HONDURAS DEMARCHED ON PRESSURING THE FARC

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000687 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/22/2018 TAGS: PTER SNAR PGOV PREL HO SUBJECT: HONDURAS DEMARCHED ON PRESSURING THE FARC REF: SECSTATE 77205 Classified By: ADCM Andrea Brouillette-Rodriguez, Reasons 1.4 (b & d) (C) On July 22, POLOFF delivered reftel demarche to the MFA's acting Director for Multilateral Affairs, Jose Lorenzana, and acting Director for Bilateral Affairs, Lilian Juarez. Both Lorenzana and Juarez agreed that the recent rescue of 15 hostages from FARC control represents weakness within the terrorist organization and signals an opportunity to place more pressure on FARC leadership to lay down their arms. Both also agreed with POLOFF that support for the Colombian government in this area should look beyond other sensitive bilateral issues between the two countries and build upon universal human rights norms which the FARC is clearly violating. Lorenzana noted that multilateral opportunities existed for Honduras to work towards this goal by means of the OAS while Juarez said she'd pursue the issue through local and regional contacts, especially in Colombia and its neighboring countries. Comment: Neither Lorenzana nor Juarez mentioned the recent stand Honduras had taken that the FARC was not a terrorist organization and was not on any of the Honduran terrorist lists. These lower level officials do not speak for the Administration of President Manuel Zelaya. Zelaya has moved closer to Venezuelan President Chavez in order to receive the benefits of Petrocaribe, and we are unsure of what bargain he may have struck. End Comment. FORD