US embassy cable - 05BRASILIA1148

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 001148 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, KCRM, PTER, BR 
SUBJECT: FARC MAY BE BUYING STOLEN MEDICINE IN BRAZIL 
 
REF: A. BRASILIA 785 
     B. RECIFE 39 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  Since November 2004, Federal Police in the 
Brazilian state of Amazonas have been investigating the 
disappearance of 8,000 bottles of Glucantine, a drug used to 
treat a parasitic disease common in the Amazon.  Last 
October, locals in Amazonas state found an abandoned boat 
that contained Glucantine, money, and ammunition rounds on a 
remote river near the Brazil/Colombia border that may have 
been en route to the FARC.  Since Glucantine is sold and 
distributed exclusively by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, 
the Federal Police are also investigating a possible 
connection between the FARC and local government officials 
during the sale of the drug.  In a related development, the 
Joint Congressional Committee for Intelligence Affairs has 
developed a plan to combat guerrilla groups operating in 
Brazil.  End Summary. 
 
Missing Medicine Linked to FARC 
-------------------------------- 
2. (SBU) Recent press reports are indicating that, since 
November 2004, Federal Police in the Brazilian state of 
Amazonas have been investigating the disappearance of 8,000 
bottles of Glucantine, a drug used to treat a parasitic 
disease common in the Amazon.  According to a statement by 
Federal Police Superintendent Graca Malheiros, locals in the 
Sao Gabriel municipality in western Amazonas state found an 
abandoned boat in October 2004 on a river near the border 
between Brazil, Columbia, and Peru.  Locals living near the 
river told the Federal Police that they found the drifting 
boat after a thunderstorm last October.  According to the 
locals, three men had been aboard the boat during the storm 
and one died.  The nationality or whereabouts of the men are 
unknown.  Local river dwellers found approximately 2,700 
Glucantine bottles, an unpublished sum of money, and over 
15,000 rounds of ammunition onboard.  Malheiros believes that 
the Glucantine was destined for Colombia based on the boat's 
location and the other items found on board. 
 
3. (SBU) Since Glucantine is sold and distributed exclusively 
by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, Federal Police in 
Amazonas are investigating state Health Secretariat 
employees who were involved in the original sale of 8,000 
Glucantine bottles.  (Note: The 2,700 bottles found onboard 
the abandoned boat last October were included in this sale. 
End Note.)  In January 2005, Federal Police discovered that 
5,300 bottles of Glucantine were sold and then rerouted to an 
unknown location by four employees at the state Health 
Secretariat.  Since the number of bottles  missing is larger 
 
SIPDIS 
than what was found on the boat,  Federal Police are 
investigating the disappearance of the missing bottles.  The 
Federal Police believe that two state Secretariat of Health 
employees and two contractors probably diverted the missing 
medicine to the FARC.  One 
employee has been fired; the others are still under 
investigation. 
 
Joint Intelligence Affairs Committee 
----------------------------------- 
4. (SBU) Recent press reports allege that the FARC might be 
moving ammunition, drugs, and other supplies along the 
Brazilian border between Columbia and Peru.  In response to 
these allegations, the Joint Congressional Committee for 
Intelligence Affairs announced that it has created an action 
plan to combat guerrilla groups like the FARC that are linked 
to the international trafficking of drugs and other 
contraband.  The committee sent a classified report to 
legislators two weeks ago outlining the plan.  The report 
will remain classified until the Committee Chairman, Senator 
Cristovam Buarque (PT-Brasilia), approves the report. 
Buarque said the committee will vote on the proposed action 
plan after Congress concludes its investigation into 
allegations that the FARC channeled US $5 million to 
President Lula's presidential campaign in 2002 (ref A). 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
5. (SBU) In reftels, we noted that the press is making more 
of alleged FARC connections to Brazil's PT party and the 
Landless Movement (MST) than seems warranted by the facts. 
Yet there may be truth to the reports that FARC is purchasing 
stolen medicine in Amazonas state.  Federal police reports, 
the circumstances surrounding the abandoned boat, and the 
medicine's disappearance are further evidence of how the FARC 
uses Brazil's vast Amazonian region in support of its 
terrorist activities.  It is also noteworthy that, despite 
press reports, senior GOB leaders seem to be ignoring this 
event. 
 
DANILOVICH