EVO BANS DEA FLIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 002150 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2018 TAGS: SNAR PGOV PREL PTER EAID ASEC BL SUBJECT: EVO BANS DEA FLIGHTS Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) The Bluster -------------- ¶1. (U) Bolivian President Evo Morales said he would ban DEA overflights October 2, a decision he claimed was based on the strong Bolivian public sentiment to stand up to "the empire" in order to recover national sovereignty and dignity. "Two days ago I received a letter from the DEA of the United States that asked a Bolivian institution for permission to fly over national territory. I want to say publicly to our national authorities in this sector that they are not authorized to give permission for the DEA to fly over our national territory." The Facts -------------- ¶2. (SBU) We have been routinely requesting 90-day blanket overflights for at least 15 years, precisely out of respect for Bolivian "sovereignty." These flights are used to move both USG and Bolivian counter-narcotics personnel around the country. Although the flights are not/not used for surveillance, as implied by Morales, even if they were, it would be consistent with Bolivia's supposed commitment to counter-narcotics cooperation. The Embassy will engage with host government officials using the following speaking points: --We make periodic requests to the Bolivian Government for permission to fly our DEA aircraft in Bolivia. --The aircraft is used solely to transport both American and Bolivian officials in counter-narcotics missions. It is not a surveillance aircraft. --Air mobility is one of the many tools we make available to our Bolivian counterparts. We remain committed to helping Bolivia improve its counter-narcotics efforts. Statements like these do not demonstrate a commitment on their part. The Disconnect -------------- ¶3. (C) DEA Attache' called Bolivia's Counter-Narcotics Special Forces (FELCN) Commander Col. Rene Sanabria and Vice Minister of Social Defense (drug czar) Felipe Caceres on October 3. Neither claimed to have any prior knowledge about the decision. Caceres promised to investigate the subject with Morales and get back to us. Sanabria advised DEA Attache' to contact retired Bolivian National Police Gen. Miguel Vasquez, currently an advisor for the Vice Ministry of Social Defense, concerning the issue. Sanabria claimed Vasquez brought up the flight request and the possible return of DEA to the Chapare region with President Morales. DEA received an October 3 telephonic reply to our most recent flight request filed last week to stop DEA flights within Bolivia and limit DEA's international flights to the cities of Santa Cruz and La Paz. We are told a formal written response establishing this new policy is in the works. The Impact -------------- ¶4. (SBU) This decision could severely hamper DEA operations in Bolivia due to the need to transport counter-narcotics personnel to multiple remote locations, many of which are not served by commercial aircraft. Further, commercial aircraft would not allow our agents to carry arms. Land routes to these locations are time consuming and potentially dangerous. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Evo's public rejection of a routine request for DEA flights is bazaar and does not bode well for improving counter-narcotics cooperation or for repairing badly strained bilateral relations. While we hope cooler heads will prevail to reverse or mitigate the decision, we are not counting on it. End Comment. URS