DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETINGS WITH PRESIDENT COLOM

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000793 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OVIP PREL PGOV GT SUBJECT: DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETINGS WITH PRESIDENT COLOM AND VICE PRESIDENT ESPADA ¶1. (SBU) President and Mrs. Colom hosted the Deputy Secretary, Mrs. Negroponte, WHA A/S Shannon, and the Ambassador for drinks and dinner at the National Palace on the evening of June 5. The event, which included music by the Presidential marimba band and a tour of the National Palace, was primarily a social occasion. During the dinner President and Mrs. Colom spoke about the various social initiatives the government is pursuing, particularly the conditional transfer payments being made to families in the poorest 44 municipalities in Guatemala. Colom mentioned that he considers Mauricio Funes, the FMLN presidential candidate in El Salvador, to be a good friend. He said he has counseled Funes to follow a moderate line in domestic and foreign policy if he wants to succeed in the 2009 Salvadoran presidential election. President and Mrs. Colom commented several times on how much they appreciated President Bush's warm hospitality during the April visit to Washington. ¶2. (SBU) The Deputy Secretary breakfasted with Vice President Rafael Espada on June 6. There was an extended discussion of the struggle against organized crime and the importance of the Administration's Merida Initiative. Espada later commented to the press that the Merida Initiative was coherent and feasible. Espada commented generally that the Colom government was making progress on law enforcement and social issues, but perhaps had not fully appreciated how conservative and resistant to change Guatemalan society was. This was true not only of the business elite, but of the entire culture, including indigenous/Mayan society. ¶3. (U) D staff cleared this message prior to transmission. Derham