• Share   • Read Later The arrest of Gilberto Mora Mesa, the
Cali cartel's alleged communications chief, allegedly
establishes that the cocaine organization was spying on both the
Colombian government and United States drug agents. But while
Colombian authorities, namely embattled President Ernesto
Samper, are blaming the cartel for the tapping, American
officials believe blame lies elsewhere. "The American embassy is
absolutely livid about this. They think the Colombian government
is behind the taps," reports TIME's Elaine Shannon. "Pointing
the finger at the cartel is seen as a desperate attempt by
Samper to save his administration. He's terrified that the
cartel's bookkeeper in custody is going to tell just how
involved he has been with the cartel, so he is trying to deflect
attention onto the cartel." Last month, the cartel's accountant,
Guillermo Pallomari, surrendered to U.S. authorities. Samper has
been under investigation for allegedly accepting cartel money
for his presidential campaign.