US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA85

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 000085 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/06/2014 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, PHUM, PINR, PINS, MOPS, CO, FARC 
SUBJECT: SENIOR FARC LEADER SIMON TRINIDAD IN CUSTODY: GOC 
INTEREST IN EXTRADITION TO THE U.S. 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons 1.5 (b) 
and (d) 
 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) On January 2, Ecuadorian authorities arrested Revolutionary 
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) commander Ricardo Ovidio Palmera Pineda 
alias "Simon Trinidad."  He is now in Colombia, where he faces over 50 
counts of terrorism and other serious crimes.  Palmera, who played a ke 
role in managing FARC finances and is implicated in several high-profil 
terrorist incidents, is the highest-ranking FARC commander ever to be 
captured. His capture is a major political victory for President Uribe 
and demonstrates the importance of effective security cooperation 
between Colombia and its neighbors.  The GOC would like to extradite 
Palmera to the U.S.  End Summary. 
 
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Ecuador-Colombian Cooperation 
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2. (C) On January 2, Ecuadorian authorities arrested Revolutionary 
Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) commander Ricardo Ovidio Palmera Pineda 
alias "Simon Trinidad," in a popular tourist district of Quito.  Palmer 
was allegedly in Quito to receive treatment for prostate cancer.  The 
Ecuadorian National Police (ENP) had been tracking his movements for 
several weeks.  After appearing before an Ecuadorian judge, Palmera was 
turned over to Colombian authorities and transported to Bogota, where 
he faces a total of 59 charges of terrorism, kidnapping, and drug 
trafficking.  The GOC was fully aware of the Ecuadorian operation and, 
prior to the arrest, provided Ecuadorian officials with a positive 
identification of Palmera.  Contrary to press reports, an informant did 
not provide Colombian military authorities with information on 
Palmera's whereabouts; the ENP planned most of the operation 
independently of Colombian authorities. 
 
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Who is "Simon Trinidad"? 
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3. (C) Palmera, more commonly known as "Simon Trinidad," is the most 
senior FARC commander ever captured.  Although not a member of the 
seven-member FARC Secretariat, Palmera was an influential member of the 
FARC's General Staff ("Estado Mayor"), a decision-making body ranking 
directly below the Secretariat that administers most of the FARC's 
political, strategic, and operational activities.  Palmera -- who holds 
a university degree in economics and hails from a wealthy 
cattle-ranching family in the department of Cesar -- helped manage FARC 
finances and drug trafficking operations. 
 
4. (C) Palmera is believed to have been directly involved in several 
high profile terrorist incidents, including the kidnapping and murder o 
former Minister of Culture Consuelo Araujo in September 2001 and the 
deaths in May 2002 of over 100 civilians who took refuge in a church 
during a clash between the FARC and paramilitary forces in the town of 
Boyaja, Choco department.  The 53-year-old Palmera has been an active 
member of the FARC for nearly 20 years and gained public prominence fro 
his role as a hard-nosed FARC negotiator during peace negotiations with 
the government of President Andres Pastrana from 1998-2002.  Palmera di 
not play a major role in planning FARC combat operations; his absence i 
unlikely to hurt the group's military capacity. 
 
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Public Relations Coup 
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5. (C) Palmera's capture is a political victory for Uribe, who has 
publicly pledged to kill or capture leaders of Colombia's illegal armed 
groups before the end of his term.  Colombian media have touted the 
arrest as the most important blow to the FARC in recent memory, and it 
should temporarily satisfy the public's growing impatience to see the 
GOC achieve a major victory against the insurgent group.  Palmera's 
arrest also demonstrates the importance of close security cooperation 
between the GOC and officials in neighboring countries, where FARC 
leaders often go for relaxation. 
 
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Extradition 
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6. (C) Senior GOC officials, including President Uribe, have asked that 
the U.S. consider requesting the extradition of Palmera.  They 
obviously would prefer to see him secure in a U.S. jail than processed 
in the sometimes unreliable Colombian judicial system.  Their requests 
have had a note of urgency to them.  At this time, however, Palmera doe 
not face criminal charges in the U.S.  The Embassy is unaware of any 
pending investigations against this well-known narco-terrorist by U.S. 
law enforcement agencies. 
WOOD