US embassy cable - 04GUATEMALA2192

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUATEMALA 002192 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, EAID, SNAR, MARR, KJUS, ASEC, GT 
SUBJECT: STAFFDEL SIMON 
 
REF: GUATEMALA 02180 
 
1.  (U) Summary:  Jennifer Simon, Professional Staff to the 
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visited Guatemala from 
August 21-25.  During her visit, Simon met with a broad range 
of GOG and NGO contacts, including Vice President Eduardo 
Stein, MFA Vice-Minister Marta Altolaguirre, Human Rights 
Commissioner Frank LaRue, Minister of Government Carlos 
Vielman, Minister of Defense Casar Pinela, human rights 
activist Helen Mack, Roving Ambassador Rigoberta Menchu, etc. 
 Simon's primary interests focused on AID projects and 
funding levels, human rights, CICIACS, military downsizing, 
TIP, and counter-narcotics.  Overall, the visit was very 
positive.  Simon's five-word summary of her conclusions from 
her visit was that Guatemala is "on the right track."  End 
Summary. 
 
AID programs 
------------ 
 
2.  (U)  Simon visited a wide-variety of AID projects:  a 
Victim's Shelter located in a former military base, a Justice 
Center, non-traditional exporters Agexpront, and a women's 
Village Bank.  She said she was struck by the relatively low 
ratio of funding on a per capita basis for Guatemala compared 
with other AID missions in Central America. 
 
Human Rights 
------------ 
 
3.  (U)  In various meetings, Simon heard that the levels of 
threats against human rights defenders peaked in 2002 but 
remain high.  Human rights leaders (Menchu, Mack, Blanco, 
Samayoa) expressed confidence in the intentions of Berger and 
Stein.  However, they also expressed concern about deep 
divides in both the Cabinet and Congress on issues such as 
the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 
CICIACS, and ex-Pac payments.  Simon's visit came immediately 
after Congress passed a bill approving payments to former 
ex-Pacs, and she discussed both the moral issue and the 
fiscal impact of the payments with HR leaders and VP Stein. 
 
CICIACS 
------- 
 
4.  (U) In her orientation briefing with Country Team, the 
Ambassador described his recent meeting with Fuentes-Destarac 
regarding CICIACS (reftel) and summarized the GOG's 
developing plan to reshape CICIACS to work within the Public 
Ministry.  Though HR leaders expressed disappointment that 
the GOG had not consulted with civil society or the Human 
Rights Ombudsman since the August 6 Court decision, Simon 
left expressing belief that hope remains for implementing a 
CICIACS-like institution.   She told HR leaders that she 
hoped they would not give up on CICIACS. 
 
Military Downsizing 
------------------- 
 
5.  (U)  Simon discussed the military downsizing with VP 
Stein, Milgp and DATT, and human rights activists.  All 
praised the Berger government for quickly accomplishing a 
significant draw-down with little resistance from the 
military.  Simon also attended a breakfast hosted by the 
Milgp commander, organized for Human Rights Commissioner 
Frank LaRue (COPREDEH) and Defense Minister Pinedo to discuss 
Southcom's coordination with the Guatemalan MOD on developing 
a human rights initiative.  Ever since LaRue's translation 
for Pinedo's presentation in Washington, DC, the warm 
relationship between COPREDEH and the MOD has been striking. 
 
Trafficking in Persons 
---------------------- 
 
6.  (U)  Simon met with Vice-Minister Altolaguirre, who spoke 
of GOG efforts in the inter-institutional group to coordinate 
on TIP.  Altolaguirre discussed the scope of the problem, the 
need for dissemination of information to the public (the 
Secretariat for Social Welfare is currently spearheading a 
 
SIPDIS 
information campaign), and the MFA's work on a package of 
trafficking legislation (some legislation on increasing 
penalties is already being reviewed in Congress). 
 
Counter-narcotics 
----------------- 
7.  (U) Simon met with MOG Vielman and Vice-Minister Sylvia 
Vasquez, who discussed their plans to crack down on houses 
distributing drugs near school zones, the implementation of 
the "Ley Seca" (closing bars and clubs at 1 am), beginning 
large-scale investigations into major drug cartels, and 
sending a group of 100 police officers to foreign police 
academies for training to later form an elite force. 
 
De-briefing 
----------- 
 
8.  (SBU)  Before Simon's departure, the Ambassador spoke 
with her at the airport, expressing belief that US interests 
would be well served by release of the $3.2 million in MAP 
funds for military modernization, a Section 660 waiver for 
Guatemala in order to more effectively work with the national 
police, and maintaining/boosting AID funding.  The Ambassador 
stressed CAFTA's importance for consolidating gains in 
Central America.  The Ambassador also mentioned his recent 
meeting with Jennifer Harbury and her upcoming application 
for humanitarian parole for 10-25 relatives of Otoniel de la 
Roca Mendoza (witness in the 2000 IACHR Bamaca case) whom she 
believes are being targeted for threats and murder (Post will 
draft septel recommendation for approval of their petition). 
9.  (U) Simon did not have the opportunity to clear this 
cable before her departure. 
 
HAMILTON