GOC REACTION TO ARREST OF COLOMBIANS IN VENEZUELA

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 004947

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER CO VE GOV
SUBJECT: GOC REACTION TO ARREST OF COLOMBIANS IN VENEZUELA

REF: A. CARACAS 1646


B. BOGOTA 653

Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood, Reasons: 1.4 B & D.


1. (C) Summary: The GOC has sought to calm passions
following Venezuela's arrest of some 90 purported Colombian
paramilitaries (Ref A). President Uribe called for a
thorough investigation and welcomed the actions of
neighboring countries to prevent illegal activities of
Colombians abroad. A civil registry check of the detainees
reveal many, maybe all, are in fact Colombians. Reports
vary, however, regarding how many have criminal records. FM
Barco met with President Chavez in Caracas on May 14 and
announced that Chavez and President Uribe would meet in the
near future. Pundits and prominent members of Congress
insist the arrests are a fabrication on the part of the
Chavez Administration. COLMIL contacts either don't know or
aren't telling. End Summary.


2. (SBU) President Uribe and senior GOC officials have
responded calmly to Venezuela's arrest of purported Colombian
paramilitaries in the last week, as they did after Venezuelan
Army incursions into Colombia in January (Ref B). Uribe has
called for a complete investigation and has reiterated the
GOC's desire that neighboring countries arrest Colombians
involved in illegal activities, in particular terrorism. FM
Barco met with President Chavez and FM Perez in Caracas on
May 14. In her press remarks, Barco stated that her
impression was that President Chavez was now certain that the
GOC was not involved in the incident. Colombian Army
Commander General Martin Carreno, singled out by senior GOV
officials for having had contacts with the alleged
paramilitaries in Cucuta, Colombia (his hometown),in March,
has denied the GOV's charges by noting that he was there to
visit relatives. Prominent members of the Colombian Congress
and leading pundits, however, have come out strongly against
Venezuela on the detentions, arguing it is a political
spectacle orchestrated by Chavez.


3. (C) In conversations with MFA interlocutors on May 12,
poloffs were advised that civil registry checks of the
arrestees reveal they are in fact Colombians. FM Barco
publicly stated that thus far only one detainee has a
criminal record in Colombia. However, press reports, citing
Department of Administrative Security (DAS, FBI equivalent)
sources, state that 12 have criminal records. On May 13, the
GOC requested fingerprints of those arrested and ordered the
DAS to run checks. DAO officers, in conversations with
senior COLMIL officials on May 14, were told that the GOC
cannot confirm reports that one detainee is a military
reservist. COLMIL tells us the detainees are from Cucuta.
WOOD