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