BELMOPAN: DIRECTOR, BELIZE IMMIGRATION MEETS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L BELMOPAN 000435

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DS/CR, DS/CR/CIL, DS/IP/WHA, WHA/CEN, CA/VO,
DS/FLD/MFO, GUATEMALA FOR DHS/ICE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/22/2017
TAGS: ASEC CVIS BH
SUBJECT: BELMOPAN: DIRECTOR, BELIZE IMMIGRATION MEETS WITH
RSO RE IMMIGRATION CORRUPTION PROBLEMS

Classified By: RSO Patrick J. Harms for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On June 21, 2007, Gareth Murillo, Director of
Immigration, met with RSO Belmopan to share information re a
suspected corrupt Immigration Officer assisting a Cuban with
a counterfeit Guatemalan passport and U.S. visa, and the
political pressure to issue visas to Chinese (and the flow of
Chinese through Cuba). END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Director of Immigration Gareth Murillo requested a
meeting with RSO Belmopan the afternoon of June 21, 2007. In
the meeting, he presented photocopies of a Guatemalan
passport and a U.S. visa for Juan Emelio PINEDA GUZMAN
(SUBJECT). Murillo stated SUBJECT was Cuban, and had been
detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in
Miami on June 16 because both the passport and visa were
counterfeit. SUBJECT had departed Belize that day via
American Airlines to Miami.


3. (SBU) Murillo stated American Airlines had been approached
by U.S. ICE with the potential of being fined for allowing a
blatant counterfeit document through. The American agent at
the airport in Belize City reported that he remembered
SUBJECT going through the checkpoint, but that he was
escorted by a Belize Immigration Officer, Nikolai ZELAYA.
Murillo said ZELAYA had long been suspected of corruption,
and asked if ICE could obtain a statement from SUBJECT that
could be used to fire ZELAYA. RSO told Murillo such an
attempt would be made, and asked if charges would be brought;
Murrillo stated if a sworn statement had enough evidence, he
would attempt to charge ZELAYA.


4. (C) Murillo also spoke of the political pressure to grant
visas to Chinese and Cubans. Many, he said, come through
Cuba. He stated he would ask "those in position" to stop
putting such pressure to grant so many visas to Chinese, due
to the overwhelming workload and inability to screen the
applicants. (Belize is a human smuggling transit point, and
it is widely believed that large numbers of Chinese are
moving through Belize with the sanction of politicians.) RSO
asked Murillo how many came through Cuba, and he said he was
unsure. RSO asked if he would provide that information, and
he replied that he would. It has now been one week, and in
each contact since Murillo has not had that information.


5. (SBU) Following the meeting with Murillo, RSO contacted
Miami Field Office (DS/FLD/MFO) re obtaining a statement from
SUBJECT. Special Agent Fernando Cepeda contacted Immigration
officers at Miami Airport, and confirmed SUBJECT's arrival,
detention, and release. An address for SUBJECT has been
obtained, and SA Cepeda is attempting to contact SUBJECT to
obtain a statement re Zelaya.


6. (C) RSO believes Murillo's assistance and commitment is
limited, and does not expect accurate numbers of visas issued
from the Belizean Embassy in Cuba.


7. (U) Point of Contact for this cable is Patrick Harms, RSO,
Belmopan, 501-822-4011, ext 4007.

DIETER