BI-WEEKLY REPORTING CABLE FOR PERIOD ENDING

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001311 DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP, DAS CHRISTY MCCAMPBELL AND AIMEE MARTIN DEPARTMENT FOR INL/RM, JAMES WALSH EMBASSIES FOR NAS PAFB FOR SHARON NELL SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL GT SUBJECT: BI-WEEKLY REPORTING CABLE FOR PERIOD ENDING 10/10/08 ? NARCOTICS AFFAIRS SECTION (U) 1. SUMMARY: This cable provides a summary of NAS activities in Guatemala covering the period ending October 10, 2008. End Summary. -------------- ¶2. NARCOTICS -------------- BRIEFING FOR NEW DRUG POLICE CHIEF: A working group luncheon was held at a local restaurant to welcome the new narcotics police (SAIA) chief to the unit. In attendance at the luncheon for the GOG were the Chief of the Drug Unit of the Attorney General' office (MP); the newly appointed head of the Police (PNC) Criminal Investigation Division, the deputy chief of the narcotics police, and DEA Country Attache. Numerous topics related to future drug operations in Guatemala were addressed, ranging from the vetting process to the inauguration of the future investigative support group - GAPI. One of the most important items addressed was the Ministry of Government (MOG) plan to merge the Port Police (DIPA) under SAIA operation and supervision. MONEY SEIZURE: DIPA airport unit seized $450,000 from two Colombian nationals traveling from Guatemala to Medellin Colombia via Panama. The funds were concealed in false bottoms of the suitcases. ERADICATION PLAN: As the result of the intelligence collected from a recon flight in the San Marcos Department, a poppy eradication meeting was held to develop the strategy for the next poppy eradication operation, scheduled to begin on October 15. -------------- ¶3. RULE OF LAW -------------- WORK PLAN FOR THE PUBLIC MINISTRY: The Guatemalan Attorney General, Amilcar Velasquez presented the Public Ministry?s Work Plan 2008-2010 to donors and other ministries. The main strategic goal of the plan is the fight against impunity and organized crime. The actions to be performed focus on effective case management, better investigation/prosecution of cases, witness protection, performance evaluation for personnel and community outreach. All areas presented in the plan have a direct correlation with various NAS projects. SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE: NAS met with the newly appointed SCJ Magistrate Vladimir Aguilar. During the courtesy meeting, Magistrate Aguilar said that he considered necessary, for the strengthening of the rule of law, for the SCJ to share seized assets among law enforcement agencies and the Public Ministry. He commented that this topic was one of the first of his agenda during his appointment as magistrate. CONGRESS: One ongoing management issue for the Embassy and NAS has been the requirement to file diplomatic tax exemptions for all NAS imports. Further adding to the issue is that while the GOG follows the LOAs and does not tax NAS, recipient ministries have to pay taxes on donated equipment. This has led to number of management issues, one of which is all donated vehicles were registered to NAS although used by various ministries. NAS approached the Attorney General and the Minister of Government on this matter during a regular quarterly meeting. The result is that the Guatemalan Congress approved a decree that provides tax exemption to all imports and donations given to the GOG through the LOAs signed with NAS. Decree No. 61-2008 was approved in final reading on October 1, 2008. The law has a duration of five years, during which time, all NAS imports and donations will be cleared of customs duty-free and exempt Qdonations will be cleared of customs duty-free and exempt from donation tax without use of diplomatic exemption. -------------- ¶4. POLICE -------------- GRADUATION: 29 PNC officers graduated from the Basic Criminal Investigation Course sponsored by NAS. The 29 officers were fully vetted (to NAS standards) and will be assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division (DINC). There will be new courses starting every two weeks (or when there are enough vetted officers to fill a class) to provide fully vetted investigators to the DINC and Office of Professional Regulation (OPR). VILLA NUEVA: A briefing and tour of the Villa Nueva Model Precinct was presented to the Ambassador, Minister of Government, Chief of Police, and the Mayor of Villa Nueva. Numerous members of the community were present including representatives from the schools, markets, transportation, and neighborhoods. The MOG is moving forward with a study of the model precinct and where the additional models should be located. The Media coverage of the event was very favorable. An additional presentation of the model precinct was made for Amanda Martin, Human Rights Commission of Guatemala and Esperanza Castro from Colombia as requested by MOG Jimenez to support a regional gang study that is underway. ANTI GANG PROGRAM: On Oct. 3, NAS representatives met with members of the FBI in El Salvador to observe the Anti Gang Units in El Salvador. NAS and the FBI are working closely to facilitate the implementation of a Transnational Anti Gang (TAG) unit in Guatemala. NAS coordinated a meeting with PNC Director in which LEGATT Salvador and the National Gang Supervisor from the FBI discussed the implementation of the TAG in Guatemala. Director General Blanco was impressed with the proposal and offered office space for the unit to initiate their work. Blanco will present the proposal to MOG when he returns from Mexico. CRADIC: Helen Mack of the Myrna Mack Foundation requested a briefing and tour of the Police intelligence, analysis and dissemination center (CRADIC). Mack was briefed on the mission of the unit, the relationship with the investigative process and the importance of the statistics gathered by the unit. While impressed, Mack asked ?if the police have such a powerful tool at their disposal why haven?t investigation improved?? The director of CRADIC advised her that there is a lack of supervision within the PNC, there is extensive corruption and there is a lack of training that inhibits the investigative process. He also pointed out that the reason that the Model Precinct in Villa Nueva has been successful is that these areas were addressed and improved. -------------- ¶5. DEMAND REDUCTION -------------- SPENDING PLAN: NAS worked with Demand Reduction Agency (SECCATID) to develop their first detailed spending plan. NAS met with SECCATID and an office in the Ministry of Education (DIGEF) to encourage DIGEF support of the Villa Nueva Police Athletic League. -------------- ¶6. AVIATION SUPPORT (ASP) -------------- TRAINING: The Anti-terrorist portion of the Joint Task Force (FIATT) practiced aircraft take down procedures and air assault maneuvers. POPPY RECON: NAS flew a mission to the Guatemalan western highlands in the Department of San Marcos with the purpose of locating targets for an upcoming eradication operation. The team of Eradication Program personnel and ASP crews found approximately 50 target fields for eradication. TRAINNG: NAS was able to complete mountain training on QTRAINNG: NAS was able to complete mountain training on the last of their six aviators which brings to a close the special mission task training phase. SUPPORT FLIGHT: NAS flew a mission with a three person staff delegation from the Senate Intelligence Committee lead by Caroline Tess. The destination was the Guatemalan border with Mexico at Tecun Uman, San Marcos. The mission included additional training for the pilots in poppy recon methods. -------------- ¶7. OTHER ISSUES -------------- ADMIN: In response to Management Assistance Visit recommendation 27, LES administrative staff developed a proposal for the assignment of duties and responsibilities among the LES staff. The proposal is currently beginning management review. MCFARLAND