FARC KIDNAPS COLOMBIAN GOVERNOR FROM HIS RESIDENCE

UNCLAS BOGOTA 003599 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER MOPS MCAP PHUM PGOV ASEC CO SUBJECT: FARC KIDNAPS COLOMBIAN GOVERNOR FROM HIS RESIDENCE ¶1. (SBU) On the evening of December 21, approximately ten Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) fighters dressed in Colombian military uniforms kidnapped the governor of Colombia's Caqueta department from his residence in Florencia. The kidnappers, believed to belong to the FARC'S Teofilo Forero Mobile Column, arrived in a pick-up truck and attacked the home of Governor Luis Francisco Cuellar with hand grenades and gunfire, killing one police security guard and wounding two others. The governor was abducted and his whereabouts are currently unknown. According to the police, this is the fifth time that Cuellar has been kidnapped. On December 9, the FARC unsuccessfully attempted to kidnap the Mayor of San Vicente de Caguan (also in Caqueta department),leaving one police officer dead. ¶2. (SBU) On December 22, President Uribe ordered the Colombian military to launch a rescue operation, and the Defense Ministry is offering a one billion peso (approximately US$500,000) reward for information leading to the governor's recovery. Defense Minister Gabriel Silva, National Police Director General Oscar Naranjo and Armed Forces Commander Freddy Padilla are reportedly traveling to the area to oversee rescue operations. ¶3. (SBU) Numerous security forces and assets are being deployed to prevent Cuellar from being moved to a remote, jungle location. U.S. support offered through the Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS) includes approximately four airplanes and five helicopters. Some 200 mobile police (Carabineros),who just completed training at the NAS-funded Carabineros school, and other NAS-supported police special forces were also sent to the area. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: This bold, high-profile kidnapping just four days before Christmas, is a calculated move by the FARC to demonstrate that it is still relevant and to discredit President Uribe's Democratic Security policy ahead of the 2010 elections. The FARC leadership has been attempting to leverage release of the remaining political hostages to obtain political oxygen, but may have determined the shock value of this kidnapping would outweigh the domestic and international public backlash. Although this is the first high-profile kidnapping in years, the FARC have been engaged in a continued campaign of targeted kidnapping, assassination and intimidation of local political leaders. In 2009, 12 council members have been murdered, two others taken hostage and more than 30 have been attacked. On October 18, the FARC killed two council members in Sumapaz, a town on the outskirts of Bogota. End Comment. BROWNFIELD