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