US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA3438

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003438 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2015 
TAGS: KJUS, PTER, SNAR, PHUM, CO 
SUBJECT: AUC CRITICIZES DEMOBILIZATION LAW AGAIN 
 
REF: BOGOTA 2566 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons 
1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) Several paramilitary commanders gave a press 
conference on April 10 to say they did not approve of the 
draft Law for Justice and Peace because it did not provide 
enough legal guarantees.  They said they would break off 
talks if forced to do so.  They did not directly threaten to 
end negotiations if the law is passed.  The press conference 
was dominated by commanders who have been the least willing 
to demobilize and most heavily involved in drug trafficking. 
The least inflexible commanders, including Salvatore Mancuso, 
were notably absent.  End summary. 
 
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Reiterating Complaints 
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2. (U) On April 10, United Self Defense Forces of Colombia 
(AUC) commander Ernesto Baez led a press conference to warn 
Congress that they do not approve of the draft Law for 
Justice and Peace because it does not provide adequate legal 
safeguards.  He said the AUC was willing to break off talks 
and return to the field if forced to do so.  Baez specified, 
however, that the press conference was not an ultimatum or a 
threat to anyone.  This is not the first time the AUC has 
criticized the law.  On March 15, they issued a communique 
complaining that the draft did not provide enough legal 
guarantees (reftel).  The AUC wants a legal framework that 
will guarantee no extradition.  The GOC, however, has 
repeatedly assured us that the law will not impede 
extradition in any way. 
 
3. (C) The commanders who gave the press conference have been 
the most reticent to demobilize since the peace process 
began.  Ernesto Baez has said if the talks failed, the AUC 
would have no choice but to form a "right wing insurgency" to 
fight against the state and the guerrillas.  Ramon Isaza, 
newly named as the AUC's senior commander and commander of 
the Self Defense Forces of Middle Magdalena, has been 
reluctant to participate in peace talks because of his 
mistrust of other AUC commanders.  The rest of the commanders 
present -- Diego Murrillo, Victor Mejia, Francisco Zuluaga, 
Javier Montanez, and Victor Botalon -- are "narcoparas," who 
have shown no willingness to demobilize their trafficking 
structures.  The more flexible commanders, including 
Salvatore Mancuso and Hernan Hernandez, were notably absent. 
 
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Little GOC Reaction 
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4. (SBU) The Peace Commissioner's Office did not respond 
officially to the press conference.  In an interview 
following an all day negotiation session with the AUC, Peace 
Commissioner Restrepo said that the AUC's displeasure with 
the law was only one of many issues discussed during 
negotiations.  Other issues included a message from President 
Uribe that the AUC must fully comply with the cease-fire.  He 
emphasized that the GOC would not retract the draft law in 
response to AUC complaints. 
 
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Comment 
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5. (SBU) The AUC did not state the exact circumstances of 
when they would break off talks.  The absence of some of the 
prominent AUC commanders implies the AUC central command is 
not in agreement about how to respond to the law. 
 
 
WOOD