Leading Human Rights Activist Prepares to Take on Police

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 000025 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/26 TAGS: PGOV PINR ASEC KCRM SNAR GT SUBJECT: Leading Human Rights Activist Prepares to Take on Police Reform REF: 2009 GUATEMALA 929 CLASSIFIED BY: Drew G. Blakeney, Political and Economic Counselor, State, P/E; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (C) Summary. During a meeting with Pol/Econ Counselor, Guatemala's leading human rights activist, Helen Mack, discussed her plans for her new position overseeing police reform, for which she would seek international assistance. Mack warned the Embassy to be watchful as it administers a $2 million earmark to protect human rights defenders to ensure the money is not diverted for other purposes. Recalling her cooperation with the Embassy and CICIG in ensuring that a cleaner Supreme Court was elected last fall, she expressed disappointment that new Supreme Court President Erick Alvarez is not off to a better start. Mack looked forward to again collaborating with the Embassy and CICIG in hopes that an appropriate candidate is selected to become the next Attorney General in May. End Summary. ¶2. (C) During a January 19 conversation with Pol/Econ Counselor, leading human rights activist Helen Mack said she was preparing for her new role as Commissioner for Police Reform, which will begin in May. Mack said she had told President Colom her acceptance of the position was conditioned on the GOG not transferring any money away from the National Civilian Police (PNC) for the First Lady's social welfare programs or for any other purpose. She had also demanded and received presidential assurance of license to reform the police academy and make personnel appointments. Mack described the PNC as thoroughly corrupt, regularly guilty of human rights abuses, and in need of thorough reform, particularly in the mid- and upper-ranks. While she allowed that political will at the presidential level would be key to success, so to would be the PNC's own willingness to reform. Therefore, she said, her strategy would consist in part in bringing in foreign senior police officers, leading them in a reform dialogue with the PNC, and having the PNC leaders develop their own reform plans based on that dialogue. That way, reform would be brought from within, rather than imposed from the outside. She requested Embassy support in bringing U.S. police officers to support this process. Mack expressed some apprehension that, for the first time in her career, she was joining the government and would be responsible for the successful outcome of an important government reform effort. ¶3. (C) Turning to the U.S. congressional earmark of $2 million in INCLE funds to support three Ministry of Government (MOG) entities involved in protecting human rights defenders (the Ministry of Government's Institute for Attacks Against Human Rights Defenders, officers within the Criminal Investigative Division (DINC) of the Police assigned to work with the Institute, and the Police Department for the Protection of Personalities (DPPP)),Mack made clear she had had a hand in developing the earmark, and was grateful for the USG's support. She thought the MOG Institute and the ten referenced DINC officers were worth supporting. So too is the DPPP, she said, but it would have to be reformed first. Presently, the DPPP "is a parking lot for the worst PNC officers, so the assignments process would have to be overhauled and new officers vetted," adding that she at times is afraid of the DPPP officers assigned to protect her. Mack cautioned that word is already out at the MOG and in the human rights community that the $2 million is on its way. MOG officers and human rights activists are jockeying for a share of the money. The Embassy should be mindful of shenanigans such as last-minute personnel changes at the MOG, the real objective of which would be securing access to some portion of the $2 million. Strict oversight would be needed, she concluded. ¶4. (C) Mack again thanked the Embassy for its role in the recent Supreme Court selection process (reftel),saying that the new court was much cleaner than it otherwise would have been. However, she regretted that court President Erick Alvarez is not off to a better start: The Supreme Court has done almost nothing to furnish adequate protection and otherwise prepare the designated High-Impact Court to start trying narcotrafficking and other dangerous cases. She said Alvarez is right-wing lawyer at the service of the business community, and that his tenure would be one of impunity for the private sector. Furthermore, she opined, his work for the ports did not augur well for Supreme Court cooperation on drugs interdiction at the ports. Mack suggested the Embassy regularly remind Alvarez that we are watching and expect sincere efforts on his part. ¶5. (C) Mack said she looked forward to cooperating closely with the Embassy and CICIG on the presidential selection - NLT May 17 - of the next Attorney General. Current Attorney General Amilcar Velasquez is honest and has done an excellent job, Mack opined, but due to his introverted personality was unlikely to garner the political support necessary for re-election. She said Velasquez's deputy, Secretary General Gloria Porras, was clearly First Lady Sandra Torres de Colom's pick for Attorney General, and Mack thought Torres would successfully persuade President Colom to support Porras. Mack concurred with Pol/Econ Counselor's assessment of Porras as strongly positive, with the important exception of her political commitment to the First Family. Where the Coloms are concerned, Porras would exercise "absolutely no judicial independence," Mack opined. Should Porras become the next Attorney General, President and Mrs. Colom would effectively be guaranteed impunity for any corruption or other crimes they may have committed while in office. "The law allowing the President to choose the Attorney General from a list of pre-approved candidates was written with the intention of providing an outgoing president with impunity, so in that sense the process is working as intended," Mack said. "We'll have to see what the list of candidates looks like, but it would not surprise me if Gloria Porras is the best of the bunch," Mack concluded. She suggested the international community also engage on the selection of a new Comptroller General later in the year, given that position's importance in the fight against corruption. ¶6. (C) Comment. Mack has been an excellent partner for the Embassy in the Supreme Court selection process and on a range of human rights issues. We are pleased that Mack accepted President Colom's appointment as Commissioner for Police Reform, and will support her efforts. However, we are concerned that President Colom, who so far has shown minimal interest in security issues, may not throw his full support behind her. His guidance to Mack that no additional funds would be available to pay police better salaries is not encouraging. Though not as pessimistic as Mack about new Supreme Court President Alvarez, we too regret that he is not off to a stronger start, and that he has chosen to publicly trade broadsides with CICIG Commissioner Castresana about the extent of Guatemala's impunity problem rather than more vigorously doing something about it. The selection of Guatemala's next Attorney General will be a key development in improving the rule of law. We will engage closely on it, as we did with the Supreme Court selection process. The AG selection is, however, ultimately up to President Colom, with whom the Ambassador will discuss it at length. MCFARLAND