PARAGUAY PETITIONS UNCHR FOR INTERNATIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 000416

SIPDIS

STATE FOR A/S NORIEGA AND PDAS DERHAM
STATE PASS TO USAID LAC/AA
NSC FOR KIMBERLY BREIER
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DAN JOHNSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM PTER KCRM CO PA
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY PETITIONS UNCHR FOR INTERNATIONAL
ASSISTANCE WITH KIDNAPPINGS

REF: A. ASUNCION 00403


B. ASUNCION 00364

C. ASUNCION 00307

D. ASUNCION 00250 AND PRECEDING

Classified By: DCM Kevin M. Johnson, reason 1.4(d).


1. (U) On March 17, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose
Martinez called on the members of the United Nations
Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) meeting in Geneva to
assist the GOP in prosecuting and punishing criminals
responsible for kidnappings, such as in the recent case of
former Paraguayan President Raul Cubas' daughter, Cecilia
Cubas (ref D). According to press reports, Martinez told the
UNCHR that the GOP is doing everything within its power to
investigate the Cubas case, and to respect suspects'
constitutional guarantees of due process, but that it is in
need of additional cooperation from the international
community.


2. (U) Comment: The Cubas case seized the country,
particularly following revelations of ties between the
kidnappers and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC). The eventual discovery of Cubas' body in
mid-February led to public outrage and calls for greater
security. In response, the GOP deployed the military to the
countryside in search of radical leftists implicated in the
crime (ref C). The deployment raised concern among some
human rights groups, but did not lead to any known human
rights violations. Since then, the GOP has developed a new
internal security plan (ref B) and engaged the Government of
Colombia (GOC) and others in discussions about bilateral
security cooperation and assistance (ref A). On March 22,
the GOP announced that it will ask the GOC to send eight
anti-kidnapping experts to Paraguay to train Paraguayan
police, prosecutors and military personnel in the areas of
prevention, operations, intelligence and hostage rescue.


3. (C) Comment Continued: On March 18, Paraguayan Ambassador
James Spalding told A/S Noriega that the GOP will require
around USD 70 million in international assistance to
implement its internal security plan. The GOP's diplomatic
full-court press, in both bilateral and multilateral
settings, signals the importance President Duarte places on
the issue, perhaps for his own political agenda as much as
for the security of his country's citizens. End Comment.
KEANE