ANOTHER STEP FORWARD: FURTHER REDUCTION OF EMP

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001177

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

HARARE FOR BRUCE WHARTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL EAID GT
SUBJECT: ANOTHER STEP FORWARD: FURTHER REDUCTION OF EMP
STAFF

REF: 02 GUATEMALA 3309


1. (U) Summary: At a May 2 public event, President Portillo
officially demobilized 107 Presidential Guard (EMP) members
in the second phase of the peace accord-mandated process to
replace the EMP with a civilian agency. The Ambassador
attended the ceremony at the National Cultural Palace, and
later discussed with the press the GOG's progress on peace
accord implementation, advocating prompt EMP dissolution and
other advances in the Peace Accord agenda. End Summary.


2. (U) President Portillo announced on May 2 that the 107
members of the EMP staff being retired would be absorbed by
other civilian agencies within the GOG. Added to the first
staff reduction, which occurred on December 29, 2002
(reftel),the EMP has now been reduced by 55 percent (204
members) of its pre-Peace Accord size. According to Portillo
and Peace Secretary Catalina Soberanis, the GOG will
demobilize the remainder of the EMP staff by October 31, 2003.


3. (U) The Ambassador attended the public ceremony along with
other chiefs of diplomatic missions. After the event he told
the press that the demobilization of the EMP was a positive
sign of the GOG's commitment to fulfilling pending items on
the peace agenda. He also expressed USG concern over the
lack of action so far towards completion of such peace accord
mandates as increasing the tax burden, creating a transparent
military budget, or increasing the budget of the Judiciary.


4. (SBU) Ricardo Marroquin, director of the Secretariat for
Administrative Matters and Security (SAAS),the new civilian
agency tasked with taking over the bulk of the EMP's
functions, told PolMilOff that the former EMP members joining
his ranks were being very carefully screened before
admittance. Marroquin also noted that he was pleased with
the transition thus far and that both he and the EMP staff
were on schedule to meet the October 31, 2003, demobilization
deadline.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: The continuing demobilization of the EMP is
encouraging, and has created expectations that the Portillo
Administration will meet its goal of completely demobilizing
the EMP and replacing it with a civilian agency by October.
While in recent years the EMP has not been accused of the
human rights abuses it was involved in during the internal
conflict, the total lack of transparency into its actions and
budget have led to concerns that it could be used, as it was
in the past, for corruption and even election-year dirty
tricks. Its definitive departure later this year will be an
important step forward in the peace process.
HAMILTON