US embassy cable - 04CARACAS3124

C O N F I D E N T I A L  CARACAS 003124 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR CBARTON 
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS USAID FOR DCHA/OTI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KWMN, VE 
SUBJECT: GOV EFFORTS TO COMBAT TIPS 
 
REF: CARACAS 03025 
 
Classified By: Abelardo A. Arias, Political Counselor, 
for Reason 1.4(d) 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) Venezuela's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) chairs a 
22-person interdepartmental working group that meets 
approximately once a month to coordinate efforts to combat 
trafficking in persons.  Representatives from the MFA and the 
Ministry of Interior and Justice (MIJ) told Poloff on 
September 27, 28 and 30, that specific action plans for 
individual Ministries have been identified, and they will 
begin implementation in late October. The national 
investigative police (CICPC) is currently working on 2 
international human trafficking case involving 7 women.  The 
GOV appears more energized on TIP, and we will continue to 
engage them on this issue.  End Summary. 
 
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Meetings and Plans 
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2. (C) National investigative police (CICPC) Interpol 
division commissioner Henry Matos told Poloff September 27 
that he and other Ministry of Interior and Justice (MIJ) 
personnel were part of a working group chaired by the 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).  Matos said the MFA has 
provided courses in spreading awareness, prevention, and 
coordination (interagency and international) to 
representatives of 15 different Ministries or agencies. 
Matos provided Poloff with a sample of an awareness and 
prevention pamphlet the GOV intends to print and distribute 
as part of its awareness campaign.  He also provided a 
four-page plan produced by the MFA as a result of what Matos 
said were monthly meetings.  According to the plan, the MIJ's 
Directorate General of Crime Prevention would act as a 
clearinghouse for human trafficking cooperation. 
 
3. (C) Mirna Lopez, MIJ Assistant Director of Crime 
Prevention, told Poloff on September 28 that the MIJ planned 
to launch pilot training programs for law enforcement, 
government officials, and civil society at the end of 
October. The pilot programs would include awareness, 
prevention and coordination training.  If the pilots are 
successful, Lopez said the MIJ would expand the program to 
regularly scheduled training sessions by the first quarter of 
2005. 
 
4. (C) On September 30, MFA Director for International 
Organized Crime, Drugs, and Corruption, Ana Cassadore, 
confirmed that the pamphlet provided by Matos was to be 
printed and distributed to all consulates by the end of 
October.  Cassadore said the Ministry of Education would also 
be distributing the pamphlets within Venezuela.  Asked about 
statistics to determine the extent of the problem in 
Venezuela, Cassadore said the National Statistics Institute 
was "just now" being invited to take part in the working 
group.  Cassadore and Otilia Kaufman from the Crime 
Prevention Unit of the MIJ noted that the draft Law Against 
Organized Crime makes trafficking in persons punishable by 
8-10 years in prison, and has provisions for additional time 
if the victim is a child or if trafficking was done for 
sexual exploitation.  However, the law has languished in the 
National Assembly since 2001.  Cassadore asserted that the 
MFA twice in 2004 requested action on the proposed law, but 
could do no more.  Lopez, Kaufman, and Cassadore all asserted 
that the lack of legislation would not prevent the 
Ministries' implementation of the current action plans. 
 
5. (C) As in meeting with human rights officer September 21 
(reftel), Cassadore reiterated the GOV's interest in being 
removed from Tier 3 early.  She asked that the Embassy send 
an amended report that "accurately" reflects GOV's efforts to 
combat human trafficking.  Poloff told Cassadore that it 
would be prudent to review the information regarding GOV 
efforts before discussing next steps. 
 
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Work in Progress 
 
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6. (C) Commissioner Matos pointed out that indirectly, using 
existing laws against kidnapping or child protection laws, 
the CICPC can obtain warrants to arrest perpetrators and 
cooperate with international law enforcement to secure the 
safe return of victims.   Matos said CICPC is working on two 
international human trafficking cases involving 7 women. 
Mexican law-enforcement officials cooperated with CICPC to 
return two trafficked women to their families, but CICPC is 
still working to apprehend the perpetrator in Venezuela. 
According to Matos, five women were also trafficked to Spain, 
but despite cooperation with Spanish law-enforcement, the GOV 
has been unable to secure their return and apprehend those 
responsible. 
 
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Comment 
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7. (C) MFA and MIJ have put effort into developing a 
coordinated action plan to combat human trafficking.  While 
concrete plans appear to have been developed, so far there 
has been only training for working group representatives. 
Efforts to go beyond awareness and prevention plans will 
continue to be hampered as long as there is a lack of 
anti-trafficking legislation.  The recent coordination 
between the MFA and the Interior (police) Ministry is 
positive, as is the current CICPC effort.  While they will 
never admit it, the TIP sanctions have motivated the GOV to 
take some concrete steps. 
 
 
Brownfield 
 
 
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      2004CARACA03124 - CONFIDENTIAL