Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03GUATEMALA2594
2003-10-07 22:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Guatemala
Cable title:  

HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS APPLAUD NEW SAAS LAW

Tags:  PHUM PGOV EFIN PINR MOPS GT 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 002594 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2013
TAGS: PHUM PGOV EFIN PINR MOPS GT
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS APPLAUD NEW SAAS LAW

Classified By: PolCouns David Lindwall for reason 1.5 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 002594

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2013
TAGS: PHUM PGOV EFIN PINR MOPS GT
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS APPLAUD NEW SAAS LAW

Classified By: PolCouns David Lindwall for reason 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (U) On September 24 the Guatemalan Congress passed the
organic law of the Secretariat for Administrative and
Security Matters (SAAS) of the Presidency, which will replace
the notorious Presidential Guard (EMP) set to be disbanded on
November 1. The SAAS was created by presidential decree on
January 14, 2000, and has been gradually taking over duties
from the EMP during the long transition. The new SAAS law
assures that the terms of the presidential decree are
permanent, and was viewed by civil society as a sign that the
Portillo government and the FRG majority in Congress remain
committed to demobilizing the EMP on November 1. MINUGUA
issued a press statement congratulating the government for
passage of the SAAS law, and senior human rights leaders were
quoted in the press supporting the legislation.


2. (C) During the long Congressional debate of the law,
numerous articles were added which appeared to give the
military continued influence over the President's security.
The Ambassador raised our concerns about these modifications
with President Portillo, noting that the international
community viewed these as perpetuating the EMP under another
name. Portillo promised the Ambassador that if the law was
passed by Congress with the unhelpful modifications, he would
veto it. PolOffs met with opposition legislators, who had
been distracted from their Congressional duties by their own
electoral campaigns, to urge them to weigh-in against the
modifications. Nineth Montenegro, of the left-of-center ANN
party, agreed to take the lead, and opposed the modifications
on the floor of Congress. Other opposition parties joined
her, and the modifications were eventually withdrawn. The
law as passed received some criticism for the financial
implications it assumed in offering security to all former
Presidents and Vice Presidents, but was applauded for
effectively eliminating military influence over the
Presidential household -- a key commitment from the Peace
Accords.


3. (C) Comment: The long-awaited demobilization of the EMP,
scheduled for November 1, is on track. We have received
assurances from Portillo on down that there will not be a
delay. On October 6, Congress assigned the EMP a budget
supplemental of Q16.4 million (roughly $2 million),
generating renewed criticisms of the Portillo
Administrations' use of the EMP's non-transparent budget.
But others saw it as a final payment to consign the EMP to
history, once and for all.
HAMILTON