CHAVEZ MEETS FARC REP, SANDBAGS COLOMBIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002172 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR DFISK AND DTOMLINSON USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER CO VE SUBJECT: CHAVEZ MEETS FARC REP, SANDBAGS COLOMBIA REF: BOGOTA 08001 Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor, for Reason 1.4(b and d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: President Hugo Chavez met November 8 with FARC representative Ivan Marquez and Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba. Although highly anticipated, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) gave the Colombian government no official prior notification. In an unstructured press availability following the meeting, Chavez said this would be the first in a series of meetings with the FARC and issued a vague promise to meet FARC supreme commander Manuel Marulanda. Chavez said publicly he hopes to be able to provide proof of life for French/Colombian dual national Ingrid Betancourt during his November 20 meeting with French President Sarkozy. French embassy officials rate the likelihood of his providing such evidence at about 60%. According to the French DCM the FARC may also provide proof of life for the three AmCit hostages. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) FARC Representative Ivan Marquez and Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba met with the press outside the Miraflores presidential palace following their November 8 meeting with Chavez. Cordoba said that although many difficult issues remain, &an important door had been opened.8 She added that proof of life of the 45 hostages in FARC hands was &the important next step8. Chavez asserted that Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda had ordered field FARC field commanders to send the Venezuelan leader proof of life, adding that he hoped to have proof of Colombian Presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt's safety before he traveled to Paris on November 20. ¶3. (C) French Deputy Chief of Mission Dominique Mas (Protect) told PolCouns November 13 that Chavez had received a special French emissary to discuss the negotiations and that Chavez felt he could produce proof of life for Franco-Colombian Ingrid Betancourt and possibly the three U.S. DEA contractors for his November 20 meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. While the French estimate Chavez has a 60% chance of meeting that goal, they conceded that "something is happening" and think that recent FARC reverses in the field, (REFTEL) combined with the letter from Simon Trinidad and Sonia have put the FARC in the position of needing to cut a deal. Mas speculated that women, children and infirmed FARC hostages might be exchanged for imprisoned FARC females; adding, "If Chavez can't do it, who will?" ¶4. (SBU) Chavez hedged his chances of success by calling the open door "large and heavy." He said that a meeting with FARC leader Marulanda was on both of their agendas and that only, "a date, place and time" were needed. FARC emissary Marquez added that the meeting would take place in the El Yari jungle of Colombia's Caqueta department, where Chavez would find Marulanda "leading fighters." The Colombian Peace Commission indicated that Chavez had not informed them of the meeting with the FARC (REFTEL) as required by the facilitation agreement and only heard of it from the media. DUDDY =======================CABLE ENDS============================