PARAGUAYAN RESPONSE TO DEATH OF FARC COMMANDER

id: 144533 date: 3/6/2008 10:36 refid: 08ASUNCION140 origin: Embassy Asuncion classification: CONFIDENTIAL destination: header: VZCZCXYZ4986 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHAC #0140 0661036 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 061036Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASUNCION TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6676 INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 0579 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 0243 -------------- header ends -------------- C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 000140 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/BSC KBEAMER E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/26/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL CO ER PA SUBJECT: PARAGUAYAN RESPONSE TO DEATH OF FARC COMMANDER Classified By: DCM Michael J. Fitzpatrick for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) President Nicanor Duarte Frutos condemned March 4 Colombia's actions in killing FARC Commander Raul Reyes, stating that Paraguay condemned Colombia's "external agression" and reaffirmed "the sovereignty of nations" such as Ecuador. A confidential message from the Paraguayan government to the OAS obtained by the newspaper ABC Color indicated that Paraguay formally acknowledged its support for Ecuador and opposition to Colombia's action. Ecuadorian Ambassador to Paraguay Julio Prado Espinosa told ABC Color March 4 that Duarte had expressed solidarity with Ecuador following Colombia's incursion into Ecuadorian territory to kill Reyes. (NOTE: Paraguayan diplomatic sources indicated to ABC Color that Duarte phoned Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa personally to offer his support. END NOTE.) ¶2. (C) COMMENT: President Duarte took a nationalistic and populist stance yet again. This is in keeping with his ongoing domestic campaign prior to April's presidential and congressional elections here. Duarte did not mention the Venezuelan government's response to the killing, and has avoided all press reports regarding FARC's presence in Ecuador in the first place. As a result, Duarte appears to be balancing his own populist rhetoric by showing his solidarity with Ecuador and its ally, Venezuela, without taking the controversial stand of acknowledging support for Venezuela in this conflict. COMMENT. Please visit us at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/asuncion CASON =======================CABLE ENDS============================