FORMER PRESIDENT GAVIRIA'S SISTER KILLED IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003773 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2016 TAGS: KCRM PGOV ASEC CO SUBJECT: FORMER PRESIDENT GAVIRIA'S SISTER KILLED IN APPARENT KIDNAP ATTEMPT GONE WRONG Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood Reason: 1.4 (b,d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Liliana Gaviria, sister of former President Cesar Gaviria, was killed on the evening of April 27 in what appears to have been a failed kidnap attempt. Police discovered Gaviria's body about 1.5 miles from her apartment complex in Pereira shortly after assailants shot and killed Gaviria's police bodyguard as the car in which he was transporting Gaviria approached the apartment building. President Uribe offered a reward of about $500,000 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. Ambassador Wood plans to attend the funeral in Pereira on April 28. End summary. -------------- Liliana Gaviria Murdered -------------- ¶2. (U) Liliana Gaviria, the 59-year old sister of former President Cesar Gaviria, died last night after her vehicle was attacked by between four and eight unknown assailants at approximately 1900 near her apartment in Pereira, about 100 miles west of Bogota. The assailants killed Gaviria's driver (who also served as a bodyguard) immediately and apparently took her away in another vehicle. Gaviria's body was found some minutes later less than 1.5 miles from the scene of the abduction. According to GOC forensic authorities, Gaviria died when a gunshot to the abdomen entered her heart. It is not yet clear whether the assailants killed Gaviria intentionally at the scene of the crime, or subsequently, or whether she died in crossfire. -------------- Ambassador's Condolences -------------- ¶3. (C) D/polcouns passed the Ambassador's and Embassy community's condolences to former President Gaviria on April ¶28. Gaviria was appreciative and said he would be in touch with the Embassy if he had anything to report or request. Earlier on the 28th, Gaviria's lead GOC bodyguard told D/polcouns that Gaviria had been in touch with Administrative Department of Security (DAS) Director Andres Penate and expected a briefing during the course of the day. Ambassador plans to attend the funeral on April 28 in Pereira. -------------- President Uribe Offers Reward -------------- ¶4. (U) President Uribe, who learned of the murder while on a podium awaiting to speak in Bogota, condemned the crime in strong terms and offered a reward of 1,000 million Colombian pesos (about USD 420,000) for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. Uribe ordered Colombian National Police chief Jorge Daniel Castro Castro and Defense Minister Camilo Ospina to travel immediately to Pereira to take charge of the investigation. -------------- Initial Law Enforcement Details -------------- ¶5. (C) CNP investigating officers in Pereira told RSO that, upon arrival to her residence in a CNP vehicle, 4-5 armed assailants shot her police bodyguard three times. He died on the scene. The CNP could not yet confirm whether the bodyguard, armed with a .38 revolver, returned fire. Fiscalia (Prosecutor General) sources indicate the bullet that killed Gaviria was from a .38 caliber weapon. The assailants placed Gaviria in a red Mazda 626 and departed the apartment complex. Responding police found her body shortly afterwards, about 1.5 miles away, with a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. A task force of CNP and Federal DAS and CTI agents are investigating the murder. WOOD