UPCOMING TESTIMONY IN CARPIO CASE

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001643 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM GT SUBJECT: UPCOMING TESTIMONY IN CARPIO CASE REF: GUATEMALA 01604 ¶1. (SBU) On July 1, EconCouns discussed with former anti-corruption prosecutor Karen Fischer her upcoming testimony in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) hearing on the 1993 murder of Jorge Carpio Nicolle. Carpio Nicolle was killed while traveling to a campaign rally (gearing up for his third run for President) in El Quiche on July 3, 1993 (reftel). Fischer will be one of three key witnesses in the July 5 hearing. She noted to EconCouns that she would testify that, as Carpio's private secretary, she received menacing telephone calls from General Jose Domingo Garcia (then Minister of Defense),who was demanding that Carpio's UNC Party vote for an amnesty for military human rights abuses. Carpio's party voted against amnesty a couple of months before his murder. During the meeting, Fischer was surprisingly quiet on the topic of the alleged attack against her on June 19 (reftel). ¶2. (U) The Ambassador and PolOff met later in the day with Frank LaRue, head of the President's Commission on Human Rights (COPREDEH). LaRue explained that Fischer currently has six, personally chosen National Civil Police (PNC) officers accompanying her, coordinated through the Ministry of Defense by COPREDEH. LaRue will also be traveling to Costa Rica on July 5 for the Carpio IACHR hearing, as COPREDEH represents the GOG before the Court. LaRue has been authorized by President Berger to take responsibility on behalf of the state for the lack of investigation into Carpio's murder. LaRue also told the Ambassador that the IACHR has recently congratulated the GOG for its changed attitude, under Berger and LaRue's leadership, towards its responsibility in cases that reach the Court. HAMILTON