US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA6237

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 006237 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/01/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PGOV, MOPS, EC, CO, FARC 
SUBJECT: FARC PUTUMAYO ATTACK KILLS 21 SOLDIERS 
 
REF: BOGOTA 5802 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood; reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary: On June 25, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of 
Colombia (FARC) carried out their deadliest one-day attack 
since President Uribe took office.  The twelve simultaneous 
strikes killed 21 and wounded 11 soldiers in southeastern 
Putumayo Department.  President Uribe, disturbed by the 
high-profile FARC success, the intelligence failures, and the 
COLMIL's inability to respond with adequate helicopter 
support, traveled to Putumayo to personally oversee the 
COLMIL's response.  Saturday's attack was more politically 
troubling than militarily significant, but is the most 
successful offensive to date intended to decrease Uribe's 
public support before next year's elections.  The GOC is 
working to reach out to the Ecuadorians to establish some 
constructive cooperation mechanisms.  End summary. 
 
FARC Coordinated Attack Successful 
---------------------------------- 
 
2. (S) The FARC's 32nd and 48th Fronts attacked Colombian 
Military (COLMIL) forces on June 25 in the deadliest 
single-day attack since President Alvaro Uribe took office. 
An estimated 250 to 300 FARC insurgents launched a 
simultaneous twelve-point attack against Colombian Army 
platoon-sized groups, police stations and petroleum 
infrastructures in Putumayo Department killing 21 soldiers. 
Guerrilla sources indicate that at least five FARC were 
killed in the attack; COLMIL sources over 61 FARC killed.  In 
addition to hitting Teteye, Cohembi, San Miguel, Puerto Asis, 
and Curiti military bases, the guerrillas hit the Curiquinga, 
Pinuna, Quillacina, and Pola oil wells near the Caqueta 
River. 
 
3. (C) Uribe criticized the COLMIL for local and national 
intelligence failures.  He also complained that the COLMIL 
was unable to respond quickly with helicopter response 
because their air assets are limited (reftel).  The Army's 
6th Division postponed "Operation Jaguar," aimed at the 
FARC,s 3rd Front in the Plan Patriota area of operation, to 
reinforce the Putumayo outposts, and Colombian Air Force's 
CACOM-6 provided air support over the weekend.  A Special 
Forces Battalion was also sent to pursue FARC forces in the 
area. 
 
Chilly Relations with Ecuador Grow Colder 
----------------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) After the attacks, the mayor of Puerto Asis, Putumayo 
Department, Jorge Eliecer Coral, told influential daily El 
Tiempo that the FARC had found safe haven in Ecuador and 
mounted operations from there.  President Uribe reportedly 
authorized the COLMIL to conduct cross-border operations if 
they could identify specific targets.  While Ecuador has been 
recognized as a rest and relaxation spot for FARC members, 
this is the first time during Uribe's Administration that the 
guerrillas have coordinated a cross-border offensive of this 
scale. 
 
5. (C) Ecuador's announcement of considering imposing visa 
requirements against Colombians reinforced fears that the GOE 
would passively accept the FARC presence on the border.  In a 
private meeting with the Ambassador on June 28, FM Carolina 
Barco expressed her frustration with her Ecuadorian 
counterpart, who had canceled bilateral meetings three times. 
 She emphasized that the GOC and GOE need to meet both to 
avoid "media diplomacy" and to stabilize the bilateral 
relationship.  The Ambassador suggested that a MOD-to-MOD 
meeting would be a good starting point.  Barco replied that 
she had been in contact with Colombian MOD Uribe (who is in 
the U.S.) and encouraged him to reach out to his Ecuadorian 
counterpart. 
 
6. (C) On June 30, Colombian Commander of the Armed Forces 
General Ospina met with Ecuadorian Viceadmiral Manuel Zapater 
in Ecuador to discuss the military implications of the attack 
and formulate strategies to respond to the ongoing guerrilla 
presence in the area.  President Uribe announced that he 
might raise the attacks with President Palacio at the Banana 
Summit, scheduled to take place on July 7 in Costa Rica.  The 
Ambassador also recommended to FM Barco that the GOC consider 
raising this tension with President Zapatero during the 
upcoming Colombian state visit since the GOS could be a 
useful interlocutor with Ecuador. 
Political Ramifications 
----------------------- 
7. (C) President Uribe and the military leaders traveled to 
Putumayo on June 26 to review the damage and formulate the 
COLMIL response.  Uribe and the high command are planning to 
dismiss several commanders in the affected area.  Uribe also 
claimed in a public statement that the attack was an attempt 
to draw resources away from the Patriot Plan (Plan Patriota) 
offensive.  (Note: Plan Patriota, the largest offensive in 
Colombian history, currently targets FARC across Caqueta, 
Meta, and Guaviare departments.)  While the offensive has 
been successful, the concentration of forces in those 
departments leaves several remote outposts with smaller 
contingents of COLMIL forces. 
 
8. (C) Comment:  President Uribe is furious about the attacks 
and has the COLMIL high commanders visiting attack sites and 
scrambling to formulate the GOC response.  In fact, so many 
commanders have traveled to Putumayo that other COLMIL 
operations have been without leadership since last weekend. 
While military officials are chagrined by the public success 
of the attack, Ecuador's cooperation will be necessary for 
the GOC to be able to stem future border incursions.  End 
comment. 
WOOD