INL A/S JOHNSON MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER DEL

C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 000281 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR INL/LP STATE FOR WHA/PPC ONDCP FOR LT COL RONALD GARNER E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2012 TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL PE SUBJECT: INL A/S JOHNSON MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER DEL CASTILLO REF: LIMA 00145 Classified By: Susan Keogh, NAS Director for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: During a 2-day visit to Peru, A/S David Johnson met with high-level government officials in Lima, and observed the nexus between eradication and alternative development in the San Martin area, as well as the NAS police training program. In his meeting with Prime Minister Jorge del Castillo, the PM indicated preference for more efficient interdiction of precursor chemicals over aggressive coca eradication to curb drug production -- an argument reflecting his earlier dialogue with cocaleros. Del Castillo seemed unphased by the news of substantial budget cuts in 2008, saying effective investment of available resources was more important than the amount. The PM was aware that most of Peru's cocaine was going to destinations other than the U.S., particularly Europe, but noted the EU had not put drug control on the May EU-Latin America Summit Agenda - something he would try to redress. Regarding the appointment of Judge Carolina Lizarraga as the anti-corruption czar, the PM said she would need help; A/S Johnson assured him that the USG was ready to assist. End Summary. ¶2. (C) INL Assistant Secretary David Johnson's visit to Peru February 7-9 included a day of official meetings in Lima and a day in the field in San Martin, viewing the eradication and alternative development nexus and the NAS-PNP Police training Academy at Santa Lucia. On February 8, he met with Prime Minister Jorge Del Castillo. Ambassador Michael McKinley and other Embassy officials accompanied him. Discussion focused on developments in bilateral counter-narcotics (CN) efforts, specifically on establishing state presence East of the Andes; the intersection between the narco-trafficking threat and the persistence of Sendero Luminoso; and the need for increased GOP input to CN programs in the face of substantial cuts in USG budget support. ¶3. (C) The PM explained the GOP,s political decision to fight groups involved with narcotics trafficking in Peru and to go after assets that have previously been protected through lack of legal structures and the enormous corruptive power of the drug industry on law enforcement. Recently, the legislature had passed laws to strengthen penalties for illegal precursor chemical diversion, for money laundering, and asset forfeiture. He acknowledged that chemical controls were still incipient and the government could do a lot better than the current 10 percent seizure rate (Note: Analysts estimate closer to 5 percent. End Note). Surprisingly, Del Castillo reverted to the cocalero argument that an efficient system of chemical control is better than interdiction of drugs. Coca plantations cannot be used without chemical input: a 30 percent reduction of illegal chemicals would be a more efficient and cheaper way to fight drug production than aggressive eradication and interdiction, he posited. Cocaleros were mired in poverty and eliminating their crop causes social conflict. Del Castillo said he preferred less traumatic treatment to hard surgery. A/S Johnson concurred that the extension of state presence and the rule of law would facilitate the creation of choke points for chemical control; however, he countered the GOP would need to continue eradication as a disincentive to expansion of coca, and to encourage a change to licit lifestyles. ¶4. (C) The Assistant Secretary said political will and commitment by the GOP had been key to recent successes in anti-narcotics efforts. He acknowledged that the real CN challenge for the U.S. remains Latin America and those efforts needed to be sustained. However, difficult global challenges and responsibilities meant that U.S. funding for both the narcotics control and alternative development programs would drop in 2008 by almost 30 percent. He noted that substantial investments in air mobility and infrastructure had already been made. Ambassador McKinley added that the funding cuts meant the GOP would have to strengthen its own CN programs: the Millennium Challenge Account would be a source of support for GOP anti-corruption efforts. The PM said it was not always a question of more money but effectively investing resources. ¶5. (C) Del Castillo said Judge Carolina Lizarraga was taking on the task of rooting out corruption, but was frank in noting that there has been more talk than action. He acknowledged there are extensive rivalries between government agencies on this issue and that Judge Lizarraga was still seeking her niche. A/S Johnson assured him that the USG would be pleased to work with her. There was a focus on the APEC standing group on anti-corruption, and she had been brought to INL,s attention as an effective proponent. The Prime Minister said that social conflict around APEC would be diffused, and he doubted the &anti-Summit8 would get much support. Turning to the May EU-Latin America Summit in Lima, Del Castillo commented that most of the cocaine exported from Peru was not going to the U.S. but to Europe; the Europeans were contributing very little to the counter-narcotics fight and the EU had not put drug control on an agenda that focused on poverty reduction and climate change. He said the GOP would try to get it included. A/S Johnson noted that the U.S. remains a big market but the UK is the fastest growing cocaine market in the world. We needed to work together to achieve mutual capacity building at the international summit level, he said. (Note: Ambassador spoke with his EU counterpart to urge a higher priority be given to counter-narcotics in the EU-LAC Summit. The EU Ambassador promised to raise this concern in a meeting he was having in Brussels the week of February 18. He added, drugs would be the subject of a working group tied to the summit. End note) ¶6. (SBU) Later in the day, A/S Johnson met with DEVIDA Director Romulo Pizarro, responsible for setting the country's overall counter-narcotics policy. Pizarro referred to "shared concerns" between the U.S. and Peru in the war on drugs, identifying narcotrafficking as a national issue rather than just a consumer country problem. A/S Johnson agreed that drugs constituted a worldwide challenge. He explained that the changing political focus meant fewer assistance funds would be available than in the past. Reduced funding for CN programs could be seen as a sign of progress, but that there would be difficult choices ahead. He suggested reaching out to heads of state and other senior officials visiting Lima this year for APEC events. Pizarro agreed that 2008 would be a crucial year for Peru and underscored the government's intention to combat narco-trafficking through eradication, interdiction, anti-corruption and alternative development efforts. ¶7. (C) Comment: Both PM Del Castillo and DEVIDA's Pizarro reacted calmly to the news that Peru will receive substantial cuts in CN funding this year, indicating that the GOP has internalized the need to take on more of the fight itself. The PM,s anti-eradication stance does not coincide with the views of President Garcia and most of his Cabinet who recognize that poverty cannot be used to justify participation in the drug production chain. Del Castillo was the point person in negotiating with cocalero leaders soon after the Garcia Government came into power, and he still reflects some of the social arguments used at that time. End Comment. MCKINLEY