PARAGUAYAN PRESIDENT SUPPORTS COLOMBIA IN DISPUTE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 000152

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA A/S NORIEGA
STATE FOR WHA DAS JIM DERHAM
OAS FOR AMBASSADOR MAISTO
NSC FOR TOM SHANNON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PA OAS
SUBJECT: PARAGUAYAN PRESIDENT SUPPORTS COLOMBIA IN DISPUTE
WITH VENEZUELA


Classified By: Charge Kevin M. Johnson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) During a lengthy meeting on other issues 1/28
(septel) President Duarte raised with the Ambassador the
Colombia-Venezuela dispute. Duarte said President Uribe
called him three days ago and that he supports Colombia's
position. Duarte said he understands the need for
"diplomatic niceties" but that he had no patience for those
allowing subversives to walk free while a neighboring nation
suffers. Paraguay has its own concerns about Colombian
subversives fomenting unrest and supporting leftist movements
involved in kidnapping and assaults, Duarte continued;
Colombia has faced over 40 years of this. With significant
emotion, Duarte said that if a neighboring country were
protecting a similar figure involved in subverting Paraguay,
and he had the capacity to act, "he would do exactly what
Uribe did."


2. (C) Comment: The vehemence of Duarte's denunciation of
Venezuela's position comes in the context of Colombia's
support to the investigation of the kidnapping of former
President Cubas' daughter and involvement of the local
leftist Patria Libre (PL) party in that kidnapping and other
criminal activities. Duarte and the Attorney General report
Colombian insurgents have helped PL in both criminal
activities to raise funds and in organizing unrest in the
countryside (septel to follow.)


JOHNSON