NEW GUATEMALAN AMBASSADORS TO GENEVA, TOKYO, AND

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000623

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

GENEVA FOR JEFF DELAURENTIS
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO USOAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV GT UNHRC
SUBJECT: NEW GUATEMALAN AMBASSADORS TO GENEVA, TOKYO, AND
OAS

REF: GENEVA 720


1. (SBU) An excellent MFA source confirmed that Ricardo
Alvarado was sworn in at noon on March 4 as Guatemalan
Ambassador to Geneva. Ambassador to the OAS, Arturo Duarte,
will move to Tokyo and will probably be replaced by Victor
Godoy. Bio information below. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Ricardo ALVARADO Ortigoza is a lawyer specializing
in constitutional law and human rights. He also holds a
masters degree in public administration from San Carlos
University. He is a member of the ruling FRG party and
became Executive Director of the Presidential Human Rights
Commission (COPREDEH in Spanish) when the Portillo
Administration came to power in January 2000. Alvarado
resigned in the wake of the Vice President's dismissal of
COPREDEH President Victor Godoy (see para 4) in May, 2001.
Alvarado has been in the press recently for his role
representing the government of Guatemala before the
Inter-American Court for Human Rights in its hearing of the
Myrna Mack case. The GOG committed a major tactical error at
the hearing, withdrawing its defense inexplicably at the
outset of the hearing.


3. (SBU) Arturo DUARTE Ortiz is a highly successful career
diplomat. He won a Fullbright and holds a master's degree in
Anthropology from State University of New York as well as a
graduate certificate in Latin American Studies. Duarte also
holds a graduate certificate in International Relations from
the University of Brazilia. Duarte's diplomatic career
includes high-profile postings such as Counselor to the
Guatemalan Embassy in Washington, Alternate Representative to
the OAS, Director General for Multilateral Affairs and
Permanent Representative to the OAS. As Director General for
Multilateral Affairs, Duarte was a reliable Embassy contact,
capable of speaking with authority on a wide range of policy
issues. Duarte is an accomplished vocalist and expert on
religious music from Guatemala's colonial period.


4. (SBU) Victor Hugo GODOY Morales is a friend of President
Portillo and a career politician with leftist roots. He
served as a member of Congress from 1985 - 1990 with the
now-defunct Revolutionary Party. He holds a degree in
Sociology from San Carlos University. From January 2000 to
May 2001, Godoy headed the Presidential Human Rights
Commission. He was dismissed after being accused of leaking
Guatemala's position on the 2001 CUBA Resolution at the UN
Human Rights Commission. Godoy denied the accusation and was
appointed by Portillo to several Presidential advisory
positions before being named Minister of Labor in February

2002. Godoy continued reform of the Inspectorate at Labor,
began new worker training initiatives, encouraged social
dialogue between labor and business leaders (so much so that
some believe he lost his job for this reason),and
(half-heartedly) pursued legislative changes to the labor
procedural code dealing with labor rights violations. Labor
leaders believe Godoy was replaced for refusing to take a
hard line against striking teachers. Godoy does not speak
English well.

5 (SBU) Comment: Our MFA source commented that despite
Alvarado's background in Human Rights, convention wisdom
within the Ministry holds that he will be far less
independent than was his predecessor in Geneva. Asked how
she thought Alvarado might address the lack of fundamental
Human Rights protections for four Guatemalans tried and
sentenced in 2002 in CUBA, our source stated that no one in
the Foreign Ministry knew what Alvarado's appointment would
mean for the CUBA vote but added that she felt relations with
CUBA will deepen with the arrival of the CUBAn Foreign
Minister. She also speculated that the decision would be
made by President Portillo alone with little or no input from
the Ministry and that Alvarado would probably carry out
Portillo's instructions precisely.
HAMILTON