US embassy cable - 04GUATEMALA1477

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001477 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: GT, PGOV, PREL, US 
SUBJECT: TFUS01: REAGAN CONDOLENCES 
 
1.  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 Minister, and the Minister of Education also 
called to express their condolences.  The diplomatic corps 
and several other Government officials signed Embassy 
condolence books.  End Summary. 
 
2.  Unofficial English translations of the texts of both 
messages follow. 
 
Text of Message from President Berger: 
 
 
Allow me to express my condolences for the passing of Mister 
Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States of 
America, and permit me to ask you to extend our nation's 
condolences to your illustrious government and to the noble 
people of the United States of America. 
 
 
Text of Message from Former President Cerezo: 
 
 
Recently I became aware of the passing of Mister President 
Ronald Reagan, after a lengthy illness.  I personally had the 
pleasure and honor to share very special moments in the 
history of our two countries and Central America with Mister 
President Reagan, and I always appreciated his sense of 
history and the role that the United States of America should 
play in the world, particularly his convictions regarding the 
greatness of American ideals, as an example for the rest of 
the world. 
 
Surely on some occasions we might have had different points 
of view regarding issues of mutual interest, but I always 
perceived in his attitude that the philosophy that inspired 
his government would permit democratic leaders in the world 
to find common ground despite their differences, which 
convinced me then of the importance of trying to find points 
of convergence uniting our countries in mutual understanding. 
 
This allows me to testify to the important role that Mister 
President Ronald Reagan played in guiding the foreign policy 
of the United States of America in difficult times and 
contributing to the solution of these problems; I always 
respected his ingenuity, his wisdom, and his gift as a 
statesman and for this I offer tribute to the memory of one 
of the great presidents of the United States and of the 
world.  Allow me to offer my sincere condolences and ask you 
to send these sentiments to his family, and through the 
United States Government to the people of the United States 
of America. 
 
3.  The Embassy also received condolence letters from 
Education Minister Maria del Carmen Acena de Fuentes; and 
Carlos Ramiro Martinez, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. 
 
4.  The Embassy provided two condolence books.  One was 
located in the chancery and was signed by the diplomatic 
corps and other government officials.  Among those who signed 
the condolence book in the chancery were the Ambassadors of 
Korea, the Dominican Republic, Canada, Germany, Japan, Spain, 
the Holy See, Switzerland, Nicaragua, Norway, Argentina, 
Brazil, and Chile; and the Chief of Mission for the OIM.  The 
other book was placed in the American-Guatemala Institute and 
received notes from the general public. 
HAMILTON