US embassy cable - 04BOGOTA1187

UNCLAS BOGOTA 001187 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, PREL, PTER, CO 
SUBJECT:  COLOMBIA NATIONAL POLICE PRESENCE IN CONFLICTIVE AREAS: 
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 
 
 
1.  ONE OF PRESIDENT URIBE'S TOP STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES HAS BEEN TO 
"CONSOLIDATE STATE CONTROL" OVER COLOMBIAN TERRITORY BY 
REESTABLISHING A PUBLIC SECURITY FORCE PRESENCE THROUGHOUT 
COLOMBIA. IN AUGUST 2002, WHEN PRESIDENT URIBE TOOK OFFICE, 158 
OF COLOMBIA'S 1098 MUNICIPALITIES (EQUIVALENT TO U.S. COUNTIES) 
HAD NO POLICE PRESENCE, AND THESE POPULATIONS WERE OFTEN UNDER DE 
FACTO CONTROL OF COLOMBIA'S TERRORIST GROUPS.  THE COLOMBIAN 
NATIONAL POLICE (CNP), WITH USG SUPPORT VIA THE NAS REESTABLISH 
PUBLIC SECURITY PROJECT, HAS NOW COMPLETED THE PLAN TO DEPLOY 
PERMANENT POLICE UNITS TO ALL OF THE COUNTRY'S MUNICIPALITIES. 
THE LAST THREE MUNICIPALITIES (MIRAFLORES IN GUAVIARE DEPARTMENT, 
AND CARURU AND TARAIRA IN VAUPES DEPARTMENT) WERE REOCCUPIED 
BETWEEN JANUARY 31 AND FEBRUARY 4, 2004.  THE CNP, ARMY, AND AIR 
FORCE CONDUCTED WELL-PLANNED AND -EXECUTED JOINT OPERATIONS TO 
ACCOMPLISH THIS TASK.  NO FRIENDLY COMBAT LOSSES WERE REPORTED 
AND THE FARC APPEARS TO HAVE WITHDRAWN IN THE FACE OF 
OVERWHELMING GOVERNMENT FORCE.  SEPTEL WILL PROVIDE PLANNING AND 
OPERATIONAL DETAILS. 
 
2.  COMMENT:  MIRAFLORES, WHICH FELL TO THE FARC IN AUGUST 1998, 
AND CARURU ARE PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT GAINS FOR THE GOC AND 
STRATEGIC AND SYMBOLIC LOSSES FOR THE FARC.  MIRAFLORES HAS BEEN 
AT THE CENTER OF FARC DRUG TRAFFICKING IN GUAVIARE DEPARTMENT AND 
WILL SERVE AS A VALUABLE FORWARD OPERATING LOCATION FOR AERIAL 
ERADICATION OPERATIONS IN THAT REGION.  CARURU HAS BEEN A PRIMARY 
AIRFIELD USED BY ILLEGAL AIRCRAFT SUSPECTED OF NARCOTRAFFICKING; 
A POLICE PRESENCE THERE WILL FACILITATE COLOMBIAN AIR BRIDGE 
DENIAL OPERATIONS ALONG THE COLOMBIA-BRAZIL BORDER.  END COMMENT. 
WOOD