STAFFDEL SIMON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUATEMALA 002192

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV EAID SNAR MARR KJUS ASEC GT
SUBJECT: STAFFDEL SIMON

REF: GUATEMALA 02180


1. (U) Summary: Jennifer Simon, Professional Staff to the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visited Guatemala from
August 21-25. During her visit, Simon met with a broad range
of GOG and NGO contacts, including Vice President Eduardo
Stein, MFA Vice-Minister Marta Altolaguirre, Human Rights
Commissioner Frank LaRue, Minister of Government Carlos
Vielman, Minister of Defense Casar Pinela, human rights
activist Helen Mack, Roving Ambassador Rigoberta Menchu, etc.
Simon's primary interests focused on AID projects and
funding levels, human rights, CICIACS, military downsizing,
TIP, and counter-narcotics. Overall, the visit was very
positive. Simon's five-word summary of her conclusions from
her visit was that Guatemala is "on the right track." End
Summary.

AID programs
--------------


2. (U) Simon visited a wide-variety of AID projects: a
Victim's Shelter located in a former military base, a Justice
Center, non-traditional exporters Agexpront, and a women's
Village Bank. She said she was struck by the relatively low
ratio of funding on a per capita basis for Guatemala compared
with other AID missions in Central America.

Human Rights
--------------


3. (U) In various meetings, Simon heard that the levels of
threats against human rights defenders peaked in 2002 but
remain high. Human rights leaders (Menchu, Mack, Blanco,
Samayoa) expressed confidence in the intentions of Berger and
Stein. However, they also expressed concern about deep
divides in both the Cabinet and Congress on issues such as
the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,
CICIACS, and ex-Pac payments. Simon's visit came immediately
after Congress passed a bill approving payments to former
ex-Pacs, and she discussed both the moral issue and the
fiscal impact of the payments with HR leaders and VP Stein.

CICIACS
--------------


4. (U) In her orientation briefing with Country Team, the
Ambassador described his recent meeting with Fuentes-Destarac
regarding CICIACS (reftel) and summarized the GOG's
developing plan to reshape CICIACS to work within the Public
Ministry. Though HR leaders expressed disappointment that
the GOG had not consulted with civil society or the Human
Rights Ombudsman since the August 6 Court decision, Simon
left expressing belief that hope remains for implementing a
CICIACS-like institution. She told HR leaders that she
hoped they would not give up on CICIACS.

Military Downsizing
--------------


5. (U) Simon discussed the military downsizing with VP
Stein, Milgp and DATT, and human rights activists. All
praised the Berger government for quickly accomplishing a
significant draw-down with little resistance from the
military. Simon also attended a breakfast hosted by the
Milgp commander, organized for Human Rights Commissioner
Frank LaRue (COPREDEH) and Defense Minister Pinedo to discuss
Southcom's coordination with the Guatemalan MOD on developing
a human rights initiative. Ever since LaRue's translation
for Pinedo's presentation in Washington, DC, the warm
relationship between COPREDEH and the MOD has been striking.

Trafficking in Persons
--------------


6. (U) Simon met with Vice-Minister Altolaguirre, who spoke
of GOG efforts in the inter-institutional group to coordinate
on TIP. Altolaguirre discussed the scope of the problem, the
need for dissemination of information to the public (the
Secretariat for Social Welfare is currently spearheading a

SIPDIS
information campaign),and the MFA's work on a package of
trafficking legislation (some legislation on increasing
penalties is already being reviewed in Congress).

Counter-narcotics
--------------

7. (U) Simon met with MOG Vielman and Vice-Minister Sylvia
Vasquez, who discussed their plans to crack down on houses
distributing drugs near school zones, the implementation of
the "Ley Seca" (closing bars and clubs at 1 am),beginning
large-scale investigations into major drug cartels, and
sending a group of 100 police officers to foreign police
academies for training to later form an elite force.

De-briefing
--------------


8. (SBU) Before Simon's departure, the Ambassador spoke
with her at the airport, expressing belief that US interests
would be well served by release of the $3.2 million in MAP
funds for military modernization, a Section 660 waiver for
Guatemala in order to more effectively work with the national
police, and maintaining/boosting AID funding. The Ambassador
stressed CAFTA's importance for consolidating gains in
Central America. The Ambassador also mentioned his recent
meeting with Jennifer Harbury and her upcoming application
for humanitarian parole for 10-25 relatives of Otoniel de la
Roca Mendoza (witness in the 2000 IACHR Bamaca case) whom she
believes are being targeted for threats and murder (Post will
draft septel recommendation for approval of their petition).

9. (U) Simon did not have the opportunity to clear this
cable before her departure.

HAMILTON