CONGRESS TRIES TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000904 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2007 TAGS: KRCM PGOV SOCI HO SUBJECT: CONGRESS TRIES TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE SECURITY SITUATION Classified By: AMB. CHARLES FORD. REASONS 1.4(B) ¶1. (U) The Honduran Congress, before an invited crowd of diplomats, private businessmen, Church officials, and representatives from a number of government agencies, revealed on May 15 its proposal to address the security situation in Honduras by creating yet another commission. President of Congress Roberto Micheletti unveiled the proposed law that would create the "Comision Interinstitucional para la Seguridad" (Interinstitutional Commission for Security) (CIS). ¶2. (U) The commission will be composed of the Ministers of Security, Defense, Government and Justice, the Attorney General, the Supreme Court, the Municipal Association, and members of Congress. Its primary purpose will be to create a plan to lower the crime rate that incorporates the participating agencies and then coordinate the implementation of the plan. The commission will have other responsibilities such as coordinating aid from the donor countries, creating an advanced intelligence-sharing system, proposing new laws for the Honduran Congress, constructing more prisons, and ensuring the proceeds from the sale of seized assets are properly distributed. ¶3. (U) Reaction to the plan from the business community, civil society and human rights group was favorable, not so much for the commission itself, but for the need for a nationwide security plan that would require all three branches of government to cooperate and work together. A common response was that the proposed plan does not include the changes necessary to strengthen the police, reform the prison system, or expand the powers of the Public Ministry to investigate and fight corruption. Minister of Security Romero commented that the most important aspect of the plan is that the Congress recognizes that the deteriorating security situation must be addressed by all sectors of Honduran society; the National Police cannot do it themselves. ¶4. (C) Poloff discussed the proposed law with Elizabeth (Lizzy) Flores, the 1st VP of the Honduran Congress. She stated that Congress has been working on this law with the Supreme Court for a number of months and that Micheletti felt pressed into proposing the law due to the lack of action on the part of the Zelaya administration to improve the security situation. If the President will not take charge of the worsening situation, then she believes it is the responsibility of the Congress and the other sectors of government to step in. Flores, daughter of former President Carlos Flores and presumed presidential candidate in 2013, dismissed any hints that Micheletti has any ulterior motive in introducing the plan. ¶5. (C) Defense Minister Mejia told DCM that Micheletti had not coordinated his proposal with the executive branch. According to the Italian Ambassador, Security Minister Romero received a phone call from President Zelaya earlier on the day of Micheletti's surprise announcement asking Romero whether he knew what Micheletti planned to introduce. Mejia stated that Zelaya expressed anger over the form of the announcement. Mejia also termed the Commission "unconstitutional" for placing the Security Minister at the head of a commission composed of the judicial branch and independent prosecutor's office along with executive branch officials. Commanding General Vasquez Valasquez informed the DCM that Zelaya had ordered him to develop an alternative national security plan within 30 days. ¶6. (C) COMMENT. Flores may claim that Micheletti has no motive other than improving security in Honduras, but the public unveiling of this proposal before an invited crowd cannot be read as anything but a ploy by Micheletti to show he wants to be in charge of the number one concern in Honduras. Micheletti would like to run for the Presidency in the next election and by introducing this proposed law in the manner he did, he is trying to draw attention to himself, distance himself from President Zelaya, and demonstrate to the Honduran people that he is Presidential material. In addition, Micheletti's action demonstrates that he is a man of action compared to a President who is passive on an action of greatest concern to the public. As for the law itself, it is unclear how the proposed CIS would differ from the current Commission on Internal Security (CONASIN),headed by the Executive Branch, composed of many of the same people and institutions as the CIS, and charged with similar responsibilities. Flores mentioned that she anticipated trouble in passing the law and it may be that that proposed law will do more good by stimulating debate about the security situation even if it is never approved. If Congress is serious about improving the security situation, it could start by passing the Organic Police Law which has been sitting in Congress for months and includes a number of necessary reforms to the National Police that commentators wished to see in the CIS law. END COMMENT. FORD