ARREST OF U PARTY LEADER PRESIDENT FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 002702 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER CO SUBJECT: ARREST OF U PARTY LEADER PRESIDENT FOR PARAMILITARY TIES SHOWS CONTINUED SUPREME COURT COMMITMENT TO PARAPOLITICAL INVESTIGATIONS Classified By: Political Counselor John S. Creamer for reasons B and D ¶1. (U) Summary: The arrest of U Party President Carlos Garcia--leader of the largest party in the governing congressional coalition and a player in efforts to amend the constitution to allow for a possible third Uribe term--shows the strength of Colombia's democratic institutions as they investigate alleged congressional-paramilitary ties. Still, Garcia's detention is a blow to the U Party, and will further erode Congress' public image. It will complicate U Party efforts to amend the Constitution to allow for a possible third Uribe term, and may also delay congressional action on GOC-supported judicial and political reform packages. End Summary ¶2. (U) The Supreme Court ordered the preventive detention of U Party President Carlos Garcia on July 25 for alleged ties with former paramilitary groups. Three former paramilitaries claimed Garcia met in 2001 with the "Tolima Bloc" commander to discuss the financing of social projects in paramilitary controlled-zones in exchange for paramilitary political support. Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos and Finance Minister Oscar Ivan Zuluaga set up the U party in 2005 to support President Uribe's reelection campaign, and the party is the largest group in Uribe's congressional coalition. Garcia and U Party Secretary General Luis Giraldo are deeply involved in the campaign to amend the constitution to allow for a third Uribe term. Garcia is the fifth leader of a governing coalition party to be implicated in the parapolitical scandal, and is a former president of Congress. ¶3. (C) Garcia voiced confidence that he would eventually be acquitted. U Party members claimed that in ordering Garcia's detention, the Supreme Court was motivated by its desire to weaken the current reelection campaign rather than by the evidence. Supreme Court President Ricaurte told us on July 11 that the Court would indict more legislators in the parapolitical scandal, and denied that the court acts for political reasons. In a July 14 meeting with Ricaurte and other magistrates, President Uribe agreed the Court should continue the parapolitical investigations. Uribe had previously questioned the Court's motives and evaluation of evidence in parapolitical cases. ¶4. (C) U party Senator Marta Lucia Ramirez-who leads a dissident faction within the party and has clashed repeatedly with Garcia-told us the party was cobbled together from regional political chieftains, and contains numerous members with ties to suspect groups. Presidential advisor Jose Obdulio Gaviria told us the U party will likely disappear in the future, but conceded it plays an important role in the reelection effort. He added, however, that due to the high "political cost," he now doubts that Uribe will pursue a third term. ¶5. (SBU) Garcia's detention shows the strength of Colombia's democratic institutions, as the Supreme Court--as well as other judicial institutions--continue to investigate alleged congressional ties to criminal groups. Still, his arrest is a blow to the undisciplined U party, and will further erode Congress' public image. It will also likely complicate passage of political and judicial reforms, which the GOC plans to introduce in congress in August. To date, 71 congressmen (out of 268) have been tied to the parapolitical scandal by the Court, with 33 in jail. The Court has acquitted three legislators, and found five guilty. Of the 71, 52 belong to parties that support the Uribe coalition. Twelve legislators from the opposition Liberal party are also involved, with smaller parties accounting for the rest. BROWNFIELD