US embassy cable - 04QUITO2773

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 QUITO 002773 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/PPC, WHA/AND, G/TIP, AND AID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PREL, EC, Trafficking 
SUBJECT: ECUADOR TIP UPDATE 
 
REF: A. QUITO 2595 
     B. QUITO 2447 
 
1.  Summary.  Ecuadorian police conducted nearly 50 raids 
September 16 - 30 and found 55 minors suspected as victims of 
trafficking in persons (TIP).  USAID signed a $300,000 
agreement with Geneva Global to begin a small grants program 
aimed at prevention, prosecution and protection of TIP. 
Press play was heavy on the Angel Mariscal and Burdet Cedeno 
child pornography cases.  The Embassy has provided TIP 
messages to local media.  Several TIP-related reform bills 
are pending in Congress.  End Summary. 
 
 
Minors Found in Police Raids 
---------------------------- 
 
2.  DINAPEN, the police unit dedicated to protecting 
children, reported that from September 16 - 23, the police 
rescued 77 minors in 26 raids of bars, brothels, and 
nightclubs, 22 of whom are believed to have engaged in 
prostitution, in these raids.  Most of the children were 
found in southern Ecuador in the provinces of Guayas, Azuay, 
and Loja.  In raids conducted September 24 - 30, police 
rescued 122 minors, of whom 43 were believed to be involved 
in prostitution.  Twenty-five of the 43 minors were found in 
one disco bar, that prostitutes frequent, in Esmeraldas. 
Most minors found in both weeks' raids were returned to 
relatives, except those found in Guayas province who were all 
taken to "Patio de Mi Pana", a group that shelters 
adolescents.  We plan to visit shortly to learn more about 
its services to TIP victims. 
 
USAID Launches Grants to Combat TIP and Assist Victims 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
3.  On September 30, USAID and NGO Geneva Global signed a 
cooperative agreement establishing a small grants program to 
combat TIP in the areas of prevention, rehabilitation, and 
prosecution.  USAID provided $300,000, and from November 2004 
to September 2006, the grant should fund 12 to 16 projects. 
If successful, the grants would provide:  education of 
potential 40,000 potential victims about the risks of 
trafficking; education of 10,000 community members, teachers, 
and leaders about the dangers of trafficking in their 
communities; job skill training for 1,500 victims; 
psychological and medical treatment for 1,000 victims; legal 
assistance for 250 victims; and training on combating TIP for 
150 public officials and lawyers.  The AID grants are part of 
our strategy to supplement Ecuadorian government and civil 
society's existing efforts and lead to the creation of a 
self-sustaining network of integrated victims assistance 
centers throughout the country. 
 
 
Getting the Message Out to the Public 
------------------------------------ 
 
4.  On October 4, PAS distributed a Voice of America 
editorial that spoke out against TIP. Sixty radio stations in 
Ecuador aired the program. 
 
Child Pornography Cases Advance in Courts 
----------------------------------------- 
 
5.  On September 24, a U.S. judge sentenced Angel Mariscal, 
an Ecuadorian citizen and legal permanent resident in the 
U.S., to 100 years on 7 charges of child pornography.  In 
Cuba and Ecuador, he filmed pornography videos involving 150 
children, some of whom were less than 12 years old.  Jesenia 
Rezabala, Mariscal's ex-girlfriend, was sentenced to three 
years in Guayaquil for corruption of minors.  U.S. 
prosecutors said Mariscal made more than 300 videos.  Police 
in Guayas province determined that Mariscal's child 
pornography network abused more than 80 Ecuadorian children. 
National press play on this case was heavy. 
 
According to media, a court will try the Burdet Cedeno couple 
on four charges of raping minor girls and one charge of 
drugging minors.  These charges are related to the couple's 
well-known child pornography and sexual abuse case where a 
court convicted the couple on three charges and sentenced 
them to 12, 16, and 20 years.  (Ref B) 
 
Competing Reforms Before Congress 
--------------------------------- 
 
6.  Several bills to codify TIP and penalize involved parties 
are still pending in Congress.  We are reviewing them to 
determine how well they address trafficking, and will 
encourage Congress to move quickly on the most promising 
legislative reforms.  Septel will analyze the proposed 
reforms. 
KENNEY