CICIG'S FIRST PUBLIC CASE

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 000754

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/13/2018
TAGS: PGOV KCRM PREL ASEC GT
SUBJECT: CICIG'S FIRST PUBLIC CASE

REF: GUATEMALA 355

Classified By: DCM David Lindwall for reasons 1.4 (b&d).


1. (U) On June 9, Guatemalan National Civilian Police (PNC)
Director Isabel Mendoza announced the arrests of four senior
policemen assigned to Zone 1, Guatemala's city center.
Mendoza said the four were involved with a criminal gang
known as "the Crazy Mariachi," and had robbed currency
couriers, trucks, and had participated in other, unspecified
crimes. He also said that these arrests were the first in
which CICIG had been involved.


2. (C) CICIG Political Advisor Ana Garita (protect)
confirmed to Pol/Econ Counselor June 11 that CICIG
investigators had supported the PNC in this investigation.
Asked whether these police officers were the same Zone 1
police officers CICIG Commissioner Castresana referred to in
his March 14 conversation with the Ambassador (reftel),
Garita said no, but that their arrests were the product of
the same investigative effort. She said CICIG would consider
intervening with the judge and Public Ministry to improve
coordination in prosecuting this case. Garita noted this
case was one in which CICIG had only assisted national
authorities, but that it continued to also develop its own,
fully independent investigations of other cases. CICIG's
efforts on some of those would likely come to fruition and be
made public in the July-August time frame.


3. (C) Comment. These arrests represent a modest first
public achievement for CICIG. Some Guatemalan political
observers and press had begun to question what CICIG is
achieving after nine months on the ground. The announcement
of these arrests should help temper critics while CICIG
concludes more emblematic investigations.
Derham