US embassy cable - 04GUATEMALA1604

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 001604 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/28/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, GT 
SUBJECT: ATTACK AGAINST KAREN FISCHER REPORTED 
 
 
1. (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 
reported that three men were waiting in front of her 
Guatemala city home when she returned from her farm, and that 
one of the men had fired at her car, injuring a bodyguard. 
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) will hold a 
hearing on the Carpio case on July 5, and Fischer believed 
that the attack against her could be related to the case. 
 
2.  (U) While in route to a political rally in El Quiche on 
July 3, 1993, Jorge Carpio Nicolle, founder of the National 
Central Union party (UCN), twice presidential candidate, and 
then Head of Congress, was stopped in his car and shot to 
death, along with three members of his campaign team.  Though 
surface investigations by the Public Ministry attributed the 
murder to an attempted robbery, human rights leaders have 
maintained that ex-civil self defense patrollers (ex-PACs) 
from Jocopilas were responsible.  Carpio's ex-daughter-in-law 
and former private secretary, Karen Fischer, has been active 
as a private plaintiff and spokesperson for the prosecution 
of Carpio's death, both in the Guatemalan legal system and in 
the IACHR. 
 
3.  (U) Guatemala press attributed the attack against Fischer 
to the upcoming July 5 hearing on the Carpio case in the 
IACHR.  Fischer was unharmed, but one of her bodyguards was 
injured and briefly hospitalized.  EconCouns spoke to 
Fischer, who told him that she was uncertain about whether 
the incident could be related to the IACHR hearing.  Fischer, 
who requested no assistance from the Embassy, reported that 
Attorney General Juan Luis Florido, Interior Minister Arturo 
Soto, and Human Rights Ombudsman Sergio Morales had also 
called her to expressed concern. 
 
4.  (C)  MINUGUA official Tim Koenigs told the Ambassador 
June 23 that their initial inquiry raised some questions as 
to what may actually have happened.  He noted that Fischer 
had not reported the incident until a day after it happened, 
that she (a former prosecutor) had made no effort to secure 
the crime scene and that the lightly injured bodyguard was 
avoiding being questioned by police.  Koenig said the Office 
of the Human Rights Ombudsman had its doubts, too.  Fischer 
told EconCouns that she had assumed that the police would be 
notified by the hospital and had reported the shooting the 
next day after learning that the police were still unaware. 
To this point, the National Civil Police (PNC) and the Human 
Rights Ombudsman's office (PDH) have still not been able to 
question the injured bodyguard further to clarify his 
testimony.  Koenig said it may be difficult under the 
circumstances to determine the truth; stressing that he/his 
staff were speculating. Koenig said embarrasment over an 
accidental discharge may have led the bodyguard to come up 
with the version of an assault. 
 
5.  (C) The June 23 edition of Prensa Libre also reported 
that Frank LaRue, head of the President's Commission on Human 
Rights (COPREDEH) received a death threat against himself and 
Fischer in relation to the Carpio case.  However, LaRue 
downplayed the report to HROff, stating that though a 
anonymous  caller to COPREDEH did mention both individuals, 
he did not consider the call a genuine threat. 
 
5.  (SBU) On June 28, daily "El Periodico" published a paid 
advertisement from Fischer, thanking the PDH, Minister Soto, 
the international community, and others for their support 
following the attack.  Comment. The PNC have provided 
protection for Fischer coordinated by COPREDEH for the past 
three years and will continue to do so.  The silver lining in 
this incident is that it has drawn increased international 
and press attention to the outcome of the IACHR's upcoming 
ruling in the previously low-profile Carpio case. 
HAMILTON