GOC BEGINS INVESTIGATIONS ON INDIVIDUALS WITH FARC

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 001954 SIPDIS FOR WHA/AND E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2018 TAGS: PTER PGOV CO SUBJECT: GOC BEGINS INVESTIGATIONS ON INDIVIDUALS WITH FARC TIES REF: BOGOTA 1567 Classified By: POLITICAL Counselor John S. Creamer Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d) SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) The Prosecutor General (Fiscalia) announced it is investigating nine individuals, including a U.S. citizen and three other foreigners, for alleged ties to the FARC, and has also asked the Supreme Court to investigate three Colombian legislators. The investigations result from the Fiscalia's preliminary analysis of material found in the Raul Reyes computers. The opposition Polo party issued a statement supporting three Polo members under investigation; some human rights groups claimed the investigations aim to distract attention from the ongoing parapolitical scandal. Still, Polo Senator Gustavo Petro told us he does not discount the possibility that some Polo members maintained inappropriate ties with the FARC, proof of which he believes could split the Polo apart. End Summary FARC-POLITICA INVESTIGATIONS -------------- ¶2. (U) Prosecutor General Mario Iguaran announced May 22 the launch of official investigations against twelve individuals presumed to have RELATIONS with the FARC. The initial evidence for the investigations comes from correspondence from the computer files of FARC Secretariat member Raul Reyes, killed by Colombian military forces on March 1. In what is dubbed by local media as the first chapter of the "Farcpolitica," some individuals are being investigated for allegedly providing POLITICAL advice or arms to the FARC while others allegedly knew the locations of kidnapped victims but never shared the information with authorities. ¶3. (U) Prominent officials under investigation include Liberal Party Senator Piedad Cordoba, Polo Democratico (and Communist Party) legislators Wilson Borja and Gloria Ines Ramirez, former presidential candidate Alvaro Leyva, and Communist newspaper editor (and Polo member) Carlos Lozano. The GOC had, at various times, authorized Lozano, Leyva, Cordoba, and Borja to reach out to the FARC to promote a humanitarian accord. Several human rights groups and commentators charged the GOC with trying to block all efforts to promote a humanitarian exchange. Others argued that in initiating the investigation the GOC is trying to divert attention from the ongoing parapolitica scandal which has implicated over 50 members of the governing coalition. ¶4. (C) Four foreigners - including American citizen James Jones - are under investigation as well. Jones allegedly maintained ongoing correspondence with Reyes and worked on the FARC's behalf. In March, Semana magazine published excerpts of one of Jones' letters to Reyes, in which he offered to serve as a communications "bridge" between the FARC and a U.S. Congressman. Presidential advisor Jose ObdulioGaviria told us in February that the GOC was considering pursuing criminal charges against Jones, as well as U.S. citizen James Petras. ¶5. (U) Investigators presented over 900 emails between Cordoba (using an alias "Teodora de Bolivar") and different FARC contacts. The Fiscalia reports that the tone and content of the Cordoba emails indicate she "exceeded" her political role and provided advice and guidance to the FARC. Venezuelan Congressman Amilkar Figueroa is believed to have facilitated the delivery of arms to the terrorist group. Figueroa called the investigation a "witch hunt" and accused the GOC of trying to distract attention from its "internal political crisis." Ecuadorian Congresswoman Maria Augusta Calle allegedly loaned her Quito bank account to the FARC and may have received financial support from the terrorist group. POLO REACTION -------------- ¶6. (C) In an official communique, the Polo party reiterated its support for the proper pursuit of justice while expressing confidence in the innocence of its three members (the two representatives and Lozano). Cordoba and Borja called the investigation a "smokescreen" while Ramirez accused the GOC of trying to jeopardize humanitarian exchange efforts. Polo Senator Gustavo Petro, who opposes Borja and Ramirez in the Polo's internal elections, does not discount the possibility that the two maintained inappropriate ties with the FARC. The FARC and the Communist Party maintained formal RELATIONS from 1974-1993. If the two were implicated in ongoing RELATIONS with the FARC, Petro said, it would split the Polo apart. BROWNFIELD