Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BOGOTA3891
2007-05-31 20:06:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
DEFENSE MINISTER SANTOS DEFENDS RECORD IN CONGRESS
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UNCLAS BOGOTA 003891
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTER SANTOS DEFENDS RECORD IN CONGRESS
CENSURE DEBATE
REF: BOGOTA 3618
-------
Summary
-------
UNCLAS BOGOTA 003891
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTER SANTOS DEFENDS RECORD IN CONGRESS
CENSURE DEBATE
REF: BOGOTA 3618
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. Defense Juan Manuel Santos faces a June 6 vote on a
congressional censure motion against him. If a majority of
both houses of Congress votes in favor of the motion, Santos
would be removed from office. Pro-Uribe supporters have the
votes to defeat the motion, and the president publicly backed
Santos on May 30. On May 28, Santos strongly denied
allegations during an eight-hour congressional debate that he
conspired to overthrow the government of Ernesto Samper
(1994-98). He also rejected accusations he was negligent in
failing to prevent illegal electronic surveillance of
politicians and journalists. End summary.
--------------
Santos Denies Plotting Against Samper
--------------
2. In an eight-hour debate on the censure motion in the
Senate's First Committee on May 28, Santos responded to
ex-paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso's and ELN leader
Pablo Beltran's claim that he backed a plot to overthrow
then-President Ernesto Samper in 1996-97 (ref A). Santos
admitted he wished that Samper had stepped down following
revelations his electoral campaign was financed by drug
money, but he denied having plotted to overthrow his
government. Santos said he wanted Samper's removal, "but
always by legal avenues, always in accordance with the
constitution and the law, because that is what democracy is
about."
3. In Semana magazine's May 19 issue, Santos wrote an
article recounting his peace talk initiatives with the FARC,
ELN, and the paramilitaries during Samper's administration.
He stressed the information on his interactions with the
illegal armed group members at that time were well-known and
legal. Santos said "conspiracy theories" about an alleged
plan to overthrow Samper had been discredited and that his
story had been verified by others participating in the peace
process, including Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Garcia Marquez issued a statement supporting Santos' account.
Catholic priest and Conciliation Commission member Dario
Echeverri said contemporary accounts provided by Santos to
the Commission were consistent with Santos' contention he was
not scheming to overthrow Samper.
--------------
Santos Says Unaware of Illegal Wiretapping
--------------
4. The Senate First Committee debate also centered on
opposition demands that Santos take political responsibility
for illegal wiretapping of public officials, opposition party
members, and journalists by an intelligence unit within the
National Police. (Note: The National Police are under the
Defense Ministry.) Santos insisted President Uribe and GOC
ministers were not aware of the illegal wiretappings. He
confirmed the GOC had identified those responsible in the
Police, but refused to give names. Santos said all
information had been turned over the Prosecutor General's
Office (Fiscalia),which had requested that he not make the
names public.
5. Colombian National Police Director Oscar Naranjo
clarified on May 30 that the eavesdropping was not targeted
at specific individuals, but rather on zones, such as Santa
Fe de Ralito and Itagui prison, where ex-paramilitary leaders
had been housed. Naranjo said most of those whose
communications were recorded had legitimate reasons for
contact with ex-paramilitary leaders in the context of the
peace process. He claimed since the GOC owns the
electromagnetic spectrum, the Police have the authority to
monitor illegal communications.
--------------
Support for Santos?
--------------
6. Cambio Radical and governing coalition Senator German
Vargas Lleras, who views Santos as a potential rival in the
2010 presidential race, told poloff May 30 he is "meditating"
over whether or not to support the censure motion. "Santos
has a lot of enemies on all sides," he said. Several
opposition lawmakers speculated Santos may resign rather than
face the censure vote. On May 30, Uribe reiterated his
support for Santos. "He may have done the right thing or made
mistakes in the past," Uribe said, "but the important thing
is that Minister Santos has acted transparently." Unless a
substantial number of governing coalition legislators defect,
the opposition lacks the votes to pass the censure motion.
Drucker
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTER SANTOS DEFENDS RECORD IN CONGRESS
CENSURE DEBATE
REF: BOGOTA 3618
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. Defense Juan Manuel Santos faces a June 6 vote on a
congressional censure motion against him. If a majority of
both houses of Congress votes in favor of the motion, Santos
would be removed from office. Pro-Uribe supporters have the
votes to defeat the motion, and the president publicly backed
Santos on May 30. On May 28, Santos strongly denied
allegations during an eight-hour congressional debate that he
conspired to overthrow the government of Ernesto Samper
(1994-98). He also rejected accusations he was negligent in
failing to prevent illegal electronic surveillance of
politicians and journalists. End summary.
--------------
Santos Denies Plotting Against Samper
--------------
2. In an eight-hour debate on the censure motion in the
Senate's First Committee on May 28, Santos responded to
ex-paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso's and ELN leader
Pablo Beltran's claim that he backed a plot to overthrow
then-President Ernesto Samper in 1996-97 (ref A). Santos
admitted he wished that Samper had stepped down following
revelations his electoral campaign was financed by drug
money, but he denied having plotted to overthrow his
government. Santos said he wanted Samper's removal, "but
always by legal avenues, always in accordance with the
constitution and the law, because that is what democracy is
about."
3. In Semana magazine's May 19 issue, Santos wrote an
article recounting his peace talk initiatives with the FARC,
ELN, and the paramilitaries during Samper's administration.
He stressed the information on his interactions with the
illegal armed group members at that time were well-known and
legal. Santos said "conspiracy theories" about an alleged
plan to overthrow Samper had been discredited and that his
story had been verified by others participating in the peace
process, including Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Garcia Marquez issued a statement supporting Santos' account.
Catholic priest and Conciliation Commission member Dario
Echeverri said contemporary accounts provided by Santos to
the Commission were consistent with Santos' contention he was
not scheming to overthrow Samper.
--------------
Santos Says Unaware of Illegal Wiretapping
--------------
4. The Senate First Committee debate also centered on
opposition demands that Santos take political responsibility
for illegal wiretapping of public officials, opposition party
members, and journalists by an intelligence unit within the
National Police. (Note: The National Police are under the
Defense Ministry.) Santos insisted President Uribe and GOC
ministers were not aware of the illegal wiretappings. He
confirmed the GOC had identified those responsible in the
Police, but refused to give names. Santos said all
information had been turned over the Prosecutor General's
Office (Fiscalia),which had requested that he not make the
names public.
5. Colombian National Police Director Oscar Naranjo
clarified on May 30 that the eavesdropping was not targeted
at specific individuals, but rather on zones, such as Santa
Fe de Ralito and Itagui prison, where ex-paramilitary leaders
had been housed. Naranjo said most of those whose
communications were recorded had legitimate reasons for
contact with ex-paramilitary leaders in the context of the
peace process. He claimed since the GOC owns the
electromagnetic spectrum, the Police have the authority to
monitor illegal communications.
--------------
Support for Santos?
--------------
6. Cambio Radical and governing coalition Senator German
Vargas Lleras, who views Santos as a potential rival in the
2010 presidential race, told poloff May 30 he is "meditating"
over whether or not to support the censure motion. "Santos
has a lot of enemies on all sides," he said. Several
opposition lawmakers speculated Santos may resign rather than
face the censure vote. On May 30, Uribe reiterated his
support for Santos. "He may have done the right thing or made
mistakes in the past," Uribe said, "but the important thing
is that Minister Santos has acted transparently." Unless a
substantial number of governing coalition legislators defect,
the opposition lacks the votes to pass the censure motion.
Drucker