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Escalating Drug War Getting Closer to U.S.; AIG to Award Millions to Employees; Obama Meets Brazil's President; Bin Laden Condemns Israel

Aired March 14, 2009 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: The president talking tough today on the economy. What did he say?

The bodies are piling up on the U.S.-Mexico border, an escalating drug war that's closer to your town than you know.

And child molestation in a place parents assume would be safe. You need to watch and learn from this story.

Good evening, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. We start with a story just in to CNN. Tonight, we've learned that AIG is going to pay out tens of millions of dollars in bonuses to employees. Insurance giant almost collapsed last year, and received more than $170 billion of your tax money.

Edmund Andrews is in Washington tonight. He is reporting this story tomorrow for "The New York Times."

Edmund, why is the company, which just suffered the biggest corporate loss in history, doing such a thing?

EDMUND ANDREWS, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Well, it is one of the most infuriating aspects of the whole bailout that's occurred over the last 18 months with banks and insurance companies. But basically, what has happened is that the -- that AIG wrote contracts with executives that essentially guaranteed them bonuses as long as they stayed on board.

Most of these bonuses were not merit-based, they were retention bonuses aimed at keeping key executives in place at a time when they thought that the so-called financial products division of AIG was going to play a crucial role. This was the exact division, by the way, that caused all the problems for the company that wrote trillions of dollars worth of credit default swaps, guaranteed mortgage-backed securities and have gone sour.

LEMON: And Edmund, I have -- Edward, I have to tell you that -- Edmund, that the CEO of AIG wrote this in a letter to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. Here's what he said.

He said, "Needless to say in the current circumstances, I do not like these arrangements and find it disrespectful and difficult to recommend to you that we must proceed with them. With the benefit of hindsight, I would have designed these differently and at significantly lower levels. I am committed, however, to working within the existing arrangements and agreements to get the most out of them for AIG's constituencies. Now, honoring contractual commitments is at the heart of what we do in the insurance business. I cannot have our clients to lose faith and our desire and ability to do just that."

So they are saying that they were stuck here, they were stuck here, and they had to pay these out for fear possibly of getting sued. But the reality is, that might not have happened.

ANDREWS: Well, it's hard to say. They made a very strong case or at least they argue very forcefully that they -- they were really legally obliged to pay most of these bonuses as they had promised.

You know, it's hard for us as outsiders to know for sure but the one thing you should remember is that the chairman and chief executive of AIG right now, Edward Liddy, was brought in after the company collapsed. He is the cleanup guy, not the agent of the company that got -- got into so much trouble in the first place.

LEMON: Yes.

ANDREWS: So we can assume he doesn't like this any more than anybody else.

LEMON: Yes. But regardless of what happened, what he had contractually, it is still frustrating to the American people to see all of these bonuses being paid out when they have given so much of their hard-earned tax dollars.

We'll be reading "The New York Times" tomorrow, your story. Thank you so much for that. Edmund Andrews from "The New York Times." Thank you, sir.

ANDREWS: My pleasure.

LEMON: Then trying to get a White House response to this story. A senior official tonight confirmed that AIG did modify some future bonuses, but since most bonuses are written into contracts, there's, quote, "only so much you can do when contracts pre-exist you."

We're still working on that story. A lot of you, man, you are upset about this. We put this question out there.

And here's what Urbanperspectiv says, "AIG now calling themselves "21st century insurance," cynical if you ask me."

Someone else says, "If you receive bailout money, those contracts should be made visible to the public. Transparency at its best."

Another one writes in, "AIG handing out bonuses should be considered grounds for throwing out the board and the CEO. It is insanity."

And another viewer writes, "Wow! I don't know that to say. More bonuses. It's just infuriating." Tell us what's on your mind tonight -- Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com. Your responses are appreciated. We will get them on the air for you.

We want to go now to the White House. President Barack Obama and the president of Brazil talked about everything from trade policy to ethanol today. But it was the global economic slow down that dominated their discussion. Mr. Obama also insisted to reporters there is no riff between the U.S. and other countries over how to battle the recession, and he was pointed about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I don't know where this notion has emerged that somehow there are sides developing with respect to the G-20. They're not emerging from Tim Geithner. They're not coming from Larry Summers. And they're not coming from me. So unless you have some secret source in the administration. If you -- if you will follow the track of this story line, it is completely contrary to what our policies are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Members of the G-20, the president referred to, those 20 countries that boost the world's economy, largest economy or boasts the world's largest economy, wrapped up a meeting today just outside of London.

And U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner praised his counterparts for acting quickly as the crisis began to take hold, and echoed the president's comment about the unified approach to this crisis.

The G-20 is laying out the groundwork for next month's summit of the 20 richest and emerging economies. And make sure you tune in to this beginning Monday. You get five days of unprecedented, worldwide reporting on the money meltdown. Just who can lead us out of this crisis? What do all the numbers really mean, and where are those jobs? "ROAD TO RESCUE: THE CNN SURVIVAL GUIDE," all next week on CNN.

Earlier President Obama hosted Brazilian president Da Silva. And they discussed the economy, the environment, and in private the custody case of David Goldman. He is a New Jersey father who is trying desperately to bring his 8-year-old son back from Brazil. The boy was taken there in 2004 by his mother, who had divorced Goldman and married a lawyer from Rio. Well, she died years later while giving birth. Both children are being raised by the lawyer's family.

There have been rallies like this one you see in D.C. More than 100 people gathered outside the White House in support of Goldman, calling for his boy to be brought back home today.

And there are new developments today in Mexico's growing drug war. It is spilling over into the U.S. and getting worse by the day. CNN has learned nine bodies have been found already buried around the City of Juarez, a flashpoint for a deadly drug-related violence. A tip led Mexican police to the desert outside of the city where they found a common grave. No word on the identities of the victims. Seven men and two women. Juarez is just across the boarder from El Paso, Texas.

Tonight, we are digging deeper into this story, and you won't believe what we have found. And we will tell you why you should care about this, no matter where you are in America.

American teens working as Mexican drug cartel hitmen. It's happening in some Texas border towns. We'll talk to the mayors about what they are doing to protect their cities and their kids. The Mexican drug war is being called one of the biggest threats to the U.S. right now. So if you think it cannot affect you in your community, think again. Much more this hour as we talk to those mayors and try to get some solutions on this problem.

But first, Osama bin Laden is supposedly back on the Internet with a new message. The al Qaeda leader's condemnation towards Israel is posted on an Islamic Web site. Bin Laden calls Israel's military operations in Gaza a, quote, holocaust.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OSAMA BIN LADEN, AL QAEDA (through translator): The holocaust of Gaza in the midst of this long siege is an important and historic event. An articulate tragedy which affirms the need for detachment of the Muslims from the hypocrites. It is not right that our condition after what happen in Gaza be like our conditions prior to it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: The authenticity of the tape hasn't been verified. It also urges Muslims to help insurgents, quote, "Liberate Iraq."

One small city. So many cases of arson, yet another deliberately set fire in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. We'll tell you about that.

Plus, police are calling them the faces of evil and with good reason. Parents in a small town thought their parents were safe, but little did they know. We will tell you how to protect your kids.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Almost no chance of survival. That's what investigators are saying tonight after finding what they believe is a wreckage of a helicopter that crashed off Canada.

The chopper went down, Thursday, in the freeing Atlantic about 30 miles from the shore after reporting mechanical problems. It was carrying 18 workers to oil platforms off Newfoundland. There was only one survivor. One body has also been found.

For the 20th time this year, arsonists have struck in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. An early-morning blaze badly damaged two homes in the Philadelphia suburb, and authorities say it was deliberately set. In addition to the fires inside Coatesville, an arson task force is also looking into several blazes outside the city. Right now, a suspect awaits trial in connection with fires over a one- month span starting in early January. They include a massive fire that engulfed 15 row homes. The latest blaze has residents even more on edge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAX MILLER, LANDLORD: There's got to be something done in the city of Coatesville. This is very tragic and shouldn't be happening to a city like this. I mean, we need to bond together. And make -- make this go away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Coatesville was also hit by a string of arsons last year. One of them killed an elderly woman.

A lot of you are weighing in on the stories that we have been reporting. Marcus says, "Bonuses because of contracts? What about other contracts being cut and laid off? Cut and laid off. Bonuses can be cut to employ more."

LittleBucco (ph) says, "This is how they pay us back for bailing them out? Never again."

And PianoSteve says, "AIG apparently stands for America is gullible."

AlanBleiwess says, "I think it's deplorable that AIG spits in the face of taxpayers."

We appreciate those comments. We like your candor. Send them to us. We'll get them on the air -- Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com. Thank you very much.

A warning now about a story that is straight ahead on this broadcast. Take a look at these mug shots. Police are calling them the faces of evil. What they are accused of doing to children will turn your stomach. We'll tell you how you can protect your child and yourself from this situation.

Plus, a pro-football star involved in a fatal accident. What will his blood test tell us?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: OK. I have to warn you about this very early on, because it's a deplorable story. It's horrific. Crimes against children, of course, are unfathomable. And what a couple in Indiana are accused of doing will really make you sick and angry.

Jack Rinehart, with our affiliate in Indiana, WRTV has the story. But I warn you, I warn you, the details are disturbing. We're going to try to get you some help on the other side by speaking with an FBI -- former FBI agent who can help you. But stay with us after this story, again, and we'll tell you how to protect your kids. Take a look. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JACK RINEHART, WRTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Someone described them as the faces of evil, Samantha Light and Stephen Quick, the alleged perpetrators of one of the most unspeakable crimes ever.

Can you describe the nature of what was going on in this (INAUDIBLE)?

DEP. BOB KEMP, FOUNTAIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: No, it was just horrible. Just horrible.

RINEHART: According to sheriff's investigators, Light and Quick ran a baby sitting service out of their Veedersburg home. Over a period of time, investigators say, they engaged in sex acts with at least four children, ages 2 months through 6 years, and videotaped everything.

UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: And I asked her if they were just helping her in the bathroom? And she said, no, mommy, they took pictures.

RINEHART: Former family members of Samantha Light called her intelligent and controlling. They called her alleged crime beyond shocking.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It makes me want to cry reading that stuff. Because those children, those -- those poor children, and that little baby that has -- had no idea what was happening to it.

RINEHART: Investigators seized computers, videotape and camera from the home, evidence that will speak for victims too young to speak for themselves.

UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: The damage that they have done to these young children are going to affect them for the rest of their lives. And there's no taking back what has happened already. All they can do is make sure that it never happens again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. The first thing that many people ask about this really horrible situation when this comes to light, how could the parents have known? What are the signs? What do you do in this situation? And the reason we're bringing this to you is because it probably happens more often that you think. And by women, by women who are usually the least suspected.

That's why we brought in former FBI profiler Mark Safarik.

Mark, how can the parents know? Before we get to the advice, when you bring your child to a day care, and it's a woman or a couple, you -- most people automatically think their children are safe just because of those reasons, and you say not so.

MARK SAFARIK, FBI PROFILER: Well, I think statistically, you know, we are aware that the vast majority of sex offenders are male. So I think parents inherently believe that when you have a female caregiver involved, that you're not going to have sexual issues, and especially if you're dealing with a married couple.

And in this case, the first instinct of the mother was that, you know, were they trying to help you use the bathroom? And then the child -- not for this 2-year-old child, they probably wouldn't know about this case now and maybe for a long time in the future because, again, it was a couple. And people think that -- I think there's one study that says maybe seven percent to nine percent and another says 14 percent are women and then up to 40 percent are women who help men do it as well.

SAFARIK: Right. I think in this case, you know, one thing we have to be aware of is, you know, what's her role in this? She's younger than he is. Is she an accomplice? Is she a participant in these events? But I think there's several things that parents ought to be aware of.

One, you've got to do your homework when you're leaving your children with caregivers. Now, I'm not talking about, you know, the institutional, well-known care giving services. But when you're leaving your children with other people, single females or couples, you got to do your due diligence on the background of these people.

You also -- I mean, you know your children. You know what their baseline behavior is. If you see a change in your child's personality, or their baseline behavior, do they become more quiet? Do they become withdrawn? You need to be asking questions, like these parents did. You know, what's going on? What's different? And here you had a more perceptive 3-year-old who started telling her mother the things that were going on.

LEMON: Go ahead, Mark.

SAFARIK: Just because you have a female involved, just because you're leaving your child with a couple, doesn't ensure that your child is going to be safe, because there's a female involved in this pair. I think we drop our guards when we think about females, because we don't perceive females as being sex offenders. And even though they're not a large percentage of them, there are about -- a study last year said about five to seven percent sex offenders are females.

LEMON: Yes. Thank you very much. Mark Safarik, who is a former FBI profiler. We really appreciate it. And again, we are very aware, that the majority, as Mark said, are men. But people are caught off guard because they believe that they are safe just because there's a woman in that situation. So be careful. Do your homework.

Thank you, Mark.

SAFARIK: You're welcome, Don.

LEMON: American teens working as Mexican drug cartel hitmen. That's right. And they're targeting victims right here in the U.S. We're taking a closer look at the bloody cost of the Mexican drug wars, and how it's spilling over the border. Also, has anybody seen Lindsay Lohan lately? If you do, you might want to give a shot out to the Beverly Hills police department. You may want to check the clubs, too.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Got a question for you, and the Beverly Hills police department is asking the same thing, where is Lindsay Lohan? That is a $50,000 question. The Beverly Hills police department has issued a warrant for her arrest. The amount of the bond, $50,000. Police won't say why they want Lohan, but speculation is that it may be related to a probation violation from her 2007 convictions from drunken driving.

How old is Lindsay Lohan, do we know? 20, 21, 22? Drunken driving convictions.

OK. Miami police have drug and alcohol tested Cleveland Brown wide receiver Dante Stalwart after his involvement in an accident that killed a pedestrian. A police spokesman said Stalwart's Bentley hit a 49-year-old man who was crossing a busy roadway this morning. The victim was pronounced dead in a trauma center. It is not clear if he was jay walking. And as of now, no charges have been filed against Stalwart. No word on the results of the drug and alcohol tests.

You guys have been sending us your responses. Here's what Marcus said, "Time for Lindsay Lohan to go to jail like Paris Hilton."

Wlperry said, "Words cannot describe how sickened I am at these evil people. Not even life in prison is enough for what they have done." They are talking about the accused child pornographers.

Buzzardskorner said, "The idea of safe is why we feel so shocked when truth slaps us in the face. The idea of safe is just that an idea."

SockHop said, "The Mexican drug wars frighten me."

BPitter2007 said, "It seems like they are asking for a war in Mexico. Wake up, Bush, and let them know."

Wake up bush? OK.

Loveofmusic305, "Why not take a stand first, then see if they sue second and settle third? I'm quite sure they would rather a job, than a bonus." Talking about the AIG story there.

Tell us what's on your mind -- Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com. We will get them on the air. Appreciate the candor.

It is sometimes something that may be hard to imagine right here in the United States. Calling thousands of federal troops to deal with organized crime, but it is happening in Mexico, where a vicious drug war is turning the border into a battle zone. And Mexico's problem is turning into our problem very quickly, that's why we're digging deeper. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We are focusing in now on Mexico. And you want to pay attention, because regardless of where you are in the country, it could affect you. At least 24 journalists have lost their lives covering the drug violence in Mexico since 2000. Let us show you why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MEXICAN REPORTER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That was Mexican TV reporter Miguel Teresa (ph). He was covering a violent shootout last month just across a river from Ocala, Texas. He was not hurt as Mexicans forces battled heavily armed members of the gulf cartel. While the committee to protect journalists said at least seven journalists have disappeared in Mexico since 2005. They are trying to clamp down on people reporting and getting the words out. That's only one part of it.

The Mexican government has deployed thousands of troops to deal with the rampant drug violence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON (voice-over): Drugs, guns, money. It is a volatile cocktail that has killed about 7,000 people during the past two years in a ruthless war waging just south of the U.S. border.

At the heart of the bloodshed are three major drug cartels battling for control of tons of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other drugs funneling north into the U.S.

The Tijuana cartel in green controls the Baja Peninsula, the East Coast in yellow is the gulf cartel, and in between, the vast orange territory controlled by the Sinaloa cartel. Areas in red are where they are battling each other for control.

CHIEF DAVID AGUILAR, U.S. BORDER PATROL: That results in some of the in-fighting, some of the border violence that we're seeing. They are fighting for territory that they no longer operate with immunity.

LEMON: Mexican President Felipe Calderon blamed the U.S. for the violence in his country. He says America's appetite for illegal drugs is one half the problem. The other half...

PRES. FELIPE CALDERON, MEXICO: We need to stop the flow of guns and weapons towards Mexico. Let me express to you that we've seized in this three years more than 25,000 weapons and guns, and more than 90 percent of them came from the United States.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: While McAllen and El Paso are two cities -- two Texas cities on the Mexican border, both deeply troubled by the escalating violence on their doorsteps. We invited both mayors. Well, tonight Mayor Richard Cortez of McAllen joins us to explain how his community is dealing with the crisis. And we hope to get the mayor of El Paso on, soon. Having a little bit of problem getting to the studio.

But I want to ask you this, first of all, thank you for joining us tonight.

VOICE OF MAYOR RICHARD CORTEZ, MCALLEN, TEXAS: My pleasure, Don.

LEMON: When you look at that, and you see -- you know, we come face to face with it, as close as we have come when we see the journalist happening live while he's doing a reporting, and you see the video. Obviously, the cartels there trying to keep the information from getting out to everyone. But this is just a small example of the violence happening there and it is escalating.

Can you tell us real quickly, because someone who may be in the middle of the country in Iowa or Indiana or Idaho or where have you might think, hey, what does this have to do with me? I'm not a border town.

CORTEZ: Well, Don, let me tell you this. The situation in Mexico is obviously very, very serious. I have been listening to you for the last few minutes, and I think your report is accurate. I do want to tell the American people that the situation in Mexico is not the same as we have in our city.

So far there has been no spillover of violence over into the city of McAllen. In fact, our streets are very safe. Are we concerned with what's going on in Mexico being so lose to us? You know, absolutely. Do we need to be prepared in the event of a spillover? Absolutely. We need to be that. At this point in time, we're very grateful that the spillover has just not happened to our city. Of course, I can only report to my city.

LEMON: To your city. But it has happened in El Paso a lot. And El Paso is the second when it comes to cities that have problems when it comes to drugs. First really is Tucson, which is amazing, and then second is El Paso.

But I have to say, you have a pretty bad phone connection here. So I'm going to let you go. And try to -- you could try to dial back in, we will take you, but it's hard to hear. So I'm going to let you go. And just tell our viewers really about some of the situations that's happening here in the United States.

Some of our reporting that we have been doing. In Birmingham last August, five people were tortured and murdered inside an apartment building because of drug money believed to be connected to the drug cartel. Again, McAllen, Texas, just a few weeks ago, the mayor's there talking about violence not spilling over. A grenade tossed into a club near McAllen just a few weeks ago, but it did not go off. There also happening in the Atlanta area, a home where -- startling neighbors when a man was found bound and tortured in a basement in suburban Atlanta. All of it, police and investigators think had to do with the Mexican drug cartel. And then also, we'll tell you about the youngest of victims that are dealing with this. And that's what this story is about. The violence in Mexico has created a kind of criminal that is almost unimaginable. Teenagers anywhere. They are teenage hitmen. How can the U.S. keep more kids from turning into cold-blooded killers because of the drug cartel in Mexico? We're going to explain that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: More now on Mexico. We are digging deeper into Mexico's drug war, which is increasingly spilling across the border. The U.S. isn't quite ready to send troops down there yet, but the military is an option on the table if the carnage doesn't die down.

For now, the Department of Homeland Security is sending more agents to the border to search more cars and gather more intelligence. Homeland Security says the violence from Mexican drug cartels is the biggest organized crime threat to the United States. But the plan to militarize the border would take effect only if government agencies become overwhelmed.

Here's a stark example for you of just how Mexico's problem is now America's problem. Authorities in Texas say the drug cartels have hired hitmen in the states to do their dirty work. And here's the kicker -- the hitmen are barely men, they are teenagers, armed and waiting for the phone to ring. Here's CNN's Ed Lavandera.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Moises Garcia had just finished a family lunch in Laredo, Texas. Garcia helped his pregnant wife and 3-year-old boy into their white Lexus.

LORI GARCIA, MOTHER OF MURDER VICTIM: This guy just came out of his car and just started shooting.

LAVANDERA: Garcia was a wanted man. He had a $10,000 bounty on his head. Garcia's wife was shot in the chest. She and her son survived. But Moises was dead.

L. GARCIA: It happened so fast. He didn't have a chance of anything.

LAVANDERA: Garcia's murder at first looked like an isolated gangland-style killing. But there were more. Seven murders in a year-long stretch. And there was something more sinister brewing.

Then Noie Flores (ph) was killed, an innocent victim in a case of mistaken identity. Investigators found fingerprints on this cigarette box in the shooter's get away car. The chilling truth unraveled. The clue led police to Gabriel Cardona and Rosalio Reta, American teenagers working as Mexican drug cartel hitmen in the United States.

ROBERT GARCIA, LAREDO POLICE DEPARTMENT: They were very good at what they did. They were professional at what they did.

LAVANDERA: Assassins is what they were.

How Gabriel Cardona and Rosalio Reta evolved from average teenagers into hitmen is laid out in court records and these police interrogation videos obtained by CNN.

In this tape, Reta happily details how he carried out his first cartel assassination at the age of 13.

"I loved doing it, killing that first person, I loved it. I thought I was superman," said Reta. Detective Robert Garcia is the man sitting across the table from Reta.

R. GARCIA: That's one thing that you wonder all the time, what made them be this way?

LAVANDERA (on camera): Like many Americans, these teenagers started hitting the cantinas and bars just across the border in Mexico. And that's where investigators say the cartel was waiting to recruit them.

(voice-over): These kids were easy targets for the cartel. The two started living the high life. They got tattoos honoring Santa Muerte, the grim reaper-like saint honored by drug traffickers. Cardona had eyeballs tattooed on his eyelids. And markings covered Reta's face.

(on camera): Cardona and Reta should have been in school here. But instead investigators say they dropped out and joined the cartel's payroll. They drove around town in a $70,000 Mercedes, they were paid $500 a week as a retainer to sit and wait for the call to kill. Then they could make up to $50,000 for a hit.

(voice-over): Prosecutors say Cardona and Reta were hitmen for the Zetas, a group of former Mexican special military forces that do the dirty work for the notorious Gulf Cartel.

URIEL DRUKER, ASSISTANT WEBB COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: They actually enjoy it and laugh about it. They compete, you know, discussing their exploits about conducting these activities.

R. GARCIA: They just told us that they're already here. They're sleeper cells. They're already here in the U.S. Not just in Laredo, I mean, they're all throughout the U.S.

LAVANDERA: In Cardona's interrogation, he tells detectives, the Zetas are moving their operations deeper into the U.S. Cardona says he knows of hits carried out in Houston and Dallas.

Cardona and Reta are in prison now serving long terms for murder. But before they were arrested, federal authorities recorded a phone call between the two young men. Cardona brags about killing 14-year old Inez Villareal, the innocent cousin of a Cardona enemy who's also murdered.

Cardona laughs about torturing both, making "guiso" or stew out of their bodies in large metal drums. Villareal and his cousin have never been found. Before the call ends, Cardona says, "There are three left to kill. There are three left."

It's a reminder the cartel's work never ends as they recruit the next generation of killers.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Laredo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Of course, U.S. border towns are the closest to this issue. That's why we want to bring back our Texas mayor Richard Cortez of McAllen.

Thank you for joining us tonight. I assume we have a clearer line than last time, correct?

CORTEZ: I hope so, Don.

LEMON: Yes. I want to get your response on this. Because when I talked about the grenade that was thrown into a bar -- I think it was a grenade, near McAllen -- a club near McAllen, Texas, just a few weeks ago, but it didn't go off. You said you didn't hear -- you haven't heard anything about that?

CORTEZ: No. The police chief and I talk every day and there's been no reported incident like that in McAllen that I can recall.

LEMON: And because it says near McAllen, it could be another town.

CORTEZ: It could be another town, yes, sir.

LEMON: What are you doing? Because you said last time, I don't know if our viewers heard, that you are scared and you are taking precautions obviously. Have you brought in more forces from the police department? What are you doing to stop this from happening in your city?

CORTEZ: Well, I want to be very clear that the situation is very dangerous because violence is occurring in the south. It hasn't touched us yet, but we are working with our police department to be ready in case a spillover does happen. We are working with our governor from Texas, Rick Perry, and his forces to make sure that we're able to respond to anything that happens. Hopefully, we'll continue to do well. Because at this point in time, McAllen has been lucky that our streets are still safe.

LEMON: Yes. And I think it's pretty close to a crisis, would you agree?

CORTEZ: The crisis is in Mexico. It has not spilled over, Don, to mine -- to our city. And...

LEMON: Yes, I know you say that. I know you say that it hasn't. Since you're the mayor of the city, you have to put the best...

(CROSSTALK) CORTEZ: No.

LEMON: ...hang on, hang one -- you have to put the best face forward. But all cities along -- even all cities along the Mexican border, people are concerned and people are affected and just about every city. So I understand as mayor you have to do that. But looking at...

(CROSSTALK)

CORTEZ: Don, please.

LEMON: If you look at the teenagers that we just reported about, some of those people are coming from border towns. Some of them could be coming from your city. I know that your city has been affected. And as I said, you have to put a good face on it.

CORTEZ: Don, believe me, this thing is serious. And public safety for my citizens are far more important than me putting a good face. I'm not putting my head in the sand. I'm just reporting to you as accurately as I can what has happened. Are we concerned? Absolutely. Is there violence? Absolutely. Has it touched our city as far as we know today? The answer is no.

LEMON: All right. Thank you very much.

CORTEZ: Sure.

LEMON: I won't be so -- I'm not being rude to you, but I just want to make sure that we get the right information out.

CORTEZ: I understand.

LEMON: And I really appreciate you joining us late here on a Saturday night. Best of luck to you guys.

CORTEZ: Thank you.

LEMON: All right. Here's what some of you are saying. Here's what Peter Morel is saying, "The only real thing that can be done to completely eliminate the cartels is to legalize drugs." We have heard that a number of times.

Chuckcomplete21 said, "There has to be some way to choke off the flow of drugs coming into the U.S. and weapons going out of the U.S."

Sparkyholden said, "We should keep Gitmo open for any of the Mexican drug lords that cross the border."

AndIthink (ph) said, "We need to stop buying drugs. If we stop the demand, the dealers will fall. Americans need to love themselves, not medicate."

Thank you all for your responses -- Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com. That's how you can get us. That's how you can become part of our broadcaster on CNN. He worked for decades as a firefighter in the United States. Then he found out his comrades outside of America were in desperate need of training. What he did next makes him tonight's CNN hero.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. Well, NASA will take another stab tomorrow at launching "Discovery." Is this really live pictures, Eddie, we're looking at?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. That's Kennedy Space Center.

LEMON: Beautiful shot. OK.

A shuttle manager scrubbed Wednesday's -- it's a beautiful shot. It's live at the Kennedy Space Center, I'm being told by my producer, scheduled launch after finding hydrogen gas leak. They still don't know what caused it, but they made repairs and they say they are ready to try again, tomorrow, 7:43 p.m. Eastern. And we will bring that to you live.

"Discovery's" supposed to deliver equipment to the International Space Station. If they can't launch by Tuesday, "Discovery" will have to wait its turn behind a Russian mission scheduled to begin March 26th. Hang on.

Those are beautiful pictures here that we are looking at. It's great to see that at night. Live pictures. Good luck.

All right. St. Paddy's Day, just around the corner. And for some people, that means time to shave the old noggin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALES: Three, two, one!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right, the charity event is called St. Baldrick's Day. This man had 14 inches of hair cut off. All of it is donated to Locks of Love. It's a very good cause. It turns the donated hair into wigs for cancer patients.

Hey, Eddie, did you participate in that? Let's see if Eddie is here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Last year.

LEMON: You did.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And it hasn't grown back yet.

LEMON: All right. We're going to take you to Chicago. There's probably lots of green beer there today, where St. Patrick's Day is a huge holiday. The Chicago River was dyed green for the celebration. The city held its annual parade there today. St. Paddy's Day, always fun in Chicago. I have done it many times.

What is 80 percent -- what's 80 percent of a firefighter's job? Guess what, it's not fighting fires. It's responding to millions of medical emergencies each year.

This week's CNN hero has years of experience here in the United States, then he moved to Guatemala to train firefighters in emergency care. A sacrifice that helps make the difference between life and death.

UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: This in CNN Heroes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL EMBLETON, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: In Guatemala, the firefighters are usually the first ones on the site of the emergency. They didn't have ambulances. They only had pickup trucks.

It was difficult for me to watch these patients being transported with no medical care. I witnessed several people die. It inspired me to do something.

I'm Paul Embleton, founder of the BRAVE Foundation. We provide equipment and training to the volunteer firefighters in Guatemala to help make their jobs easier.

I first came to Guatemala in 1996. I was working as a paramedic in the United States, and I rode with a firefighter. They asked me if I could provide training and assist in developing this free hospital care program. And I said, of course.

We took the U.S. EMT curriculum and we had it translated into Spanish. Now we have 14 training programs throughout the country of Guatemala.

DAVID ALVAREZ, FIRE CHIEF: Paul wants to make everything happen. These make a big difference for our people in Guatemala.

EMBLETON: I'm really proud of what the firemen have accomplished here. These firefighters are the true heroes.

UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: Tell us about your hero at CNN.com/heroes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And you can learn more about Paul Embleton's work on heroes -- on our hero's Web site right here at CNN. Remember, all of our CNN heroes are chosen from your nominations. So if you know someone who is deserving. Make sure you tell us about them, cnn.com/heroes.

OK, your time to be on TV. Up first, Rob_money said, "I am bothered that you keep saying Mexico's problem is becoming the U.S.' problem. This has always been a two-way street."

Hey, thank you, sir. I appreciate that. As I said, constructive criticism, we like it here.

Knowend said, "Teen hitmen. It is heart-wrenching to hear of this new evil. I have a sister and nephew in Tucson, and I'm gravely concern."

Jammasternate said, "AIG is the most ridiculous bailout ever."

Meowchi said, "Drug prohibition creates gun violence so now let's ban the gun."

Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com. You, too, can be on our show.

Are you one of those people who never listens to the flight attendant? You'll probably listen to this one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SONG PLAYING: Fasten your seat belt. Then put your trays up. Press the button and make the seat back raised up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. So you guys know the routine. Just before your flight takes off, you hear the usual drill about safety. And you probably see one of these manuals. You guys even know what those manuals look, the escape route, how you get off the plane, and all of that.

A lot of people don't pay attention to it. But what if the flight attendant rapped it to you? Well, Walt Maciborski of our Dallas affiliate KDAF introduces us to the rapping flight attendant who is keeping his passengers informed, and yes, entertained.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALT MACIBORSKI, KDAF CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When David Holmes used to give the preflight instructions the passengers would tune out and glaze over. Not anymore.

DAVID HOLMES, RAPPING FLIGHT ATTENDANT: We're going to shake things up a little bit.

I take them by surprise. I usually don't tell them that I'm going do it.

MACIBORSKI: And to do it...

HOLMES: You guys with me.

UNIDENTIFIED PASSENGER: Yes. HOLMES: All right. So give me a stomp, clap, a stomp, clap.

MACIBORSKI: David needs a little audience participation to pull it off.

HOLMES: There you go, keep that going.

(HOLMES RAPPING) This is flight 374 on SWA. The flight attendants onboard serving you today. Teresa in the middle, David in the back. My name is David, and I'm here to tell you that.

The first time I did it, it's really just because it's just a fun thing to do.

(HOLMES RAPPING) If you have a seat on the row with the exit, we're going to (INAUDIBLE) so you might as well expect it. You got to help evacuate (INAUDIBLE) we need you. If you don't want to, then we're going to reseat you.

I don't know how they're going to react, but I was in a good mood. And I like to have fun at work. But then people started getting off the plane, telling me that's the first time I ever listened to the emergency instructions.

(HOLMES RAPPING) Before we leave, our advice is put away your electronic devices, fasten your seat belt, then put your trays up, press the button and make the seat back raised up.

MACIBORSKI (on camera): David was discovered by a passenger who recorded his rap on her cell phone and said she was going to put it on YouTube.

HOLMES: And then I said I dare you. And two days later she did it. And two days after that, it was already over 2000 hits at the time.

MACIBORSKI (voice-over): Now David is a YouTube sensation. And he's been doing the rap ever since to rave review.

HOLMES (RAPPING): Sit back, relax, have a good time.

ERIC WOODROOF, PASSENGER: I never experienced a rap in flight attendant. It's pretty awesome.

MACIBORSKI: (INAUDIBLE)

WOODROOF: And I don't like rap, and I really like that. That was pretty good.

HOLMES (RAPPING): Thank you for the fact that I wasn't ignored. This is Southwest Airlines, welcome aboard.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEOTAPE) LEMON: You guys see -- did you see the guys there like -- that was hilarious. OK, we're laughing at people trying to clap to the beat.

That was Walt Maciborski of Dallas affiliate KDAF. Holmes has three different versions of his rap and he says the hard part is making sure that they are fun, but also that they comply with FAA rules. OK, very funny.

You have been a big part of our conversation tonight. And we really love it. More of your intriguing tweets and feedback straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. You guys have been weighing in. My hand -- there you go.

All right, here is Mfhuntington. He said "I will now officially never fly Southwest again." Ah.

All right, well, Ibrubaker said, "Won't Obama do something. I thought he place a limit on those bonuses." She's talking about AIG.

Lolds442 said, "We need to annex Mexico, and make it the next 10 states of America. We just make the flag bigger." Hey, who else is on there?

MajorZero -- we can get Major Zero on the air. "My tax dollars are paying for their bailout. Then that means I'm part owner. And that being said, they're all fired."

Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com, you can talk to me after I'm off of the air, because I go on Twitter and go on to MySpace pretty late. A lot of people say, what are you doing up this late? I'm talking to you guys. I'm Don Lemon. I'll see you back here, tomorrow night 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Eastern. "LARRY KING LIVE" right now. Have a good night.