US embassy cable - 05GUATEMALA294

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 GUATEMALA 000294 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE FOR WHAW/CEN, WHA/PDA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, KCOR, KPAO, EAID, ELAB, SENV, ETRD, GT 
SUBJECT: EXTRA, EXTRA! LETTER FROM GUATEMALA: THE BEST 
NEWS MONEY CAN BUY 
 
REF: GUATEMALA 0163 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: PITY THE POOR REPORTERS IN 
GUATEMALA. WHIPPED INTO A FRENZY OF HATRED AGAINST THE 
PREVIOUS PORTILLO GOVERNMENT, THEY NOW HAVE HAD A YEAR 
TO ADJUST TO PRESIDENT BERGER'S CLEANER 
ADMINISTRATION. WITH NO OBVIOUS GOVERNMENTAL ENEMY, 
EDITORIALISTS HAVE STRUGGLED TO STAY ON AN ADVERSARIAL 
FOOTING. AND AT THE LOWEST END OF THE JOURNALISM 
SPECTRUM, THINGS ARE AS BAD AS EVER. WAGES ARE LOW, 
NEWSROOM RIVALRIES AFFECT ASSIGNMENTS, AND LACK OF 
PROFESSIONALISM FILLS PAPERS WITH EMBARRASSING ERRORS, 
OMISSIONS, AND POOR WRITING. ALTHOUGH THE THREAT OF 
GOVERNMENT VIOLENCE AGAINST REPORTERS HAS DISAPPEARED, 
GETTING CAUGHT UP IN A RURAL LYNCHING IS STILL A REAL 
THREAT. THIS CABLE, AN EXTRA EDITION AND FIFTH IN A 
SERIES OF  "LETTERS FROM GUATEMALA," GIVES A SNAPSHOT 
OF THE CURRENT REPORTING CLIMATE. END SUMMARY. 
 
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THOU DOEST PROTEST TOO MUCH? 
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2. (SBU) PRENSA LIBRE, AL DIA, AND A NUMBER OF RADIO 
STATIONS CARRIED STORIES FEB. 2 ABOUT A HAM-HANDED 
ATTEMPT BY THE TRUCKERS' UNION TO BRIBE A GROUP OF 
JOURNALISTS AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IT CALLED TO 
ANNOUNCE -- OF ALL THINGS -- CONTRACT IRREGULARITIES. 
THE UNION OFFICIALS PASSED AROUND "FAFA" (ENVELOPES 
WITH CASH). THE ARTICLES AND SOUND BITES CARRIED LOTS 
OF INDIGNANT QUOTES FROM PEOPLE LIKE PRENSA LIBRE 
PUBLISHER AND CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN 
PRESS ASSOCIATION GONZALO MARROQUIN AS WELL AS RANK 
AND FILE REPORTERS ABOUT THE SHAMEFULNESS OF TRYING TO 
BUY OFF REPORTERS. PERHAPS THE STORY ILLUSTRATES HOW 
FAR GUATEMALAN MEDIA HAVE COME. BUT THEN AGAIN, THE 
SPACE AND VOLUME DEVOTED TO THE STORY SUGGESTS THAT 
COUPLING BRIBERY AND JOURNALISM IN GUATEMALA IS NOT 
UNCOMMON. 
 
3. (SBU) THE WORD "FAFA," A CORRUPTION OF THE ENGLISH 
"HALF AND HALF" REFERS TO THE PRACTICE OF SPLITTING 
ANY TIPS, COMMISSIONS, OR BRIBES BETWEEN A REPORTER 
AND HIS EDITOR. A BRIBABLE REPORTER IS A "FAFERO," AND 
ONE CAN BE "FAFEADO." THE HAPLESS TRUCKERS UNION WAS 
ONLY FOLLOWING A TIME HONORED PRACTICE -- AND ONE THAT 
CERTAINLY STILL GOES ON. INDEED, WE OFTEN HEAR OF THE 
SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FIREMEN AND 
PHOTOGRAPHERS. BOMBEROS, GENERALLY TRUSTED FAR MORE 
THAN POLICE, WILL NONETHELESS PUT IN CALLS TO 
PHOTOGRAPHERS WHEN ARRIVING AT AN ACCIDENT OR CRIME 
SCENE. THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN KNOWN (AGAIN FOR A FEE) TO 
PULL BACK A SHEET ON A CADAVER SO A PHOTOGRAPHER CAN 
GET AN ESPECIALLY GRUESOME SHOT. THEIR ALLEGED 
WILLINGNESS TO REARRANGE CRIME SCENES FOR JOURNALISTIC 
ENDS HAS LED TO GRUMBLING AMONG POLICE INVESTIGATOR 
UNITS. 
 
4. (SBU) FORMER PRESIDENT ALVARO ARZU OFFICIALLY ENDED 
THE PRACTICE OF GOG ABOVE-BOARD SUBSIDIES TO 
JOURNALISTS  AND PUBLISHED THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO HAD 
ACCEPTED BRIBES. THIS WHOLESALE ACTION BY THE 
GOVERNMENT FORCED PRIVATE ENTERPRISE AND MEDIA OUTLETS 
TO OVERHAUL THEIR PRACTICES  AT LEAST FOR A TIME. 
MARROQUIN'S CAREFULLY WORDED STATEMENT, WHICH CALLED 
"THE ATTITUDE OF THE UNION LEADERS SHAMEFUL," WAS 
NOTEWORTHY IN THAT IT DID NOT CONDEMN THE PRACTICE PER 
SE, OR WARN JOURNALISTS AGAINST PARTICIPATING. ONE 
MIGHT HAVE EXPECTED MARROQUIN, SURELY IN HIS POSITION 
AS PRESIDENT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION, 
TO GRASP THE CHANCE TO USE THE BULLY PULPIT MORE 
FORCEFULLY. 
 
5.(SBU) THE FAFA CAN ALSO BE USED TO KILL A STORY. 
SHOULD THE SUBJECT OF A NEWS ITEM NOT WANT TO SEE HIS 
NAME IN PRINT, A WELL-PLACED FAFA IS A SIMPLE WAY TO 
END THE MATTER. NOT ALL REPORTERS ACCEPT FAFA, AS THE 
REPORTING OF THE TRUCKERS' UNION PRESS CONFERENCE 
E 
CONFIRMS.  BUT NOT ALL EDITORS ARE SO UNEQUIVOCAL, 
GIVEN LOW NEWSROOM BUDGETS, LOW REPORTER SALARIES AND 
HIGH TURNOVER. THERE IS PLENTY OF SPACE BETWEEN THE 
BEAT REPORTER, MANAGING EDITOR, COPY EDITOR AND 
HEADLINE WRITER. A REPORTER MAY NEVER KNOW FOR SURE IF 
HIS LEDE WAS CHANGED BY AN EDITOR BECAUSE IT READ 
BETTER, FIT BETTER, OR BECAUSE SOMEONE GOT TO ONE OF 
HIS EDITORS. FAFAS CAN ALSO INFLUENCE HEADLINES, 
PLACEMENT, AND SIZE OF THE STORY. THE PRACTICE 
BEDEVILS THE WORK OF PUBLIC RELATIONS PEOPLE, WHO CAN 
NEVER TELL IF THEIR PRESS RELEASE DIDN'T RUN BECAUSE 
IT WASN'T NEWSWORTHY, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PAY ENOUGH, 
OR BECAUSE THEY PAID THE WRONG PERSON. 
 
6. (SBU) ONE MIGHT LOOK TO A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION 
TO PUT AN END TO SUCH PRACTICES. HOWEVER, GUATEMALA IS 
FREE OF THE "COLEGIO" ACCREDITATION SYSTEM FOR 
JOURNALISTS USED ELSEWHERE. WHILE U.S. JOURNALISTS 
MIGHT SEE THE ABSENCE OF A COLEGIO AS A GOOD THING, 
ITS ABSENCE HERE IS FELT. ON THE PLUS SIDE, THERE ARE 
NO RESTRICTIONS ON ENTRY; ANYONE CAN BE A JOURNALIST. 
THAT ALSO MEANS THERE ARE NO PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, 
DUES, FEES, FINES, OR SELF- POLICING. ONE WORKS FOR AN 
EMPLOYER AND MEETS THE STANDARDS OF THAT NEWS 
OPERATION, PERIOD. IN GUATEMALA, REPORTERS TEND TO BE 
YOUNG, POORLY EDUCATED, POORLY PAID, AND AT THE MERCY 
OF PUBLISHERS WITH THEIR OWN AGENDAS. THE ONLY 
PROFESSIONAL MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS, THE ASSOCIATION OF 
JOURNALISTS OF GUATEMALA, THE CHAMBER OF JOURNALISM IN 
GUATEMALA AND THE RADIO TRANSMITTERS CHAMBER, ARE 
FILLED WITH RETIREES AND DISDAINED BY YOUNGER 
JOURNALISTS. 
 
--------------------------------- 
CAFTA? WHAT CAFTA? 
--------------------------------- 
 
7. (SBU) MEANWHILE, WE WERE SURPRISED THAT LEADING 
BUSINESS DAILY SIGLO 21 DIDN'T COVER THE CAFTA 
LEGISLATION ROLLOUT FEB. 1 BECAUSE OF "REPORTER 
ERROR."  THEY SIMPLY MISSED THE STORY, DESPITE THE 
HIGH VISIBILITY OF THE DELIVERY OF THE LEGISLATION. 
THIS WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT OF HAVING THE WALL STREET 
JOURNAL MISS AN OPEN MARKET MEETING OF THE FED. EVEN 
MORE TELLING, THEIR CONGRESSIONAL BEAT REPORTER FAILED 
TO PHONE IN OR FILE. EVIDENTLY, COMMUNICATION AMONG 
REPORTERS; BETWEEN REPORTERS AND EDITORS; AND AMONG 
THE NEWSPAPER MANAGEMENT IS NOT GOOD. 
 
8. (SBU) THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE'VE NOTICED 
PROBLEMS AT SIGLO.  WE RECENTLY SENT A YOUNG ECONOMICS 
SECTION REPORTER ON A FOREIGN PRESS CENTER TOUR TO 
INTERVIEW U.S. INDUSTRIAL LEADERS ABOUT CAFTA. HER 
EDITOR RAN ONLY ONE OF THE STORIES SHE FILED, 
PREFERRING THE WORK OF ANOTHER HOME-BASED REPORTER. 
OUR INQUIRIES ABOUT WHY A PAPER WITH NO U.S. BUREAU 
WOULD SQUANDER U.S. DATELINE REPORTING BY ONE OF ITS 
OWN STAFF LED TO COMPLICATED ANSWERS ABOUT 
PROFESSIONAL RIVALRIES, LACK OF COMMUNICATION, AND 
GENERAL MISMANAGEMENT, A FACT BORNE OUT BY THE CAFTA 
ROLLOUT DEBACLE. 
 
9. (SBU) CROSS-TOWN RIVAL PRENSA LIBRE DID NO BETTER 
ON CAFTA. A STORY ABOUT THE ONGOING CONTROVERSY OVER 
DATA PROTECTION LEGISLATION AND GENERIC DRUGS IN LATE 
DECEMBER CARRIED THE ERRONEOUS INFORMATION THAT THE 
USG WOULD WITHHOLD ANTI-NARCOTICS FUNDING AND BLOCK AN 
IMF STANDBY AGREEMENT IF THE LEGISLATION STOOD. PAS 
QUICKLY CALLED THE REPORTER TO POINT OUT THIS ERROR. 
MEANWHILE, BOTH THE EDITORIAL WRITER AND A LEFT- 
LEANING COLUMNIST DECIDED TO MAKE THOSE "FACTS" THE 
CENTERPIECE OF THEIR WORK ON THE FOLLOWING DAY'S 
OPINION PAGES. NO MATTER HOW OFTEN WE HAVE SPOKEN TO 
THE VARIOUS REPORTERS AND EDITORS, WE'VE NEVER SEEN A 
CORRECTION, AND THESE ERRONEOUS "FACTS" KEEP SNEAKING 
INTO THE REPORTAGE. 
 
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REPORTER SAFETY 
-------------------------------- 
 
10. (SBU) WE CLOSELY MONITOR REPORTERS' FREEDOM OF 
MOVEMENT AND ARE ALERT TO THE SLIGHTEST HINT OF 
GOVERNMENT INTIMIDATION OR OTHER DANGERS TO REPORTERS 
ON THE JOB. IRONICALLY, THE ONLY RECENT DANGER SPRUNG 
FROM AN ONGOING CONTROVERSY OVER THE GOVERNMENT'S 
AFFIRMATIVE POLICY TOWARD MINING, IN WHICH AN AMERICAN 
REPORTER AND LONGTIME RESIDENT OF GUATEMALA HAD A 
FRIGHTENING EPISODE. 
 
11. (SBU) THE GLAMIS GOLD MINING COMPANY BEGAN THE 
OVERLAND TRANSPORTATION OF A HUGE 17-TON STEEL 
CYLINDER, WHICH BECAME A SYMBOL FOR THE CONTROVERSY IN 
EARLY JANUARY IN A TOWN NEAR SOLOLA.  THE CYLINDER'S 
PROGRESS TOWARD ITS DESTINATION IN SAN MARCOS WAS 
HALTED BY A LOW CLEARANCE PEDESTRIAN OVERPASS IN LAS 
TRAMPAS, CONSTRUCTED AND PAID FOR BY VILLAGERS. THE 
CYLINDER, STRANDED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS ON A TRAILER 
WHOSE TIRES HAD BEEN FLATTENED, BECAME A MAGNET FOR 
OPPOSITION TO THE MINING IN GENERAL. 
 
12. (SBU) AMCIT REPORTER CARLISLE JOHNSON, HOST OF THE 
DAILY ENGLISH LANGUAGE RADIO SHOW "GOOD MORNING 
GUATEMALA," DECIDED TO COVER THE SITUATION ON JAN. 7. 
JOHNSON MADE HIS WAY THROUGH TWO GROUPS OF RIOT-CLAD 
PNC TO LARGE NUMBERS OF INDIGENOUS PROTESTERS. JOHNSON 
IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS A REPORTER TO THE PNC COMMANDER, 
PHONED EMISORAS UNIDAS RADIO STATION (WHICH CARRIES 
HIS DAILY SHOW), PUT THE NEWSROOM IN DIRECT CONTACT 
WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND DECIDED TO LEAVE. 
 
13. (SBU) AT THAT POINT HE WAS SURROUNDED BY A MOB OF 
INDIGENOUS PROTESTERS, LED BY THE MAYOR OF SOLOLA, WHO 
BEGAN CALLING FOR THE POLICE TO LEAVE.  JOHNSON 
INTERVIEWED THE MAYOR. WHILE WAITING FOR POLICE TO 
CONTACT HEADQUARTERS FOR INSTRUCTIONS, JOHNSON DECIDED 
TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE PROTESTERS TO INTERVIEW OTHER 
MEMBERS OF THE GROUP, INCLUDING MEN CARRYING THE 
BASTONS INDICATING THEY WERE MAYORS OF OTHER NEARBY 
TOWNS. AFTER IT BECAME CLEAR THEY DID NOT SPEAK 
SPANISH (WHICH JOHNSON SPEAKS FLUENTLY) HE DECIDED TO 
CALL SOMEONE AND LET THEM KNOW WHERE HE WAS. HE SPOKE 
IN ENGLISH. 
 
14. (SBU) THE GROUP ASSUMED HE WAS SPEAKING ENGLISH AS 
A WAY TO CALL SURREPTITIOUSLY FOR POLICE 
REINFORCEMENTS AND BECAME INFURIATED. SOMEONE BEHIND 
HIM SAID, "LET'S BURN THE GRINGO," AND SOMEONE ELSE 
SAID, "WE HAVE THE GASOLINE." JOHNSON INSISTED THAT HE 
BE TAKEN TO THE MAYOR OF SOLOLA. ESCORTED THERE, HE 
TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS CHARGING HIM WITH HIS SAFETY, 
THAT THE MAJOR KNEW HE WAS A LEGITIMATE JOURNALIST AND 
THAT THE CROWD HAD THREATENED TO LYNCH HIM. HE ASKED 
THE MAYOR WHICH HEADLINE HE WANTED: THAT HIS PEOPLE 
LYNCHED A GRINGO OR WERE PEACEFULLY OPPOSED TO MINING. 
THE MAJOR SPOKE TO THE CROWD IN KAQCHIKEL. THE MEN 
PARTED, ESCORTED JOHNSON TO HIS VEHICLE AND ALLOWED 
HIM TO LEAVE UNHARMED. 
 
15. (SBU) CONCLUSION: BY ANY STANDARD, GUATEMALA 
ENJOYS A FREE AND ROBUST PRESS WHICH FACES NO 
DISCERNABLE GOVERNMENT HARASSMENT. NONETHELESS, THERE 
ARE REAL IMPEDIMENTS TO ADVANCES WITHIN THE 
PROFESSION, THE MOST SERIOUS OF WHICH ARE CORRUPTION 
FROM WITHIN, MISMANAGEMENT, AND INCOMPETENCE. AND 
PERHAPS THE BIGGEST THREAT OF ALL TO REPORTERS, BOTH 
GUATEMALAN AND FOREIGN, REMAINS THAT OF IGNORANCE 
PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS AGITATED BY THOSE WHO PREY ON 
THEIR FEAR OF FOREIGNERS, AS EVIDENCED BY JOHNSON'S 
EXPERIENCE. 
 
HAMILTON