HUMAN RIGHTS REVIEW - UNITS OF PARAGUAYAN SECURITY

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000456 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/BSC KBEAMER, WHA/AND, DRL/BA, AND INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM MARR MASS PGOV SOCI PINS SNAR PA SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS REVIEW - UNITS OF PARAGUAYAN SECURITY FORCES REF: A. ASUNCION 446 ¶B. 05 STATE 225765 ¶C. 03 STATE 3491 ¶D. 99 STATE 103806 ¶E. 99 STATE 85377 ¶1. (U) Embassy reviewed its internal files and records in accordance with standardized vetting procedures and finds no information regarding human rights violations for Javier Hernan Benitez Duarte (DOB November 14, 1979; POB Asuncion, Paraguay; Nationality: Paraguayan). Mr. Benitez Duarte is a member of the Paraguayan Air Force's Helicopter and Air Transport Group currently undergoing vetting as a unit (ref A). U.S. military personnel plan to provide training and security assistance to the unit on August 20, 2008. Based on available information at Post, Post believes that Mr. Benitez should be vetted with his unit so that the planned training and material support can move forward. ¶2. (SBU) Embassy wishes to inform the Department that it found potentially derogatory information about Mr. Benitez when it reviewed its internal files and records. Mr. Benitez is a possible match to a Consular hit on a Paraguayan national named Javier Benitez (no DOB),who is referenced in a classified State Department document (serial number TIDE 278775) created March 21, 2005, and last modified February 23, 2008. Embassy cannot access this file to verify whether he is the individual identified with this document. Were Mr. Benitez to apply for a U.S. visa, Post's Consular section would need to verify with the Bureau of Consular Affairs that he is not a match prior to issuing his visa. Because Mr. Benitez will receive U.S. training and security assistance in Paraguay and will not travel to the United States, he does not need to apply for a U.S. visa. ¶3. (U) Please advise Embassy whether this individual has been cleared for training. POC for this request is Embassy Asuncion Human Rights Officer Michael Edwards, telephone: 011-595-21-213-715, e-mail: edwardsmg@state.gov. Please visit us at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/asuncion Cason