Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BOGOTA10448
2005-11-05 16:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
ELN RELIGIOUS CEREMONY IN ECUADOR PREACHES
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHBO #0448 3091657 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 051657Z NOV 05 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9489 INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 6355 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 6728 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ NOV LIMA 2886 RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 8506 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 3401 RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 3309 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL
UNCLAS BOGOTA 010448
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL SOCI CO EC
SUBJECT: ELN RELIGIOUS CEREMONY IN ECUADOR PREACHES
REVOLUTION
UNCLAS BOGOTA 010448
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL SOCI CO EC
SUBJECT: ELN RELIGIOUS CEREMONY IN ECUADOR PREACHES
REVOLUTION
1. (U) On October 30, News Channel One (NoticieroUno)
reported that several National Liberation Army (ELN)
guerrillas had crossed the border into Ecuador to offer a
Catholic mass to fellow Ecuadorian guerrillas. The footage
showed ELN member alias "Diego Cristobal" preaching to
roughly 30 people linked to the Ecuadorian Popular Liberation
Front of Ecuador (FPLE) in an unidentified village in
Ecuador. (It is not clear whether he belonged to the Diego
Cristobal Uribe Front, located in Norte de Santander
Department, or was from another front but had assumed the
name.)
2. (U) Cristobal asked that the guerrillas follow in the
footsteps of other Christian revolutionaries like Father
Camilo Torres. Torres, an ordained Catholic priest, formed a
group called the United Front in 1964 and merged with the ELN
later that year. Torres had called on Christians to fight
inequality saying, "Revolution is not only permitted for
Christians, but obligatory."
3. (U) Cristobal also included religion in the revolutionary
rhetoric. He urged Ecuadorian participants to pray for their
own safety and for fellow guerrillas during the conflict, and
that "God illuminate our path." He further pushed the group
to swear they would remain dedicated to the revolution. The
Ecuadorians present thanked the ELN members for their visit
and their interest in fellow guerrillas.
4. (U) NoticieroUno said the Colombian and Ecuadorian
security forces that tracked guerrilla activities in the area
had taken the footage.
WOOD
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL SOCI CO EC
SUBJECT: ELN RELIGIOUS CEREMONY IN ECUADOR PREACHES
REVOLUTION
1. (U) On October 30, News Channel One (NoticieroUno)
reported that several National Liberation Army (ELN)
guerrillas had crossed the border into Ecuador to offer a
Catholic mass to fellow Ecuadorian guerrillas. The footage
showed ELN member alias "Diego Cristobal" preaching to
roughly 30 people linked to the Ecuadorian Popular Liberation
Front of Ecuador (FPLE) in an unidentified village in
Ecuador. (It is not clear whether he belonged to the Diego
Cristobal Uribe Front, located in Norte de Santander
Department, or was from another front but had assumed the
name.)
2. (U) Cristobal asked that the guerrillas follow in the
footsteps of other Christian revolutionaries like Father
Camilo Torres. Torres, an ordained Catholic priest, formed a
group called the United Front in 1964 and merged with the ELN
later that year. Torres had called on Christians to fight
inequality saying, "Revolution is not only permitted for
Christians, but obligatory."
3. (U) Cristobal also included religion in the revolutionary
rhetoric. He urged Ecuadorian participants to pray for their
own safety and for fellow guerrillas during the conflict, and
that "God illuminate our path." He further pushed the group
to swear they would remain dedicated to the revolution. The
Ecuadorians present thanked the ELN members for their visit
and their interest in fellow guerrillas.
4. (U) NoticieroUno said the Colombian and Ecuadorian
security forces that tracked guerrilla activities in the area
had taken the footage.
WOOD