US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA7565

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 007565 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PRM/A AND WHA/AND 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2015 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, CO, VE, Human Rts 
SUBJECT: UNHCR REFUGEE REFERRAL FOR FORMER VENEZUELAN AIR 
FORCE COLONEL SILVINO JOSE BUSTILLOS QUINTANA 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood for reasons 1.4 (b&d) 
 
1.(U)  This is an action message.  Please see paragraph 4. 
 
2. (C) Embassy Refugee Coordinator received a refugee 
referral for former Venezuelan Colonel Silvino Jose Bustillos 
Quintana (DPOB 21 August 1951, Venezuela) from the UN High 
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Bogota office.  Embassy 
recommends normal processing under the U.S. Refugee 
Resettlement Program (USRP).  If accepted, a Department of 
Homeland Security attorney would adjudicate Bustillos' case 
during an upcoming DHS circuit ride to Ecuador. 
 
3. (C) Colonel Bustillos entered Colombia on November 9, 2004 
and applied for asylum on December 13, 2004.  His case is 
pending with the GoC.  The Venezuelan press has speculated 
that Bustillos was kidnapped and possibly killed by 
Venezuelan military intelligence while other reports placed 
him in Colombia.  RefCoord has emailed the UNHCR referral to 
PRM and WHA which details Bustillos' account of persecution 
by the Chavez Government and need for resettlement to a third 
country. 
 
4. (C) Foreign Ministry refugee contacts report that there 
are several other pending cases of former Venezuelan military 
officers who signed the so-called Carmona decree after 
Chavez' temporary removal from power on April 11, 2002. 
Given the sensitive nature of Colonel Bustillos' case, and 
the inevitable pull factor for other Venezuelans seeking 
refuge from the Chavez regime, Embassy requests Department 
concurrence in submitting the UNHCR referral to the USRP and 
guidance on processing other cases that may follow. 
WOOD