US embassy cable - 03GUATEMALA2594

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 002594 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2013 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, EFIN, PINR, MOPS, GT 
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS APPLAUD NEW SAAS LAW 
 
Classified By: PolCouns David Lindwall for reason 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (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 
January 14, 2000, and has been gradually taking over duties 
from the EMP during the long transition.  The new SAAS law 
assures that the terms of the presidential decree are 
permanent, and was viewed by civil society as a sign that the 
Portillo government and the FRG majority in Congress remain 
committed to demobilizing the EMP on November 1.  MINUGUA 
issued a press statement congratulating the government for 
passage of the SAAS law, and senior human rights leaders were 
quoted in the press supporting the legislation. 
 
2. (C) During the long Congressional debate of the law, 
numerous articles were added which appeared to give the 
military continued influence over the President's security. 
The Ambassador raised our concerns about these modifications 
with President Portillo, noting that the international 
community viewed these as perpetuating the EMP under another 
name.  Portillo promised the Ambassador that if the law was 
passed by Congress with the unhelpful modifications, he would 
veto it.  PolOffs met with opposition legislators, who had 
been distracted from their Congressional duties by their own 
electoral campaigns, to urge them to weigh-in against the 
modifications.  Nineth Montenegro, of the left-of-center ANN 
party, agreed to take the lead, and opposed the modifications 
on the floor of Congress.  Other opposition parties joined 
her, and the modifications were eventually withdrawn.  The 
law as passed received some criticism for the financial 
implications it assumed in offering security to all former 
Presidents and Vice Presidents, but was applauded for 
effectively eliminating military influence over the 
Presidential household -- a key commitment from the Peace 
Accords. 
 
3. (C) Comment: The long-awaited demobilization of the EMP, 
scheduled for November 1, is on track.  We have received 
assurances from Portillo on down that there will not be a 
delay.  On October 6, Congress assigned the EMP a budget 
supplemental of Q16.4 million (roughly $2 million), 
generating renewed criticisms of the Portillo 
Administrations' use of the EMP's non-transparent budget. 
But others saw it as a final payment to consign the EMP to 
history, once and for all. 
HAMILTON