US embassy cable - 05ASUNCION152

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 000152 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA A/S NORIEGA 
STATE FOR WHA DAS JIM DERHAM 
OAS FOR AMBASSADOR MAISTO 
NSC FOR TOM SHANNON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, PA, OAS 
SUBJECT: PARAGUAYAN PRESIDENT SUPPORTS COLOMBIA IN DISPUTE 
WITH VENEZUELA 
 
 
Classified By: Charge Kevin M. Johnson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1.  (C)  During a lengthy meeting on other issues 1/28 
(septel) President Duarte raised with the Ambassador the 
Colombia-Venezuela dispute.  Duarte said President Uribe 
called him three days ago and that he supports Colombia's 
position.  Duarte said he understands the need for 
"diplomatic niceties" but that he had no patience for those 
allowing subversives to walk free while a neighboring nation 
suffers.  Paraguay has its own concerns about Colombian 
subversives fomenting unrest and supporting leftist movements 
involved in kidnapping and assaults, Duarte continued; 
Colombia has faced over 40 years of this.  With significant 
emotion, Duarte said that if a neighboring country were 
protecting a similar figure involved in subverting Paraguay, 
and he had the capacity to act, "he would do exactly what 
Uribe did." 
 
2.  (C)  Comment:  The vehemence of Duarte's denunciation of 
Venezuela's position comes in the context of Colombia's 
support to the investigation of the kidnapping of former 
President Cubas' daughter and involvement of the local 
leftist Patria Libre (PL) party in that kidnapping and other 
criminal activities.  Duarte and the Attorney General report 
Colombian insurgents have helped PL in both criminal 
activities to raise funds and in organizing unrest in the 
countryside (septel to follow.) 
 
 
JOHNSON