US embassy cable - 02TEGUCIGALPA2549

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 002549 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR CA/VO/L/A, WHA/CEN FOR TRIVELLI, WHA/CEN FOR LANG 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS, HO 
SUBJECT: REVOCATION OF VISA (PENA, RICARDO  ANTONIO) 
 
 
A. NAME: PENA, RICARDO ANTONIO 
B. DATE AND POB: 17 NOV 1962, HONDURAS 
C. COUNTRY OF NATIONALITY AND RESIDENCE: HONDURAS 
D. VISA ISSUANCE DATE: 15 NOV 1999 
   - VISA TYPE: B1/B2, MULTIPLE ENTRY 
   - VISA EXPIRATION DATE: 14 NOV 2009 
E. PLACE OF ISSUANCE: TEGUCIGALPA 
F. PASSPORT TYPE: DIPLOMATIC 
   - PASSPORT NUMBER: 001239 
   - PASSPORT PLACE OF ISSUANCE: TEGUCIGALPA 
G. SECTION OF INELIGIBILITY: 212(a)(2)(C)(i) 
 
H. Subject was arrested by Panamanian National Police on 
September 9, 2002 while attempting to cross the Panama/Costa 
Rica border.  He was arrested in the town of Paso Canoas, 
Panama with 3 to 4 kilograms of heroin concealed in several 
pairs of shoes that were in his suitcase.  Subject attempted 
to avoid a search by presenting his Honduran diplomatic 
passport and claiming diplomatic immunity.  A check of 
records in Honduras indicates that Subject is no longer a 
member of the Honduran Congress.  He is therefore no longer 
entitled to use his diplomatic passport. 
 
I. TRAVEL WOULD LIKELY BE THROUGH THE POE MIAMI OR HOUSTON. 
 
J. SUBJECT ENTERED INTO CLASS 10 SEP 2002 UNDER 2(C)(i). 
 
K. Subject is being contacted by letter and informed of his 
ineligibility.  He is not likely to present his visa for 
physical cancellation. 
L. Local carriers have been notified and INS Tegucigalpa has 
been advised and has passed this information through INS 
channels. 
 
COMMENT:  Subject as a former member of the Honduran 
congress, was supposed to have submitted his diplomatic 
passport to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for cancellation 
once he was no longer a member of congress.  His use of the 
diplomatic passport to attempt to evade inspection at a port 
of entry serves to highlight the widespread use of Honduran 
diplomatic passports by persons not entitled to have them. 
Conservative estimates, by the GOH indicates that there are 
approximately 50,000 diplomatic passports in circulation in 
this nation of only six and one half million persons.  The 
lack of control by GOH authorities over the issuance and 
recovery of these passports exacerbates the problem by 
making it relatively easy to obtain and use a diplomatic 
passport here.  We believe if Panamanian authorities return 
subject's passport to him, he will likely attempt to travel 
on that same diplomatic passport to the U.S. 
 
PIERCE