HONDURAN MINDEF OUTLINES REGIONAL DISARMAMENT PLAN; EMERGES AS LEADING NATIONAL SECURITY FIGURE IN GOH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TEGUCIGALPA 002959



SIPDIS



STATE FOR P, WHA, WHA/CEN, PM, AND INR/B

NSC FOR MAISTO



E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2012

TAGS: PARM, PREL, MASS, MCAP, ETRD, PINR, HO, XK

SUBJECT: HONDURAN MINDEF OUTLINES REGIONAL DISARMAMENT

PLAN; EMERGES AS LEADING NATIONAL SECURITY FIGURE IN GOH



REF: TEGUCIGALPA 2534



Classified By: PolChief Francisco Palmieri;

Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D)



1. (C) Summary: Minister of Defense Federico Breve used his

introductory courtesy call with the Ambassador to outline an

ambitious Honduran regional disarmament policy initiative

that seeks to complement the current push for greater

regional economic integration. Breve's vision is in line

with U.S. policy goals and highlights how civilian leadership

of Latin American militaries can advance U.S. interests in

the region. We expect Breve to be named as President Ricardo

Maduro's National Security Advisor in the near future. He

will be dual-hatted and keep the Defense Ministry portfolio.

End Summary.



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Changing Region's Military Paradigm to Favor Integration

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2. (C) During the Ambassador's initial courtesy call on

October 23, Minister of Defense Federico &Fred8 Breve

described in broad terms a Government of Honduras (GOH)

initiative that seeks to reduce the size of regional

militaries and number of armaments in Central America. He

explained that President Ricardo Maduro has proposed a

regional disarmament initiative to his fellow Central

American Presidents. Maduro and Breve believe that reducing

the size of the region's military forces and amount of

military expenditures would boost regional economic

integration efforts. Breve told the Ambassador that the

possibility of armed military confrontation between Central

American countries was now in the past. He said that

President Maduro believes that regional disarmament could

foster increased cooperation and build mutual trust among the

region's countries; something that Maduro also mentioned

previously in an August 28 meeting with WHA A/S Otto Reich

(reftel).



3. (C) Breve told the Ambassador that President Maduro has

discussed this idea with Salvadoran President Francisco

Flores and Nicaraguan President Enrique Bolanos. All three

presidents are interested in the topic and agreed that it

should be tabled as an agenda item for further discussion at

upcoming summits of Central American presidents. Breve said

that Flores expressed stronger interest in the idea because

Flores sees its potential to change the fundamental paradigm

of relations among the Central American countries. Flores

and Maduro believe a regional disarmament agreement could

send a bold message to the international investment community

that there is a new spirit of political stability in Central

America. However, Breve cautioned that while Flores is

personally interested in the concept, he is moving slowly in

advancing the issue with his own military in El Salvador, in

part because El Salvador has some important pending arms

purchases. Bolanos, Breve noted, is even more limited in how

he can respond because of the still strong influence of the

Sandinistas on Nicaraguan military attitudes.



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Seeking Balance in U.S. Military Assistance to Region

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4. (C) Breve acknowledged that the GOH initiative is at a

very preliminary stage but asked the Ambassador for U.S.

support. He has said previously that ministerial-level talks

with El Salvador were encouraging but revealed that El

Salvador was not ready to enter into detailed talks yet.

Breve suggested that U.S. views would be welcome and

important to the GOH.



5. (C) Breve also pointed out that the U.S. could send out

important signals to the region on this issue. Breve noted

that the U.S. is seeking to improve military to military

relations with the Nicaraguan armed forces and added that

with the right cues from the U.S. the Nicaraguan military

might become an ally in this disarmament effort. In

addition, he asked that the U.S. pay special attention to the

overall size of the Nicaraguan military. He said the GOH

believes it is once again trying to increase its numbers. He

mentioned that U.S. support for Salvadoran military hardware

purchases be equally and carefully calibrated. He has noted

to other EmbOffs that it appears that there is a reduction in

the size of Guatemalan military underway as well. (COMMENT:

Breve, while not saying so directly, feels that there is not

a balance in U.S. FMF assistance to the region. As the only

civilian head of a Central American military, he has pointed

out to EmbOffs that it would help his standing with his own

military if he could show some positive results from the U.S.

for Honduran military assistance requests. We also note that

Breve has never linked the Honduran decision to sign an

International Criminal Court Article 98 agreement with the

U.S. to any of his requests for U.S. military assistance. END

COMMENT.)



6. (C) The Ambassador replied that the U.S. strongly

supported regional economic integration efforts that would

promote a free trade agreement with the Central American

countries. The Ambassador said he would inform Washington of

the GOH interest in regional disarmament and raise the issue

at an upcoming Chiefs of Mission conference.



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Defense Minister's National Security Role to Expand

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7. (C) Defense Minister Breve will likely replace Ramon

Medina Luna as National Security Advisor in the near future.

Multiple sources have told post that President Maduro is

giving Breve this expanded portfolio because Breve has

successfully managed the Honduran Armed Forces' (HOAF's)

support for the &zero-tolerance8 crime campaign. The

military's support has been steadfast and continual, when

many doubted the HOAF,s ability to sustain its

participation. Breve also told the Ambassador that he is

fully committed to expanding the military's role in the drug

interdiction war. He explained that while the police have

the legal mandate to fight drug trafficking they do not have

the wherewithal to do the job.



8. (C) Breve said he is very happy with his role in the

Maduro government. He said that his lack of previous

military experience was proving to be an advantage in running

the Defense Ministry. He explained that his private sector

background allowed him to bring a business-like approach to

his management of the Ministry. He had already been able to

improve the Ministry's contracting procedures and to

negotiate better deals with some long-term military

suppliers. He also remarked that he had an excellent

relationship with the Chief of the Joint Staff General Isaias

Barahona. Breve said that General Barahona was proving to be

an excellent choice because he commands the full respect of

his troops and has a well-developed understanding of the role

of the military in peacetime.



9. (C) COMMENT: President Maduro was preparing to raise this

disarmament initiative during the now-postponed visit of

Secretary Powell earlier in the month. Both the President



SIPDIS

and Defense Minister firmly believe that a regional

disarmament effort could positively catalyze regional

economic integration efforts by reducing the threat of

military action over ongoing border disputes and

demonstrating to the international community the political

maturity of the current regional political leadership. Breve

also freely concedes that since Honduras has the smallest

armed forces in the region it has much to gain from this

initiative. He admits that the GOH's budget situation will

limit the growth of the Honduran armed forces in the near

future and that he does not anticipate any significant GOH

investment in military arms or hardware in the short-term.

When Breve assumes the National Security portfolio, post

expects him to be a more reliable and responsive interlocutor

than Medina Luna. END COMMENT.



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Bio Note: Federico (Fred) BREVE Travieso

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10. (C) Federico (Fred) BREVE Travieso was born August 18,

1945 in Tegucigalpa and is married. After attending the

American School in Tegucigalpa, he earned a B.S. from McGill

University in Montreal, Canada, and an MBA from the INCAE in

Managua, Nicaragua. He is a businessman and construction

contractor and has built a small business empire in Honduras.

From 1990 to 1993, Breve Travieso was the General Manager of

the Honduran electric company, National Electric Energy

Company (ENEE). In a 1992 survey conducted by the

Tegucigalpa newspaper La Tribuna, Breve received the dubious

honor of being the 'worst official of the year' with almost

twice the votes of the official who came in second place. In

1991, he was embroiled in a scandal in which he allegedly

orchestrated the payment of USD 2.8 million of debt owed to

ENEE by Panama through Corporacion Financiera S.A. (COFISA).

Coincidentally, relatives of high-level Honduran government

officials owned COFISA. (Comment: At this point, we do not

know if there was or is any connection between President

Maduro and COFISA. However, during the COFISA scandal,

Maduro was president of the Central Bank of Honduras. End

comment.) Breve sits on the boards of numerous local

corporations and is the president and general manager of a

construction company that held the local contract for

expansion of the U.S. Embassy. He speaks excellent English.

PALMER