PEACE COMMISSIONER RESTREPO CHIDES CHAVEZ ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 000051

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2018
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER VZ CO
SUBJECT: PEACE COMMISSIONER RESTREPO CHIDES CHAVEZ ON
FAILED HOSTAGE RESCUE

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Brian A. Nichols Reason: 1.4 (b) and (
d)

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Summary
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1. (C) GOC Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo told the
Charge on January 3 that Venezuelan President Chavez will
continue to use the humanitarian exchange issue to create
problems, but said the GOC plans to make him pay a high
political cost for his recent unsuccessful hostage rescue
mission. He agreed President Uribe should reach out to his
Latin American counterparts to make the GOC,s case on the
hostage issue and would recommend that Uribe do so after the
DNA test results on the child, the GOC believes is FARC
hostage Clara Rojas, son, become available. Restrepo added
that Senator Piedad Cordoba and Chavez have misrepresented
the USG position on a humanitarian accord "suggesting the USG
would negotiate with the FARC" and urged USG officials not to
meet with her. He said the GOC will continue to engage the
ELN on peace talks, but expects the process to go nowhere.
END SUMMARY

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Failed Chavez Humanitarian Initiative Opportunity to
Further Erode His Credibility
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2. (C) GOC Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo told
Charge Brian Nichols and PolCouns on January 3 that in the
wake of Venezuelan President Chavez,s failed effort to
obtain the FARC,s unilateral release of three Colombian
hostages, he saw little prospect of future progress on a
humanitarian accord with the group. The GOC will continue to
demand the immediate liberation of the hostages, and will
push its "encounter zone" proposal for talks on an accord.
The GOC will also harden its public discourse on the issue,
stressing that the FARC are criminals and a humanitarian
accord amounts to trafficking in persons. The GOC believes
it has the FARC "cornered and confused," but does not expect
this to lead to a breakthrough on the hostage issue.


3. (C) Restrepo said Chavez will continue to use the hostage
issue to create problems for the GOC. Venezuelan Foreign
Minister Maduro, citing a letter signed by Clara Gonzalez de
Rojas, mother of hostage Clara Rojas, called Colombian
Foreign Minister Araujo on January 2 demanding the GOC allow
Venezuelans to take DNA samples of the child believed to be
Emmanuel. The GOC refused the request. Restrepo opined that
the GOC needs to exploit recent events to make Chavez pay a
high political cost for the suspended rescue operation.
Chavez involved international observers in an ill-conceived,
poorly planned mission. The international observers
"believed in Chavez and Chavez believed in the FARC."
Restrepo said the GOC thinks DNA testing will confirm its
belief that the FARC does not have custody of Rojas, child,
Emmanuel. The Prosecutor General,s office (Fiscalia) will
have the results of its test ready on January 4. The GOC
also sent samples for testing in Spain. The test results
would offer an opportunity to further erode Chavez,
credibility.


4. (C) Nichols noted that President Chavez has worked
aggressively to blame the GOC for the FARC's failure to free
the hostages. The surprising revelations that the FARC might
not even have Rojas' child Emmanuel had provoked disbelief in
some quarters, while Chavez' echoing of FARC complaints of
GOC military operations had resonated. CDA Nichols suggested
that President Uribe engage regional leaders behind the
scenes more actively to ensure that they understand the GOC's
view point. Restrepo noted that the GOC does not want to
encourage further international involvement in a humanitarian
accord, but agreed Uribe should call his counterparts once
the DNA results are released.


5. (C) Restrepo added that the GOC fears the December

letters from three U.S. Congressmen to FARC leader Manuel
Marulanda, Chavez and Uribe supporting a humanitarian accord
feed the impression that the USG might negotiate with the
FARC. The GOC knows the USG has not changed its policy of
not negotiating with terrorist groups, but Colombian Senator
Piedad Cordoba and Chavez have worked to propagate this
notion. Many Colombians, as well as international actors
such as French diplomat Daniel Parfait, now believe the USG
would be open to talks with the FARC. Restrepo urged USG
officials to refrain from meeting further with Cordoba,
noting she uses such sessions to inflate her political role
and misrepresent the USG position. CDA Nichols observed that
Department officials had only considered receiving Cordoba in
response to a direct request from President Uribe and now
that her sanctioned role had ended, we did not foresee the
need to meet with her on this issue.

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ELN Process Moribund
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6. (C) Restrepo said the GOC will continue to engage the ELN
to strengthen its international and domestic political
positions, but does not believe these efforts will lead to
real negotiations. The GOC has received indications the ELN
will not respond positively to the GOC,s mid-December offer
to require only the ELN,s Central Command (COCE) to
concentrate as part of a ceasefire accord. He attributed the
ELN,s intransigence to its growing reliance on
narcotrafficking and its fear of offending Chavez. The GOC
estimates the ELN derives 75% of its funding from
narcotrafficking, empowering mid-level commanders who oppose
a deal because it would curtail their criminal activities.
Restrepo said the COCE had hoped Chavez, facilitation role
in the FARC and ELN processes would enable it to consolidate
an alliance with the FARC. The GOC,s suspension of Chavez,
mediation efforts ended this ELN strategy.


7. (C) Restrepo added that while it has not received wide
press coverage, the U.S. request to extradite four ELN
members on kidnapping charges has applied useful pressure on
the group. He noted that Columbia University academic Aldo
Civico continue to work with the ELN on a funding proposal
and peace plan, but voiced skepticism that Civico,s work
would produce results. "Civico is trying to breathe oxygen
into a cadaver," Restrepo proclaimed.
Nichols