PROGRESS IN BRIDGING GAP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000184

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR USAID FOR LAC/CAM KSEIFERT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM KJUS PHUM PGOV KCRM SOCI GT
SUBJECT: PROGRESS IN BRIDGING GAP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND
CIVIL SOCIETY

REF: GUATEMALA 99


1. (U) Summary: The Ambassador has been facilitating
constructive dialogue between civil society and the Colom
government, urging both sides to find common ground. The
most recent event was a meeting at the Residence between
human rights leader Helen Mack and Minister of Government
Gandara where both agreed to meet regularly. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Since his appointment in December 2008, Minister of
Government Salvador Gandara has faced strong criticism from
the Guatemalan human rights community. Part of the friction
stems from the fact that Gandara's predecessor, Francisco
Jimenez, was the candidate of the human rights community.
Jimenez, who is bright and honest, was nevertheless widely
regarded as an ineffective leader and manager. His
replacement by the much more operationally inclined Gandara,
and Jimenez's appointment as Secretary of the new National
Security Council were good news to many who had seen the
security situation deteriorate under Jimenez, but were
worrisome to human rights groups. Meanwhile, human rights
leaders have continued to criticize Gandara's appointment,
accusing him of being involved in social cleansing while
Mayor of Villanueva and when he was Vice Minister of
Government in the Arzu government, and of being close to
persons, such as Luis Mendizabal, who have also been accused
of social cleansing (reftel).


3. (SBU) Ambassador has used our credibility with human
rights leaders and Gandara to persuade them to find common
ground. In January, he hosted a lunch roundtable with human
rights leaders, and on February 20 he hosted a private
meeting between Gandara and leading human rights activist
Helen Mack. Gandara and Mack discovered that they shared
views on police reform, police training, and setting up a
planning/chief of staff cell in the National Civilian Police
(with Mack emphasizing the planning aspect, and Gandara
focusing on the operational side). They also shared views on
ensuring that the Police Inspector General reports directly
to the Chief of Police.


4. (SBU) Mack pressed Gandara pointblank on whether he had
been involved in social cleansing and whether he was
preparing to hire Luis Mendizabal. Gandara denied both
outright, and pledged that under his watch there would be "no
Rambos" or social cleansing. The Ambassador reiterated the
importance of that commitment. The meeting concluded with
mutual commitments to stay in contact (they later agreed to
meet February 26),and in particular for Mack to provide
input to Gandara on proposed changes in the law governing
police structure and policies. In a subsequent meeting with
an AID official, Mack expressed gratitude for the Embassy's
role in brokering the meeting. While Mack still has doubts
about Gandara, she says the relationship with the Ministry of
Government has increased substantially.


5. (SBU) Comment: This is a good example of how the Embassy
can bridge differences between important sectors of society.
While there will continue to be some tension between human
rights groups and the government, the meeting between Mack
and Gandara underscored the significant extent to which they
-- and we -- agree on key objectives.
McFarland