Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BOGOTA3259
2007-05-09 21:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
FORMER PRESIDENT CESAR GAVIRIA REJECTS ALLEGATIONS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003259
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: FORMER PRESIDENT CESAR GAVIRIA REJECTS ALLEGATIONS
OF URIBE ASSOCIATION WITH FORMER PARAMILITARIES
Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor John Creamer - Reasons
1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003259
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: FORMER PRESIDENT CESAR GAVIRIA REJECTS ALLEGATIONS
OF URIBE ASSOCIATION WITH FORMER PARAMILITARIES
Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor John Creamer - Reasons
1.4 (b,d)
1. (U) On May 5, El Tiempo newspaper published an interview
with Cesar Gaviria, in which the Liberal Party chief and
former president rejected allegations that President Alvaro
Uribe was connected to former paramilitaries. When asked
about attacks against the president, Gaviria said, "I do not
agree at all with those kinds of insinuations. We (in the
Liberal Party) have always followed a very respectful line
with the president, and we see no reason to abandon that
position now."
2. (U) The Liberal Party--on the center-left of the
Colombian political spectrum--sharply criticized elements of
Uribe's Justice and Peace Law, and Liberal Senators Piedad
Cordoba and Cecilia Lopez led the November, 2006 debate in
the Senate against former Foreign Minster Maria Consuelo
Araujo because of her families' alleged para ties. Gaviria
repeated the Party's criticisms of the J&P Law in his
interview, but said the Liberal Party was a "different kind
of opposition." He said the Liberals would support GoC
initiatives that were in the national interest,
differentiating the Liberals from Senator Petro and the Polo
Democratico Party.
3. (C) Privately, Gaviria and numerous other senior contacts
in the Liberal Party have repeatedly told us that charges of
paramilitary ties against Uribe are groundless. The former
president told us on May 8 he would not permit Liberal Party
officials to criticize Uribe as the POLO has done. Gaviria,
who supports passage of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade
Agreement and Plan Colombia, said he understood the damage
that recent attacks have had on Colombia's image overseas.
Still, he told us he is not prepared to travel to Washington
at this time to make these points publicly due to Liberal
intra-party politics.
Drucker
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: FORMER PRESIDENT CESAR GAVIRIA REJECTS ALLEGATIONS
OF URIBE ASSOCIATION WITH FORMER PARAMILITARIES
Classified By: Classified by Political Counselor John Creamer - Reasons
1.4 (b,d)
1. (U) On May 5, El Tiempo newspaper published an interview
with Cesar Gaviria, in which the Liberal Party chief and
former president rejected allegations that President Alvaro
Uribe was connected to former paramilitaries. When asked
about attacks against the president, Gaviria said, "I do not
agree at all with those kinds of insinuations. We (in the
Liberal Party) have always followed a very respectful line
with the president, and we see no reason to abandon that
position now."
2. (U) The Liberal Party--on the center-left of the
Colombian political spectrum--sharply criticized elements of
Uribe's Justice and Peace Law, and Liberal Senators Piedad
Cordoba and Cecilia Lopez led the November, 2006 debate in
the Senate against former Foreign Minster Maria Consuelo
Araujo because of her families' alleged para ties. Gaviria
repeated the Party's criticisms of the J&P Law in his
interview, but said the Liberal Party was a "different kind
of opposition." He said the Liberals would support GoC
initiatives that were in the national interest,
differentiating the Liberals from Senator Petro and the Polo
Democratico Party.
3. (C) Privately, Gaviria and numerous other senior contacts
in the Liberal Party have repeatedly told us that charges of
paramilitary ties against Uribe are groundless. The former
president told us on May 8 he would not permit Liberal Party
officials to criticize Uribe as the POLO has done. Gaviria,
who supports passage of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade
Agreement and Plan Colombia, said he understood the damage
that recent attacks have had on Colombia's image overseas.
Still, he told us he is not prepared to travel to Washington
at this time to make these points publicly due to Liberal
intra-party politics.
Drucker