Home
Cables mirror and Afghan War Diary
Privacy
| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07BOGOTA1013 |
XXXXXXXXXXXX FOR SLAIN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST BLAMES [...] (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX slain human rights activist Yolanda Izquierdo, told us February 7 that two persons with paramilitary ties, Diego Sierra and Sor Teresa Gomez, were responsible for her January 31 killing in Monteria. XXXXXXXXXXXX doubted human rights groups' claims that Izquierdo's murder was d [...] |
2007-02-12 22:32:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA1033 |
NEW CRIMINAL GROUPS ARE LAW ENFORCEMENT THREAT, [...] (C) The GOC and OAS say the new criminal groups that have appeared in certain regions lack the organization, reach, and military capacity of the former AUC. Rather, they are primarily decentralized criminal operations that have used some demobilized paramilitaries, as well the former AUC's i [...] |
2007-02-13 17:19:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO SNAR PREF |
| 07BOGOTA1076 |
TRAGEDY STRIKES ARTESENAL COAL MINES IN COLOMBIA [...] No summary [...] |
2007-02-14 15:01:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ENRG ELAB CO |
| 07BOGOTA1088 |
SCENESETTER FOR CODEL BAYH [...] (SBU) Post welcomes CODEL Bayh to Colombia. President Alvaro Uribe was re-elected in May, 2006; he is the first president to be re-elected to a second, consecutive term in over 100 years. We expect close bilateral relations between the United States and Colombia to continue in his second ter [...] |
2007-02-14 19:06:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOC ECON CO |
| 07BOGOTA1109 |
ELN NARCO ACTIVITIES INCREASINGLY APPARENT [...] (S) There is growing evidence of ELN fronts' narcotics trafficking activities, and credible indications the ELN's Central Command (COCE) permits and benefits financially from the drug trade. Testimony from demobilized ELN fighters says some ELN fronts adre deeply involved in narco activities. [...] |
2007-02-15 15:08:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET | PTER SNAR KCRM PHUM PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA1139 |
GUARDED OPTIMISM ABOUT POSSIBILITY OF GOC-ELN [...] (C) Presidential Counselor Jose Obdulio Gaviria and GOC-ELN guarantor Alvaro Jimenez separately expressed to us guarded optimism about the possibility of a GOC-ELN ceasefire being announced in the near future. Jimenez said the two sides hoped to present a ceasefire agreement at the end of th [...] |
2007-02-16 13:21:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PHUM PGOV PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA1141 |
URIBE ORDERS SEIZURE OF PARAMILITARY ASSETS [...] (SBU) On February 1, President Uribe instructed GOC agencies to seize assets belonging to former paramilitaries. Two-days later, the GOC took possession of 10 properties belonging to former paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso. National Judicial and Police Intelligence Director, General Osca [...] |
2007-02-16 14:04:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA1142 |
URIBE ORDERS SEIZURE OF PARAMILITARY ASSETS [...] (SBU) On February 1, President Uribe instructed GOC agencies to seize assets belonging to former paramilitaries. Two-days later, the GOC took possession of 10 properties belonging to former paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso. National Judicial and Police Intelligence Director, General Osca [...] |
2007-02-16 14:09:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA1158 |
RIVER WARS IN THE FARC'S HEARTLAND [...] (C) To cut guerrilla supply lines and interdict narcotraffic, riverine battalions of Colombian Marines (COLMAR) are fighting to take control of nearly 8,000 miles of inland waterways. The tough river environment gives inherent tactical advantages to the FARC, but the COLMAR is building more [...] |
2007-02-16 16:23:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA1165 |
COLOMBIA REQUESTS SUPPORT FOR CANDIDATE FOR [...] This is an action request (see paragraphs 2 and 4). 2. We received a request from the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for support for their candidate for the Interamerican Judicial Committee of the Organization of American States, Guillermo Fernandez de Soto. A copy of the request [...] |
2007-02-16 19:02:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA1169 |
SIX COLOMBIAN CONGRESSMEN--INCLUDING FM ARAUJO'S [...] (C) Summary. On February 15, six additional Congressmen--including FM Araujo's brother, Senator Alvaro Araujo--were ordered jailed by the Supreme Court for alleged ties to paramilitary groups and other crimes. Senator Araujo is also accused of aggravated kidnapping. A total of nine members [...] |
2007-02-16 21:02:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PREF PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA1218 |
PRESIDENT URIBE APPOINTS FORMER FARC HOSTAGE AS [...] On February 19, President Alvaro Uribe appointed Fernando Araujo Perdomo to replace Maria Consuelo Araujo (no relation) as Colombia's Foreign Minister. Fernando Araujo escaped from 6 years of FARC custody on December 31, 2006. Uribe said he appointed Araujo because he was a symbol of Colombi [...] |
2007-02-20 22:40:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PTER PHUM PINR CO |
| 07BOGOTA1221 |
FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS AERIAL ERADICATION CONTINUES [...] (C) Foreign Minister Maria Consuelo Araujo told the Ambassador on December 15 the GOC would continue its aerial eradication efforts near the border with Ecuador despite GOE protests. President Uribe was annoyed that the GOC's moratorium on spraying near the border had resulted in an additio [...] |
2007-02-21 14:32:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL SENV PHUM SNAR CO |
| 07BOGOTA1224 |
FERNANDO ARAUJO: LIFE AS A FARC HOSTAGE [...] (C) Former GOC Development Minister Fernando Araujo was kidnapped by the FARC in December 2000 and held hostage until his dramatic escape during a COLMIL assault last New Year's Eve (reftel A). In five hours of de-brief interviews with Embassy officers, Dr. Araujo described the guerrillas' t [...] |
2007-02-21 18:43:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA1232 |
A/S SHANNON MEETS WITH DEFENSE MINISTER SANTOS ON [...] (C) Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos told WHA A/S Thomas Shannon and INL A/S Anne Patterson the U.S. and Colombia should develop a coordinated message on Plan Colombia's successes, a message he would take with him to Washington when he met with Secretary of Defense Gates. Santos urged the U [...] |
2007-02-21 23:31:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA1246 |
COLMIL REFORMS (1) -- EDUCATION ROADMAP [...] Planners have drafted a "strategic roadmap" for overhauling military and police education and doctrine, the first of five reform areas announced last fall by the Defense Minister to strengthen the credibility and efficiency of the armed forces. Educational initiatives will focus on leadership [...] |
2007-02-22 18:08:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA1302 |
GOC 'WEALTH TAX' BOOSTS DEFENSE BUDGET [...] (C) In December 2006, the GOC approved a four-year "wealth tax" on liquid assets of Colombia's richest citizens and businesses to boost military spending. Of the estimated $3.7 billion in new revenue over 2007-10, the major portion (about 70 percent) is expected to fund the domestic war effo [...] |
2007-02-23 22:39:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA1322 |
CHARGE RAISED HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS WITH ARMY [...] (C) In the first of a series of periodic human rights meetings with COLAR Commander General Montoya, the Charge d'Affaires said we share concerns raised in the forthcoming UNHCHR annual human rights report that extra-judicial killings committed by COLAR personnel may be the unintended result [...] |
2007-02-26 17:25:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA1339 |
NOISE ON HUMANITARIAN ACCORD MASKS LACK OF PROGRESS [...] President Uribe authorized representatives of families of FARC hostages to seek direct meetings with the terrorist group and work towards an exchange of FARC hostages for imprisoned terrorists. Representatives of the families, including the mother of Ingrid Betancourt, blamed the FARC for th [...] |
2007-02-26 21:03:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PGOV PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA1390 |
PARA-POLITICAL SCANDAL FUELS URIBE DRIVE FOR [...] (C) Summary. The Supreme Court ordered the detention of nine Congressmen for alleged ties to ex-paramilitaries; that number is expected to grow. One group claims more than 80 legislators could eventually be implicated. The scandal has sparked calls for political and electoral reform; on Feb [...] |
2007-02-28 20:28:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PREF PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA1400 |
SCENESETTER FOR CODEL MCGOVERN [...] (SBU) Post welcomes CODEL McGovern to Colombia. With U.S. help, President Uribe has made great strides in fighting drug trafficking and terrorism. In January, the GOC presented a Plan Colombia consolidation phase strategy, with a heightened emphasis on social development. USAID programs aim [...] |
2007-02-28 21:12:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOC ECON CO |
| 07BOGOTA1401 |
COLOMBIAN MILITARY CIVIL AFFAIRS UNIT PLANS CHANGES [...] The Colombian military's civil affairs unit works to win the hearts and minds of civilian populations. A new commander hopes to increase its effectiveness with fresh ideas and additional resources. End Summary. ------------------------ Winning Hearts and Minds ------------------------ [...] |
2007-02-28 21:29:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PGOV PREL MARR EAID PROP CO |
| 07BOGOTA1407 |
COLOMBIA AND PANAMA: DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES ON [...] (C) Tensions increased between Colombia and Panama after President Uribe announced he would place greater customs restrictions on goods originating from Panama's Colon Free Trade Zone. Panama claims these restrictions would violate a customs agreement signed by the two countries in October 20 [...] |
2007-03-01 11:41:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ASEC ECIN ECON PGOV PREL PTER SNAR CO PA VENZ |
| 07BOGOTA1455 |
PROSECUTOR GENERAL TO INTERROGATE 69 SOLDIERS OVER [...] (SBU) On February 22, the Prosecutor General's Office (Fiscalia) summoned 69 soldiers - an entire company from the 17th Brigade - to a formal interrogation hearing into the February 21 2005 massacre of eight members of San Jose de Apartado peace community. The summons to a formal hearing do [...] |
2007-03-02 20:56:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA1457 |
COLOMBIA'S SEVENTH ANNUAL ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN [...] (U) Embassy point of contact on trafficking in persons is human rights officer Scott Fagan, phone number (57-1) 383-2122, fax number (57-1) 315-2163. Officer spent 52 hours preparing report. 2. (U) Responses below are to questions in paragraphs 27-30 of reftel. ------- SUMMARY ------- [...] |
2007-03-02 22:46:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KCRM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB CO |
| 07BOGOTA1472 |
SCENESETTER CHECKLIST FOR VISIT OF PRESIDENT BUSH [...] (C) Your visit highlights the strength of our bilateral ties, and comes at a critical time for President Uribe. Seven months into his second term, Uribe is looking for a firm U.S. commitment to sustain high aid levels--as well as U.S. congressional approval of our bilateral Free Trade Agreeme [...] |
2007-03-05 22:12:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER SNAR ECON ETRD PHUM KCRM CO |
| 07BOGOTA1516 |
SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF DEPUTY U.S. TRADE [...] (SBU) Post welcomes DUSTR Veroneau to Colombia. With U.S. help, President Uribe has made great strides in fighting drug trafficking and terrorism. The economy is growing, the investment climate is strong, and there is both anticipation and nervousness over the fate of the U.S.-Colombia Trade [...] |
2007-03-07 15:24:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD ECON PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA1558 |
PEACE COMMISSIONER RESTREPO ON PARAMILITARIES, ELN [...] (C) Summary: Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo said he is talking to the former paramilitary leaders in Itagui prison to encourage them not to disrupt the Justice and Peace Law process. President Uribe is concerned by his security forces, failure to capture Vicente Castano and other re [...] |
2007-03-08 16:40:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA1629 |
CHARGE RAISES JUSTICE AND PEACE LAW, HUMAN RIGHTS [...] (C) Charge Milton Drucker met March 8 with National Prosecutor General (Fiscal) Mario Iguaran to offer U.S. assistance in developing a database to manage and access victims, testimony in the Justice and Peace Law process, and to stress the need for results in key human rights cases. Drucker pr [...] |
2007-03-09 22:07:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA1797 |
POSITIVE GOC RESPONSE TO UNHCHR REPORT; [...] (C) The UNHCHR office in Colombia released a balanced annual human rights report on March 13, citing numerous examples of significant progress over the past year. The report praised substantial reductions in homicides, kidnappings, torture allegations, and forced displacement, and said inves [...] |
2007-03-20 15:50:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KCRM CO |
| 07BOGOTA1809 |
REPRESENTATIVE MCGOVERN MEETS WITH PRESIDENT URIBE [...] (SBU) In a March 2nd meeting with Representative James McGovern, President Uribe reviewed progress in the investigation into the high-profile killing of a victims representative in January. Uribe highlighted the importance of a transparent Justice and Peace Law Process, explaining it was cruc [...] |
2007-03-20 19:52:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM ELAM PTER PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA1810 |
REPRESENTATIVE MCGOVERN MEETS WITH DEFENSE [...] (SBU) Minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos told Representative James McGovern (D-MA) on March 4 that the Justice and Peace Law was an example of security advances under Uribe, but voiced concerns that revelations of para-political ties would be viewed negatively by the U.S. Congress. Santos [...] |
2007-03-20 19:59:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KJUS PMIL PHUM PTER PREL ELAB VE CO |
| 07BOGOTA1836 |
BUENAVENTURA'S SECURITY AND SOCIAL CRISIS [...] (C) Multiple illegal groups including the FARC, renegade ex-AUC, and narco-gangs are battling for control of the coca business in the port city of Buenaventura. Marines and Police quadrupled force strength, captured a host of gang bosses, and may have begun to turn the tide on crime. The GO [...] |
2007-03-21 19:57:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA1903 |
VISAS VIPER MONTHLY REPORT: FEBRUARY 2007 [...] (U) Post's Visa Viper Committee met on March 7, 2007, and the meeting was chaired by the CDA, Milton Drucker. Post's Viper Coordinator is Fraud Prevention Unit officer Jenny Cordell. 2. (C) Post's Visas Viper Committee submits Horacio Duque Giraldo, former advisor to then-Minister of Inter [...] |
2007-03-23 18:32:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET//NOFORN | ASEC CMGT CVIS KVPR PINR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA1925 |
NEW CRIMINAL GROUPS REMAIN DECENTRALIZED, BUT GOC [...] (C) The size and scope of the new criminal groups remained relatively constant in recent months, with some 22 groups comprising about 3,000 people. The groups remain largely decentralized, and former AUC leaders in Itagui maximum security prison--with the exception of Macaco and Don Berna-- [...] |
2007-03-23 21:36:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER KCRM PGOV PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA199 |
CONDOLENCE MESSAGE [...] We received a condolence letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressed to the Secretary regarding the death of former President Gerald Ford. Original will be sent by pouch to WHA/AND. 2. Begin informal Embassy translation of condolence letter: To Her Excellency Condoleezza Ri [...] |
2007-01-11 15:20:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA2102 |
ROBUST OBSERVATION MISSION REQUIRED FOR OCTOBER [...] (C) On March 20, Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo formally requested an OAS electoral mission to observe the October local elections. The request reflects concerns--heightened by recent revelations of paramilitary interference in the 2002 and 2006 legislative elections--that former paramilit [...] |
2007-03-29 18:45:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | AADP PGOV PREF PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2103 |
GOC-ELN TALKS APPEAR STALLED, ELN POLITICAL [...] (C) GOC-ELN talks appear stalled, largely because the ELN calculates the GOC will weaken as a result of the "parapolitical" scandal and offer more generous terms. The ELN's miscalculation is not surprising. The terrorist group has a long history of misreading the country's political situat [...] |
2007-03-29 19:04:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PHUM MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA2117 |
INTEL LEAK TO L.A. TIMES: LOCAL FALLOUT IN BOGOTA [...] (S) GOC and COLMIL reaction to publication of the leaked intelligence report in the L.A. Times has been generally measured, with no indication that U.S. contributions to COLMIL operational activities will be affected. Generals Montoya and Padilla, named in the report as being likely paramilit [...] |
2007-03-30 17:05:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET | PGOV PREL ASEC PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA2146 |
URIBE CONTINUES DRIVE FOR POLITICAL REFORM [...] (C) On March 28, President Alvaro Uribe hosted eleven political party leaders from his Congressional coalition to sign a "transparency pact" promising maximum efforts to guarantee free and fair local elections in October--opposition parties did not participate. Party leaders from the U Party, [...] |
2007-03-30 21:47:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2244 |
FACILITATORS REPORT SMALL ADVANCES ON HUMANITARIAN \ [...] (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX told us French and Swiss facilitators had met with FARC spokesperson \ Raul Reyes and appeared optimistic they could persuade the \ FARC to agree to a "zona de encuentro" to begin talks on a \ humanitarian exchange. The GOC was working well with the \ facilitators but saw no FARC [...] |
2007-04-04 19:07:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PREL MARR PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA2252 |
DELIVERY OF DESIGNATION FOR IRAN'S DIO [...] No summary [...] |
2007-04-04 19:46:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KNNP PARM KNEP IR CO |
| 07BOGOTA2256 |
GOC CAPTURES KEY FUGITIVE EX-PARAMILITARY LEADER [...] GOC security forces arrested fugitive ex-paramilitary leader Ever Veloza-Garcia (AKA "HH") on April 3 in Antioquia department. Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos confirmed Veloza did not qualify for Justice and Peace Law benefits and was subject to extradition. Veloza was an instrumental f [...] |
2007-04-04 20:01:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2274 |
PALM OIL CREATES OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS FOR [...] Colombia is increasing production and export of African palm oil as a sustainable alternative to coca. There are a small number of high-profile accusations that palm oil producers, possibly in concert with paramilitaries, illegally seized land from Afro-Colombian communities for palm cultiva [...] |
2007-04-04 22:04:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EAGR PGOV PTER SOCI CO |
| 07BOGOTA2283 |
PRESSURE INCREASES ON ELN TO REACH PEACE DEAL WITH [...] (C) The GOC, Catholic Church, guarantors, and international community are pressing the ELN to agree to a ceasefire and release its kidnap victims when the next round of talks resumes in Cuba on April 12. Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo said publicly on April 8 the ELN's failure to re [...] |
2007-04-09 18:35:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PHUM KCRM CO |
| 07BOGOTA2290 |
MILGROUP BOGOTA (1) -- HELPING SOLDIERS SAVE LIVES [...] (U) The Combat Life Saver (CLS) course is one of a broad range of hands-on training programs provided by the U.S. military to the Colombian Army (COLAR). CLS gives medics and field soldiers essential skills to stabilize wounded soldiers on the battlefield until they can be evacuated. Several [...] |
2007-04-09 19:54:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA2392 |
GOC PROTECTS LAND RIGHTS ACTIVIST [...] (C) Cordoba department land activist Eloina Gaspar told us on March 25 she was being threatened by people who had identified her as the replacement for Popular Housing Organization founder Yolanda Izquierdo, murdered in late January (ref A). On April 1, the Prosecutor General's Office moved [...] |
2007-04-11 17:47:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2437 |
CHARGE URGES GOC TO STRENGTHEN PROTECTION PROGRAMS [...] (C) The Charge reiterated to Vice President Francisco Santos and Justice and Interior Minister Carlos Holguin the importance of strengthening GOC protection programs for victims participating in the Justice and Peace Law process. Santos and Holguin said the GOC shared our concerns and was tak [...] |
2007-04-12 20:12:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KCRM CO |
| 07BOGOTA2464 |
SUCRE, NEW SPACES OPENING POST PARAMILITARY [...] (C) Our March 26-27 visit to Sucre showed a department starting to recover from years of paramilitary domination and economic decline. The paramilitary demobilization--and increased GOC security presence--has provided a growing sense of security, allowing displaced people to return to their [...] |
2007-04-13 21:51:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2528 |
SOME PROGRESS IN CORDOBA POST PARAMILITARY [...] (C) Our March 25-26 trip to the former paramilitary heartland Cordoba showed some positive changes following paramilitary demobilization: violence had decreased, security improved, and new spaces for civil society activity had opened. The demobilization and para-political scandal had delegit [...] |
2007-04-17 17:39:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2529 |
BACKGROUND ON THE "CONVIVIR" SELF-DEFENSE GROUPS [...] (SBU) The "Convivir" self defense groups were authorized by President Gaviria 1994 and abolished by President Samper in 1998. Their original purpose was to enable citizens to defend themselves from terrorist attacks and to supply intelligence to the security forces. During their brief exist [...] |
2007-04-17 17:54:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2533 |
AFRO-COLOMBIANS STRUGGLE FOR POLITICAL IDENTITY [...] A century-and-a-half of state neglect has marginalized the majority of Afro-Colombians and created substantial deficits in income, health and education. Sometimes called an "invisible minority," only in recent years has the government acknowledged Afro-Colombians as a distinct ethnic group e [...] |
2007-04-17 19:23:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | SOCI PGOV ECON CO |
| 07BOGOTA2575 |
BOLIVAR'S SECURITY SITUATION STILL A CONCERN POST [...] (C) On March 20, Poloff visited the former conflict-ridden Bolivar department where the overall security, political, and economic situation has improved sharply since 2002. Still, an increase in common crime and other security-related problems remain a challenge. The security and social sit [...] |
2007-04-19 17:28:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2593 |
URIBE CALLS PETRO'S PARA-POLITICS DEBATE ON [...] (SBU) President Uribe called leading opposition Polo Democratico Senator Gustavo Petro's accusations during the para-politics debate in congress on Antioquia department a personal slander. The nine-hour debate on April 17--in which Petro spoke for over two-hours--focused primarily on allegat [...] |
2007-04-19 20:12:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2633 |
URIBE RESPONDS TO PARAMILITARY ACCUSATIONS AND [...] (C) President Uribe used an hour and forty-five minute live press conference on April 19 to address Senator Petro's allegations against Uribe, his family and his administration. Uribe's press conference was prompted by his concern that Petro's claims were damaging Colombia's image abroad, as [...] |
2007-04-20 21:07:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA269 |
FISCALIAS PREPARES TO RESUME SALVATORE MANCUSO'S [...] (C) The Prosecutor General's (Fiscalia) Justice and Peace Unit Chief Luis Gonzalez told us on January 12 his office is preparing the second round of questions for ex-paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso once his &version libre" or voluntary confession resumes on January 15. Gonzalez said th [...] |
2007-01-12 22:36:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2835 |
FOREIGN MINISTER ARAUJO MEETING WITH WHA PDAS [...] (C) Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo told WHA PDAS Charles Shapiro the GOC considered the bilateral Free Trade Agreement to be the "economic arm of Plan Colombia," whose ratification was key for Colombia to continue its success in fighting terrorism, reducing violence, and addressing social p [...] |
2007-04-27 20:19:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ETRD PHUM PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2837 |
PETRO DENOUNCES ATTEMPTED OFFICE SEARCH AND [...] (C) At a Senate hearing on April 24, leading opposition Polo Democratico Senator Gustavo Petro denounced an April 23 attempt by police to search his office for documents linked to an old espionage case involving a military officer. Prosecutor General Mario Iguaran conceded a low-level prosecu [...] |
2007-04-27 21:12:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA2839 |
NARINO COMMUNITIES SUFFER VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION [...] (C) The southwest department of Narino has deteriorated from a peaceful backwater to a conflict hotspot. The rural civilian population suffers violent intimidation and forced coca cultivation at the hands of the FARC, ELN, former AUC, and narco-traffickers. As rival groups compete for contro [...] |
2007-04-27 21:35:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA2923 |
PDAS SHAPIRO MEETS WITH MOD SANTOS [...] (C) Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos told WHA PDAS Charles Shapiro that Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa was seeking to provoke a confrontation with Colombia to strengthen his domestic political position. Colombia was working with Peru, Mexico and Chile to deepen economic integration an [...] |
2007-04-30 22:54:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA2929 |
SCENESETTER CHECKLIST FOR VISIT OF DEPUTY [...] (C) Your visit follows President Uribe's May 2-4 visit to Washington. Uribe fears unsubstantiated claims in the Colombian Congress that he and his family are tied to the paramilitaries are undermining prospects in the U.S. Congress for continued high aid levels and ratification of the bilate [...] |
2007-05-02 12:49:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM SNAR MARR PTER ECON ETRD KCRM |
| 07BOGOTA297 |
COLOMBIA CONFLICT UPDATE - Q4'06 [...] (S) Greater COLMIL assertiveness kept the FARC on a broadly defensive footing. Still, the FARC opportunistically struck vulnerable COLMIL units in Meta and Catatumbo and attacked police in strategic coca growing areas previously dominated by paramilitaries. The ELN continued to decline, mak [...] |
2007-01-16 19:59:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA2995 |
SPILT MILK: FARC ATTACKS AGAINST NESTLE [...] (C) FARC attacks on Swiss multinational Nestle's dairy operations in Caqueta threaten the livelihoods of thousands of families. In January-February 2007, the FARC bombed Nestle plants and trucks in Caqueta, disrupting the most important legal sector in the department's economy. Nestle turned d [...] |
2007-05-02 22:09:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV PTER SOCI CO |
| 07BOGOTA3089 |
SOUTHCOM COMMANDER ADMIRAL STAVRIDIS VISITS [...] (C) Commander of U.S. Southern Command Admiral James Stavridis visited Colombia on April 26-27. He was briefed first by JTF-O Commander GEN Navas, who thanked him for U.S. contributions of mobility assets and psyops support, as well as for U.S. help to COLMIL/GOC civil affairs efforts. BRACN [...] |
2007-05-04 13:00:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA3093 |
CESAR ATTEMPTING TO SHAKE-OFF PARAMILITARY LEGACY [...] (C) During two trips to former paramilitary-dominated Cesar department in March and April, community leaders said local sympathy for the paramilitaries has turned into resentment. The demobilization of 5,000 paramilitaries led by Cesar strongman Rodrigo Tovar Pupo, AKA "Jorge 40," reduced vi [...] |
2007-05-04 14:10:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3096 |
COLOMBIA CONFLICT UPDATE - Q1'07 [...] (C) The most prominent FARC attacks in the first quarter were urban bombings in Valle, Cauca, and Huila departments, with the group mostly on the defensive or quiet elsewhere. While ELN leadership continued talks with the GOC in Havana, the group conducted few attacks and sustained heavy losse [...] |
2007-05-04 16:39:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA311 |
COLOMBIAN HOSTAGE ESCAPES FARC CAPTORS DURING [...] (S) Former GOC Minister and six-year hostage Fernando Araujo escaped from his FARC guards during a COLMIL assault to rescue him and take down a FARC leader. The December 31 operation coincided with partying among the guerrillas, who failed to hear approaching helicopters. Araujo supplied val [...] |
2007-01-17 13:29:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET | PREL PGOV MARR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3133 |
MAGDALENA IMPROVING, BUT THREATS FROM EMERGING [...] (C) Community leaders in Magdalena told poloff the paramilitary demobilization and President Uribe's democratic security strategy have led to improvements in security and the local economy. Still, instances of rearmament of ex-paras are worse in Magdalena than in other north Atlantic coast d [...] |
2007-05-04 22:58:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3139 |
UNION PENEYA: POTENTIAL POSTER CHILD FOR URIBE'S [...] The voluntary return of 1,200 displaced residents to the small town of Union Peneya is a sign that President Uribe's "Democratic Security" policy is working. The COLAR thwarted a series of FARC attacks on the town and residents say they feel safe. GOC agencies are providing short-term relief [...] |
2007-05-07 14:16:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PTER PREF MARR SOCI CO |
| 07BOGOTA3189 |
DISPLACED FAMILIES PLAN RETURN TO SAN JOSE DE [...] (C) Over 1,300 displaced families plan to return to San Jose de Apartado in light of improved security. Local authorities and community leaders told Poloff the families have growing faith in the GOC's ability to provide security and basic government services. Remaining challenges include re [...] |
2007-05-08 12:48:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA32 |
STRUGGLE OVER LAND CONTINUES TO FUEL COLOMBIAN [...] (U) Rural land development is a source of conflict in Colombia; repeated land reform efforts have been unsuccessful. A proposed new law aimed at facilitating rural development and promoting land distribution has led to complaints by human rights groups that it could legalize illegal land se [...] |
2007-01-04 18:47:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PREL ECON CO |
| 07BOGOTA3237 |
DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE'S MEETING WITH HUMAN [...] (U) May 8, 2007, 0800, residence of Charge d'affaires, a.i. 2. (U) Participants: United States The Deputy Secretary WHA A/S Thomas P. Shannon CDA Milton K. Drucker D staff assistant Mary Sue Conaway Political Counselor John S. Creamer D/polcouns Scott I. Hamilton (notetaker) Co [...] |
2007-05-09 20:00:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV KJUS PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3259 |
FORMER PRESIDENT CESAR GAVIRIA REJECTS ALLEGATIONS [...] (U) On May 5, El Tiempo newspaper published an interview with Cesar Gaviria, in which the Liberal Party chief and former president rejected allegations that President Alvaro Uribe was connected to former paramilitaries. When asked about attacks against the president, Gaviria said, "I do not [...] |
2007-05-09 21:59:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3276 |
DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE'S MAY 8 MEETING WITH [...] No summary [...] |
2007-05-10 15:57:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET | PARM PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3282 |
DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE'S MAY 8 MEETING WITH [...] No summary [...] |
2007-05-10 15:58:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PARM CO |
| 07BOGOTA3288 |
GOC REJECTS EFFORT BY SENATOR PETRO'S FAMILY TO [...] (C) Justice and Interior Minister Carlos Holguin rejected May 9 the effort by some family members of Senator Gustavo Petro to decline GOC protection measures, saying the GOC's obligation to protect the family was "irrevocable." Petro's parents and brothers made the request after police detaine [...] |
2007-05-10 17:24:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET | PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA3307 |
GUAJIRA'S UNIQUE SOCIAL PROBLEMS CONTINUE POST [...] (C) Community leaders and local officials said security had improved in Guajira since the paramilitary demobilization, but some ex-paramilitaries continued their criminal activities. Several said most of the department's problems were not security related, but reflected entrenched social pro [...] |
2007-05-10 21:44:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3394 |
URIBE OFFERS "MASSIVE" RELEASE OF FARC PRISONERS [...] (C) Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo said May 11 he would begin immediate consultations with legal and other GOC authorities to establish a mechanism by which the GOC could unilaterally release hundreds of FARC prisoners. President Uribe had made the offer earlier on May 11, saying his [...] |
2007-05-14 19:50:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3448 |
CARAMAGNA SAYS "DE-PARAMILITARIZATION" OF REGIONS [...] (C) OAS Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia (MAPP/OAS) Director Sergio Caramagna told PolCouns the mission's ninth quarterly report would characterize the demobilization process as positive, with the potential to lead to the "de-paramilitarization" of former paramilitary strongho [...] |
2007-05-16 13:02:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3454 |
PRESIDENT URIBE FIRES TWO POLICE GENERALS AFTER [...] (C) On May 14, President Alvaro Uribe dismissed national police chief (CNP) General Jorge Daniel Castro and CNP intelligence chief (DIPOL) Guillermo Chavez after learning of illegal DIPOL wiretaps. Vice Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon confirmed to Judatt that Castro and Chavez admitted to [...] |
2007-05-16 15:44:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV SNAR CO |
| 07BOGOTA3581 |
TELLING COLOMBIA'S STORY [...] President Uribe's democratic security policy -- and the paramilitary demobilization -- has saved the lives of over 40,000 Colombians, strengthened Colombia's democratic institutions, and led to substantial improvements in human rights protection. The establishment of GOC territorial control [...] |
2007-05-18 13:13:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PTER KJUS MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA3618 |
MANCUSO ALLEGES PARAMILITARY TIES TO POLITICIANS, [...] (U) Former paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso claimed in his May 15-16 voluntary testimony that retired generals, top government officials (including the vice-president and defense minister), members of congress, local government representatives, and companies had collaborated with paramili [...] |
2007-05-18 20:45:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3620 |
JUSTICE AND PEACE LAW PROCESS BEGINS TO SHOW [...] (SBU) The Prosecutor General's (Fiscalia) Justice and Peace Unit Chief Luis Gonzalez told poloff on May 16 voluntary testimonies of ex-paramilitary leaders have so far helped to identify the perpetrators of over 200 murders and have been instrumental in helping the GOC create new mechanisms t [...] |
2007-05-18 20:53:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3622 |
COLOMBIA AND CUBA: NSC-DIRECTED COUNTRY BY [...] (C) Colombia has a minimal trading relationship with Cuba. Total Colombian exports to Cuba in 2006 dropped by 23.7 percent to approximately USD 49 million. Cuba's total exports to Colombia decreased by 26.2 percent to USD 4 million. Under its ALADI commitments, Colombia grants preferential [...] |
2007-05-18 21:13:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD ETTC PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA3624 |
COLOMBIA TO ACCEDE TO WHALING CONVENTION [...] (SBU) The GOC intends to accede to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW). Ana Maria Hernandez, Director of International Affairs for the Environment Ministry, told EconCouns that the decision was made at a May 16 interagency meeting. Hernandez stated that the proc [...] |
2007-05-18 21:17:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SENV ETRD CO |
| 07BOGOTA3635 |
COLOMBIA'S STRENGTHENING PESO -- THE PRICE OF [...] (C) Summary. The Colombian Peso has been among the fastest appreciating currencies in the world thanks to strong economic prospects and improved security conditions. Political pressure from the export sector led the Central Bank to intervene heavily on the foreign exchange market during the f [...] |
2007-05-18 22:33:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN CO |
| 07BOGOTA3651 |
U.S. HOSTAGES: POSSIBLE 'PROOF OF LIFE' [...] (C) Former hostage Jhon Pinchao escaped on April 28 from a FARC camp deep in the jungle of southeast Colombia. Pinchao said he was held with 13 other captives, including three U.S. citizens captured in 2003. He gave accurate descriptions and specific anecdotal details of the three Americans; [...] |
2007-05-22 22:31:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3778 |
PRESIDENT URIBE TO RELEASE FARC PRISONERS, SEEKS [...] (C) President Alvaro Uribe announced two significant proposals designed to further peace processes in Colombia. On May 25, he said he would release FARC prisoners before June 7 for "reasons of State." On May 22, Uribe outlined a truth-for-freedom proposal that would allow those accused of cr [...] |
2007-05-25 21:22:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA3787 |
COLOMBIAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CALLS FOR [...] (U) On May 23, the House of Representatives approved a non-binding resolution calling on the GOC to ask the OAS to remove Sergio Caramagna, chief of OAS Mission for Support of the Peace Process (OAS/MAPP), for alleged incompetence in monitoring the Tierralta accord with the paramilitaries. ( [...] |
2007-05-25 23:40:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PTER PGOV MARR PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA3855 |
CURVARADO AND JIGUAMIANDO: A TALE OF TWO [...] (C) Conflict between paramilitary and FARC forces displaced the Afro-Colombian communities of Curvarado and Jiguamiando in 1997. Between 2001-2002, after the GOC designated 100,000 hectares in the area as Afro-Colombian "communal territories," community members returned. They found their l [...] |
2007-05-30 22:32:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PREL ECON CO |
| 07BOGOTA3872 |
COLOMBIA: HOMICIDES PLUMMET, ESPECIALLY CIVILIAN [...] Data from the Colombian Commission of Jurists (CCJ), a prominent human rights group, show "political" homicides involving civilians fell by almost 70 percent during Uribe's first term. Overall, Colombia's homicides dropped by 40 percent in the last four years, reaching their lowest level in [...] |
2007-05-31 15:25:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PTER PGOV MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA3879 |
FARC PRISONER RELEASE EXPECTED [...] (C) The Presidency's Legal Advisor Mauricio Gonzalez told polcouns May 26 the GOC was preparing a decree to regulate the transfer and release of a significant number of FARC prisoners. Gonzalez linked the initiative to President Uribe's conversation with newly-elected French President Nichol [...] |
2007-05-31 17:48:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS MARR PGOV PHUM PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3891 |
DEFENSE MINISTER SANTOS DEFENDS RECORD IN CONGRESS [...] Defense Juan Manuel Santos faces a June 6 vote on a congressional censure motion against him. If a majority of both houses of Congress votes in favor of the motion, Santos would be removed from office. Pro-Uribe supporters have the votes to defeat the motion, and the president publicly backe [...] |
2007-05-31 20:06:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA3903 |
HUMAN RIGHTS LEADERS DISCUSS LAND, AFRO-COLOMBIAN [...] Human rights groups, including representatives of indigenous and Afro-Colombian groups, addressed human rights, Afro-Colombian, and indigenous rights issues at a May 25 lunch hosted by Polcouns. Justicia y Paz urged higher-level GOC involvement in talks with human rights groups, and respect [...] |
2007-05-31 21:59:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA4029 |
PRESIDENT URIBE EXPLAINS UNILATERAL RELEASE OF \ [...] (C) President Uribe explained in a radio and television \ news conference on June 4 that his unilateral FARC prisoner \ release was a goodwill gesture to gain the freedom of 56 \ political hostages held by the FARC, including the three U.S. \ hostages. XXXXXXXXXXXX told Polcouns \ President Uribe [...] |
2007-06-05 18:03:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA408 |
POLITICIANS NAMED FOR ALLEGED TIES TO [...] (C) Colombian media published the July 2001 "Ralito Agreement" signed by paramilitary leaders and some 30 political figures, some of whom are still in office. The Agreement is vague and contains no reference to criminal purposes, but the Prosecutor General's office and the Supreme Court are [...] |
2007-01-19 15:42:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA413 |
CATHOLIC PRIEST ON HUMANITARIAN ACCORD, ELN-FARC [...] (C) Secretary General of the Commission on National Reconciliation Father Dario Echeverri told us on January 17 he is trying to reach senior FARC leaders to discuss a possible humanitarian accord based on the December 2005 European proposal, but he has not received a response. Echeverri said [...] |
2007-01-19 16:51:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4157 |
CENTRIST GAVIRIA CONSOLIDATES CONTROL OF LIBERALS [...] (C) Summary: Former President and Liberal Party chief Cesar Gaviria marginalized leftist elements and strengthened his hold of the opposition party in a recent Liberal congress, preparing the party to fight October local and 2010 national elections on a centrist platform. The change is goo [...] |
2007-06-07 22:22:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PTER PREF CO |
| 07BOGOTA416 |
CATHOLIC PRIEST ON HUMANITARIAN ACCORD, ELN-FARC [...] (C) Secretary General of the Commission on National Reconciliation Father Dario Echeverri told us on January 17 he is trying to reach senior FARC leaders to discuss a possible humanitarian accord based on the December 2005 European proposal, but he has not received a response. Echeverri said [...] |
2007-01-19 19:23:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4171 |
FRANCE OR CUBA POSSIBLE DESTINATIONS FOR GRANDA, [...] Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo met with released FARC terrorist and informal "foreign minister" Rodrigo Granda June 7. The press reports the two discussed Granda's relocation, with France and Cuba mentioned as the most likely candidates. French DCM Alain Fort told polcouns June 7 F [...] |
2007-06-08 17:27:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PGOV PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA418 |
COLOMBIA SEEKING THE LEAD ON REGIONAL [...] (U) After sharp reductions in kidnapping and homicide rates in Colombia, the GoC is seeking to position itself as a leader in counterterrorism (CT) efforts in the region. Colombia signed a bi-national agreement with Paraguay to provide training and technical assistance in crime scene and kidna [...] |
2007-01-19 20:05:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ECIN ECON PGOV PREL PTER SNAR ASEC CO MX PA |
| 07BOGOTA4324 |
FARC OFFICIAL RODRIGO GRANDA LIKELY TO END UP IN [...] (C) Summary: Catholic priest Dario Echeverri said the GOC's release of unofficial FARC "Foreign Minister" Rodrigo Granda will not lead to any advances on a humanitarian exchange in the short-term, but could be helpful in the long-term. He said the GOC is working to arrange Granda's travel to [...] |
2007-06-15 18:13:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4329 |
GOC EFFORTS TO WORK WITH JUSTICE AND PEACE VICTIMS [...] The Prosecutor General's Office (Fiscalia), Inspector General's Office (Procuraduria), Ombudsman (Defensoria), and National Reconciliation and Reparations Commission have to date helped over 80,000 victims of violence to come forward with information on crimes allegedly committed by former pa [...] |
2007-06-15 22:05:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4340 |
COLOMBIA: ADDRESSING COLMIL EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS [...] (C) Defense Minister Santos set up a high-level commission chaired by Vice Minister Jaramillo to address the apparent increase in extrajudicial killings by the Colombian military. He also ordered Armed Forces Commander Padilla to incorporate international humanitarian law into all operationa [...] |
2007-06-18 14:16:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA436 |
RECENT LABOR DEVELOPMENTS [...] The GOC announced a 6.29 minimum wage increase on December 27, from 192 USD (408,000 pesos) to 205 USD (433,700 pesos). On the same day, President Uribe issued a decree aimed at limiting the use of workers' cooperatives as a form of labor contracting and vowed to combat those temporary contract [...] |
2007-01-22 17:12:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB ETRD PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA437 |
IS INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT DECREASING IN COLOMBIA? [...] (U) Summary. The Government of Colombia and a respected Colombian NGO, the Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement (CODHES), are reporting marked decreases (16-30 percent) in the number of new internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the first 9 months of 2006. However, the International [...] |
2007-01-22 20:27:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PGOV PHUM PREF SNAR SOCI CO |
| 07BOGOTA440 |
MEETING WITH AFRO-COLOMBIAN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP [...] (SBU) On January 17, Polcouns and Poloff visited the Bogota offices of the Association for Internally Displaced Afro-Colombians (AFRODES) to discuss specific threats against AFRODES' office in Cartagena, as well as land, displacement, and general security issues facing Afro-Colombians. AFRODES [...] |
2007-01-22 21:24:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA4471 |
PARA-POLITICAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK NOT ON LEGISLATIVE [...] (C) Presidential Legal Advisor Mauricio Gonzalez told polcouns June 15 the GOC proposal to provide for reduced, alternative sentences for politicians, front men (testaferros), ranchers, and others who were linked to the paramilitaries but were not United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) [...] |
2007-06-20 23:20:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA449 |
SALVATORE MANCUSO BEGINS TO REVEAL CRIMES; VERSION [...] (U) Ex-AUC leader Salvatore Mancuso admitted to committing or ordering 336 murders from the early 1990s to 2003 in his January 15-16 voluntary confession, or version libre, in Medellin. He discussed paramilitary infiltration of government institutions and paramilitary interference in local a [...] |
2007-01-23 13:48:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4614 |
HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REINTEGRATION FRANK PEARL [...] (SBU) The High Commissioner for Reintegration's Office (HCR)--which replaced the Reinsertion Program managed by the Minister of Interior and Justice last September--has changed the process to improve its effectiveness. The changes extend the program's educational and employment services--as w [...] |
2007-06-26 17:28:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4615 |
CODEL MEEKS MEETS WITH OPPOSITION LEADERS [...] (U) June 4, 2007; 300PM, U.S. Embassy 2. (U) Participants: U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) Polcouns John Creamer Pol officer (notetaker) COLOMBIA Former President and Liberal Party leader Cesar Gaviria [...] |
2007-06-26 17:35:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4653 |
CODEL MEEKS MEETS WITH PROSECUTOR GENERAL IGUARAN [...] (U) June 4, 2007; 200PM, U.S. Embassy 2. (U) Participants: U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) CDA Milton Drucker Pol officer (notetaker) COLOMBIA Prosecutor General Mario Iguaran Human Rights Unit Director [...] |
2007-06-26 20:54:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4677 |
NEW DEFENSE MINISTRY DIRECTIVE PROHIBITS USE OF [...] (C) Minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos issued a June 21 directive banning the incorporation of demobilized individuals into the "red de cooperantes" (voluntary informant networks) run by the military and police. Charge Drucker and OAS Observation mission (MAPP/OAS) head Sergio Caramagna [...] |
2007-06-28 01:57:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4716 |
FARC ASSASSINATES ELEVEN COLOMBIAN HOSTAGES [...] Summary. The FARC assassinated eleven Colombian state assemblymen on June 18, according to a FARC communique issued June 28. The FARC claimed the hostages were killed in a crossfire during a military attack. President Uribe condemned the FARC for the murders, and he confirmed that GOC did [...] |
2007-06-28 23:19:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4722 |
SOUTHCOM DEPUTY COMMANDER SPEARS VISITS COLMIL [...] (C) On a June 25-27 visit, U.S. Southern Command Deputy Commander General Spears met Vice Minister of Defense Pinzon and Colombian Armed Forces Commander General Padilla. Pinzon said the GOC wanted to review counterdrug programs, with a possible shift from spraying to manual eradication and c [...] |
2007-06-29 13:42:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA4730 |
CORRECTED COPY: FARC ASSASSINATES ELEVEN COLOMBIAN [...] Summary. The FARC assassinated eleven Colombian state assemblymen on June 18, according to a FARC communique issued June 28. The FARC claimed the hostages were killed in a crossfire during a military attack. President Uribe condemned the FARC for the murders, and he confirmed that GOC did [...] |
2007-06-29 16:00:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4741 |
AS COLOMBIA MOURNS, FARC OFFERS TO RETURN HOSTAGE [...] On June 29, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) spokesman Raul Reyes issued a communique addressed to Fabiola Perdomo, widow of one of the murdered legislators, and to Alvaro Leyva, a long-term advocate of a humanitarian exchange, confirming the June 18 deaths of the eleven state as [...] |
2007-06-29 21:47:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4742 |
SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE GATES [...] (C) Your visit follows President Uribe's May and June visits to Washington. Uribe fears unsubstantiated claims that he and his family were tied to the paramilitaries are undermining prospects in the U.S. Congress for continued high aid levels and ratification of the bilateral Free Trade Agre [...] |
2007-06-29 22:18:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM SNAR MARR PTER ECON ETRD KCRM |
| 07BOGOTA4743 |
MILGROUP BOGOTA (2) -- CLOSING THE COLAR'S [...] Personnel shortages in officer and NCO positions are a handicap to expansion of the Colombian Army's fight against the FARC. With guidance from the U.S. Army Mission, the Colombians are piloting new faster-track training courses, drawing officer candidates from civilian college graduates and [...] |
2007-06-29 22:22:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV MARR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4746 |
BUENAVENTURA: MILITARY AND CIVILIAN EFFORTS TO [...] (C) Marine and Police reinforcements in Buenaventura have cut homicides from last year's peaks, but violence has rebounded as FARC militias and criminal gangs launched a wave of bombings in response to the security crackdown. In addition, drug traffic has shifted inland, and gangs have recru [...] |
2007-06-30 20:03:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA4786 |
CONGRESS DELIVERS RESULTS DESPITE PARA-POLITICAL [...] Summary. The Colombian Congress passed the GOC's top legislative priorities during its February-June session, despite the distraction of the para-political scandal. President Uribe's governing coalition lacks discipline and programmatic coherence, but was able to unite on votes that mattered, [...] |
2007-07-05 17:06:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ECON PREF PREL PTER PINR CO |
| 07BOGOTA4798 |
HOW EX-PARAMILITARIES FINANCED THEMSELVES THROUGH [...] (C) Colombia's decentralization in the 1990s made local governments a tempting target for paramilitary infiltration. The paramilitary demobilization, confessions through the Justice and Peace process, and a renewed GOC security presence in former-para regions have exposed numerous cases of p [...] |
2007-07-05 20:40:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PREL ECON CO |
| 07BOGOTA4825 |
PDAS FARRAR MEETS COLOMBIAN LAND OFFICIALS [...] (C) DRL PDAS Jonathan Farrar met with officials of Colombia's rural land development agency (INCODER) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MinAg) in a June 24-29 visit. INCODER and MinAg officials described provisions in the new rural development law that protect the right [...] |
2007-07-06 13:22:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PREL ECON CO |
| 07BOGOTA494 |
PRESIDENT URIBE AND CONGRESS: A MIXED RECORD IN [...] (C) Summary: Despite the U Party and coalition difficulties (ref A), a flurry of end of year Congressional activity resulted in the adoption of five significant reform measures supported by President Uribe: bankruptcy reform, new health care subsidies for the poor, partial privatization of E [...] |
2007-01-24 11:41:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD PREF PREL PINR CO |
| 07BOGOTA4995 |
COLOMBIA CONFLICT UPDATE - Q2'07 [...] (C) GOC efforts in the second quarter continued to erode FARC and ELN fighting strength, while new strategies effectively targeted other illegal armed groups. FARC attacks centered on vital drug trafficking areas in Tolima Department, Cali, and Buenaventura, where the group conducted a serie [...] |
2007-07-12 12:21:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA5002 |
COLOMBIA CONFLICT UPDATE - Q2'07 [...] (C) GOC efforts in the second quarter continued to erode FARC and ELN fighting strength, while new strategies effectively targeted other illegal armed groups. FARC attacks centered on vital drug trafficking areas in Tolima Department, Cali, and Buenaventura, where the group conducted a serie [...] |
2007-07-12 12:22:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA5035 |
FARC SEEKS ICRC HELP TO RETURN MURDERED HOSTAGES' [...] On July 9, the FARC posted an open letter on its web portal Anncol from Secretariat member Raul Reyes requesting the "good offices" of international intermediaries -- mainly the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) -- to facilitate handover of the remains of 11 Valle assemblymen mu [...] |
2007-07-12 15:48:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PTER PHUM MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA509 |
GOC AND ELN WORK ON CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT; SENIOR [...] (C) GOC and ELN representatives meet in Venezuela on January 24 to discuss a ceasefire agreement. Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo told us in December the GOC would insist the ELN implement a ceasefire in February and would link political space for the ELN to release of its kidnap vic [...] |
2007-01-24 20:10:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PREL PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA5116 |
NEW FARC ATROCITIES DRAW INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM. [...] On Friday July 6, members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) executed Blanca Ines Marin Osorio, the mayor of San Jose del Palmar, on the road connecting Valle de Cauca and Choco, near the Pacific coast. Marin was a vocal supporter of the Uribe administration, and had won nu [...] |
2007-07-13 22:09:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PHUM PREL KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA5118 |
ON-AGAIN, OFF-AGAIN PEACE TALKS WITH ELN SET TO [...] (C) Summary. The on-again, off-again peace talks between the GOC and ELN are set to resume July 14. ELN negotiator Palbo Beltran said in an interview the ELN was willing to agree to a cessation of hostilities and a release of hostages, but admitted that serious differences with the GOC on v [...] |
2007-07-13 23:13:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA5256 |
PRESIDENT URIBE MEETS WITH CODEL REYES [...] On July 8, at 1730, at CATAM airfield in Bogota. 2. Participants: United States Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) CDA Milton Drucker C/ORA David Fitzgerald Michael Delaney George Pappas Notetaker Colombia President Uribe FM Fernando Araujo DAS Director Andres Penate ------ [...] |
2007-07-19 21:02:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PINR ETRD PGOV PHUM PREL PTER MARR ELAB CO |
| 07BOGOTA5258 |
JHON PINCHAO'S ESCAPE FROM FARC CAPTIVITY [...] (C) Police subintendente Jhon Frank Pinchao successfully fled eight and a half years of FARC captivity in late April 2007 (ref A), four months after Fernando Araujo escaped from a separate rebel front (ref B, C). Unlike Araujo, who escaped during a military operation, Pinchao relied on long- [...] |
2007-07-19 21:13:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR PTER PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA5299 |
BOGOTA FY08 "1206" PROJECT PROPOSALS [...] (SBU) Embassay Bogota concurs with the following eight project proposals for Section 1206 funding in FY 2008. Listed in priority order, all will strengthen Colombia's capacity to conduct counterterrorism operations against the FARC and ELN (designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations) and other [...] |
2007-07-23 13:35:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA5392 |
COLOMBIA REQUESTS SUPPORT FOR CANDIDATE FOR THE [...] This is an action request (see paragraphs 2). 2. We received a request from the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for support for their candidate for the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Pastor Elias Murillo Martinez. Pastor Murillo is well-known [...] |
2007-07-25 14:51:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM UN UNHRC AORC CO |
| 07BOGOTA5424 |
MILGROUP BOGOTA (3) -- MODERNIZING PERSONNEL [...] Colombian military personnel do not have military occupational specialties (MOS) and hence cannot be categorized according to training, experience, or expertise. The military also does not have a computerized system to track personnel, which causes inefficiencies and gaps in deployments for k [...] |
2007-07-25 23:54:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA5431 |
COLOMBIA PREPARES FOR LOCAL ELECTIONS FREE FROM [...] (C) Summary. The GOC and political parties are working to prevent the interference of illegal armed groups (FARC, ELN, new criminal groups) in the October elections for governors, mayors, and other local officials. A recent independent study concluded that 328 of Colombia's 1099 municipali [...] |
2007-07-26 17:46:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PTER PREF CO |
| 07BOGOTA5444 |
CONGRESS PASSES RURAL DEVELOPMENT LAW WITH [...] (C) On June 15, Colombia's congress passed a rural development law to increase rural productivity, harmonize existing laws, and reform INCODER, Colombia's rural land development agency. Concerns of human rights, Afro-Colombian and indigenous groups were addressed in the bill, and INCODER wi [...] |
2007-07-26 21:22:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON PHUM SOCI CO |
| 07BOGOTA5449 |
FARC REPORTEDLY WANTS TO MEET U.S. OFFICIALS TO [...] (S) Newly promoted director of the Office of Police Intelligence (DIPOL) Colonel Ramirez Calle met with Embassy Legat on July 24. Ramirez told Legat that DIPOL had intercepted FARC communications indicating that the FARC would like a face-to-face meeting between one of their spokespersons, [...] |
2007-07-27 11:40:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET | MARR PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA5488 |
HOW COLOMBIA'S ILLEGAL ARMED GROUPS FINANCED [...] (C) The FARC, ELN and former AUC partially financed their criminal activities through "vacunas," extortion payments levied on businesses and households. Some large companies paid millions of dollars for "protection," while individual households might pay USD two to five per month. Armed gro [...] |
2007-07-27 21:39:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PREL ECON SOCI CO |
| 07BOGOTA5489 |
COLOMBIA DISPUTES AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT ON [...] Summary: Amnesty International (AI) released a report on July 3 criticizing the GOC's record on combating violence against trade unions. The report accused the Colombian military of maintaining links with former paramilitary groups that used terror tactics against unionists. It also critic [...] |
2007-07-27 23:24:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB PGOV PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA5530 |
COLOMBIAN SUPREME COURT RULING THREATENS LEGAL [...] Summary: On July 25, President Uribe announced the GOC would introduce a bill in Congress to reverse a July 11 Supreme Court (SC) decision that removes the legal basis for pardoning 18,000 demobilized paramilitaries for their membership in the United Self-defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) and [...] |
2007-07-30 23:37:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA5651 |
SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF DEPUTY USTR JOHN [...] (SBU) Post welcomes Deputy USTR John Veroneau to Colombia. With U.S. help, President Uribe has made great strides in fighting drug trafficking and terrorism. The economy is growing, the investment climate is strong, and there is both anticipation and nervousness over the fate of the U.S.-Col [...] |
2007-08-02 20:10:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD CO |
| 07BOGOTA5665 |
OCTOBER LOCAL ELECTIONS: A QUICK LOOK AT KEY [...] (U) October elections will determine 32 governors, 1,099 mayors, and thousands of state assembly and city council members across Colombia. Control of those seats is crucial to strengthening grass roots party infrastructure heading into the 2010 presidential elections, so parties take every [...] |
2007-08-02 22:38:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PREF PTER PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA5672 |
SAN JOSE DE APARTADO VISIT HIGHLIGHTS SECURITY, [...] (C) On August 1, Poloffs met with members of the 17th Brigade, local police, the Peace Community (PC) and the Human Rights Ombudsman in San Jose de Apartado to highlight concern over recent violence and press security forces to respect human rights. The 17th Brigade and the San Jose de Apart [...] |
2007-08-03 15:00:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA5683 |
URIBE PROPOSAL TO FARC ON HOSTAGES [...] (U) On August 2, President Alvaro Uribe said he would release Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) prisoners and create an "encounter zone" for peace talks with the FARC for 90 days if the FARC first released all its hostages. The offer came in a public, sometime tense, debate on Bo [...] |
2007-08-03 17:37:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PTER PREF CO |
| 07BOGOTA5742 |
PROSECUTOR GENERAL MOVES TO INSULATE PARAPOLITICAL [...] (U) On August 6, the Supreme Court's Criminal Chamber of Appeals announced it will select a judge in Bogota to try former Sucre Department Senator Jairo Merlano who is accused of collaborating with paramilitary groups. This follows the November 28, 2006 decision by the Supreme Court--at the r [...] |
2007-08-06 23:13:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA5789 |
ELN PEACE TALKS STUCK OVER VERIFICATION AND ELN [...] (C) Summary. GOC-ELN peace talks are stuck over the ELN's refusal to accept the GOC terms for cease-fire monitoring and hostage release verification mechanisms. The ELN is looking for a new strategy to move the talks forward. Peace process "guarantor" Akerman is trying to convince ELN leader [...] |
2007-08-08 22:39:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PTER PREL PREF PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA581 |
MEDELLIN SETS THE PACE ON SUCCESSFUL [...] (C) Secretary of Government for Medellin Gustavo Villegas said on January 16 security in the city had improved dramatically over the last three years. Even regular criminal group members want to "demobilize." Still, Medellin faced security challenges associated with ex-paramilitary power st [...] |
2007-01-26 20:06:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA5871 |
ARRESTS MADE IN NARCO/FARC INFILTRATION OF MILITARY [...] The Colombian Prosecutor General (Fiscalia) and Colombian Army counterintelligence worked closely for over a year to uncover a small network of Army personnel collaborating with the Norte de Valle drugs cartel. The Fiscalia has arrested at least nine military members and two civilians, and th [...] |
2007-08-10 21:11:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA5882 |
COLOMBIA'S NEW CRIMINAL GROUPS: THE DRUG TRADE'S [...] (SBU) New criminal groups active in areas of former paramilitary influence are largely small drug mafias that lack the United Self-Defense Forces' (AUC) political pretensions. Most emerged to exploit the narcotrafficking and criminal vacuum left by the AUC's demobilization; an estimated 20% [...] |
2007-08-13 13:01:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA5986 |
OAS DELEGATION INSPECTS HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN [...] (U) Summary: Poloff accompanied an international delegation organized by the OAS Mission to Aid the Peace Process (MAPP/OAS) to hear concerns of the San Jose de Apartado Peace Community (PC). PC members reiterated their distrust of the GOC justice system and concerns about security. Apartado [...] |
2007-08-16 12:58:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA6013 |
OPPOSITION AND GOVERNMENT MEMBERS VOICE CONCERN [...] (U) Summary: As the October 28 regional elections approach, concerns over the integrity of elections are surfacing. Opposition politicians and GOC officials voiced concern that paramilitaries, the FARC, ELN and narco-traffickers will affect the outcomes in certain regions. Opposition leader [...] |
2007-08-16 21:13:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR CO |
| 07BOGOTA6020 |
URIBE PROPOSES BILL TO CHARGE PARAS FOR CRIMINAL [...] (U) On August 15, Interior and Justice Minister Carlos Holguin officially presented a bill in Congress that would charge the 18,000 demobilized paramilitaries--who have been in legal limbo since the July 11 Supreme Court that para crimes were common, not political offenses--with "simple consp [...] |
2007-08-16 22:27:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6028 |
GOC SHOWS SOME FLEXIBILITY ON CEASEFIRE TERMS WITH [...] (C) Summary: President Uribe showed some flexibility on possible ceasefire terms with the ELN, but said the group should sign a "base agreement" (acuerdo base) establishing a roadmap for the peace process at the next GOC-ELN talks set for August 20-24 in Havana. The GOC feels a sense of urgen [...] |
2007-08-17 16:04:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PTER PREL PREF PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA606 |
JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN GENERAL PACE MEETS WITH VICE [...] (C) In a one-hour meeting with CJCS General Peter Pace on January 19, Vice President Francisco Santos urged continued U.S. Congressional support for the fight against FARC terrorists. Santos said the GOC supported spraying but also sought new strategies. He cautioned that Ecuador's President [...] |
2007-01-29 18:07:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET | PGOV PREL MARR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6105 |
DUSTR VERONEAU DISCUSSES TRADE, LABOR VIOLENCE [...] (C) Summary. During his August 7-11 visit to Colombia, DUSTR John Veroneau discussed U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (CTPA) prospects and labor violence with Trade Minister Luis Guillermo Plata and Attorney General Mario Iguaran. Veroneau briefed the officials on the state of play i [...] |
2007-08-20 22:29:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD ECON PREL PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA6106 |
BUDGET INCREASE FOR PROSECUTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE [...] Minister of Interior and Justice Carlos Holguin said in an August 13 interview in Semana magazine the GOC would provide an additional 80 billion pesos (40 million USD) to the Prosecutor General's Office (Fiscalia) in the 2008 budget. This would enable the Fiscalia to add 497 new personnel to [...] |
2007-08-20 23:00:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6186 |
CHAVEZ OFFERS TO HELP NEGOTIATE COLOMBIAN [...] (C) Summary: Venezuelan President Chavez met with relatives of FARC-held hostages and offered to act as an observer/guarantor for a humanitarian exchange. He also suggested Venezuela as a possible site for talks. Colombian Liberal party Senator Piedad Cordoba set up the meeting after Presi [...] |
2007-08-22 22:51:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6200 |
VISIT OF HDAC COMMITTEE, AUGUST 27-31, 2007 [...] (SBU) Colombia's congress passed President Uribe,s top legislative priorities in its latest session, and its members look forward to developing institutional ties with the U.S. Congress. Security has markedly improved with successful military efforts to re-take areas controlled by the Revolut [...] |
2007-08-23 20:46:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KDEM ECON ETRD OVIP OTRA PGOV PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA6230 |
GOC, LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE TO MASS [...] Summary. In response to a displacement of over 400 rural, mostly Afro-Colombian residents of the Condoto municipality in southern Choco, GOC, local government and international humanitarian groups provided emergency humanitarian aid and protection. In recent days, the internally displaced pers [...] |
2007-08-27 15:48:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PHUM ICRC CO |
| 07BOGOTA6278 |
EXTRADITION PROCESS ON TRACK FOR FORMER PARAS [...] (C) Minister of Interior and Justice Carlos Holguin announced August 24 the transfer of Carlos Mario Jimenez (alias "Macaco") from Itagui prison in Medellin to the maximum security Combita prison near Bogota for conducting drug trafficking activities from prison. The Fiscalia has approved his [...] |
2007-08-27 19:23:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PRGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6283 |
COLOMBIA: FEEDBACK ON WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE [...] Per reftel, post consulted with Arnobio Cordoba Palacios of Afro-Colombian Credit, and Monsignor Hector Fabio Henao of National Pastoral Social, to solicit feedback regarding their participation in the July White House Conference on the Americas. A former mayor of Quibdo, capital of the depa [...] |
2007-08-27 21:08:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KSUM KPAO CO |
| 07BOGOTA6290 |
GOC AND FARC MANEUVER ON HUMANITARIAN EXCHANGE [...] (U) Summary: FARC spokesperson Raul Reyes insisted the GOC create a demilitarized zone ("despeje") for a humanitarian exchange of FARC-held hostages. GOC officials firmly rejected a despeje, but said the GOC would consider new proposals to achieve a humanitarian exchange. End summary. [...] |
2007-08-27 21:42:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6329 |
REPRESENTATIVE BLUNT MEETS WITH VICE PRESIDENT [...] Summary: Representative Roy Blunt (R-MO) met with Vice President Santos on August 22 to discuss counter narcotics cooperation and prospects for U.S. congressional approval of the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Santos voiced optimism regarding degradation of the FARC's network and cont [...] |
2007-08-29 14:45:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6382 |
SENTENCING OF SOLDIERS IN ARAUCA LABOR CASE [...] A Bogota court sentenced four Colombian soldiers to 40 years each for murdering three union leaders in Saravena, Arauca department on August 5, 2004. The court ruling, announced August 28, found the soldiers guilty of executing labor leaders Jairo Eduardo Prieto Chamucero, Hector Alirio Mart [...] |
2007-08-30 21:22:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA6383 |
COLOMBIA TO EXTEND UN HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE [...] (SBU) The Government of Colombia (GOC) and the UN High Commission on Human Rights (UNHCHR) have agreed on the renewal of the UNHCHR mandate in Colombia through 2010. The agreement will be signed during the September 8-9 visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour. Juan [...] |
2007-08-30 21:23:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA6400 |
REPRESENTATIVE BLUNT MEETS WITH PRESIDENT URIBE [...] (SBU) Summary: President Uribe thanked Representative Blunt for his support, and outlined GOC efforts to protect union members, prosecute human rights violators, combat emerging new criminal groups, and address Colombia's socio-economic problems. Uribe explained that he had begun to review t [...] |
2007-08-31 16:28:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KJUS PGOV ETRD PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6460 |
GOC KILLS FARC HIGH VALUE TARGET TOMAS MEDINA [...] (U) The GOC claims to have killed Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) 16th Front commander Tomas Medina Caracas, aka "Negro Acacio." Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said Medina died September 1 during a pre-dawn bombing of a FARC jungle camp near the Venezuela border. The GOC h [...] |
2007-09-05 11:35:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6461 |
INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS RECOVERS BODIES OF FARC [...] (C) The FARC and GOC agreed after six weeks of negotiations that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) would recover the bodies of the 11 legislators killed in June and that the OAS would coordinate an international forensic team to examine the cadavers. The FARC claims the le [...] |
2007-09-05 11:36:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6487 |
USNS COMFORT VISIT TO COLOMBIA [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. USNS COMFORT anchored near Buenaventura, Colombia from August 22-28 during its humanitarian assistance deployment to the region. Coordinating with Embassy Bogota, Colombian authorities, and NGOs, the COMFORT team provided 25,815 medical, dental and veterinary services and train [...] |
2007-09-05 22:12:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL MARR MASS MOPS SNAR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6520 |
CHAVEZ OFFERS TO HOST NINTH ROUND OF ELN PEACE [...] (C) Summary. At an August 31 summit with President Uribe in Bogota, Venezuelan President Chavez offered to host a new round of GOC-ELN peace talks in Caracas. Uribe quickly agreed to Chavez' offer, believing it is better to have Chavez inside the tent rather than outside causing problems. G [...] |
2007-09-07 14:46:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREF PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6535 |
GOC CONSULTATIONS WITH INDIGENOUS AND [...] The GOC must consult with indigenous and Afro-Colombian groups about actions that affect them pursuant to international treaties, the Colombian Constitution, laws, and court decisions. The GOC conducts 50-75 consultations per year, 80 percent with indigenous groups and 20 percent with Afro-C [...] |
2007-09-07 19:29:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PGOV PREL ECON SOCI CO |
| 07BOGOTA6536 |
COLOMBIAN MILITARY REACHES OUT TO INDIGENOUS AND [...] Summary: The Ministry of Defense issued directives instructing military and police to respect the integrity of indigenous and Afro-Colombians. The directives educate commanders on the rights of indigenous and Afro-Colombians and provide guidance on how such communities should be treated. A [...] |
2007-09-07 19:32:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL SOCI CO |
| 07BOGOTA6594 |
UNHCHR INTERNAL REPORT ASSESSES SAN JOSE DE [...] (C) Summary: A local United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR) report on San Jose de Apartado (SJDA) highlights differences between the Peace Community's (PC) version of recent killings and accounts provided by the Prosecutor General (Fiscalia), Human Rights Ombudsman (Defenso [...] |
2007-09-11 18:35:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA6645 |
GOC WILL SUPPORT U.S. POSITION REGARDING IRAN [...] (C) On September 7, Ambassador delivered all points in reftel to acting Foreign Minister Camilo Reyes. On September 11, MFA Coordinator for the United States and Canada Patricia Cortes confirmed Reyes had sent U.S. points to Colombian Mission in Vienna with instructions to support the U.S. [...] |
2007-09-12 16:48:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KMNP MNUC IR IAEA AORC |
| 07BOGOTA6649 |
CHAVEZ FACES TOUGH JOB NEGOTIATING HUMANITARIAN [...] (C) Summary. On August 31, President Uribe and Venezuelan President Chavez discussed Chavez' efforts to facilitate a "humanitarian exchange" of FARC-held hostages for FARC prisoners in Colombian jails. Uribe ruled out any demilitarized area ("despeje") or return of released prisoners to FA [...] |
2007-09-12 17:05:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PTER PREF CO |
| 07BOGOTA6668 |
ELECTORAL VIOLENCE DOWN, BUT STILL AN ISSUE IN [...] Summary: As the October 28 local elections draw near, violence against candidates continues in specific regions--though at lower levels than in previous elections. Contacts from political parties across the spectrum expect free and fair elections in spite of the limited violence. The FARC and [...] |
2007-09-12 21:09:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR CO |
| 07BOGOTA6697 |
CODEL PRICE MEETS WITH PRESIDENT URIBE [...] (SBU) Summary: In an August 28 meeting with Codel Price, President Uribe explained the Justice and Peace Law and reiterated his commitment to extradite former paramilitaries who violate their peace process obligations. He reviewed GOC efforts to reintegrate former paramilitaries -as well as [...] |
2007-09-13 15:16:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ETRD KJUS PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6699 |
AMBASSADOR BROWNFELD PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO [...] No summary [...] |
2007-09-13 15:39:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL ETRD CO |
| 07BOGOTA670 |
WHA A/S SHANNON AND FM ARAUJO DISCUSS PLAN [...] (C) In a one-hour meeting with Foreign Minister Maria Consuelo Araujo on January 29, WHA A/S Thomas Shannon welcomed the GOC's Plan Colombia consolidation proposal. Araujo said the proposal assigns new resources to human rights, social development, displaced people, and Afro-Colombian and ind [...] |
2007-01-31 12:58:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM SNAR EC CO |
| 07BOGOTA6705 |
COLOMBIA WILL SUPPORT US CANDIDACY FOR ICAO COUNCIL [...] On August 21 poloff delivered reftel demarche. On September 11 we received a response from the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Relations stating that the GOC will support the U.S. candidacy referred to in reftel. We were further advised that Fernando Sanclemente, Director General of the GOC's [...] |
2007-09-13 19:24:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL EAIR AORC ICAO CO |
| 07BOGOTA6744 |
GOC BREAKS UP EMERGING CRIMINAL GANG AND [...] On August 31, the Colombian National Police (CNP) arrested 50 alleged members of "Los 40," an emerging criminal gang involved in violence, drug trafficking and extortion in Atlantico, Bolivar, and Magdalena departments. The group took its name from former AUC commander "Jorge 40" (demobilized [...] |
2007-09-17 14:13:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PTER PHUM MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA6745 |
POLO PARTY'S INTERNAL RIVALRIES FLARE OVER THE FARC [...] (U) Summary: Polo Democratico Senator Dussan's September 11 statement that "we are neither with the FARC, nor against the FARC" overshadowed the party's rejection of the FARC's armed struggle and generated an angry exchange with fellow Polo Senator Petro. Petro attributed Dussan's comment t [...] |
2007-09-17 15:14:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PTER PREF CO |
| 07BOGOTA6746 |
COLOMBIA: TRACKING CONVICTIONS IN LABOR VIOLENCE [...] The Prosecutor General's Office (Fiscalia) created a special sub-unit in October 2006 to focus on prosecuting "priority" cases of violence against trade unionists. Working with the three main labor confederations, the Fiscalia identified 204 "priority" cases and pledged to prosecute the perpe [...] |
2007-09-17 15:30:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB PGOV PHUM PTER KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA6754 |
GOC PLANS FOR TRIPARTITE G-24 MEETING IN BOGOTA [...] Vice Foreign Minister Adriana Mejia told us September 13 that the Group of 24's (G-24) Third International Conference on Colombia (November 29-December 1) in Bogota would provide an excellent opportunity to highlight the GOC's international cooperation strategy, showcase progress on human righ [...] |
2007-09-17 20:22:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA6755 |
ICAO ASSEMBLY: SOLICITING SUPPORT FOR [...] On September 12, the non-paper and proposed additional language to the budget resolution was delivered to the Colombian Ministry of External Relations per reftel. On September 13, the demarche was also hand-delivered to Fernando Sanclemente, Director General of the GOC's civil aviation agenc [...] |
2007-09-17 20:37:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | EAIR ICAO CO |
| 07BOGOTA6780 |
DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY OF WIPO DG DEMARCHE [...] On September 17, post delivered reftel non-paper to the Colombian Ministry of External Relations (MRE). Post followed-up with two separate conversations with the MRE regarding the issue but no response has been received. Brownfield [...] |
2007-09-18 20:03:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC CO |
| 07BOGOTA6789 |
MAJOR SENTENCED TO 40 YEARS FOR 1999 MASSACRE IN [...] On September 15, the Colombian Supreme Court found Major Luis Fernando Campuzano Vasquez guilty of complicity in the August 21, 1999 massacre of 27 people in La Gabarra, Norte de Santander. The court ruled that Campuzano, a lieutenant at the time, ordered the withdrawal of military patrols an [...] |
2007-09-18 23:24:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PTER KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA6862 |
COLOMBIA AUCTIONS NINE OFFSHORE BLOCKS ON [...] (U) On September 18, Colombia's National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) successfully auctioned nine exploration blocks totaling $50 million. The nine blocks represent part of 13 oil and gas blocks off the coast of Atlantico, Bolivar, Magdalena, and La Guajira departments offered in ANH's 2007 Cari [...] |
2007-09-19 20:12:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG EPET ECON EINV CO |
| 07BOGOTA6881 |
GOC REITERATES RULES OF THE GAME FOR CHAVEZ AND [...] (S) Summary. Peace Commissioner Restrepo said he and President Uribe repeatedly told Venezuelan President Chavez the GOC will not consider a demilitarized zone as part of a deal for a "humanitarian exchange" with the FARC. The FARC does not want to meet with Chavez in Venezuela (preferring [...] |
2007-09-19 22:47:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET | PGOV PHUM PREL PTER PREF FR CO |
| 07BOGOTA6885 |
CORDOBA SEEKS MEETINGS WITH "SIMON TRINIDAD" AND [...] (C) Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba called the Charge from Caracas on September 18 to request a meeting with FARC members "Simon Trinidad" and "Sonia" (convicted in the United States of terrorism and drug charges, respectively). Cordoba asked to meet with the two on September 21 during a plan [...] |
2007-09-20 19:07:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PTER PREF FR VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA689 |
CERREJON COAL COMPANY SETTLES LABOR DISPUTE [...] (U) On January 29, Cerrejon Mines (owned by a consortium of UK and Canadian companies) settled biannual labor talks, averting a strike which would have affected delivery of nearly 500,000 tons per month of coal to the U.S. The workers' union at Cerrejon, SINTRAMINENEGETICA, was the same union [...] |
2007-01-31 21:54:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG EMIN EINV ELAB CO |
| 07BOGOTA6894 |
ELN "CONFUSED" AS PARTIES PREPARE FOR TALKS IN [...] (C) Summary. Peace Commissioner Restrepo told us the last round of ELN talks in Havana (August 20-24) made it clear the Cubans would not press the ELN to make a deal, leading the GOC to accept the ELN's long-standing request to shift the talks to Caracas. The GOC thinks President Chavez wants [...] |
2007-09-20 23:25:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PTER PREF VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA6898 |
WHO IGWG ANTI-IP PROPOSALS AT AMERICAS [...] On September 6 Econoff raised reftel issue with Colombian Ministry of External Relations (MRE) North America Desk Coordinator Patricia Cortes and delivered non-paper. Cortes said she would distribute non-paper to appropriate GOC agencies. On September 17, Cortes told us the Ministry of Soci [...] |
2007-09-21 16:14:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ETRD KIPR CO |
| 07BOGOTA6899 |
SCENE SETTER FOR THE VISIT OF GENERAL MCCAFFREY [...] (SBU) President Uribe's "democratic security" policy has hit the FARC and ELN hard over the past five years, with security improving across the country. Colombians are free to travel highways and confidence has skyrocketed, translating into record economic growth. The paramilitary peace proc [...] |
2007-09-21 18:28:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL MARR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6932 |
COLOMBIA'S NEW VICTIMS' PROTECTION PROGRAM UNDER [...] The Ministry of Interior and Justice (MIJ) issued a decree on September 18 creating an integrated program to protect almost 70,000 victims who have denounced paramilitary crimes or sought redress under the Justice and Peace Law (JPL). The decree assigns the national police (CNP) the task of [...] |
2007-09-24 18:53:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB PGOV PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA6948 |
COLOMBIA'S EFFORTS TO ENSURE FAIR ELECTIONS IN [...] During a pre-elections visit to Sucre and Cordoba departments, politicians, local authorities, and victims, groups all told us the safer environment created by the demobilization of paramilitaries resulted in a dramatic increase in the participation of newer political parties. However, some v [...] |
2007-09-25 04:33:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6957 |
OPIC CEO MOSBACHER HIGHLIGHTS U.S.-COLOMBIAN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In September 10-11 meetings with government and private sector representatives, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Robert Mosbacher, Jr. highlighted the potential for increased U.S. investment in Colombia and the range of OPIC services a [...] |
2007-09-25 14:17:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EINV EFIN ETRD ENRG OPIC CO |
| 07BOGOTA696 |
COLMIL RELIEVES COLONEL OF COMMAND FOR [...] (SBU) On January 26, Minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos relieved Colonel Hernan Mejia Gutierrez, a highly decorated officer, from command of the 13th Mobile Brigade due to allegations tying him to former paramilitary leader Jorge 40. Military Criminal Justice authorities transferred their [...] |
2007-01-31 22:50:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6966 |
AMBASSADOR'S SEPTEMBER 21 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT [...] (C) The Ambassador briefed President Uribe on the latest developments on the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA), urged the GOC to coordinate closely with the USG on the efforts of Senator Cordoba and President Chavez to achieve a humanitarian exchange with the FARC, and outlined likely shift [...] |
2007-09-25 17:01:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KJUS PGOV PHUM PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA6967 |
AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S SEPTEMBER 21 MEETING WITH [...] (C) GOC Peace Commissioner Restrepo said that the GOC finds it hard to control Senator Cordoba's and President Chavez' efforts to facilitate a humanitarian exchange. The FARC has little interested in an exchange, but wants to use Chavez' role to gain international recognition, create tension [...] |
2007-09-25 17:02:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL PGOV VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA6998 |
THREE AIR FORCE OFFICERS SENTENCED FOR SANTO [...] The 12th Circuit Penal Court in Bogota sentenced two pilots and a technician to six years under house arrest on manslaughter charges stemming from the accidental bombing of a community in Tame (Arauca), which killed 17 people during an operation against the FARC on December 13, 1998. Captain [...] |
2007-09-26 12:29:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA7017 |
GENERAL PETER PACE'S SEPTEMBER 13 MEETING WITH [...] (U) September 13, 2007, Cartagena Airport, 60 minutes 2. (U) Participants: United States SouthCom Commander ADM James Stavridis Ambassador William Brownfield Colombia Minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos Military Forces Commander GEN Fredy Padilla Army Commander GEN Mario Monto [...] |
2007-09-27 15:47:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR PTER PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA7019 |
AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S SEPTEMBER 24 CALL ON TRADE [...] (SBU) Summary. Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism Luis Guillermo Plata on September 24 told the Ambassador that the dramatic turnaround of Colombia remains a process and still requires expanded trade and investment. The Minister applauds USG efforts to expand the bilateral economic rela [...] |
2007-09-27 18:06:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | CASC ETRD EINV PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA7038 |
NGO CONSULTATION FOCUSES ON AFRO-COLOMBIAN AND [...] Summary: On September 14, we hosted a discussion of Afro-Colombian and indigenous issues with human rights groups. Participants criticized the GOC's "democratic security" policy as a pretext to transfer lands traditionally belonging to indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities to large commer [...] |
2007-09-27 23:00:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA7061 |
AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD,S SEPTEMBER 26 MEETING WITH [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador met September 26 with families of the three American hostages held by the FARC. The families appreciated the Ambassador's recent statements that he would not oppose other governments' efforts to resolve the hostages' detention. The Ambassador stressed the importan [...] |
2007-09-30 20:47:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | CASC PTER PREL PGOV CO VZ |
| 07BOGOTA7088 |
ECOPETROL PARTIAL PRIVATIZATION RESOUNDING SUCCESS [...] (U) SUMMARY: On September 25, Colombia's state-owned hydrocarbons company Ecopetrol completed the first round of its partial privatization, successfully selling a 10.1 percent stake to a mix of Colombian companies and private citizens. The offering, which raised USD 3.3 billion in new funds f [...] |
2007-10-02 14:26:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG ECON EINV EFIN CO |
| 07BOGOTA7104 |
AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S SEPTEMBER 26 MEETING WITH [...] (C) Summary: Minister of Interior and Justice (MOIJ) Holguin told the Ambassador on September 26 that the Justice and Peace Law (JPL) process faced difficult challenges as it addresses the legal status of 18,000 rank and file demobilized paramilitary. The recent victims protection decree will [...] |
2007-10-03 12:44:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KJUS PINR PHUM PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA7110 |
FLUSH WITH CASH--COLOMBIA'S RISING INFLOW OF [...] (U) SUMMARY: Colombia's international reserves have topped USD 20 billion for the first time ever. Rising exports, foreign direct investment, and remittances, as well as increased international borrowing, have infused Colombia's financial system with dollars and solidified its debt-service ca [...] |
2007-10-03 17:28:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ETRD SNAR KCRM CO |
| 07BOGOTA7158 |
FARC TIE RELEASE OF "SONIA" AND "SIMON TRINIDAD" [...] (C) The FARC published an editorial on October 2 calling for the GOC to grant a demilitarized zone for talks on a humanitarian accord and demanding the release of FARC members "Sonia" and "Simon Trinidad" from U.S. custody as part of a deal. Catholic priest Father Echeverri, who attended Vene [...] |
2007-10-03 23:25:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PTER PREF VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA7171 |
CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER HIGHLIGHTS [...] SUMMARY: With funding from the Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs (EEB), Embassy Bogota hosted the visit of Conservation International Senior Research Scientist Timothy J. Killeen to Colombia September 26-28 to speak about the sustainable development of biofuels. As part of the t [...] |
2007-10-04 15:32:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG ECON KPAO OIIP SENV CO |
| 07BOGOTA7193 |
PRE-ELECTIONS CLIMATE IN SUCRE: NEW SPACE [...] (U) Politicians, local authorities, and victims groups in Sucre report the paramilitary demobilization has opened new political space, allowing increased participation by new political parties and social groups ahead of the October elections. Still, some victims, groups and candidates complai [...] |
2007-10-04 20:13:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA720 |
LATIN PACIFIC ECONOMIC MINISTERS INTERESTED IN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Colombia hosted the "Latin American Pacific Basin Initiative Forum" January 29-30 in Cali, with participants from 9 of the 11 Latin American Pacific coast countries. The largely symbolic meeting was intended to galvanize trade and investment among the Latin Pacific countries, [...] |
2007-02-02 15:00:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ECIN ETRD APECO CO |
| 07BOGOTA7203 |
URIBE REITERATES GOC OPPOSITION TO RETURN OF [...] On October 3, following a breakfast meeting with Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, President Alvaro Uribe told the press the GOC opposed the return to Colombia of FARC members "Sonia" and "Simon Trinidad" as part of any humanitarian exchange of FARC-held hostages for FARC members in Colomb [...] |
2007-10-04 23:36:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PINR PREF PREL PTER VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA7223 |
CORDOBA PRE-ELECTIONS REPORT: INCREASED [...] (U) New parties and community groups are taking advantage of the greater political space created by the paramilitary demobilization and jailing of elected officials with paramilitary ties to participate actively in the October local elections in Cordoba. Still, candidates fear new criminal gr [...] |
2007-10-05 19:42:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA7224 |
SHOOTING VICTIMS REQUEST INVESTIGATION AND [...] (C) On September 17, Miguel and Ualberto Hoyos, leaders of a resettlement effort for displaced persons near Curvarado and Belen de Bajira, Choco department, were shot outside their home by a man believed linked to new criminal groups and local ranchers. The Hoyos brothers believe they were ta [...] |
2007-10-05 20:01:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA7225 |
COLOMBIA-VENEZUELA BORDER BLOCKED OVER TOLL DISPUTE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Twice since August, Venezuelan government-supported protesters have closed cross-border traffic at the Colombian city of Cucuta, which depends on USD 10 million a day in trade with Venezuela. The protesters, who object to a new Colombian-imposed toll, turned violent on October [...] |
2007-10-05 20:19:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ETRD ECIN CO |
| 07BOGOTA7234 |
AMBASSADOR'S OCTOBER 1 MEETING WITH FOREIGN [...] (C) The Ambassador reiterated to Foreign Minister Araujo on October 1 our commitment to obtaining U.S. congressional approval of the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and said we will need continued GOC support for the congressional delegations that will likely visit Colombia in the coming [...] |
2007-10-06 00:00:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV PHUM PINR PREL PTER UNSC VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA7238 |
HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS IN CARTAGENA INVOLVE NEWLY [...] (U) Summary: Displaced community members told a visiting international delegation organized by UNHCHR that threats by newly emerging criminal bands are on the rise. A community leader was shot on July 16, and 15 other human rights and community leaders received threats this year. The local Hum [...] |
2007-10-09 12:45:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA7239 |
AMBASSADOR'S OCTOBER 1 CALL ON FINANCE MINISTER [...] (SBU) Summary. Finance Minister Zuluaga reiterated to the Ambassador, on October 1, GOC support for Treasury Secretary Paulson's informal consultative process with like-minded Latin American finance ministers. He concurred with the Ambassador's suggestion that our governments pursue an expan [...] |
2007-10-09 12:59:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON PREL VZ PE CO |
| 07BOGOTA7240 |
PARA-POLITICAL SCANDAL UPDATE [...] (C) Summary. The Supreme Court has linked 37 of Colombia's 268 legislators to the former paramilitaries, with fourteen members in jail, one a fugitive, and twenty-two under formal investigation. Congressmen facing investigation include Mario Uribe, a distant cousin and longtime political ass [...] |
2007-10-09 15:24:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA7265 |
WORLD BANK BOOSTS COLOMBIA'S "DOING BUSINESS" [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: According to the World Bank's "Doing Business 2008" report released September 27, companies are finding it easier to do business in Colombia. In comparison to last year, Colombia improved 13 positions to 66th out of 178 countries ranked. The World Bank identified Colombia as t [...] |
2007-10-09 21:51:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON BEXP ETRD EFIN CO |
| 07BOGOTA7281 |
GOC-GOV TENSIONS EMERGE AS HUMANITARIAN EXCHANGE [...] (C) President Chavez urged the GOC to facilitate, not block, GOV efforts to meet with FARC leaders in Venezuela. The GOC responded by warning the international community not to "fall for the deception of terrorism." Long-time FARC intermediary Alvaro Leyva said Uribe's decision to involve Cha [...] |
2007-10-10 16:08:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA7319 |
PROS/CONS OF SECRETARY GUTIERREZ' DELEGATION VISIT [...] (SBU) Embassy Bogota proposes visit by Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez and delegation to the village of Bojaya on October 13. The delegation would accompany President Uribe. Pros and cons of such a trip follow. 2. (SBU) The trip to Bojaya presents certain risks: health risks, the risk as [...] |
2007-10-10 23:49:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | CO |
| 07BOGOTA7323 |
TRANSPARENT ELECTION PROCESS AND GREATER POLITICAL [...] Local candidates and officials in Apartado (Antioquia department) told us preparations for the October elections are proceeding in a transparent manner. Local candidates said the current environment allowed a broader "political space" to campaign freely and had few complaints about how local [...] |
2007-10-11 15:11:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA7325 |
AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S 26 SEPTEMBER MEETING WITH [...] (C) Ambassador Brownfield met with Minister of Defense (MOD) Juan Manuel Santos and Vice MoD Juan Carlos Pinzon on September 26. Santos raised the need for agreement on GOC sharing of intelligence with Israeli defense contractors, as well as Colombia's request that its priority military purc [...] |
2007-10-11 16:49:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA7350 |
ELECTION RISK MAPS HIGHLIGHT REGIONAL THREATS [...] In mid-September, the civil society Electoral Observation Mission (MOE) published maps identifying 576 of Colombia's 1099 municipalities as at risk for violence or electoral fraud during the October 28 departmental and municipal elections. Interior Minister Carlos Holguin dismissed the MOE f [...] |
2007-10-11 21:14:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR CO |
| 07BOGOTA7359 |
PRESIDENT URIBE: QUESTIONS ARISE WITH SUPREME [...] (SBU) On October 8, President Uribe released a statement saying he had received a letter from a jailed paramilitary accusing Supreme Court Magistrate Ivan Velasquez of offering the paramilitary legal benefits to implicate Uribe in a plot to murder a jailed paramilitary leader. Uribe called Vel [...] |
2007-10-12 14:25:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR PREF PREL PTER |
| 07BOGOTA7364 |
U.S. DRAFT RESOLUTION CONDEMNING THE USE OF RAPE [...] On September 26 Econoff verbally delivered reftel talking points to the Colombian Ministry of External Relations (MRE) North America Desk Coordinator Patricia Cortes and provided Cortes with the text of the draft resolution. Cortes said she would raise reftel issue with the appropriate GOC a [...] |
2007-10-12 18:10:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC UNGA PHUM KWMN SOCI CO |
| 07BOGOTA7375 |
U PARTY PROPOSES THIRD TERM FOR URIBE [...] On October 10, U Party Secretary General Luis Guillermo Giraldo announced that the Party would seek to amend the constitution to allow President Uribe to run for a third term in 2010 presidential elections. In a Senate session hosted by the U Party to discuss its platform, Giraldo said "no m [...] |
2007-10-12 20:21:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR CO |
| 07BOGOTA7395 |
GOC TAKING CONCRETE STEPS TOWARDS INVESTIGATING [...] (SBU) Summary: An international human rights group coalition claims there were 955 extrajudicial killings by Colombian security forces between July 2002 and June 2007. The Prosecutor General's Office (Fiscalia) is formally investigating 189 allegations of extrajudicial killings involving 388 [...] |
2007-10-15 18:54:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA7397 |
PRE-ELECTIONS CLIMATE IN VALLEDUPAR: CRIMINAL [...] (U) Summary: Candidates and officials in Valledupar, capital of the northern Cesar Department, report some paramilitary influence in local campaigns and isolated security threats against candidates, but note an overall improvement in openness and transparency this election season. The GOC is [...] |
2007-10-15 20:14:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PINR PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA7421 |
INCREASING ASSET SEIZURES: A STEP FORWARD IN [...] (U) In the past three months, the GOC seized close to a billion dollars in assets tied to major narcotraffickers, including infamous ex-paramilitaries "Macaco" and Vicente Castano, and drug trafficker "Chupeta." The seizures reflect excellent US-GOC law enforcement cooperation, as well as the [...] |
2007-10-16 22:38:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA7423 |
ECOPETROL OUTLINES ITS APPROACH TO HUMAN RIGHTS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On October 10, Jose Rafael Unda, Ecopetrol's Director for Social Responsibility, confirmed his company's incorporation of the Voluntary Principles (VPs) into its human rights policies. Unda said Ecopetrol added Spanish translations of the text of the Voluntary Principles to its [...] |
2007-10-16 23:10:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | ECON ENRG EPET PHUM ETRD CO |
| 07BOGOTA7451 |
AMBASSADOR'S OCTOBER 10 MEETING WITH UNHCHR [...] (SBU) In an October 10 courtesy call, the Ambassador voiced our support for the work of local UN High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Office Director Juan Pablo Corlazzoli and noted our interest in working closely with his successor. Corlazzoli thanked the Ambassador for U.S. funding, voi [...] |
2007-10-17 23:57:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PINR PREL PTER UN CO |
| 07BOGOTA7453 |
COLOMBIAN HIGH-VALUE TARGET OPERATIONS BEARING [...] (S) The Colombian military's successful operation against FARC 16th Front commander and leading narcotrafficker Tomas Medina Caracas aka "Negro Acacio" shows that the Colombians--with substantial U.S. support--have advanced in intelligence, strike accuracy, mission planning and deployment, op [...] |
2007-10-18 15:17:00 | Embassy Bogota | SECRET | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA7456 |
MAGDALENA GOVERNOR CONVICTED FOR PARAMILITARY TIES [...] Trino Luna Correa, Liberal party member and former governor of Magdalena, plead guilty to aggravated conspiracy (concierto para delinquir agravado) to commit crime due to his paramilitary ties on October 14. Luna, who ran uncontested in 2003, was detained in March for ties to para leaders Ro [...] |
2007-10-18 19:49:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA7470 |
UNITED STATES, COLOMBIA AND MEXICO MEETING [...] (C) Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Karen Tandy met with Colombian Minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos Calderon and Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora Icaza on October 9 to promote increased counternarcotics cooperation. The meeting was part of a series and led to ag [...] |
2007-10-18 22:06:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ASEC ECIN PTER SNAR MX CO |
| 07BOGOTA7481 |
AMBASSADOR'S OCTOBER 11 MEETING WITH [...] (C) In an October 11 meeting, the Ambassador and Vice-President Santos reviewed prospects for U.S. approval of the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA), agreed on the need to work closely to deflect efforts by President Chavez and the FARC to make the USG and GOC look intransigent in humanita [...] |
2007-10-19 14:15:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KJUS PGOV PHUM PINR PREL PTER VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA7483 |
PRE-ELECTIONS CLIMATE IN CUCUTA: CRIME AND BORDER [...] (U) Cucuta, the capital of Norte de Santander, is a major transit point to Venezuela, making it a magnet for illegal armed groups trying to control legal and illegal commercial activity. Its mayor was arrested in September for paramilitary ties, but he remains highly popular. Election preparat [...] |
2007-10-19 15:27:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PREL PINR PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA7575 |
COLOMBIA INTERESTED IN WIREC 2008 [...] Post delivered reftel demarche separately to Minister of Mines and Energy Hernan Martinez and Ministry of External Relations (MRE) Director for Multilateral Economic, Social, and Environmental Issues Maria Alban Duran. Post also presented WIREC 2008 information to officials at the Ministries [...] |
2007-10-19 21:40:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG EAID EPET SENV SOCI TRGY KPAO KSCA EAGR |
| 07BOGOTA7581 |
COLOMBIA BULLISH ON WIREC 2008, REQUESTS SPOT ON [...] This is an action cable. See para. 4. 2. Post delivered reftel demarche on the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC) separately to Minister of Mines and Energy Hernan Martinez, Ministry of External Relations (MRE) Director for Multilateral Economic, Social, and Envir [...] |
2007-10-19 22:21:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG EAID EPET SENV SOCI TRGY KPAO KSCA EAGR |
| 07BOGOTA7582 |
OAS AND U.S. ELECTORAL OBSERVATION EFFORTS IN [...] The OAS Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) has a presence on the ground and will support extensive GOC actions to promote free and fair elections (reftel). The Embassy has developed an election observation plan, and will deploy 30 officers across key Departments under OAS accreditation. Othe [...] |
2007-10-19 22:31:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PINR PREF PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA7622 |
META AT RISK: ELECTIONS VISIT TO VILLAVICENCIO [...] (U) On September 26-28, we met with political party leaders, candidates, incumbents, and civil society representatives in Meta to discuss the October 28 local elections. The civil society group--the Electoral Observation Mission (MOE)--considers Meta at high risk for violence and fraud. Cor [...] |
2007-10-22 22:32:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PTER PHUM CO |
| 07BOGOTA7623 |
MAPP/OAS CONCERNED OVER ALLEGED EXTRAJUDICIAL [...] (C) An internal MAPP/OAS report outlined concerns about the disappearance of eleven young men in Sucre department, allegedly involving the 11th brigade. Six of the men (ages 16-22) were found dead days after their disappearance; the 11th brigade claimed they were killed in combat. Five remain [...] |
2007-10-22 22:33:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KJUS MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA7625 |
COLOMBIA CONFLICT UPDATE - Q3'07 [...] (C) The following reflects the Country Team's quarterly review of Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and GOC activities. During the third quarter of 2007, the FARC shifted forces to its core territories between Meta Department and the Pacific coast -- evidently to hunker down, pro [...] |
2007-10-23 13:53:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MARR MCAP OAS CO |
| 07BOGOTA7648 |
GOC PEACE COMMISSIONER REVIEWS LATEST DEVELOPMENTS [...] (C) Defense Minister Santos voiced skepticism about the efforts of President Chavez and Senator Cordoba to facilitate a humanitarian exchange with the FARC, prompting a rebuke from President Uribe. GOC Peace Commissioner Restrepo told us Uribe was chagrined with Santos' remarks, because at th [...] |
2007-10-24 15:33:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA7671 |
GOC'S POSSIBLE SHIFT ON INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL [...] (C) During an October 17 meeting with Luis Moreno Ocampo, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), President Uribe suggested the GOC would revisit whether to continue delaying the application of the ICC war crimes provision. The GOC exempted itself from the provision for se [...] |
2007-10-24 22:06:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA7695 |
DRAFT MAPP/OAS TENTH QUARTERLY REPORT ON PEACE [...] (C) The MAPP/OAS draft Tenth Quarterly Report on the peace process recognizes GOC progress in the reintegration of demobilized paramilitaries, as well as in combating new criminal groups, but urges it to do more to prevent narcotraffickers, the FARC, and other criminal groups from exploiting [...] |
2007-10-25 17:33:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | CO PHUM PGOV KJUS PREL |
| 07BOGOTA7702 |
VALLE DE CAUCA: CLEAN ELECTIONS EXPECTED DESPITE [...] (C) Summary. We expect peaceful elections in most races in Valle de Cauca, but there is widespread concern that drug money may be behind some campaigns. The FARC is unlikely to disrupt elections, but is reportedly sponsoring candidates around Cali. New criminal groups and ex-paramilitaries [...] |
2007-10-25 21:43:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA7718 |
SECRETARY GUTIERREZ AND U.S. REPRESENTATIVES' [...] (SBU) In an October 13 breakfast meeting with Commerce Secretary Gutierrez and an accompanying congressional SIPDIS delegation, President Uribe thanked the group for U.S. support and urged them to support the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA). He said the FTA will complement Plan Colomb [...] |
2007-10-26 22:57:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ELAB ETRD KJUS OVIP PGOV PHUM PTER EC |
| 07BOGOTA7746 |
COLOMBIAN LOCAL ELECTIONS PROCEED SMOOTHLY WITH [...] Colombia's October 28 local elections occurred without significant violence or problems. The GOC deployed 167,000 police and military to voting sites, and electoral officials were well-organized overall. The GOC quickly deployed security to the few areas where allegations of fraud--or local [...] |
2007-10-30 17:47:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PINR PREF PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA7748 |
SCENESETTER FOR THE USTR SCHWAB-LED CODEL AND [...] (SBU) Your delegation will visit a Colombia far safer, economically stronger, better governed and more democratic than it has been in decades. Many Colombians say conditions today have improved to a level better than any other time in their lives or those of their parents. During your visit y [...] |
2007-10-30 19:41:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD ELAB EAGR OVIP PGOV PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA7761 |
GOC CONSIDERING CHANGES IN REPARATIONS IN JUSTICE [...] (SBU) The GOC announced October 23 it is considering a proposal by the National Commission of Reparations and Reconciliation (CNRR) to change the reparations process from the current judicial procedure--which has proved extremely slow in identifying victims and assets--to an administrative p [...] |
2007-10-30 22:31:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | KJUS PGOV PREL PTER CO |
| 07BOGOTA7767 |
COLOMBIAN MFA TRAINS JUDGES AND LAWYERS ON HAGUE CHILD [...] Summary: The Colombian MFA hosted a September 13 seminar for judges, lawyers and child welfare workers on the Hague Convention on child abduction. The seminar was the second MFA-hosted conference on the Convention this year, and, along with two recent lower-court decisions ordering the retur [...] |
2007-10-31 15:49:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | CASC CVIS CJAN PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA7772 |
COLOMBIA'S 2008 BUDGET INCREASES SOCIAL AND [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On October 16, Colombia's Congress approved the 2008 national budget with a 9 percent spending increase over the 2007 budget. Despite the increase, the GOC expects to come in below its fiscal deficit target of 3.3 percent of GDP while raising the primary surplus above 1 percent [...] |
2007-10-31 20:41:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA7804 |
AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S OCTOBER 29 MEETING WITH [...] (C) The Ambassador told Cardinal Pedro Rubiano on October 29 that the USG would consider joint efforts with the Church on health, education, and poverty reduction projects. Rubiano said the National Conciliation Commission has useful insights into peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces [...] |
2007-11-01 17:45:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PTER VE VT CO |
| 07BOGOTA7842 |
COLOMBIA: DELIVERY OF FY08 MCC SCORECARDS [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-02 14:28:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID PREL PGOV ETRD ECON KMCA MCC CO |
| 07BOGOTA7862 |
EMBASSY CONFIRMS REPORT OF AMERICAN KIDNAPPED BY FARC IN APRI [...] (C) Summary. On October 25, FBI and consular representatives inter 2. (C) In late September 2007, Colombian citizen Nestor Mora wrote to 3. (C) Nestor described the circumstances surrounding his brotherQs ki 4. (C) Nestor said the kidnappers contacted him two months later, and [...] |
2007-11-02 20:22:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | CASC PTER PREL PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA7873 |
EMBASSY CONFIRMS REPORT OF AMERICAN KIDNAPPED BY FARC IN [...] (C) Summary. On October 25, FBI and consular representatives interviewed Colombian citizen Nestor Mora. Mora said that the FARC had kidnapped his brother, U.S. citizen Daniel Mora, in April 2003. Post verified DanielQs citizenship, and Colombian authorities have confirmed NestorQs account o [...] |
2007-11-02 22:25:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | CASC PTER PREL PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA7875 |
COLOMBIA: DELIVERY OF FATF STATEMENT ON IRAN [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-05 13:33:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN PTER ECON PARM PREL MNUC CO |
| 07BOGOTA790 |
TRADE CONFEDERATIONS SEND ANTI-FTA LETTER TO U.S. [...] (U) On January 23, two trade confederations and a pensioner's group released an open letter to the U.S. Congress, criticizing the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and urging that it not be ratified (See para 5). The trade confederations also invited a U.S. labor-Congressional delegation [...] |
2007-02-06 11:33:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB ETRD PGOV CO |
| 07BOGOTA791 |
FISCALIA INDICTS, ARRESTS SEVEN SOLDIERS IN HIGH [...] (U) On January 31, the Prosecutor General's Office (Fiscalia) announced the indictments and arrests of seven soldiers on homicide charges in the January 21, 2006 killing of Edilberto Vasquez Cardona of the Arenas Alta Peace Community in San Jose de Apartado. The seven soldiers, two noncommiss [...] |
2007-02-06 11:34:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA7946 |
PARAS, FARC, AND CORRUPTION LOSE GROUND IN LOCAL [...] (C) Summary. The results of October 28 local elections saw ex-paramilitaries and their political associates lose ground. The paramilitary demobilization created new political space, with the press actively exposing candidates with para ties. Still, some candidates linked to jailed para-poli [...] |
2007-11-06 21:42:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA7951 |
SCENESETTER FOR ONDCP DIRECTOR JOHN WALTERS AND DEA [...] (SBU) You are visiting a Colombia far safer, economically stronger, better governed and more democratic than it has been in decades. Many Colombians say conditions today have improved to a level better than any other time in their lives or those of their parents. Murder rates declined 40 per [...] |
2007-11-06 22:16:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | OVIP SNAR ETRD ELAB PGOV PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA7954 |
AMBASSADOR'S OCTOBER 29 MEETING WITH FORMER [...] (C) The Ambassador reviewed with Liberal Party leader Cesar Gaviria on October 29 the result of the preceding day's local elections, Senator Cordoba's and President Chavez' efforts to promote a humanitarian accord, and prospects for U.S. Congressional approval of the bilateral Free Trade Agre [...] |
2007-11-06 22:50:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ETRD PHUM PINR PREL OAS PE VE CO |
| 07BOGOTA7955 |
SCENESETTER FOR ONDCP DIRECTOR JOHN WALTERS AND DEA [...] (SBU) You are visiting a Colombia far safer, economically stronger, better governed and more democratic than it has been in decades. Many Colombians say conditions today have improved to a level better than any other time in their lives or those of their parents. Murder rates declined 40 per [...] |
2007-11-07 14:16:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | OVIP SNAR ETRD ELAB PGOV PREL CO |
| 07BOGOTA7971 |
MARINES MAKE MAJOR DRUG SEIZURES, BUT SUFFER [...] (C) Operating in difficult terrain, Colombian Marine units accounted for 20% of Colombian cocaine seizures in January-October 2007 (nearly 20 metric tons). Beyond fighting drugs, Marines participated in counterguerrilla offensives, manned river checkpoints and patrols, safeguarded shipping, a [...] |
2007-11-07 18:48:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER MARR CO |
| 07BOGOTA7981 |
AMBASSADOR'S NOVEMBER 1 MEETING WITH BOGOTA MAYOR [...] (C) Bogota Mayor Luis Eduardo "Lucho" Garzon told the Ambassador on November 1 that he supports the Free Trade Agreement--with modifications--as well as President Uribe's democratic security policy. Garzon urged the USG to pay greater attention to "leftist" movements in the region but disavow [...] |
2007-11-08 12:36:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ASEC PHUM PTER ETRD VE CO |
| 07BOGOTA7982 |
WTO DEMARCHE REQUEST - GOC UNLIKELY TO RAISE ISSUE [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-08 14:14:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD ECON CO |
| 07BOGOTA7987 |
RECOMMENDATION TO RESTORE ASSISTANCE TO AIR COMBAT [...] (C) The Department of State suspended U.S. assistance to Colombian Air Force Air Combat Command-1 (CACOM-1) in Puerto Salgar (Cundinamarca) in January 2003 due to the Air Force's refusal to accept responsibility for the bombing of the village of Santo Domingo (Arauca) on December 13, 1998 by a [...] |
2007-11-08 14:28:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PTER KJUS CO |
| 07BOGOTA7990 |
AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S OCTOBER 25-26 VISIT TO [...] The Ambassador visited Cartagena, capital of the Department of Bolivar for meetings with government, private sector, educational and religious leaders. His interlocutors underscored that improved security had opened the door for economic growth and expressed interest in deepening the U.S.-Co [...] |
2007-11-08 18:42:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON ETRD EAID PGOV ASEC CO |
| 07BOGOTA7998 |
USTR SCHWAB-LED CODEL DISCUSSES COLOMBIA TRADE [...] (U) Sunday, November 3, 2007; 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. 2. (U) Participants: U.S. USTR Ambassador Susan Schwab Acting Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner Ambassador William R. Brownfield Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AK) Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) Rep. John Ta [...] |
2007-11-08 21:10:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD PGOV PREL ECON OVIP USTR USDA CO |
| 07BOGOTA8001 |
CHAVEZ AND THE FARC KEEP GOC IN THE DARK [...] (C) Summary: Prompted by press reports of a President Chavez-FARC meeting, GOC Peace Commissioner Restrepo issued a statement on November 7 stating that Chavez had not informed the GOC of his encounter--as Uribe and Chavez had previously agreed. A senior GOC official voiced skepticism about [...] |
2007-11-09 11:48:00 | Embassy Bogota | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREF PREL PTER VZ CO |
| 07BOGOTA8002 |
COLOMBIA-CANADA TRADE AGREEMENT CLOSING FAST [...] (U) Colombia and Canada are racing quickly to conclude their free trade talks by the end of November 2007. In preparation for the scheduled final round at the end of November in Lima, mini-rounds are taking place all over the Western Hemisphere, including the services group meeting in Bogota, [...] |
2007-11-09 11:48:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD ECON CO |
| 07BOGOTA8025 |
AMBASSADOR'S NOVEMBER 6 MEETING WITH CNRR [...] (U) National Commission for Reconciliation and Reparations (CNRR) President Eduardo Pizarro thanked the Ambassador for USG support, reviewed CNRR progress in addressing legitimacy, organizational and coordination challenges, and outlined his future priorities in a November 6 meeting. He noted t [...] |
2007-11-13 14:37:00 | Embassy Bogota | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PREL KJUS AR CI GM |