also of interest; the Navy. Where's the Army in all this? Why is the Marina moving on Arturo Beltran and not SEDENA? Locally, along the Arizona border, this has just created a power vacuum in Sonoyta, Nogales and Agua Prieta. Nationally, the Juarez Cartel and the Zetas in Tamaulipas and Coahuila just lost their most powerful ally and we all know what means: Shorty Guzmán's back in charge, no doubt celebrating in a hot tub somewhere. Just in time for his birthday, too.