PARAGUAY'S LEFTIST PATRIA LIBRE SHOPPING FOR

S E C R E T ASUNCION 000325 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA, INL, S/CT STATE PASS TO USAID LAC/AA NSC FOR SUE CRONIN SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD BARBARA MOORE JOINT STAFF FOR J5 LTC SCOTT DAVIS NAIROBI FOR MICHAEL FITZPATRICK E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2016 TAGS: PREL PTER PINR PA CO VZ SP SUBJECT: PARAGUAY'S LEFTIST PATRIA LIBRE SHOPPING FOR POLITICAL ASYLUM REF: A. ASUNCION 264 (NOTAL) ¶B. ASUNCION 210 AND PRECEDING (NOTAL) ¶C. 05 ASUNCION 1325 AND PRECEDING (NOTAL) ¶D. 05 ASUNCION 1119 AND PRECEDING (NOTAL) ¶E. 05 ASUNCION 1101 (NOTAL) Classified By: PolOff Mark A. Stamilio, reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On 3/21, Spanish DCM Marta de Blas Mayordomo told PolOff and Colombian PolCouns Raul Sanchez that a lawyer representing the leftist Free Fatherland Party (Partido Patria Libre, or PPL),whose military wing has ties to the FARC and was responsible for the 2003 kidnapping and murder of a former Paraguayan president's daughter, Cecilia Cubas (ref C),and is tied to the more recent murders of two policemen in Paraguay's interior (refs B and E),approached the Spanish Embassy about the possibility of granting PPL members political asylum. The lawyer told de Blas that PPL was in no way involved in the kidnapping or murders, but rather that the GOP was persecuting PPL members for their political views. De Blas said the GOS had no intention of entertaining or granting the request for asylum. ¶2. (C) As reported in ref A, Venezuelan Ambassador Huerta recently told Colombian Ambassador Bernal that the GOV was considering possible political asylum for PPL members, following statements by President Duarte and others in his administration that the GOP planned to "annihilate" the PPL. Huerta noted that the PPL had legal standing as a political party, and asserted that the GOP was persecuting PPL members for their political views. Duarte reportedly took umbrage with the Venezuelan Ambassador's remarks. ¶3. (S) Comment: The PPL is a registered political party. However, its military wing is a band of criminals that emulates the FARC and espouses the violent overthrow of the government. Its principal leaders, Juan Arrom and Anuncio Marti, were accused of orchestrating the 2001 kidnapping of Maria Edith Bordon de Debernardi (ref D). They were later granted refugee status in Brazil after they allegedly were tortured by authorities in Paraguay. Sensitive reporting indicates that Arrom continues to direct PPL activities from Brazil, and continues to support violent struggle against the state. The PPL members currently seeking political asylum are attempting to avoid prosecution for their participation in the aforementioned kidnappings and murders. JOHNSON