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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01VATICAN2955 |
VATICAN VERBATIM [...] THE MAY 26 - JUNE 01 EDITION OF NEWS AND VIEWS FROM VATICAN CITY. CONTENTS: - POPE SENDS ENVOYS TO ISRAEL AND PALESTINIAN TERRITORY - CONSISTORY: OUTREACH TO THE ORTHODOX? - VATICAN CALLS NUTRITION AN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHT - POPE'S UKRAINE TRIP NOT A THREAT SAYS VATICAN FM - POPE W [...] |
2001-06-01 14:43:00 | Embassy Vatican | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM EAGR IS AM KZ BU UP GT MEPP RU |
| 02ROME3757 |
FAO FIELD VISIT TO GUATEMALA AND ECUADOR TO REVIEW [...] THE FAO IS ORGANIZING AN INVITATION-ONLY FIELD VISIT TO GUATEMALA AND ECUADOR, OCTOBER 19-21 AND 21-23, RESPECTIVELY. THE TRIP WILL GIVE PARTICIPANTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW FIELD-LEVEL PROGRESS IN THE FAO'S SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR FOOD SECURITY (SPFS). -------------------- BACKGROUND ----- [...] |
2002-08-01 05:43:00 | Embassy Rome | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC EAGR EAID EC GT FAO |
| 03GUATEMALA1 |
DRUGS, TRADE, AND HUMAN RIGHTS: AMBASSADOR'S FIRST [...] (C) Summary: At an informal dinner at the home of President Portillo December 28 that also included FM Gutierrez and the DCM, the Ambassador emphasize the need to focus in Portillo's remaining year in office on being recertified and on making progress in other areas -- human rights, corrupt [...] |
2003-01-02 13:41:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EAID SNAR KDEM PHUM CASC US GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1015 |
LOS CIMIENTOS: A PORTILLO PRESS SPECTACLE AND NEW [...] (U) Summary: On April 8, HROff and EconOff attended President Portillo's inauguration of a primary school at the new site of the Los Cimientos Community in San Vincente, Siquinala, Escuintla. After the flashy Presidential press opportunity, HROff and EconOff visited the community's temporary [...] |
2003-04-15 22:36:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PREL EAID GT |
| 03GUATEMALA102 |
AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES MILITARY-TO-MIILTARY [...] (C) Summary: During an introductory call on MOD Robin Moran, the Ambassador restated USG policy in dealing with the Guatemalan military and reviewed the benchmarks for possibly establishing normal military-to-military relations. The Ambassador said that the military needs to improve its human [...] |
2003-01-14 22:16:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS PINR MASS PGOV SNAR PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1032 |
GUATEMALA SUPPORTS CUBA RESOLUTION AT OAS [...] No summary [...] |
2003-04-21 22:56:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM GT OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA1036 |
DEMARCHE ON FLEEING IRAQI OFFICIALS [...] No summary [...] |
2003-04-22 17:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IZ GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1066 |
CUBA VOTE PROVOKES LARGELY POSITIVE REACTIONS IN [...] (SBU) Summary: Unlike previous years, Guatemala's vote in favor of the 2003 Cuba resolution at the UN Human Rights Commission drew favorable editorials in the press. Cuba's repression of dissidents and the execution of the three hijackers led to a steady stream of press criticism of Castro's [...] |
2003-04-24 15:29:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PGOV SNAR GT CU |
| 03GUATEMALA1084 |
APPEAL OF 2002 MACK CASE SENTENCE [...] (U) Summary: On April 23, the Fourth Court of Appeals heard the public arguments from both the defense and the prosecution for the appeal of the Third Sentencing Court's October 3, 2002 decision in the Myrna Mack murder case, in which retired Colonel Juan Valencia Osorio was convicted and sent [...] |
2003-04-28 15:36:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1108 |
GUATEMALA STILL STUDYING BALLISTIC MISSILE ICOC [...] No summary [...] |
2003-04-28 19:13:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PARM MNUC ETTC TSPA GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1125 |
VICTIMS' ASSISTANCE CENTER: GUATEMALA'S HRDF GRANT [...] (U) Embassy Guatemala appreciates the opportunity to propose an HRDF grant to help implement our human rights strategy.(Ref A) We believe that the Human Rights Victims' Assistance Center project outlined below offers an excellent opportunity to increase the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office cap [...] |
2003-04-30 20:07:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL PGOV EAID KDEM KSEP GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1131 |
LETTER TO PRESIDENT PORTILLO [...] Confirm we have received and will deliver letter to President Portillo following working day. HAMILTON [...] |
2003-04-26 18:12:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1170 |
PRE-CAFTA ROUND GUATEMALA LABOR UPDATE (#3) [...] (SBU) Summary: The following labor developments in Guatemala are discussed in the paragraphs marked below. -- Special Prosecutor's Case Files--Violence Against Unionists (2) -- More May Day Marchers Reject CAFTA (3) -- President Portillo Touts Labor Priorities and CAFTA (4) -- U.S. H [...] |
2003-05-06 17:03:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB ETRD PGOV GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1172 |
PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT BERGER LEAVES THE PAN, [...] (SBU) Summary: Presidential front-runner Oscar Berger announced on May 1 that he was leaving the National Action Party (PAN) to head a coalition of three smaller parties. Berger broke with the PAN after internal tensions erupted April 30 when the PAN Executive Committee (controlled by his ri [...] |
2003-05-06 22:12:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1177 |
ANOTHER STEP FORWARD: FURTHER REDUCTION OF EMP [...] (U) Summary: At a May 2 public event, President Portillo officially demobilized 107 Presidential Guard (EMP) members in the second phase of the peace accord-mandated process to replace the EMP with a civilian agency. The Ambassador attended the ceremony at the National Cultural Palace, and la [...] |
2003-05-06 22:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL EAID GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1189 |
SPURNED EX-PACS KIDNAP OFFICIALS, BURN PROPERTIES [...] Summary: Former civil patrol members (ex-PACs) on Guatemala's south coast rioted on May 5 to protest continued delays in promised GOG payments for their war-time service. In San Francisco Zapotitlan, a small municipality in Suchitepequez Province, former members of civil-defense committees too [...] |
2003-05-07 20:53:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINS SOCI ASEC CASC GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1191 |
ANOTHER LANDMARK TOPPLED: MACK CONVICTION [...] (U) SUMMARY: On May 7, the Fourth Court of Appeals overturned the Third Sentencing Court's October 3, 2002 conviction of Colonel (ret.) Juan Valencia Osorio (Ref A). The Fourth Court of Appeals also found Helen Mack's appeal of the acquittal of General (ret.) Edgar Godoy Gaitan and Colonel (re [...] |
2003-05-07 22:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL PGOV KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1205 |
GUATEMALA DEMARCHED ON TOBACCO CONTROL CONVENTION [...] PolOff discussed reftel points and left non-paper with Sylvia Corado, Director for Multilateral Affairs at the Foreign Ministry on May 5, 2003. Corado expressed appreciation for the Spanish language version of the non-paper, saying it would help her prod the Health Ministry. Corado said it [...] |
2003-05-08 18:37:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL GT WHO |
| 03GUATEMALA1243 |
PRESIDENT OF SUPREME ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL DISCUSSES [...] (C) Summary: During a courtesy call by the Ambassador, the President of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) indicated his belief that General Rios Montt is prohibited by law from being a candidate for president, but noted that if the TSE is asked to decide this question, other magistrates ma [...] |
2003-05-13 16:44:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAID PREL PINR KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1254 |
URC-119 RADIO TRANSFER TO GUATEMALAN MILITARY [...] This is an action request. See paragraph 4. 2. Ref A was Post's request for authorization to transfer one URC-119 High Frequency (HF) Radio Set to the Guatemalan Military through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) Program. The transfer is part of a region-wide upgrade to provide an Automati [...] |
2003-03-13 14:30:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL MASS MARR GT MACP |
| 03GUATEMALA127 |
AMBASSADOR'S INITIAL CALL ON HELEN MACK [...] (U) Summary: The Ambassador paid an introductory call on Helen Mack at the Myrna Mack Foundation on January 13. They discussed the proposal to investigate clandestine groups, the impending decertification decision, the Consultative Group meeting, the status of the Mack case, and recent wave of [...] |
2003-01-16 16:22:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PINR KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1277 |
GUATEMALA RATIFIED INSTRUMENTS ON PROTECTION OF [...] No summary [...] |
2003-05-15 20:38:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA128 |
PAN IN THE PROCESS OF OVERCOMING INTERNAL RIVALRY [...] (C) Summary: The National Advancement Party's two rival leaders, presidential candidate Oscar Berger and party Secretary General Leonel Lopez Rodas, announced their accord SIPDIS to work together in support of Berger's presidential candidacy. In a symbolic media event on January 13, bull [...] |
2003-01-16 17:41:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR SNAR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1281 |
NATIONAL ELECTIONS CONVOKED FOR NOVEMBER 9 [...] The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) officially announced on May 15 the convocation of elections for President, all 158 seats in Guatemala's unicameral Congress and mayors and city council members to take place on November 9, 2003. If no candidate for President receives more than 50% of the v [...] |
2003-05-16 14:59:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KDEM PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1299 |
PRESIDENT PORTILLO DISCUSSES CAFTA, PEACE ACCORDS, [...] (C) Summary: In a May 14 breakfast at the Ambassador's residence with visiting senior USG officials, President Portillo expressed hope for the prompt conclusion of a free trade agreement with the U.S. which, he said, "will transform Guatemala;" said that in his remaining months in office he [...] |
2003-05-19 22:34:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ETRD SNAR PHUM KDEM EAID ELAB GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1320 |
GUATEMALA: 2002 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT UPDATE [...] Post recommends the following updates to the 2002 country report on religious freedom for Guatemala: Section I. ---------- No changes. Section II. ----------- Legal/Policy Framework Paragraph 1: Please replace "In April 2002, on the seventh anniversary of the signing of the accord, th [...] |
2003-05-22 16:29:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KIRF GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1336 |
DEMARCHE ON POSSIBLE PUERTO RICAN REQUEST FOR [...] No summary [...] |
2003-05-23 15:47:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1337 |
GUATEMALA ON INTER-AMERICAN CONVENTION AGAINST [...] Information provided below is keyed to reftel questions: A. The OAS Terrorism Convention is not currently on the legislative agenda. Congress is in recess until August. General elections will be held in November. The Foreign Ministry continues to consult internally and with various line M [...] |
2003-05-23 15:48:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER KTIA AORC GT OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA1357 |
FRG NOMINATES RIOS MONTT FOR PRESIDENT [...] (SBU) Summary: The ruling Guatemalan Republican Front (FRG) nominated its founding leader, Efrain Rios Montt, for President; former Agriculture Minister Edin Barrientos for Vice President; and corrupt former Minister of Public Works Luis Rabbe was nominated for Mayor of Guatemala City by a p [...] |
2003-05-27 20:00:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA137 |
USING THREAT OF GSP REVIEW TO PREPARE FOR CAFTA [...] (SBU) Summary: Pending further steps from the GOG to protect labor rights, Embassy recommends that USTR inform the Guatemalan Embassy in Washington (and the Department instruct us to inform the GOG here) that the GSP petition is under informal USG review pending an assessment of current GOG [...] |
2003-01-17 14:57:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD PHUM PGOV ELAB PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1375 |
GUATEMALA MAKES COUNTER REQUEST ON OAS CANDIDATES [...] (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 4. 2. (U) Per ref A, following up on our previous demarche (ref B) and diplomatic note, PolOff discussed post-specific and Central American points with Sylvia Corado, Director for Multilateral Affairs at the Foreign Ministry on May 28. Corado ex [...] |
2003-05-29 15:26:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM GT OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA139 |
THIRD ANNUAL CORRUPTION REPORT - GUATEMALA [...] Summary: Guatemala made limited progress in 2002 in implementing its commitments under the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption. The primary obstacle to greater progress was the lack of effective leadership on the part of the Executive in fighting corruption, and the political polariz [...] |
2003-01-17 15:34:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | KCOR KCRM SNAR PREL PGOV GT |
| 03GUATEMALA143 |
AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES COUNTER-NARCOTICS [...] (C) Summary: On January 16, the Ambassador and FRG legislator Zury Rios discussed possible counter-narcotics decertification and the importance of securing more effective GOG cooperation in the war on drugs before a free trade agreement is ready to be approved by Congress. Rios said that the [...] |
2003-01-17 16:50:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR SNAR ETRD CASC KIPR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1435 |
ASSISTANT SECRETARY STRUBLE'S MAY 29-31 VISIT TO [...] (C) Summary: During a May 29-31 visit to Guatemala, to participate in a WHA Entry Level Conference, Acting Assistant Secretary Curt Struble met with Vice President Reyes Lopez, SIPDIS Acting Foreign Minister Aguilera and Minister of Interior Reyes Calderon to discuss the full range of bila [...] |
2003-06-05 14:46:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM ELAB ETRD CASC GT |
| 03GUATEMALA145 |
PORTILLO SPEECH TURNED FRG CAMPAIGN RALLY [...] (SBU) Summary: The FRG used the occasion of President Portillo's January 14 state of the union speech to bus in to the capital thousands of former self defense committee patrollers (ex-PACs). After delivering his annual review of his government's accomplishments and priorities in Congress, [...] |
2003-01-17 17:51:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1454 |
FRG REACTS TO USG STATEMENT ABOUT RIOS MONTT CANDIDACY [...] No summary [...] |
2003-06-05 22:56:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | GT PGOV PHUM PINR PREL SNAR |
| 03GUATEMALA146 |
OMBUDSMAN CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION TO [...] (U) Summary: On January 16, Human Rights Ombudsman Sergio Morales unveiled a proposal for a UN-OAS led commission to investigate clandestine groups (for details on the proposal, see Ref A). The proposal was enthusiastically received by the press, human rights NGOs, and the international commu [...] |
2003-01-17 18:04:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL PINR KJUS GT UN OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA1464 |
AMCIT LAND DISPUTE IN ALTA VERAPAZ [...] Summary. "Finca Esmeralda," a coffee farm in Alta Verapaz province owned by Carlos Ardebol, and AmCit, has been occupied since February by organized landless peasants who have damaged personal property and prevented the return of the Ardebol family. There are of over 40 such occupations by [...] |
2003-06-06 18:28:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | CASC ELAB PHUM SOCI GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1465 |
SOCIAL SECURITY SCANDAL HITS FRG UNITY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Critics continue to pounce on the ruling FRG for the scandal over the plundering of an estimated $45 million in funds from Guatemala's social security institute (IGSS). President Portillo is rumored to have given the green light for a thorough investigation. The President, Vi [...] |
2003-06-09 13:23:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | KCOR EFIN PGOV GT |
| 03GUATEMALA147 |
GUATEMALAN DELEGATION TO THE THIRD CICTE [...] Poloff delivered reftel points to Sylvia Corado, Director of Multilateral Affairs for the Foreign Ministry. The Guatemalan delegation will be headed by Vice Minister Gabriel Aguilera of the Foriegn Ministry and will include Vice Minister of Interior Alfredo Caseres, Colonel Francisco Permudes [...] |
2003-01-17 18:07:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PREL AORC GT OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA1479 |
RIOS MONTT CANDIDACY FACES FIRST LEGAL CHALLENGE [...] (SBU) Summary: The GOG's Registry of Citizens announced on June 6 its rejection of Efrain Rios Montt's presidential candidacy. Rios Montt announced his intention to appeal the decision, a process involving several different institutions which could take months. The deadline for candidates t [...] |
2003-06-09 22:31:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1530 |
ELECTORAL TRIBUNAL UPHOLDS BAR AGAINST RIOS MONTT [...] (U) By a three to two vote on June 12 the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) upheld a ruling from the Registry of Citizens (reported RefTel) barring President of Congress Efrain Rios Montt from running for president. The ruling was based on Article 186 (a) of the Constitution. Rios Montt has [...] |
2003-06-13 17:43:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM PREL PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1535 |
HELEN MACK'S TAKE ON JUSTICE, POLITICS, AND CICIACS [...] (C) Summary: On June 13, Helen Mack had breakfast at the residence with the Ambassador and Human Rights Officer to discuss the Supreme Court appeal in her case set for June 19, the latest political alliance between Oscar Berger and Eduardo Stein, the mixed commission to investigate clandestin [...] |
2003-06-13 19:39:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL KJUS GT UN OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA1541 |
GUATEMALA LABOR AND TIP UPDATE #4 [...] The following is an update of significant recent developments in the labor sector. Topics include: -- Bilateral Labor Group Convoked for Early July (para 2) -- Union Leader Arrested in Social Security Scandal (3) -- Choi Shin/Cimatextiles in the GOG's Crosshairs (4) -- American Dat [...] |
2003-06-16 17:19:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB KCRM KWMN ETRD CVIS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1548 |
RIOS MONTT STONED BY MOURNERS IN RABINAL [...] (U) Summary: During a poorly-timed campaign stop in the highland town of Rabinal on June 15, former General and FRG presidential candidate Rios Montt was greeted with stones and bottles thrown by a group of war victims participating in an inhumation of 67 community members killed by the army du [...] |
2003-06-17 14:35:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KJUS MOPS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1561 |
RIOS MONTT CAMPAIGN SUFFERS THIRD LEGAL DEFEAT [...] No summary [...] |
2003-06-17 22:58:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR KDEM PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1581 |
BERGER SELECTS EDUARDO STEIN AS VP CANDIDATE [...] (C) Summary: The front-running Gran Alianza Nacional (GANA) officially nominated former Foreign Minister and chief of two OAS missions to Peru, Eduardo Stein, as its Vice Presidential candidate. The move, announced on June 16, broadens the appeal of the Berger ticket providing it with needed [...] |
2003-06-19 20:46:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA159 |
LETTER FROM FOREIGN MINISTER GUTIERREZ TO [...] Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez gave us on January 21 a letter to Secretary Powell (dated January 17) in which he thanks the Secretary for his letter (reftel) congratulating Gutierrez on his nomination as Foreign Minister. In his letter, Gutierrez expresses his desire to work together with t [...] |
2003-01-21 21:22:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PBTS GT BZ |
| 03GUATEMALA1596 |
LAST CHANCE FOR JUSTICE IN MACK CASE [...] (C) Summary: On June 19, Helen Mack, the prosecution, and the defense presented oral arguments before the Supreme Court for the final appeal in the case against the three retired military officers allegedly responsible for ordering the murder of Myrna Mack in September 1990. All three officers [...] |
2003-06-20 18:11:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV MOPS PREL KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1609 |
COUNTER-NARCOTICS MARITIME AGREEMENT SIGNED [...] (U) Ambassador Hamilton and Foreign Minister Gutierrez signed the bilateral counter-narcotics maritime agreement (reftels) in a ceremony at the MFA on June 19. Signature of this landmark agreement has been an important element in our dialogue with the GOG on counter-narcotics certification. T [...] |
2003-06-20 18:45:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KTIA SNAR PBTS KCRM PHSA EWWT EAIR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1642 |
AMBASSADOR VIELMAN SAYS GOG IS PRESSING UN FOR [...] (C) Summary: On June 23, Acting DCM and Human Rights Officer met with Ambassador Maritza Ruiz de Vielman, Foreign Minister Gutierrez's Special Advisor, to discuss the state of play on the proposed mixed commission to investigate clandestine groups (CICIACS), to commend GOG collaboration with t [...] |
2003-06-24 21:10:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL KJUS GT UN OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA1673 |
KEEPING NARCOTICS TRAFFICKERS FROM BEING RELEASED [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador met with Attorney General de Leon and with Foreign Minister Gutierrez to raise, inter alia, our concerns that an irregular change of judges presiding over the case of major narcotics trafficker Otto Herrera's organization could be the prelude to releasing the defen [...] |
2003-06-26 21:16:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | SNAR KJUS PGOV PREL PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1674 |
RECENT GOG ACTIONS TO COMBAT ALIEN SMUGGLING [...] (SBU) Summary: The GOG cooperated fully with us in the expulsion through the US of alien smuggler Karla Chavez, wanted by US law enforcement authorities in connection with the May 13 death of 19 illegal aliens in Victoria, Texas. Foreign Minister Gutierrez also informed the Ambassador that the [...] |
2003-06-26 21:23:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SMIG CVIS PREL PGOV PINS PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1683 |
FOREIGN MINISTER ASKS FOR TIME TO CONSIDER ARTICLE [...] (C) Summary: Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez told the Ambassador on June 24 that the MFA is seeking interagency comments on the proposed bilateral Article 98 Agreement, and is engaged in internal political consultations on the desirability of signing the agreement. He asked that we give the [...] |
2003-06-27 17:24:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PREL MOPS PGOV PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1686 |
XAMAN CASE REOPENED [...] (C) Summary: On June 17, Human Rights Officer attended a public session of the Xaman trial in San Pedro Carcha, Alta Verapaz. This trial is the third attempt to prosecute 25 soldiers for the October 5, 1995, massacre of eleven civilians in the community of Aurora 8 de Octubre, Finca Xaman, Al [...] |
2003-06-27 19:27:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV MOPS KDEM PREL KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1692 |
MAJOR COCAINE SEIZURE IN GUATEMALAN HIGHLANDS [...] At 09:45 local time on June 27 a Bell 212 helicopter carrying 757 kilos of cocaine crashed near the town of San Francisco el Alto, in Totonicapan Department, near the border with Mexico. Its three crew members, injured in the crash, escaped and remain at large. Local police immediately arriv [...] |
2003-06-29 20:39:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR PREL PGOV KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1693 |
SAIA INTERNAL REGULATIONS SIGNED BY MINISTER OF [...] Minister of Government Jose Adolfo Reyes Calderon told the Ambassador on June 27 that he had signed the global internal regulations of the SAIA (Guatemala's counter-narcotics police). These new internal regulations, which were drafted in consultation with the Embassy, represent a major step [...] |
2003-06-29 20:40:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR PREL PGOV KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1698 |
INCREASED POLICE PROTECTION FOR ANTHROPOLOGISTS, [...] (C) Summary: In response to increased threats targeting forensic anthropologists conducting exhumations, Ambassador Hamilton met with Minister of Interior Reyes Calderon on June 27 to press for an enhanced GOG response. Reyes Calderon said he had already given orders in the case of the anthro [...] |
2003-07-01 21:19:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1699 |
58TH UNGA DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO GOG [...] No summary [...] |
2003-07-01 21:21:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM GT UNGA UN |
| 03GUATEMALA1700 |
AMBASSADOR AND HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN DISCUSS [...] (SBU) Summary: Ambassador Hamilton met with Human Rights Ombudsman Sergio Morales on June 26 to express concern over the recent murder of an Auxiliary Ombudsman and new threats against human rights defenders and journalists. The Ambassador also praised Morales' efforts to promote the prompt e [...] |
2003-07-01 21:40:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL KJUS PINR MOPS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1727 |
CAFTA LABOR TRACK TWO DEMARCHE: GUATEMALA [...] (C) Summary: Embassy welcomes Department's proposal, outlined in Ref A, to demarche Central American Ambassadors in Washington to emphasize the need for progress on labor rights protections in the context of CAFTA negotiations, and appreciates the opportunity to provide input for the demarch [...] |
2003-07-07 14:09:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | ELAB ETRD CA PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1728 |
INTERIOR MINISTER COMMENTS ON ASSAULT AGAINST [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador met on June 27 with Interior Minister Reyes Calderon to express concern over the June 24 criminal attack of the home of newspaper publisher Jose Ruben Zamora, and to urge a thorough investigation. Reyes Calderon said that the Public Ministry was investigating the c [...] |
2003-07-07 14:09:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV KCRM KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1743 |
SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN RIOS MONTT CANDIDACY, [...] (U) On July 4, the Supreme Court denied the appeal of FRG presidential candidate Efrain Rios Montt against a decision of the Registry of Citizens (Ref A) which stated that he could not be a candidate for President based on prohibitions contained in Article 186 of the Constitution. Twelve of th [...] |
2003-07-07 19:57:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KDEM PINR PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1751 |
GUATEMALA DEMARCHED ON OCCUPIED TERRITORIES [...] No summary [...] |
2003-07-08 18:54:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL SOCI GT ECOSOC |
| 03GUATEMALA1752 |
HUMAN CLONING DEMARCHE DELIVERED [...] In the absence of more senior officials, PolOff conveyed the Spanish version of reftel points to Marco Tulio Chicas, Deputy Director for Multilateral Affairs on July 2 and followed up on July 7. Chicas said our points had been instrumental in preparing a briefing for his superiors, but that [...] |
2003-07-08 18:54:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KSCA GT USUN |
| 03GUATEMALA1774 |
RECUSAL OF CONSTITUTIONAL COURT MAGISTRATES [...] (SBU) Summary: The recusal of one Constitutional Court magistrate and attempted recusal of five others on July 9 created a temporary crisis in the Court's consideration of the case involving the eligibility of Efrain Rios Montt to be a presidential candidate. The crisis was resolved when the [...] |
2003-07-10 20:13:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM PINR KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1805 |
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT DECLARES RIOS MONTT ELIGIBLE [...] (U) By a vote of 4 to 3, the Constitutional Court issued a decision on the evening of July 14 striking down the earlier findings of the Registry of Persons, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and the Supreme Court (reftels), which had found that former de facto President Efrain Rios Montt was not [...] |
2003-07-15 16:29:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL MOPS PHUM KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1806 |
SUPPORT REQUEST FOR HUMAN RIGHTS PROSECUTOR [...] This is an action request for DRL. See para 8. 2. Summary: Attorney General Carlos De Leon has requested USG support for the Public Ministry's Office of the Special Prosecutor for Crimes Against Human Rights Workers. De Leon cited the Public Ministry's resource constraints and the crit [...] |
2003-07-15 17:02:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL EAID KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1813 |
SECOND LABOR WORKING GROUP: LIMITED PROGRESS [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador attended the second bilateral working group meeting on labor issues with the GOG on July 10 and emphasized the need for concrete progress prior to submission of a CAFTA to the U.S. Congress. He reiterated USG concern about impunity for violence against union le [...] |
2003-07-15 22:10:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB ETRD PHUM PGOV GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1814 |
CHOI SHIN/CIMATEXTILES LABOR AGREEMENT REACHED [...] (SBU) Summary: After being threatened with withdrawal of tax exemption privileges by the Ministry of Economy, management of the Choi Shin/Cimatextiles maquila plants met GOG requirements by successfully concluding and signing on July 9 a collective bargaining agreement with each plant union [...] |
2003-07-15 22:11:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB ETRD PGOV PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1815 |
BILATERAL TIP WORKING GROUP FORMED [...] (SBU) Summary: In response to RefTel, on July 7, the Ambassador and visiting G/TIP Program Officer Greg Holliday met with an inter-governmental group including the Minister of Government, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vice Minister of Labor, Secretary of Social Welfare, a Supreme Court m [...] |
2003-07-15 22:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB PHUM SMIG PREL ASEC KSEP KFRD CA CVIS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1853 |
AIDS Worker Escapes Kidnapping [...] (U) Summary: Violence against human rights workers has escalated in recent months and a group working to educate street workers on the prevention and danger of HIV/AIDS has been the most recent victim of such assaults. There have been several threats and acts of intimidation against workers [...] |
2003-07-21 14:47:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PREL EAID GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1862 |
SUPREME COURT SUSPENDS REGISTRATION OF RIOS MONTT [...] (U) On July 20, the Supreme Court accepted two appeals filed by opposition political parties against the presidential candidacy of former General Efrain Rios Montt, and suspended registration of the candidate until the court hears the appeal. The President of the Supreme Court immediately rec [...] |
2003-07-21 23:22:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL PHUM KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA188 |
AMBASSADOR'S FIRST MEETING WITH G-13 [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met on January 14 with members of the Donor Dialogue group (6 major bilateral donors, plus 4 multilaterals, MINUGUA, USAID, and UNDP) to discuss development cooperation and preparations for the May consultative group meeting. Ambassadors and IFI Reps queried the [...] |
2003-01-23 22:24:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL EAID SNAR PGOV PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1888 |
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT UPHOLDS APPEAL IN RIOS MONTT [...] (SBU) The Constitutional Court met on July 23 to hear the FRG's appeal ("ocurso" in Spanish) to the appeal filed by two political parties against the earlier Constitutional Court decision which allowed former de facto President Efrain Rios Montt to become a presidential candidate (reftels). Ag [...] |
2003-07-23 23:22:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PINS PREL PHUM KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA189 |
AMBASSADOR AND PRESS MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON GOG FOR [...] (SBU) Summary: In the days following the Human Rights Ombudsman's public presentation of the proposal for a UN-OAS led commission to investigate clandestine groups (Ref A)), the media has followed up with domestic editorials and international endorsements of the idea. The Ambassador has conti [...] |
2003-01-23 22:51:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PINR KJUS GT UN OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA1896 |
INDIGENOUS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DISCUSSES [...] (SBU) Summary: Indigenous presidential candidate and mayor of Guatemala's second city Rigoberto Queme told the Ambassador July 18 that the Constitutional Court's decision to allow Rios Montt to run for President was fracturing the indigenous movement politically, with some groups calling for a [...] |
2003-07-24 17:12:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PINR KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1900 |
FRG ORGANIZES VIOLENT PROTESTS [...] (C) Summary: In response to a major legal reversal in Rios Montt's bid for the Presidency (reftel), thousands of well-organized Rios Montt supporters took to the streets of the capital on July 24, closing off strategic intersections with burning tires. Mobs have targeted opposition newspapers [...] |
2003-07-24 22:02:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM CASC ASEC KDEM PINR PINS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1902 |
STATUS OF GUATEMALAN COUNTER-NARCOTICS COOPERATION [...] (C) Summary: GOG cooperation in the war on drugs has had several concrete successes in the past six months, and there has been further progress since the June 30 Inter-Agency meeting in which the Ambassador participated. A quick run down on our benchmarks: cocaine seizures have increased four [...] |
2003-07-24 23:34:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | SNAR PREL KDEM PGOV KJUS KCOR KCRM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1904 |
FRG PROTESTS CONTINUE [...] (U) An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 pro-Rios Montt protesters remained overnight at several locations in the capital and continue to surround the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal building. A tense calm has returned to Guatemala City for the moment, with v [...] |
2003-07-25 16:33:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ASEC PHUM KDEM PINR PINS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1906 |
UPDATE ON VIOLENT POLITICAL PROTESTS IN GUATEMALA [...] (U) At 2:00 PM local time on July 25, the disturbances seem to be winding down. In a second day of protests, pro-Rios Montt demonstrators focused their morning activities around the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, and Supreme Electoral Tribunal buildings--all related to Rios Montt's effo [...] |
2003-07-25 21:07:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ASEC PHUM KDEM PINR PINS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1907 |
VIOLENT STREET PROTESTS OVER--FOR NOW [...] No summary [...] |
2003-07-25 22:52:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV ASEC PHUM KDEM PINR PINS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1908 |
FRG PROTEST AFTERMATH: GUATEMALA MORE FRAGMENTED [...] (C) Summary: Unexpected legal setbacks to the registration of former General Rios Montt's presidential candidacy have led to profound frustration among FRG leaders. They view Rios Montt as the only FRG candidate who has a chance of winning the elections, and the biggest draw for voters to sup [...] |
2003-07-27 18:58:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINS KDEM PREL PINR PHUM ASEC GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1928 |
GUATEMALAN PRESIDENT PORTILLO TO ATTEND 58TH UNGA [...] (SBU) The following preliminary information is keyed to reftel's format requesting information on the GOG delegation to the 58th UNGA. A. Attendance of Head of State: -- Alfonso Portillo, President -- Portillo currently plans to arrive on September 22 (NFI). We understand that he is 9th sp [...] |
2003-07-30 15:28:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL OTRA GT UNGA UNAUS |
| 03GUATEMALA1944 |
POLICE CHIEF MANCHAME FIRED; CONSTITUTIONAL COURT [...] (U) Summary: Responding to accusations that the Police did not ensure public order during the protests of July 24-25, Government Minister Reyes Calderon fired Police Chief Manchame on July 27. On July 28, the Constitutional Court rejected the FRG's latest appeal on behalf of Rios Montt. The F [...] |
2003-07-30 21:44:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR KDEM ASEC GT PJUS |
| 03GUATEMALA1952 |
RIOS MONTT REGISTERED AS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE [...] (C) Summary: FRG leader Efrain Rios Montt was registered as a presidential candidate on July 31, following a ruling by the Constitutional Court ordering the electoral institutions to carry out its decision to that effect of July 14 and void all appeals. Opposition and civil society leaders cal [...] |
2003-07-31 17:54:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL PHUM KJUS KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA1981 |
POLITICAL TENSIONS RELATED TO RIOS MONTT'S [...] (SBU) Following the Constitutional Court's controversial July 30 decision to order the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) and Registry of Persons to register FRG leader Efrain Rios Montt as a presidential candidate in the November elections (reftel), the political opposition and civil society gr [...] |
2003-08-01 18:39:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2014 |
CODEL BALLENGER VISIT ADVANCES U.S. INTERESTS [...] (SBU) Summary: A U.S. Congressional delegation led by Rep. Cass Ballenger, and including U.S. Representatives Kevin Brady, Jerry Weller, and Marsha Blackburn, visited Guatemala August 4-6. The CoDel conveyed to the GOG, civil society, the private sector and the press USG concern over recent [...] |
2003-08-06 23:30:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV ETRD SNAR ELAB CASC GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2017 |
GUATEMALA'S NO SHOOT-DOWN POLICY [...] (C) Summary: Following the April 14 downing of a civilian aircraft carrying cocaine in Honduras, we have met with senior Guatemalan military officials to confirm that the GOG has a strict policy against firing on civilian aircraft believed to be transporting narcotics and to ensure that they u [...] |
2003-08-07 17:53:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | SNAR MOPS EAIR PREL PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2040 |
GETTING AHEAD OF THE POLICY CURVE IN GUATEMALA [...] (C) Summary: We need to be planning now as to how we would respond to a variety of contingencies during the campaign and as a result of the November 9 elections. I believe we have in place most of the policy elements we need: a sound public position on the Rios Montt candidacy in the May 27 [...] |
2003-08-12 00:00:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR KDEM PHUM ETRD GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2052 |
NEW ELECTION POLL PUTS RIOS MONTT FIFTH, WITH [...] (SBU) Election poll results released on August 12 show GANA presidential candidate Oscar Berger leading the pack with 44% (up from 37% in July); followed by UNE candidate Alvaro Colom with 17% (up from 13% in July) and FRG candidate Efrain Rios Montt with 3% (down from 8% in July in the same p [...] |
2003-08-12 22:14:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PREL PINR PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2065 |
EMBASSY GUATEMALA'S 90-DAY GOAL PLAN [...] (SBU) Summary: Embassy Guatemala's highest priority goals for the next 90 days include ensuring that the national elections (to be held on November 9) are free and fair; that Guatemala ratifies and places in force a bilateral counter-narcotics maritime agreement with the U.S.; and that Guatema [...] |
2003-08-13 22:34:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | AMGT PREL GT WHA |
| 03GUATEMALA2080 |
MEETING WITH PRESIDENT PORTILLO [...] (C) Summary: In an August 13 meeting with the Ambassador and DCM, President Portillo promised to veto a badly flawed law on the new civilian presidential security force, to reinstate the highly-regarded, recently-fired head of the national disaster relief agency, to look into a decision taken [...] |
2003-08-14 17:37:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SNAR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2094 |
Vital Voices Meets With Guatemalan Women [...] (U) Summary: Vital Voices Global Partnership held a two-day Women's Leadership Retreat in Guatemala City in July. Present at the conference were approximately 40 women leaders from diverse backgrounds. The Ambassador hosted a reception in honor of the group attended by more than 100 women [...] |
2003-08-18 14:37:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL GT WHA PDA |
| 03GUATEMALA2108 |
CHILD LABOR UPDATE: GUATEMALA [...] Summary: In response to Ref A, this cable provides update information to supplement Refs B (last year's Child Labor report, which otherwise remains valid) and C (Guatemala Anti-Trafficking in Persons Report). Significant child labor developments over the past year include publication of a ne [...] |
2003-08-19 15:42:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI GT USAID |
| 03GUATEMALA218 |
TOUR D'HORIZON WITH PRESIDENTIAL PRE-CANDIDATE [...] (C) At a January 24 breakfast meeting with the Ambassador, presidential pre-candate Alvaro Colom of the center-left Union for National Hope Party (UNE) said that the main challenge for the winner in this year's presidential election will be to jump-start the economy and to shut down the transn [...] |
2003-01-28 13:35:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR SNAR PHUM ETRD GT |
| 03GUATEMALA220 |
AMBASSADOR AND LARUE DISCUSS CLANDESTINE GROUPS [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador visited the headquarters of the Center for Legal Action in Human Rights (CALDH) on January 22 to meet with director Frank LaRue. The Ambassador informed LaRue of his personal efforts in support of the commission to investigate clandestine groups with various GOG le [...] |
2003-01-28 15:23:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PINR KJUS GT UN OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA2253 |
GUATEMALA SUPPORTS CENTRAL AMERICAN ARMS INITIATIVE [...] No summary [...] |
2003-09-02 21:49:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PARM PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2254 |
GUATEMALA LABOR UPDATE #5-2003 [...] (SBU) The following is an update of significant recent developments in the labor sector. Topics include: -- Minister of Labor's Priorities for Levine Bilateral in Brazil (para 2) -- Minister of Labor Wants Changes to USAID Labor Regional Project (PROALCA II) (4) -- Ambassador Again Ra [...] |
2003-09-02 21:55:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB ETRD PGOV PHUM KCRM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2255 |
RIOS SOSA SUDDENLY RESIGNS [...] (U) General Enrique Rios Sosa, Army Chief of Staff and son of Presidential Candidate Efrain Rios Montt, retired without warning or explanation from the Guatemalan military on Monday, September 1. He has been replaced by Deputy Chief of Staff General Fredy Raul Ramirez Giron. Brigadier General [...] |
2003-09-02 22:29:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR PGOV MOPS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2277 |
DECREE ENACTING COUNTERNARCOTICS MARITIME [...] No summary [...] |
2003-09-04 18:16:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR PREL KTIA MOPS PHSA GT EWWT |
| 03GUATEMALA2278 |
PRESIDENT SIGNS MINI-SOFA DECREE [...] No summary [...] |
2003-09-04 18:17:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | MARR PREL MASS MOPS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2288 |
VIOLENT CRIME: GROWING THREAT TO GUATEMALAN [...] (SBU) Summary: Guatemalans have become numbed by the daily press reports of violent crime, and an increasing number identify the lack of public security as the nation's number one problem. The emergence of gangs ("maras") has taken the violence even to the remote rural areas of the country, an [...] |
2003-09-04 22:33:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KCRM KDEM ASEC PINR PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA231 |
GERARDI WITNESS FOUND DEAD [...] (U) Summary: A key witness in the Gerardi trial was reportedly murdered on December 19, 2002. The body of the witness, Noe Gomez Limon, was found on January 21, nearly a month after the murder, and details about the murder remain fragmentary. On January 22, MINUGUA called on the government t [...] |
2003-01-29 14:00:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PINR KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2331 |
AMBASSADOR'S SEPTEMBER 8TH MEETING WITH PRESIDENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Portillo says he fired number two in the army General Rios Sosa (Rios Montt's son) for disobeying orders to use the military to restore public order during the FRG violent protests July 24 and for lending military resources to the FRG campaign. He has Rios Montt's suppo [...] |
2003-09-09 19:34:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SNAR ELAB PHUM ETRD GT BZ |
| 03GUATEMALA2334 |
OAS MISSION WORRIED ABOUT ELECTORAL VIOLENCE [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met with OAS Election Observation Mission Chief Valentin Paniagua on September 8. The Ambassador pledged continued USG support to the OAS mission, briefed Paniagua on the re-certification process, and raised the need for a private communications channel between [...] |
2003-09-09 21:31:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2341 |
STATEMENT OF INTERDICTION PRINCIPLES DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2003-09-09 21:46:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP MNUC PARM PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2371 |
AMBASSADOR'S TOUR D'HORIZON WITH FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez on September 10 to discuss re-certification; Article 98; Belize; a draft law on the successor to the Presidential Guard (SAAS); the Commission to Investigate Parallel Groups (CICIACS); and trafficking in persons. Gutierrez [...] |
2003-09-12 00:11:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KCRM PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2387 |
GT NAVY BRINGS IN 102 STRANDED ILLEGAL ALIENS [...] The Guatemalan Navy launched patrol boats in response to information from the Embassy's Tactical Analysis Team indicating an Ecuadorian vessel, possibly transporting narcotics, was stalled 40 nautical miles southwest of Guatemala's Puerto Quetzal. The vessel "Matheus Tollet" was intercepted a [...] |
2003-09-16 16:55:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL MOPS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2388 |
BELIZEAN DATT ON BORDER DISPUTE [...] (C) PolOff met with Lt. Col. Omar L. Pulido, Belizean Defense Attache in Guatemala, at his request, on September 9. Pulido wanted our readout on whether the future of the confidence building measures had been affected by Guatemala's rejection of the OAS facilitator's proposals. Pulido said [...] |
2003-09-16 16:55:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PBTS PREL BH GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2412 |
CAMPAIGN POLITICS UPDATE [...] (SBU) Summary: With the registration of twelve presidential tickets complete, the presidential race has narrowed to four main contenders (only the top two in the first round, on November 9, will contend in the second round, on December 28). Oscar Berger of the tripartite GANA coalition is a [...] |
2003-09-18 19:49:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2413 |
ANTI-FRAUD MEASURES FOR GUATEMALAN ELECTIONS [...] Summary. This message provides information about procedures to prevent electoral fraud in response to questions raised at the September 4 Policy Coordinating Committee meeting on Guatemala. We are encouraged by the measures that electoral authorities and institutions are taking to reduce po [...] |
2003-09-18 20:33:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KDEM PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2426 |
URGENT MIDDLE EAST DEMARCHE DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2003-09-19 18:23:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KPAL GT UNGA |
| 03GUATEMALA243 |
AMBASSADOR AND RIOS MONTT DISCUSS DECERTIFICATION, [...] (C) Summary: In a January 27 meeting with the Ambassador, President of Congress Rios Montt professed to be a strong supporter of CAFTA (which he views as reducing the political influence of the traditional economic elites), and expressed understanding for Guatemala's impending counternarcotics [...] |
2003-01-29 20:00:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SNAR PHUM ETRD PINR MOPS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2441 |
BAD BLOOD BETWEEN OMBUDSMAN AND PROSECUTOR: [...] (U) Summary: In the wake of the break-in at the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office on August 26 (reftel), a dispute over the motivation for the break-in erupted between the Public Ministry and the Ombudsman's Office. This dispute has divided opinion of human rights groups and threatens to perman [...] |
2003-09-22 19:17:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL KJUS SNAR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2461 |
ICOC - GUATEMALA UNABLE TO SUBSCRIBE BY OCTOBER [...] No summary [...] |
2003-09-23 21:48:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL MNUC KSCA ETTC TSPA GT MTCRE |
| 03GUATEMALA2473 |
SCENE SETTER FOR VISIT OF CODEL KOLBE [...] (U) Summary: Your September 27-29 visit to Guatemala comes in the final weeks of Guatemala's heated national election campaign, leading up to the November 9 election of the President, all members of the unicameral Congress and all local government officials. The sometimes violent confrontatio [...] |
2003-09-25 16:25:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | OVIP PREL PGOV ETRD PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA248 |
AMBASSADOR WEIGHS IN WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL DE LEON [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador phoned Attorney General Carlos de Leon on January 29 to enlist his immediate action on the investigation of a recent Gerardi witness murder (Ref A) and the protection of the Special Prosecutor for Human Rights, Tatiana Morales, who has been receiving threats coincide [...] |
2003-01-29 22:43:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PINR KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2486 |
INVITATION TO THE SECRETARY TO GUATEMALAN [...] A letter addressed to the Secretary from Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez, dated September 18, was delivered to the Embassy on September 24. The original letter will be pouched to WHA/CEN. Text of the letter follows. 2. Begin Text: Excellency, Mister Secretary of State: It is my ho [...] |
2003-09-25 22:42:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2500 |
MILITARY PENSION FUND: MILITARY FOCUS ON [...] (S) Summary: EmbOffs met with General Alfredo Gonzalez to discuss recent developments in the theft and mismanagement of the Military Pension Fund. Gonzalez, who has been involved in the military's internal investigation of the matter, alleged payoffs were made to current and former top milit [...] |
2003-09-29 17:42:00 | Embassy Guatemala | SECRET | KCOR EFIN PGOV MOPS PINR GT PM |
| 03GUATEMALA2527 |
GUATEMALA DOES NOT HAVE A POSITION YET ON [...] No summary [...] |
2003-10-01 15:38:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP MNUC PARM PREL PHSA EAIR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2550 |
ELECTION UPDATE: OAS CRITICIZES ELECTORAL [...] (C) Summary: The OAS Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) issued its second report, criticizing the GOG's failure to investigate and prosecute electoral violence, especially the murders of political activists and the violent FRG protests of July. On October 1, the OAS EOM opened offices in sev [...] |
2003-10-02 20:34:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR KDEM PHUM PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2563 |
HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE: COURT UPHOLDS GERARDI [...] (U) Summary: The following is an update of significant recent developments in human rights in Guatemala. Topics include: -- Constitutional Court Rejects Defense Request to Annul Gerardi Sentence -- Murder of Community Organizer in Chichicastenango -- Ovalle Shooters Sentenced to Life [...] |
2003-10-03 17:10:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PINR KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2586 |
GUATEMALA LABOR/TIP UPDATE #6-2003 [...] Summary: Following is an update of significant recent developments in the labor sector and trafficking in persons. Topics include: -- GOG to Attend GSP Hearing -- Progress in Monzon Lima Murder Investigation? -- MOL Willing to Combat "Blacklisting" -- Ambassador to Speak at Labor Ju [...] |
2003-10-07 17:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB PGOV PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2587 |
GERARDI WITNESS MURDERED [...] Press reported the murder on October 5 of Erick Urizar, a defense witness in the murder case of Bishop Juan Gerardi. Urizar was shot while exiting his gun shop in the capital with his brother. He had provided an alibi for ex-Capitan Byron Lima Oliva, convicted to 30 years imprisonment (since [...] |
2003-10-07 17:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV KCRM ASEC GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2594 |
HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS APPLAUD NEW SAAS LAW [...] (U) On September 24 the Guatemalan Congress passed the organic law of the Secretariat for Administrative and Security Matters (SAAS) of the Presidency, which will replace the notorious Presidential Guard (EMP) set to be disbanded on November 1. The SAAS was created by presidential decree on J [...] |
2003-10-07 22:47:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV EFIN PINR MOPS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2613 |
CAFTA LABOR/ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION REQUEST [...] In response to reftel request for information on legal remedies or actions the GOG can take to address violations of or non-compliance with labor and/or environmental laws, we submit the following: 2. Labor --------- -- Violations of labor law are generally brought to the attention of [...] |
2003-10-09 18:11:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB SENV ETRD GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2615 |
CAFTA LABOR/ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION REQUEST [...] This message is in response to RefTel request for information on legal remedies or actions the GOG can take to address violations of or non-compliance with labor and/or environmental laws. 2. Labor --------- -- Violations of labor law are generally brought to the attention of authorit [...] |
2003-10-09 19:47:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB SENV ETRD GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2623 |
GUATEMALA: SUPPORT FOR LEVITSKY NOMINATION TO THE [...] No summary [...] |
2003-10-09 22:24:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2630 |
GUATEMALA SEEKS SUPPORT FOR AIDS PROGRAM [...] Summary: On October 9, the Ambassador attended a GOG presentation to elicit support for its latest attempt to secure funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The Guatemalan AIDS proposal, slightly modified since its last presentation in Geneva in March, will be v [...] |
2003-10-10 17:51:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | SOCI TBIO EAID GT UNDP UNESCO |
| 03GUATEMALA2634 |
JUST ANOTHER LATIN AMERICAN ELECTION, FOR NOW [...] (C) Summary: The election campaign, which got off to a violent start, marred by allegations of expected fraud, has settled in recent weeks into what the UN mission aptly described as "just another Latin American election." The continuing heated confrontation between the ruling FRG and the opp [...] |
2003-10-10 18:55:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PREL PINR GT UN |
| 03GUATEMALA2635 |
RIGOBERTA MENCHU HARASSED BY FRG SUPPORTERS [...] Summary: Nobel Peace Prize winner and indigenous rights activist Rigoberta Menchu Tum was harassed by supporters of FRG presidential candidate Efrain Rios Montt inside the Constitutional Court building on October 9. Although she was not harmed, Menchu still sounded shaken by the incident ear [...] |
2003-10-10 18:56:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PREL PINS GT OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA264 |
PRESIDENTIAL PRE-CANDIDATE WHITBECK DISCUSSES [...] (C) Summary: Former senior FRG member Harris Whitbeck told the Ambassador that it is almost certain he will run for President as the candidate of the Partido Patriota, and said the FRG has lost much of its popular support. He believes Rios Montt would be defeated at the polls if he runs. The [...] |
2003-01-31 16:41:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR ETRD PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2649 |
DEMARCHE TO THE GOG ON CANDIDATE FOR UN COMMITTEE [...] DCM and Polcouns met with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabriel Aguilera and MFA Director of Multilateral Affairs Carla Rodriguez on October 15 to request GOG support for the candidacy of Ms. Felice Gaer for re-election to the UN Committee Against Torture. The DCM provided the MFA with a d [...] |
2003-10-15 23:35:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM GT UNHCR |
| 03GUATEMALA2650 |
GUATEMALA DOES NOT HAVE A POSITION YET ON CLONING [...] No summary [...] |
2003-10-15 23:49:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | TBIO GT UNGA KSCI |
| 03GUATEMALA2651 |
GUATEMALA'S DELEGATION TO OAS SPECIAL CONFERENCE [...] Poloff delivered reftel points to Carla Rodriguez, Director General for Multilateral Affairs at the Foreign Ministry on October 7. In a follow-up meeting on October 9, Rodriguez said that the Guatemalan delegation would be led by Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez. Other delegates include Mini [...] |
2003-10-15 23:50:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL ASEC MARR PARM XM XL XS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2659 |
INAUGURAL INVITATION FOR PRESIDENT BUSH [...] On October 15, the Embassy received Diplomatic Note number 9-1452 from the Directorate of Protocol at the Foreign Ministry. The note, unofficially translated in paragraph 2, is a cover letter for an invitation to President Bush from President Portillo to attend the January 14 inauguration in [...] |
2003-10-16 17:26:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV OVIP GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2660 |
DEMARCHE MADE TO GOG ON IRAQ DONORS CONFERENCE [...] (C) DCM and PolCouns met with Deputy Foreign Minister Gabriel Aguilera and MFA Director of Multilateral Affairs Carla Rodriguez on October 15 to urge the GOG to attend the Madrid Donors Conference and to pledge financial support for the reconstruction of Iraq. DCM noted that the whole interna [...] |
2003-10-16 18:26:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ECON EAID IZ GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2664 |
ELECTION ROUND UP WITH THREE WEEKS TO GO [...] (SBU) Summary: Polls continue to show GANA candidate Berger significantly ahead in voter preferences, followed by UNE's Colom and the FRG's Rios Montt in a dead heat for second place. Some electoral experts believe the FRG will not make it into the second round, though poll results suggest th [...] |
2003-10-17 18:06:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM PINR PINS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2705 |
WITH TWO WEEKS TO GO, VOTER PREFERENCES REMAIN [...] (C) Summary: The polls continue to show GANA candidate Oscar Berger in a clear lead in the run up to the November 9 national elections, followed by Colom and Rios Montt vying for second place. Fears of potential electoral fraud are much diminished, and pre-election violence and electorally m [...] |
2003-10-23 22:24:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PINR PREL EAID GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2707 |
ELECTIONS SNAPSHOT 1: ALL QUIET ON THE EASTERN [...] (SBU) Summary: EmbOffs visited the eastern provinces of Zacapa and Chiquimula to conduct man-on-the-street interviews and to discuss the ongoing election campaign with resident international election observers. Widespread disillusionment with the Portillo Administration was reflected in our [...] |
2003-10-24 12:36:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2727 |
GUATEMALA ON COLOMBIAN'S SIDE DECLARATION AT OAS [...] No summary [...] |
2003-10-24 18:27:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PTER CO GT OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA2728 |
ELECTION SNAPSHOT #2: SOUTH COAST HOT SPOTS [...] Summary: Election officials in Suchitepequez and Esquintla provinces generally anticipate a transparent process, with minimal vote fraud. Election officials, OAS observers, and men and women encountered in the street all anticipate high voter turnout. Based on a tiny, unscientific sample, [...] |
2003-10-24 18:44:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KDEM PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2744 |
FORMER CIVIL PATROL MEMBERS TAKE JOURNALISTS [...] (C) Summary: A group of approximately 500 ex-PACs blocked the inter-American highway in La Libertad, Huehuetenango on October 26 and took four journalists hostage, in an attempt to get the government to compensate them for wartime service. The former civil patrol members had originally taken t [...] |
2003-10-28 18:25:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PREL PINR PINS ASEC GT |
| 03GUATEMALA275 |
GUATEMALAN COSPONSORSHIP OF CUBAN HUMAN RIGHTS [...] (C) I have misgivings about our seeking Guatemalan co-sponsorship of the UNHRC resolution on Cuba (seeking a yes vote would be different). There is the question, first, whether Guatemalan support would be a genuine asset to the effort in Geneva. As the Department is aware, violence and thr [...] |
2003-01-31 20:23:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | CU PHUM PREL GT UNCHR |
| 03GUATEMALA2753 |
GUATEMALA LABOR/TIP UPDATE #7-2003 [...] (SBU) Summary: Following is an update of significant recent developments in the labor sector and trafficking in persons. Topics include: -- Political Parties Respect Labor Rights (para #2) -- Fired Maquila Workers Reinstated (3) -- GOG GSP Submission Incomplete (4) -- Changes Likel [...] |
2003-10-28 22:14:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB PGOV SMIG KCRM PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2759 |
GUATEMALA ON CUBAN EMBARGO RESOLUTION AT UN [...] No summary [...] |
2003-10-29 18:14:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM CU GT UNGA |
| 03GUATEMALA2764 |
ELECTION SNAPSHOT #3: LEGACY OF NEGLECT LIVES ON [...] (SBU) Summary: Voters in Quiche, historically a bastion of the FRG, told us that their votes this time would be for any candidate other than the former General. Berger and Colom led the pack of presidential preferences. While there is little concern among the international observers or the loc [...] |
2003-10-29 20:37:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM PINR EAID GT UN |
| 03GUATEMALA2769 |
AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ELECTIONS WITH RIOS MONTT [...] (C) Summary: In an October 29 breakfast with the Ambassador, FRG presidential candidate Rios Montt said he would respect the outcome of the election, whatever it is. He expressed concern about technical problems with the voter registration list ("padron") and locally organized acts of violenc [...] |
2003-10-29 23:26:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM PINR KDEM MOPS PREL EAID GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2783 |
FOLLOW UP DEMARCHE ON CANDIDATE FOR UN COMMITTEE [...] No summary [...] |
2003-10-30 21:21:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM GT UNHCR |
| 03GUATEMALA2787 |
ELECTION SNAPSHOT #4: CONCERNS IN THE INDIGENOUS [...] (SBU) Summary: EmbOffs visited the indigenous highland areas of Quetzaltenango and San Jose Poaquil to continue to meet with local and international election monitoring organizations and test the pulse of the electorate outside the capital. Our unscientific polling suggests widespread frust [...] |
2003-10-31 15:27:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2793 |
HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE: JOURNALISTS RELEASED, EMP [...] (SBU) Summary: Protesting ex-PACs have released four journalists in Huehuetenango, President Portillo presided over a ceremony marking the dissolution of the Presidential Guard (EMP), and the GOG formed a working group to analyze the UN's revised proposal for a Commission to Investigate Clan [...] |
2003-10-31 18:31:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL AORC GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2794 |
GUATEMALAN ELECTION UPDATE: ONE WEEK TO BALLOTING [...] (C) Summary: Polls show voter preferences largely unchanged, with Berger ahead with 41%, followed by Colom (22.3%) and Rios Montt (13.3%). Informal polling conducted by Embassy in the countryside supports these results. The OAS and EU Observer Missions say the TSE has addressed problems with [...] |
2003-10-31 18:39:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM PINR KDEM EAID GT OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA2796 |
GOG WORKING ON SOLUTION TO MAJOR FLAP OVER [...] (C) Summary: The Guatemalan Congress passed a law on October 28 forbidding "any productive activity" on election day, the day before and the day after, ostensibly to enable migrant workers to return to their homes to vote. Minister of Labor Moreira told reporters that the law forbid all but f [...] |
2003-11-03 00:02:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR EAID KDEM GT OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA2802 |
VOTERS IN JALAPA SET TO CAST BALLOTS FOR "ANYBODY [...] Summary: Man-on-the-street interviews with voters in the Department of Jalapa suggest a strong backlash against the ruling FRG party and its candidate Efrain Rios Montt in the November 9 election. Jalapa voted overwhelmingly for the FRG in the past two elections, but respondents said the curren [...] |
2003-11-03 18:11:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2827 |
IN PORTILLO'S ABSENCE, ELECTION HOLIDAY LAW [...] (C) Summary: President Portillo traveled to Panama without vetoing the controversial election holiday bill (reftel), and opposition to the legislation has taken on a fever pitch. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal called on Portillo (who returns on the afternoon of November 4) to veto the law beca [...] |
2003-11-04 22:47:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL EAID PINR GT OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA2831 |
PRESIDENT PORTILLO WILL VETO ELECTION HOLIDAY LAW [...] (C) President Portillo called the Ambassador early on the morning of November 5 to say that he would veto the election holiday law, as he had promised. Congress did not hold a special session to revise the bill on November 4, and the Executive Decree of November 3 (signed by Vice President Re [...] |
2003-11-05 14:59:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR EAID GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2845 |
UNRWA DEMARCHE DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2003-11-06 17:55:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KPAL IS GT UNGA |
| 03GUATEMALA2850 |
SCENE SETTER FOR GUATEMALA'S ELECTIONS: A GROWING [...] (C) Summary: The November 9 elections will pit Guatemala's past (represented by General Rios Montt and his authoritarian vision of Guatemala rooted in the armed internal conflict) against the region's future (represented by Oscar Berger and Alvaro Colom, and their vision of private sector-drive [...] |
2003-11-06 19:42:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR EAID PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2853 |
GUATEMALA DOWNSIZES ITS MILITARY, INCLUDING THE [...] (C) Summary: The first of three voluntary force reductions, phased over the next three years, commenced on October 29, and involved 1648 Defense Ministry employees including 198 career officers, 100 assimilated officers, 600 non-commissioned officers (NCO's) and 750 civilians. This first phas [...] |
2003-11-06 21:34:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | MCAP MOPS PGOV PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2857 |
GUATEMALA ON MIDDLE EAST RESOLUTIONS AT UNGA [...] No summary [...] |
2003-11-07 16:39:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KPAL IS GT UNSC |
| 03GUATEMALA2864 |
ALL QUIET ON EVE OF GUATEMALAN ELECTIONS [...] With fourteen hours to go before the opening of voting tables on November 9, no election-related disturbances have been reported. The prohibition on partisan campaigning went into effect at noon on November 7, and all the political parties have ceased campaigning. The sale of alcohol has bee [...] |
2003-11-09 14:55:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR EAID KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2867 |
GUATEMALAN ELECTIONS: POLLS OPEN WITH LONG LINES [...] The polls opened on time, and reports from around the country indicate that voter participation is larger than in previous elections. Lines are long, and moved slowly at the beginning, frustrating many voters, but reports from many precincts indicate that by the second hour of voting, lines w [...] |
2003-11-09 16:51:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR EAID KDEM ASEC GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2869 |
GUATEMALAN ELECTIONS: PROBLEMS WITH VOTER [...] Embassy election observers around the country report that voter lines are moving slowly and many intending voters are not able to vote because of problems with the voter registration list ("padron electoral") or their voter identification document ("cedula"). Authorities in Chimaltenango Depa [...] |
2003-11-09 23:25:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PINR KDEM EAID ASEC GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2870 |
GUATEMALAN ELECTIONS: VERY PRELIMINARY RESULTS [...] Early election results from around the country (often representing only one or two tables) at 8 p.m. on election night have given the following results. We note that the sample is too small to be considered statistically reliable, but does reflect the vote from the four corners of the country [...] |
2003-11-10 02:09:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM PINR EAID KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2871 |
BERGER AND COLOM WIN FIRST ROUND OF GUATEMALAN [...] (U) At 0630 hrs local time on November 10, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal announced preliminary results of the national elections. With 21% of voting tables reporting, GANA presidential candidate Oscar Berger is ahead with 47.7% of the vote, followed by UNE candidate Alvaro Colom with 26.4%. [...] |
2003-11-10 13:52:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR KDEM EAID GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2880 |
GUATEMALA ON MIDDLE EAST RESOLUTIONS AT THE UNGA [...] No summary [...] |
2003-11-10 22:53:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KPAL IS GT UNGA |
| 03GUATEMALA2889 |
BERGER AND COLOM BEGIN SECOND ROUND CAMPAIGN; FRG [...] (C) Summary: Guatemalan voters turned out in history-making numbers on November 9 to say "no" to General Rios Montt's presidential bid, but gave his FRG a large bloc in Congress and a majority of the municipalities. Preliminary vote results, with 94% of tables counted, give Berger 35% of the v [...] |
2003-11-12 21:01:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR EAID PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2916 |
FRG CONGRESSMAN COMMENTS ON ELECTORAL DEFEAT [...] (C) Summary: FRG Congressman-elect Antonio Arenales told the Ambassador on November 13 that the FRG accepts its electoral defeat and will not challenge the election results. The FRG will not endorse a candidate in the second round elections. Within the party there are those who want the FRG [...] |
2003-11-13 22:46:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL EAID GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2937 |
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVATION CONTRIBUTES TO DECLINE [...] Summary: Protests, some violent, continue in communities where dissatisfaction with the mayoral election results is ongoing, but violence overall is much decreased from the 1999 elections. Allegations of 29 "political" murders during the electoral campaign were disputed by international observ [...] |
2003-11-17 19:20:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KDEM PINR EAID GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2942 |
EMBASSY ELECTION OBSERVATION: DISORGANIZATION, NOT [...] Summary: Guatemalans refused to be intimidated by predictions of violence and fraud, and braved the disorganized election process to vote in record numbers. Thirty-nine Embassy observers of the November 9 national elections witnessed this display of democratic participation by Guatemalans wh [...] |
2003-11-17 22:45:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL EAID KDEM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2948 |
RIOS MONTT CONCEDES, AND OTHER POST-ELECTION [...] Summary: On November 14, FRG presidential candidate Rios Montt publicly accepted the election results which put an end to his presidential aspirations. No challenges have been filed to the results of the national elections (and only minor challenges in municipal races). The Supreme Electoral [...] |
2003-11-18 16:33:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PINR EAID PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA2956 |
CAPITALIZING ON POLITICAL CHANGE IN GUATEMALA [...] (C) Summary: The assumption of power on January 14, 2004 of a new government more aligned with USG interests offers an opportunity to advance our priority goals in Guatemala by engaging creatively up front on our shared interests in free trade, human rights, strengthening democracy and counter [...] |
2003-11-18 23:01:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR EAID PHUM MASS ETRD SNAR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA305 |
GERARDI SUPREME COURT APPEAL [...] SUMMARY: On January 31, the Supreme Court Chamber of Appeals held the public audience of the latest appeal in the Gerardi case. The Archbishop's Office on Human Rights (ODHA) and the Public Ministry presented their appeals of the fourth appeals court's October 8, 2002 decision (Ref A) to annu [...] |
2003-02-04 23:41:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA307 |
CIRCULAR 175 REQUEST FOR NEW HORIZIONS 2004 [...] Summary and Action Request: Post requests circular 175 authority to negotiate an exercise-specific agreement with the Government of Guatemala (GOG) that would cover U.S. personnel participating the planned New Horizons 2004 - Guatemala exercise. Except for point number 13 which incorporates [...] |
2003-02-05 13:31:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | MARR MOPS MASS PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA317 |
RULING PARTY OFFICIAL CALLS FOR SUPPORT FOR CUBA [...] Aristedes Crespo, Floor Leader for the ruling FRG party in Congress, used the visit of three Cuban legislators to announce in Congress that the FRG would press President Portillo to support Cuba at this year's UNCHR in Geneva. Crespo said his remarks were in response to Cuba's long-standing so [...] |
2003-02-05 21:33:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM CU GT UNCHR |
| 03GUATEMALA329 |
GUATEMALAN OFFICIALS EXPRESS CONDOLENCES FOR SPACE [...] Post has received numerous expressions of condolences over the tragic loss of the Columbia and her crew. Phone calls, faxes, letters and e-mails expressing sorrow and solidarity have come from private citizens as well as Guatemalan officials. Noteworthy are letters from President Portillo, [...] |
2003-02-05 22:46:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | OPDC PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA369 |
AMBASSODOR,S MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (C) Summary: Over lunch at the residence February 10, the Ambassador gave FM Gutierrez a heads up that we are actively working on specific benchmarks for re-certification; pressed him on Article 98, extradition, Belize-Guatemala, election observation, the proposal to investigate clandestine gr [...] |
2003-02-10 23:13:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL CJAN EAGR KTIA PGOV PHUM SNAR CFED GT |
| 03GUATEMALA370 |
GUATEMALA NONCOMMITTAL ON IRAQ IN WAKE OF [...] (C) Due to the absence of President Portillo on February 6, Ambassador Hamilton discussed Secretary Powell's UNSC presentation of the case against Iraq with Vice President Reyes (reftel). The Ambassador concluded that no one prefers the option of war, and that the best way to convince Saddam [...] |
2003-02-11 15:13:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PARM IZ GT UNSC |
| 03GUATEMALA379 |
GSP WORKER RIGHTS: EMBASSY SUPPORTS CONSULTATIONS [...] (SBU) Summary: Embassy believes that bilateral consultations would be as productive as a formal GSP review of Guatemalan worker rights. Although the labor rights situation is bad, it is not worsening and the GOG has in fact taken steps to protect labor rights since the last review was suspe [...] |
2003-02-11 20:43:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB ETRD PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA403 |
WHA/CEN DIRECTOR TRIVELLI DISCUSSES CAFTA, [...] (C) Summary: During a two-day visit to Guatemala, WHA/CEN Director Paul Trivelli discussed counter-narcotics certification and free trade with Vice President Reyes and the Acting Foreign Minister; CAFTA and fiscal responsibility with the economic cabinet and business leaders; and support for [...] |
2003-02-13 23:30:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SNAR PHUM ECON ETRD MARR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA427 |
MANPADS THREAT CONSIDERED MINOR IN GUATEMALA [...] (C) The information below is keyed by paragraph number to reftel questions. Paragraph 7. General Information: To our knowledge, the Government of Guatemala (GOG) does not possess MANPADS. However, black and gray arms markets exist in Guatemala and exotic weapons systems are said to occasiona [...] |
2003-02-18 17:59:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | MCAP PTER ETTC GT PARMS |
| 03GUATEMALA428 |
PRISON RIOT KILLS GERARDI MURDERER, SIX OTHERS [...] Summary. Sergeant Jose Obdulio Villanueva, serving a 30-year sentence for the murder of Bishop Gerardi, was decapitated along with three other inmates during a prison riot on February 12. The riot was an internal power struggle between two groups of inmates. The sixth prison uprising in the [...] |
2003-02-18 17:59:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM KCRM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA429 |
GUATEMALA WILL NOT ADDRESS FEB 18 UNSC OPEN SESSION [...] Per reftel, DCM discussed Iraq's failure to disarm with Foreign Minister Gutierrez on February 17. Gutierrez was noncommittal. He requested a Spanish version of Secretary Powell's UNSC speech of February 14 (which Post will provide) and stated that Guatemala would not take the opportunity to [...] |
2003-02-18 18:00:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PARM IZ GT UNSC |
| 03GUATEMALA471 |
VIVANCO MISSION: STATE OF PLAY [...] (SBU) Summary: Human Rights Watch Latin America Director Jose Miguel Vivanco visited Guatemala February 11-14 to consult with the GOG, the Human Rights Ombudsman, and human rights leaders about the Ombudsman's proposal to create an international Commission to Investigate Clandestine Groups ( [...] |
2003-02-21 17:18:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM PGOV GT |
| 03GUATEMALA473 |
PROTESTS IN FINAL YEAR OF PORTILLO ADMINISTRATION [...] (C) Summary: Portillo's virtual absence from public during a time of mounting social protests has led to growing concern about governability. The latest challenges, from teachers, ex-PACs and the "campesinos," are not easily attributed to Portillo's traditional opponents in the private secto [...] |
2003-02-21 17:23:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV EAID PINS ETRD ELAB KDEM PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA489 |
EMBASSY VIEWS ON REGIONAL ANTI-TIP HARMONIZATION [...] (SBU) Summary: Embassy concurs that regional harmonization of anti-trafficking in persons legislation, as outlined in RefTel, would further U.S. interests in Guatemala. Harmonized anti-TIP legislation is necessary to achieve greater regional cooperation to prevent and combat trafficking, an [...] |
2003-02-24 22:18:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL PREF ELAB SMIG SNAR KCRM KWMN GT |
| 03GUATEMALA496 |
GUATEMALA COOPERATIVE ON IRAQ AT NAM SUMMIT [...] (C) DCM raised ref A points with Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez on February 21. In a brief discussion, DCM urged Guatemalan support for a constructive outcome regarding Iraq at the NAM Summit in Malaysia. Gutierrez said he would instruct Vice Minister Aguilera, heading Guatemala's delegati [...] |
2003-02-25 16:53:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL IZ GT NAM |
| 03GUATEMALA511 |
FEBRUARY 25 DINNER WITH PRESIDENT PORTILLO [...] (S) Summary: In a one-on-one dinner, President Portillo committed to making his decision on the UNHRC Cuba issue "in a calm moment," promised to energize his Labor ministry on issues of labor justice, issued instructions to his Agriculture Minister (by phone during dinner) to get the Mediter [...] |
2003-02-26 16:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL CU ELAB PHUM SNAR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA533 |
VICE PRESIDENT'S VISIT TO CUBA SPURS SPECULATION [...] (C) Summary: A glowing press conference by Vice President Reyes after an official visit to Cuba fueled speculation that some in the GOG are reconsidering Cuba policy. Reyes hinted that Guatemala would abstain on the Cuba vote at the UNCHR, did not rule out voting with Cuba, and said that he b [...] |
2003-02-27 18:02:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM CU GT UNCHR |
| 03GUATEMALA534 |
PROGRESS TOWARD REGIONAL ARMS INVENTORY [...] (C) Summary: On February 19, Central American Foreign Ministers ratified a model format for providing each other with information about the composition, armaments, material and equipment of their military and police forces. The measure removes another hurdle in establishing a "reasonable bala [...] |
2003-02-27 18:13:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL MARR MCAP GT |
| 03GUATEMALA537 |
TEACHERS STRIKE DEEPENS, TESTING GOG [...] (SBU) Summary: February 26, Day 38 of the national teachers strike affecting 80,000 public schoolteachers and over 2 million students, saw blockades of major airports, ports, border crossings, and oil refineries, and the indefinite suspension of Congress due to the protests. After receiving [...] |
2003-02-27 18:56:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB PGOV KDEM ASEC CASC GT |
| 03GUATEMALA55 |
ESTABLISHMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WORKING GROUP [...] Embassy Guatemala has established a Homeland Security Working Group (HSWG) comprising all the agencies at Post with law enforcement or security responsibilities, as well as appropriate Mission section heads. The HSWG will ensure Post is able to coordinate its resources to provide Mission-wide [...] |
2003-01-08 22:07:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER CVIS PREL PGOV APER SNAR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA551 |
AMBASSADOR'S CALL ON HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN [...] SUMMARY: The Ambassador met with Human Rights Ombudsman Sergio Morales on February 27 to support the Ombudsman's proposal for the commission to investigate clandestine groups (CICIACS). Morales was encouraged by President Portillo's recent official response and believes Vivanco's recent memo [...] |
2003-02-28 18:06:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL GT UN OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA555 |
MEETING WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL DE LEON [...] (SBU) Summary: In a dinner conversation February 28, De Leon told the Ambassador that he would seek to energize investigations of murdered American citizens and labor leaders, to beef up his office on money laundering investigations and said that, if invited, he would attend the next high-lev [...] |
2003-03-03 16:48:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL SNAR PHUM GT CACS |
| 03GUATEMALA57 |
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE BERGER SUPPORTS CAFTA AND A [...] (C) Summary: In a tour d'horizon with the Ambassador on January 7, PAN Presidential candidate Oscar Berger said that the PAN believes it will win the 2003 national elections, and that their priorities as a government would be completing negotiation of a free trade agreement with us, "rightsizi [...] |
2003-01-08 22:29:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR ETRD MOPS SNAR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA571 |
AMBASSADOR PRESSES LABOR AGENDA WITH NEW LABOR [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador told Labor Minister Victor Moreira during a courtesy call March 3 that there is heightened USG interest in labor rights in Guatemala in the context of CAFTA negotiations, and urged Moreira to address cases in outstanding GSP petitions. Moreira said that his pri [...] |
2003-03-04 15:32:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB ETRD PGOV PINR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA577 |
GUATEMALA NOT FOCUSED ON REINFORCING THE NPT TREATY [...] PolOff conveyed reftel points to Sylvia Corado, Acting Director General for Multilateral Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, on February 19. Corado agreed that the DPRK's announced intention to withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was worrisome but had no o [...] |
2003-03-04 21:42:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KNNP GT NPT |
| 03GUATEMALA605 |
ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT--GUATEMALA [...] (U) The following are responses to questions in Ref A. Additional information on Embassy projects and strategies to combat trafficking can be found in Ref B. 2. (SBU) Country Overview: A. Is the country a country of origin, transit or destination for international trafficked men, wome [...] |
2003-03-07 13:17:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB GT |
| 03GUATEMALA623 |
NEW GUATEMALAN AMBASSADORS TO GENEVA, TOKYO, AND [...] (SBU) An excellent MFA source confirmed that Ricardo Alvarado was sworn in at noon on March 4 as Guatemalan Ambassador to Geneva. Ambassador to the OAS, Arturo Duarte, will move to Tokyo and will probably be replaced by Victor Godoy. Bio information below. End Summary. 2. (SBU) Ricardo A [...] |
2003-03-07 18:48:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV GT UNHRC |
| 03GUATEMALA636 |
MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER GUTIERREZ [...] (SBU) Ambassador met one on one for a few minutes with FM Gutierrez March 7 on the heels of the fourth high-level working group meeting on narcotics, which the two had just chaired. That meeting is being reported septel. Following is a quick rundown: Gutierrez in Washington -------------- [...] |
2003-03-10 22:04:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM MOPS BEXP GT CU KICC |
| 03GUATEMALA64 |
AMBASSADOR HAMILTON PRESENTS CREDENTIALS [...] Ambassador John R. Hamilton presented credentials to President Alfonso Portillo in a ceremony at the National Palace on the morning of January 8, 2003. 2. Following his presentation of Credentials, Ambassador Hamilton made the following statement to the press: In the course of the ceremon [...] |
2003-01-09 21:59:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL AMGT APER GT |
| 03GUATEMALA648 |
GUATEMALA NOT LIKELY TO ASSIST ON IRAQ RESOLUTION [...] (C) Although the GOG has informally indicated support for Iraq's unconditional need to comply with UNSCR 1441, it has remained non-committal on US/UK/Spanish resolution on Iraq. Were we to press Guatemala we believe it might play an unhelpful role. We therefore did not urge GOG participation [...] |
2003-03-11 23:14:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL IZ GT UNSC |
| 03GUATEMALA651 |
MACK CASE MISSTEP INCREASES SUSPICION [...] (U) Summary: The case against the GOG on behalf of the family of murdered anthropologist Myrna Mack was presented February 18-20 in the Inter-American Court in San Jose, Costa Rica. In the days leading up to the trial, FM Gutierrez attempted to short-circuit this hearing by publicly accepting [...] |
2003-03-12 16:55:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL KJUS GT OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA66 |
GUATEMALA NOMINEE FOR THE 2003 OMS CONFERENCE [...] Embassy Guatemala would like to nominate Paula C Wikle for the 2003 OMS Conference to be held March 16 through March 22 in Washington, DC. 2. Information on nominee is as follows: Paula C. Wikle, FP-06, Political Section OMS. Embassy Guatemala is a mid-sized embassy with 4 FS OMS assigned. [...] |
2003-01-09 22:44:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | AOMS APER AMGT AFSI GT |
| 03GUATEMALA673 |
LABOR UPDATE #2-2003 [...] (SBU) Summary: The following is an update of significant recent developments in the labor sector. Topics include: -- Teachers Back in School -- Ambassador Raises GSP with GOG -- Ambassador Flags Labor Rights in AmCham Speech -- MOL Coordinating GOG Response to GSP -- GOG CAFTA Tea [...] |
2003-03-14 16:27:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB ECON PGOV PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA678 |
GUATEMALAN RESPONSE TO 59TH UNHRC DEMARCHE: [...] (C) Summary: In response to reftel points, MFA Multilateral Affairs Director Castillo told us Guatemalan positions at the UNHRC this year might differ from previous years. On Cuba, Castillo repeated that President Portillo would ultimately decide how the GOG will vote, but said the decision [...] |
2003-03-14 17:27:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL GT UNHRC |
| 03GUATEMALA696 |
GUATEMALAN MFA DISCUSSES FUTURE OF BORDER TALKS [...] (C) In a March 11 meeting with PolCouns and PolOff, the Belize Border Commission of the Guatemalan MFA said that resolution of the long-running border dispute would be passed along to the new Guatemalan government that will take office in January, 2004, and said the new government will have to [...] |
2003-03-17 20:59:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PBTS PREL PGOV GT OAS BZ |
| 03GUATEMALA705 |
AGREEMENT ON CLANDESTINE GROUP COMMISSION [...] (SBU) Summary: The human rights community, Human Rights Ombudsman, and FM Gutierrez agreed on the make-up and mandate for an international commission to investigate recent attacks on human rights defenders in Guatemala. Helen Mack invited the Ambassador to attend the public signing ceremony [...] |
2003-03-18 17:51:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL GT OAS UN |
| 03GUATEMALA706 |
DEMARCHE ON POSSIBLE UNGA AND UNCHR SESSIONS ON [...] (C) In the absence from Guatemala of Foreign Minister Gutierrez, the Ambassador spoke with senior Presidential Advisor Arturo Montenegro on March 18 to express USG concern over the possible convocation of a special UNGA or a special session of the UNCHR to condemn possible coalition military a [...] |
2003-03-18 18:17:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PARM IZ GT UNSC |
| 03GUATEMALA708 |
PORTILLO PLEDGES UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT IN [...] (SBU) President Alfonso Portillo sent the Ambassador a letter (text below) on March 17 expressing consideration for the difficult situation facing the U.S. and offering Portillo's personal unconditional support for the Ambassador and Embassy staff. Written without explicit reference to Iraq, [...] |
2003-03-18 21:03:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PINR IZ GT |
| 03GUATEMALA710 |
GOG TO SUPPORT CENTAM SUMMIT ON IRAQ AND TO ISSUE [...] (C) The Ambassador urged President Portillo on March 18 to join the Central American Summit Statement on Iraq or to issue a unilateral statement along the same lines. As Portillo is not attending the Summit in Roatan, Honduras, he told the Ambassador he would instruct Vice Minister Aguilera [...] |
2003-03-18 21:06:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL IZ GT |
| 03GUATEMALA711 |
GUATEMALA WILL CONSIDER OAS BUDGET INCREASE IN JUNE [...] Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Acting Director General for Multilateral Affairs, Sylvia Corado, at the Foreign Ministry on February 28. Corado said she would have to consult internally before she could speak officially. However, she speculated that, given "severe" budget constraints, th [...] |
2003-03-18 21:10:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL GT USOAS |
| 03GUATEMALA723 |
GUATEMALAN VIEWS ON IRAQ SITUATION [...] (U) Summary. President Portillo told reporters on March 18 that Guatemala "stands beside the United States," but said Guatemala does not take a position for or against war with Iraq. He added that he sent a letter of support to President Bush (reftel). According to the MFA, the GOG delegation [...] |
2003-03-19 19:30:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV IZ GT |
| 03GUATEMALA724 |
MENCHU CASE ADVANCES IN SPAIN [...] Summary: With broad coverage in the Guatemalan press, the Spanish Supreme Court reportedly accepted Spanish jurisdiction for Nobel Laureate Rigoberta Menchu's case against six Guatemalan military leaders and two civilian officials linked to torture and murder of Spanish citizens in Guatemala i [...] |
2003-03-19 20:25:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL KJUS SP GT |
| 03GUATEMALA73 |
URC-119 RADIO REQUEST FOR GUATEMALAN MILITARY [...] Summary and Action Request: Embassy requests State Department and Defense Security Cooperation Agency concurrence to transfer one URC - 119 High Frequency Radio set to the Guatemalan Military through the Excess Defense Articles Program. The radio's purpose is to enhance natural disaster respo [...] |
2003-01-10 16:44:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | MARR MASS MCAP PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA746 |
MARCH 17 LETTER FROM PRESIDENT PORTILLO TO [...] (U) President Alfonso Portillo sent President Bush a letter on March 17 (delivered by the Guatemalan Embassy in Washington to the White House and Department of State) saying that Guatemala stands by the United States during the current difficult international situation. Following is the Embas [...] |
2003-03-20 22:36:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PINR GT IZ |
| 03GUATEMALA758 |
KEEPING THE IRAQ ISSUE IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL [...] In the absence of the Director General for Multilateral Affairs, PolOff discussed reftel points with his assistant, Sylvia Corado on March 21. Corado said the MFA had anticipated our position on this issue and agreed that the UN Charter gives responsibility for international peace and securi [...] |
2003-03-21 18:30:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM IZ GT UNSC HNCHR |
| 03GUATEMALA759 |
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON LABOR ISSUES [...] Ref A requests information about current or recently completed technical cooperation activities in the labor field. That information was included in Ref B and is included in Paras 2-9 below. Information about USAID bilateral projects in the labor sector is included in Paras 10-11, and USAID [...] |
2003-03-21 18:47:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB EAID KSUM ECON SOCI GT |
| 03GUATEMALA760 |
FOREIGN MINISTER ON KEEPING THE IRAQ ISSUE IN THE [...] Ambassador made reftel points to Foreign Minister Gutierrez by phone on March 21. Gutierrez responded that the Government of Guatemala agrees that Iraq is an issue for the Security Council exclusively. However, Gutierrez would not clearly commit to supporting us on substance. HAMILTON [...] |
2003-03-21 18:55:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PHUM IZ GT UNSC UNCHR |
| 03GUATEMALA77 |
AMBASSADOR AND MINUGUA CHIEF TOUR D'HORIZON [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador and USAID Director met with MINUGUA Chief Koenigs, who was thankful for USG support on extension of MINUGUA's mandate through 2004, and was cautiously optimistic about further implementation of the Peace Accords. The Ambassador discussed possible counternarcoti [...] |
2003-01-10 18:18:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM EAID PGOV MOPS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA770 |
MEETING WITH PRESIDENT PROTILLO [...] (C) Summary: Over dinner at the residence March 22, President Portillo acknowledged that Guatemala ought to support a UNHCR resolution on Cuba but said he has a problem with General Rios Montt's resentment over U.S. opposition to his presidential candidacy. Portillo said Guatemala agreed with [...] |
2003-03-24 18:31:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ELAB PGOV KTIA MARR SNAR KDEM PHUM EFIN ETRD CU IR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA781 |
RE-CERTIFICATION BENCHMARKS DEMARCHE DELIVERED [...] (C) Summary: As requested in Ref A, the Ambassador discussed counter-narcotics re-certification benchmarks in detail with President Portillo on March 22. The Ambassador gave Portillo a copy of the diplomatic note on benchmarks (full text para 10), rebuffed a request for material assistance [...] |
2003-03-25 21:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | SNAR PGOV GT |
| 03GUATEMALA783 |
DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO GOG ON U.S. INTENTION TO [...] (SBU) Polcouns delivered talking points (reftels) on the USG's intention to rejoin UNESCO and our candidacy for the Executive Board to the MFA Director General for Multilateral Affairs Giovanni Castillo on March 25. Castillo said that Guatemala welcomed the USG decision to rejoin UNESCO, and [...] |
2003-03-25 22:36:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL AORC GT FR UNESCO |
| 03GUATEMALA784 |
GUATEMALA RESPONSE TO CUBAN CRACKDOWN AGAINST [...] (C) In a March 22 meeting with President Alfonso Portillo, the Ambassador raised USG concerns (Ref A) over the Cuban crackdown against the opposition. As noted in Ref B, Portillo acknowledged that the arrests carried out by the Cuban Government were worrisome, but stopped short of committing [...] |
2003-03-25 22:38:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL CU GT UNHRC |
| 03GUATEMALA786 |
GUATEMALAN RESPONSE TO BLOCKING ARAB EFFORTS AT UN [...] (C) In the absence from the country of President Portillo, and the absence from the office of Foreign Minister Gutierrez (due to illness), the Ambassador spoke with Vice Foreign Minister Jorge Perez on March 25 and relayed reftel request that the GOG oppose any effort to convoke a special Gener [...] |
2003-03-25 23:19:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL IZ GT UNSC |
| 03GUATEMALA802 |
GUATEMALA DEMARCHED ON SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN [...] (SBU) The Embassy raised reftel talking points with MFA Deputy Director General for Multilateral Affairs Marco Tulio Chicas, in the absence of more senior officials. Chicas took note of our concerns and promised to immediately relay our points to the Guatemalan PermRep in New York. 2. (SBU [...] |
2003-03-27 14:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PARM IZ GT UNSC |
| 03GUATEMALA803 |
GUATEMALA WILL OPPOSE SPECIAL SITTING ON IRAQ [...] (C) DCM McFarland called Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Perez on March 26 to reconfirm the GOG's commitment of March 25 to vote against a special sitting on Iraq at the 59th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. DCM noted that the Guatemalan Mission in Geneva had informed our [...] |
2003-03-27 14:16:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL IZ GT UNHCR |
| 03GUATEMALA82 |
GUATEMALA CONSULTING INTERNALLY ON LIBYAN CHAIR OF [...] (C) Embassy raised reftel points with the MFA Director for Multilateral Affairs Sylvia Corado on January 9. Corado expressed her personal dismay with Libya chairing the UNCHR, but said that the GOG had not decided how it would respond to this unprecedented situation. Corado noted that Foreign [...] |
2003-01-13 18:31:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM LY GT UNCHR |
| 03GUATEMALA836 |
GUATEMALAN COUNTERPROPOSAL FOR ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT [...] (U) This is an action request: see paragraph 3. 2. (C) Summary: The Guatemalan MFA has proposed an Article 98 Agreement that contains three additions to the modified text in reftel. The additions consist of making reference to UNSCR 1422 (the one-year exemption from the ICC for UN Peaceke [...] |
2003-03-31 16:40:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MOPS MARR KTIA GT KICC |
| 03GUATEMALA871 |
GUATEMALA WILL OPPOSE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING ON [...] (C) Ambassador spoke with Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez on April 2 and raised reftel talking points, requesting that the GOG oppose ongoing efforts to convene a special UN General Assembly on Iraq. Foreign Minister Gutierrez said that the GOG agrees with the USG position that debate of thi [...] |
2003-04-03 15:14:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL GT IZ UNGA |
| 03GUATEMALA873 |
GUATEMALA WILL OPPOSE UNESCO DEBATE ON IRAQ [...] (C) Ambassador called Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez on April 2 and relayed reftel talking points, urging the GOG to oppose attempts at the UNESCO Executive Board meeting to add to the agenda an item on Irak. Foreign Minister Gutierrez said that, like us, the GOG opposed UNESCO discussion o [...] |
2003-04-03 15:14:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL AORC GT IZ UNESCO |
| 03GUATEMALA884 |
AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador Hamilton met with Minister of Government Jose Adolfo Reyes Calderon March 31 to express concern about a recent case involving torture by security forces in an anti-narcotics raid in Zacapa. The Ambassador also raised the murder of an American citizen on March 28, thr [...] |
2003-04-03 16:48:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ASEC CASC SNAR PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA890 |
EMBASSY DISCUSSES IRAQ AND CUBA WITH HUMAN RIGHTS [...] Summary: Embassy and USAID Officers met with Guatemalan human rights leaders Frank LaRue, Claudia Samayoa and Orlando Blanco on April 2 to discuss developments in the establishment of CICIACS (septel) and to express Embassy disappointment with the participation of members of their organizatio [...] |
2003-04-03 16:53:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL ASEC IZ CU GT |
| 03GUATEMALA91 |
G/TIP INVITEE CONFIRMED: ANA CARPIO ALFARO [...] Reftel invitation to the February 23-25 international conference entitled "Pathbreaking Strategies in the Global Fight Against Sex Trafficking" was delivered on January 13 to Ana Ignez Carpio Alfaro, International Correspondent for Telemundo based in Guatemala. Ms. Carpio accepted the invita [...] |
2003-01-14 16:32:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | KCRM CVIS KWMN SMIG PHUM GT |
| 03GUATEMALA916 |
HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT RECEIVES LIMITED PRESS COVERAGE [...] (U) Summary: Upon public release of the 2002 Human Rights Report (HRR) on March 31, Embassy issued a press statement from the Ambassador highlighting the USG human rights concerns in Guatemala and areas where we believe improvements can made. However, neither the report nor the Ambassador's s [...] |
2003-04-07 15:44:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL GT |
| 03GUATEMALA927 |
AMBASSADOR PRESSES TORTURE CASE WITH MINISTER OF [...] (C) Summary: Ambassador called on Minister of Defense Robin Moran on April 3 to emphasize that resorting to illegal detention and torture as appears to have occurred in the March 6 drug seizure in Rio Hondo, Zacapa is totally unacceptable. Moran clearly understood that these methods put Guat [...] |
2003-04-07 22:06:00 | Embassy Guatemala | SECRET | PREL PGOV MOPS SNAR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA929 |
NGOS UPBEAT ON CICIACS DEVELOPMENTS [...] (U) Summary: Embassy officers met with human rights activists Frank LaRue, Claudia Samayoa, and Orlando Blanco on April 2 to discuss both the recent protest by human rights groups in front of the Embassy and their silence on Cuban dissident jailing (Ref A), as well as steps that the Embassy ca [...] |
2003-04-08 13:46:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL GT UN OAS |
| 03GUATEMALA932 |
GUATEMALA STILL NON-COMMITTAL ON UNHRC CUBA [...] (C) The Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Edgar Gutierrez on April 3, and raised reftel talking points requesting GOG co-sponsorhip of a UNHRC resolution on Cuba. The Ambassador noted that, to avoid unnecessary controversy, the draft resolution presented by three Latin American countries di [...] |
2003-04-08 15:53:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL CU GT UNCHR |
| 03GUATEMALA933 |
AMBASSADOR AND FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSS [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador and Foreign Minister Gutierrez met on April 3 to discuss the upcoming visit of the Central American presidents to Washington to meet with President Bush on CAFTA. The Ambassador carried out demarches on Cuba and Iraq (septels), mentioned upcoming visits of USG off [...] |
2003-04-08 17:10:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV SNAR OVIP KIPR PHUM ELAB MARR GT |
| 03GUATEMALA937 |
GUATEMALA OPPOSES DISCUSSION OF IRAQ AT UNESCO [...] (C) The Ambassador raised reftel concerns with Foreign Minister Gutierrez on April 3. Gutierrez confirmed his earlier statement that the GOG believes multilateral discussion of Iraq should be confined to the UNSC. Guatemala will oppose discussion of Iraq at UNESCO, according to Gutierrez. [...] |
2003-04-08 21:43:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL AORC IZ GT UNESCO |
| 03GUATEMALA955 |
EMBASSY CALLS ON RULING PARTY TO URGE PORTILLO TO [...] (U) On April 9, the Guatemalan Congress passed an unscheduled resolution calling on President Portillo to abstain in the upcoming UNCHR resolution on Cuba. Only one independent congressman, Emilio Saca, voted against the measure, saying that the Government of Cuba should be censured for its d [...] |
2003-04-09 23:05:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM SNAR CU GT UNCHR |
| 03GUATEMALA962 |
OMINOUS SIGNS COME IN THREES: LATEST HUMAN RIGHTS [...] (U) Both in the capital and farther afield, new human rights concerns are popping up in Guatemala. To the north, in Quiche, a Mayan priest and human rights activist was murdered; to the east, in Izabal, the Human Rights Ombudsman (PDH) Auxiliary office was ransacked; here in the Guatemala Cit [...] |
2003-04-10 22:43:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL KJUS GT |
| 03GUATEMALA967 |
GUATEMALA: ICC/ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT AND SOFA [...] (C) Summary: On the Article 98 Agreement, discussions with the GOG covered all the points where the GOG counterproposal differs from the US text. New language was proposed by both sides ad ref. If approved, and the negotiating team believes the proposed changes are workable, we would have a [...] |
2003-04-11 14:24:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL GT KICC |
| 03THEHAGUE2291 |
DUTCH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO GUATEMALA OAS OBSERVER [...] (SBU) The Dutch plan to contribute approximately USD 100,000 to the OAS Electoral Observer Mission in Guatemala, confirming the information in ref A. On September 11, Lucie de Zwaan of the MFA Western Hemisphere Division informed EconOff of the intended contribution, but asked that the USG [...] |
2003-09-12 07:58:00 | Embassy The Hague | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINS PREL GT NL OAS |
| 04GUATEMALA1007 |
PRESS CRITICISM OF FM BRIZ COULD HURT [...] (SBU) Summary: Signaling the end of the honeymoon for at least one member of the Berger Administration, a major national daily has attacked the performance of Jorge Briz Abularach's Foreign Ministry. While the motives for the attack are still unclear, Briz confided to the Ambassador he is se [...] |
2004-04-26 21:48:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1055 |
(C) GUATEMALA SIGNS ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT [...] (C) Charge Bruce Wharton and Foreign Minister Jorge Briz signed an Article 98 agreement on April 28, 2004, bringing two years of negotiations to a successful conclusion. The terms of the agreement require Congressional approval and a Presidential signature to enter into force. 2. (C) The [...] |
2004-04-29 22:07:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR MOPS KTIA GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1058 |
GUATEMALA ON UNGA PALESTINIAN OBSERVER MISSION [...] No summary [...] |
2004-04-30 17:07:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KPAL IS GT UNGA |
| 04GUATEMALA108 |
ARTICLE 98 LETTER TO SECRETARY POWELL FROM [...] Outgoing Foreign Minister Gutierrez sent a letter, dated January 13 (his last day in office), to Secretary Powell stating his understanding that Guatemala is exempt from the restrictions on U.S. military aid under the Servicemember's Protection Act of 2001 (SPA), due to the fact that Guatemala [...] |
2004-01-17 13:14:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV MARR KTIA MASS GT ICC |
| 04GUATEMALA1081 |
BERGER'S FIRST 100 DAYS: HONEYMOON ENDING? [...] (SBU) Summary: President Oscar Berger,s government is off to a strong start and retains strong public approval. Berger and his team have effectively conveyed new energy and direction, launching significant initiatives to reduce and modernize the military and to open borders to freer intra-reg [...] |
2004-05-04 14:42:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR PREL MOPS GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1097 |
HISTORIC STEPS FORWARD IN MACK CASE [...] Summary: The Ambassador attended a formal ceremony at the National Palace on April 22, at which President Oscar Berger publicly apologized to the Mack family for the state's responsibility in the 1990 murder of anthropologist Myrna Mack. The remarkable ceremony was prompted by a November 25, [...] |
2004-05-05 13:29:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1103 |
GUATEMALAN EMBASSY IN CARACAS TO OBSERVE APPEALS [...] No summary [...] |
2004-05-05 18:47:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV KDEM VE GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1106 |
GUATEMALA LABOR/TIP UPDATE #3-2004 [...] (SBU) The following is an update of significant recent developments in the labor sector and trafficking in persons (TIP). Topics include: -- Labor: 100 Days in Labor (paras 1-2) -- Labor: Apparel Sector Plans Mediation Center (3) -- Labor: Uncertainty at NB Maquila (4) -- Labor: [...] |
2004-05-05 20:16:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | ELAB ETRD KCRM PHUM GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1112 |
GUATEMALA LIKELY TO ABSTAIN OR OPPOSE UNGA [...] (C) The Ambassador raised the Palestinian resolution with Foreign Minister Briz on May 5, urging Guatemala to oppose the UNGA resolution on Palestine. Briz said it was the first he had heard of the issue, and asked his staff to "look into it." PolOff also delivered the demarche to Carla Rodri [...] |
2004-05-05 23:07:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KPAL GT UNGA |
| 04GUATEMALA1117 |
CICIACS SETBACK IN CONGRESS [...] (U) This is an action request. See para 10. 2. (SBU) Summary: On May 4, the Congressional Human Rights and Government Commissions issued a joint recommendation to the plenary of Congress against CICIACS, on constitutional grounds. On May 5, President Berger and Vice President Stein bot [...] |
2004-05-06 19:33:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1124 |
GUATEMALA LABOR/TIP UPDATE #3-2004 [...] (SBU) The following is an update of significant recent developments in the labor sector and trafficking in persons (TIP). Topics include: -- Labor: 100 Days in Labor (paras 1-2) -- Labor: Apparel Sector Plans Mediation Center (3) -- Labor: Uncertainty at NB Maquila (4) -- Labor: [...] |
2004-05-07 00:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB ETRD KCRM PHUM GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1132 |
OAS RELOCATES GUATEMALANS FROM ADJACENCY ZONE [...] Summary: On April 30, HROff attended the inauguration of a community constructed by the Organization of American States (OAS) to relocate Guatemalans living in the "Adjacency Zone" between Belize and Guatemala. Twenty families moved voluntarily from Nueva Juda on the Belizean side of the bo [...] |
2004-05-07 18:33:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1213 |
EXECUTIVE RALLIES BEHIND CICIACS [...] This is an action request. See para 8. 2. (SBU) Summary: President Berger has taken the first step to salvage the GOG-UN agreement to create a UN Commission to Investigate Clandestine Groups (CICIACS) by convincing the Congressional leadership to withdraw the agreement to the Executive [...] |
2004-05-14 16:48:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1241 |
GANA-FRG VOTE STIRS CONTROVERSY [...] No summary [...] |
2004-05-18 13:36:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | CVIS GT PGOV PHUM |
| 04GUATEMALA1259 |
PEREZ MOLINA LEAVES GOVERNMENT FOR CONGRESS [...] (C) Summary: On May 17, after meeting with President Berger, GOG Security and Defense Commissioner Otto Perez Molina announced his resignation from the Executive branch, the Patriot Party's (PP) exit from the GANA coalition, and his return to Congress to lead the PP in opposition. Perez Mo [...] |
2004-05-19 15:27:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM MOPS GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1278 |
BERGER RECOVERS AFTER STUMBLE [...] (SBU) Summary: Criticism lingers of Berger's handling of his private talks with the FRG, but the political storm has apparently passed and media criticism has decreased considerably. Berger shored up the GANA coalition after the departure of Security Commissioner Otto Perez Molina and his [...] |
2004-05-21 17:35:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM PINR MOPS GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1292 |
GUATEMALA INTERESTED IN SECURITY RESOLUTION FOR [...] Poloffs discussed reftel points and proposed resolution with Marco Tulio Chicas, Director for Integration at the Foreign Ministry, on May 20. Chicas said Guatemala shared the goals outlined in the resolution and said he would immediately consult with Guatemala's mission to the OAS, which he [...] |
2004-05-24 21:08:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PARM GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1313 |
COLITE APPLICATION FOR BILLBOARD CONSTRUCTION [...] Summary: Embassy has no objections to Colite Outdoor's application for OPIC insurance for its billboard operation but recommends caution in defining what is covered due to the vagueness of Guatemalan law with respect to "visual pollution." End Summary. 2. The construction of billboards i [...] |
2004-05-26 19:22:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | EINV GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1328 |
TENTATIVE GOG SUPPORT FOR PEREZ IAJC CANDIDACY [...] In the absence of Foreign Minister Jorge Briz (in Guadalajara for Ibero-American Summit), Ambassador Hamilton discussed reftel talking points with Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Marta Altolaguirre on May 28. Altolaguirre expressed tentative GOG support for Antonio Perez's candidacy to the [...] |
2004-05-28 16:38:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PARM GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1361 |
(C) DIFFICULT POLITICS OF ARTICLE 98 PASSAGE [...] (C) Summary. As reported reftel, the GOG signed an Article 98 agreement on April 28 but requested that we keep the agreement confidential while it devises a strategy to gain Congressional approval. MFA Vice Minister Skinner-Klee told DCM on May 25 that the GOG remains absolutely committed t [...] |
2004-06-02 14:35:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PREL GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1397 |
GUATEMALA WILL EXPRESS SUPPORT OF INTERIM IRAQUI [...] On June 4, the Ambassador delivered reftel points to Foreign Minister Jorge Briz and Interior Minister Arturo Soto. The Ambassador urged the GOG to express support for the Interim Iraqi Government (IIG) bilaterally in a diplomatic note and in coordination with other Central American countrie [...] |
2004-06-04 18:53:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PARM GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1442 |
ANTI-GOG PROTESTS END PEACEFULLY, EARLY [...] (U) Summary: Nationwide protests organized by labor and popular groups scheduled for June 8-9 were suspended late on June 8 after protest leaders reached agreement with President Berger on a range of measures to address demands. The demonstrations were smaller than expected and remained pea [...] |
2004-06-10 16:47:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINS PHUM ELAB GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1447 |
GUATEMALA: HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE #4-2004 [...] (U) This message summarizes significant recent developments relating to human rights, including: -- Executive Send CICIACS to Court (paras 2-3) -- Progress on Southcom Human Rights Initiative (4) -- Human Rights NGOs Speak Out on National Police (5) -- New Trial in Rio Negro Massacre [...] |
2004-06-10 19:07:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KCRM KWMN AORC GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1460 |
BREAKFAST WITH BERGER: PROGRESS ON MILITARY [...] (C) At breakfast with Ambassador June 10, President Berger expressed appreciation for U.S. assistance to date on military downsizing and accepted that we would need a better idea of how the money would be used before asking the Congress to unfreeze the $2.2 million of MAP funds. Vice Presid [...] |
2004-06-10 23:24:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV MASS MCAP GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1464 |
GOG RESPONSE TO CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION [...] (U) PolOff delivered reftel points to MFA Multilateral Affairs Director Sylvia Corrado on June 8. Corrado asserted that GOG wished to respect its obligations to Article VII of the Chemical Weapons Convention, but that she was not aware of any current legislation. Corrado will bring up the CW [...] |
2004-06-14 17:54:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM ABUD ES GT AROC CWC CBW OPCW |
| 04GUATEMALA1477 |
TFUS01: REAGAN CONDOLENCES [...] Summary: The Embassy received condolence letters addressed to the Ambassador from President Oscar Berger Perdomo and former President (1986-90) and sitting Congressional Deputy Vinicio Cerezo regarding the passing of former President Reagan. The President, the Vice President, the Foreign Mi [...] |
2004-06-15 20:02:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | GT PGOV PREL US |
| 04GUATEMALA1479 |
GUATEMALA WILL VOTE AGAINST NO-ACTION IN ECOSOC [...] (U) Poloff delivered reftel points to MFA Multilateral Affairs Director Sylvia Corrado on June 14. Corrado relayed demarche to the GOG Mission to the UN. Corrado confirmed on June 15 that GOG will vote against any no-action motion on Belarus, North Korea, or Cuba resolutions raised in ECOSOC [...] |
2004-06-15 22:29:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM GT PDEM UNCHR ECOSOC UN |
| 04GUATEMALA1519 |
GOG RESPONSE ON ECLAC MEETING IN PUERTO RICO [...] No summary [...] |
2004-06-17 22:25:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SOCI EAID PHUM XL XM GT UN ECLAC |
| 04GUATEMALA1550 |
GOG RESPONSE TO HAITI DEMARCHE [...] No summary [...] |
2004-06-23 15:03:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID EFIN HA PREL GT XLUM |
| 04GUATEMALA1555 |
PAYMENTS TO EX-PACS RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL [...] (U) Summary: The Constitutional Court (CC) ruled on June 21 that payments to the ex-civil self defense patrollers (ex-PACs), authorized by the government of former President Alfonso Portillo, were unconstitutional. After a week of public threats against the Court, the reaction to the ruling [...] |
2004-06-23 20:02:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINS PHUM ELAB GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1573 |
TIP BILATERAL MINISTERIAL MEETING RESULTS [...] (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador and Embassy anti-TIP team met with the Government of Guatemala inter-institutional group to combat TIP on June 22 to formally present the 2004 TIP report and urge continued progress combating TIP. The GOG's reaction to the release of the 2004 Trafficking in Per [...] |
2004-06-25 13:36:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1604 |
ATTACK AGAINST KAREN FISCHER REPORTED [...] (U) On June 23, major daily "Prensa Libre" reported that Karen Fischer, former Special Prosecutor against Corruption and private plaintiff in the 1993 murder of "El Grafico" publisher Jorge Carpio Nicolle, was the target of an attempted assault June 19. EconCouns contacted Fischer, who report [...] |
2004-06-29 20:47:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM GT |
| 04GUATEMALA162 |
GUATEMALA & CAFTA ENVIRONMENT PUBLIC SUBMISSION [...] Embassy learned from GOG that its preference is to have SIECA (Secretaria de la Integracion Economica Centroamericana) (a SICA body, as is the CCAD) enforce the environmental chapter because its members include ONLY the Central Americans. An office of trade and environment within SIECA (NAFT [...] |
2004-01-23 18:09:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | SENV ETRD GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1635 |
POST SUGGESTS POSTPONING PROPOSED VISIT ON PSI [...] (C) While Post fully supports the establishment of a Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) ship boarding agreement with Guatemala, we wish to avoid overloading the MFA and Congress while other sensitive bilateral issues are on the boiler. The MFA has recently indicated that pushing a PSI s [...] |
2004-07-01 22:15:00 | Embassy Guatemala | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP MNUC PARM PREL GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1641 |
FISCAL PACKAGE PASSED: LESS THAN IDEAL, BUT [...] (U) SUMMARY: The Guatemalan Congress passed on June 21 and 23 the Temporary and Extraordinary Tax to Support the Peace Agreements (IETAP), reforms to the Corporate Income Tax, and reforms to the Tax on the Distribution of Alcoholic Beverages. Reform of the value added and personal income tax [...] |
2004-07-02 16:52:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1643 |
UPCOMING TESTIMONY IN CARPIO CASE [...] (SBU) On July 1, EconCouns discussed with former anti-corruption prosecutor Karen Fischer her upcoming testimony in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) hearing on the 1993 murder of Jorge Carpio Nicolle. Carpio Nicolle was killed while traveling to a campaign rally (gearing up f [...] |
2004-07-02 17:02:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1668 |
GOG RESPONSE ON TRANSPARENCY CLAUSE DEMARCHE [...] No summary [...] |
2004-07-07 22:53:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV KSUM KCRM GT KDEM KCOR PREF |
| 04GUATEMALA1696 |
GOG GIVES NEW REPARATIONS COMMISSION 3.7 MILLION [...] (U) Summary. President Oscar Berger formally installed Rosalina Tuyuc, head of CONAVIGUA (an organization representing widows and orphans from the civil conflict), as President of the National Reparations Commission (CNR) on July 6. Berger also confirmed seven Commission representatives fro [...] |
2004-07-09 17:13:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1698 |
CENTRAL AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL SUMMIT [...] (U) Summary: Heads of state from member countries in the Central American Integration System (SICA) met in Guatemala City at the organization's 24th Presidential Summit on June 29. Summit representatives discussed reforms to the Central American Parliament (Parlacen), migratory issues, comme [...] |
2004-07-09 17:17:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1718 |
SECSTATE 150754 [...] No summary [...] |
2004-07-12 22:55:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL GT |
| 04GUATEMALA1727 |
GROUNDBREAKING CONVICTION OF MILITARY OFFICIALS [...] Summary. Fourteen soldiers were sentenced to 40 years in prison on July 9 for the murder of 11 civilians during the 1995 Xaman massacre. The Xaman killings were the last of approximately 626 massacres perpetrated by the army during Guatemala's 36-year civil conflict, and occurred only fourte [...] |
2004-07-13 23:49:00 | Embassy Guatemala | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV |