US embassy cable - 05ASUNCION1053

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ASUNCION 001053 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/BSC AND EB/IFD/OIA 
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/AA 
STATE PASS TO USTR FOR LYANG 
NSC FOR SUE CRONIN 
TREASURY FOR OSIA MAUREEN WAFER 
TREASURY FOR OTA WARFIELD, VAN KOCH, MILLAR 
COMMERCE FOR ITA SARAH COOK 
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DAN JOHNSON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2010 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, SNAR, KCRM, PA 
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC UPDATE, AUGUST 14 
- AUGUST 20 
 
REF: A. ASUNCION 936 
     B. ASUNCION 1000 
 
Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION KEVIN M. JOHNSON, FOR REASONS 1. 
5 (B) AND (D) 
 
 1. (U) Summary: 
      -- Delay in Prosecution of Terrorist Supporter 
      -- Candia is the New Attorney General 
      -- Former Police Officers Imprisoned 
      -- Entry of Cubans Concerns GOP 
      -- New Immigration Security Measures Planned 
 
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Delay in Prosecution of Terrorist Supporter 
------------------------------------------- 
 
2. (S) Hattem Barakat, brother of Assad Barakat, who is 
accused of falsifying documents and tax evasion was to go to 
trial on August 17 but his case was postponed until September 
22.  Manuel Rojas Rodriguez, the prosecutor, wants to go 
after Hattem with the full weight of the law but Norma 
Gamarra de Martinez, the Judge assigned to this case, has 
postponed this case (3 or 4 times), in attempt to convince 
the prosecutor to accept a plea deal that will result in 
community service and restitution but no prison time.  The 
prosecutor has refused each request to a plea.  Embassy 
sources state that the Judge is on the take and is 
stonewalling for as long as she can until the prosecutor 
agrees to the plea deal.  (NOTE: Embassy sources indicated 
that Gamarra was involved in a botched plan to bring Assad 
Barakat to court as a witness in another case, where an 
escape would take place.  Nothing was ever revealed about her 
involvement in public. End Note.) 
 
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Candia is the New Attorney General 
---------------------------------- 
 
3. (U) On August 18, Ruben Candia Amarilla was confirmed by 
the Senate to be the new Attorney General for the GOP. The 
current Minister of Justice, Candia was President Nicanor 
Duarte Frutos' choice for attorney general.  He was 
criticized sharply by the opposition for being dishonest and 
unqualified for the job. The President and the multiparty 
bloc, which includes members of the leading Colorado Party 
and dissident members of the Authentic Radical Liberal Party 
(PLRA) and the Country in Solidarity Party (PPS), continue to 
consolidate their power and influence gaining the support of 
opposition UNACE Senators for Candia's election.  The press 
speculated that UNACE's  support signals revived discussions 
with the GOP over a deal to eventually Free Gen. Lino Oviedo 
 
 
--------------------------------- 
Former Police Officers Imprisoned 
----------------------------- 
 
4. (U) On August 13, it was reported that retired police 
officers Zunilda Roig, her brother Jaime Ruben Roig Baez, and 
12 other individuals were imprisoned after being arrested on 
August 9 when the National Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD) 
seized 336 kilograms of marijuana during raids on premises in 
Lambare, Villa Elisa, San Lorenzo, and Capiata. All 14 are 
suspected of being part of an international drug-trafficking 
organization. 
 
---------------------------- 
Entry of Cubans Concerns GOP 
---------------------------- 
 
5. (U) The press has reported that since May some 60 to 70 
Cubans have been entering Paraguay per month.  There are 
competing theories for the supposed influx of Cubans.  First 
some GOP security officials believe that some of these 
individuals have entered as Cuban spies under the guise of 
tourists or as medical personnel.  Second, there is 
speculation that these people are members of international 
crime syndicates. Third, the Cuban nationals are here to use 
Paraguay as a "trampoline" to enter a third country, mainly 
the US.  The Cubans have come under increased suspicion 
because of recent incidents in Brazil and Venezuela, where 
other Cubans were involved in questionable activities. 
According to some reports, a number of Cubans, who were 
forced to leave Venezuela because of problems they had caused 
in that country, have entered Paraguay.  The Cuban Ambassador 
to Paraguay remarked that she was unaware so many Cubans had 
been entering Paraguay and expressed concern -- bordering on 
the comic -- about how these individuals had been able to get 
out of Cuba noting that it is rather difficult and expensive 
to do so. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
New Immigration Security Measures Planned 
----------------------------------------- 
 
6. (U) On July 27, Director General Carlos Liseras announced 
plans to implement new immigration security measures that 
will be funded in part with $650,000 USD in technical and 
financial assistance from South Korea.  One of the measures 
involves developing a system that will enable GOP officials 
to take digital imaging photographs, fingerprints, and iris 
scans of all Paraguayans and visiting foreign nationals 
entering the country.  (Note: On July 26, during a meeting 
with a visiting TIP Assessment Team, Director Liseras 
provided more information about the biometric immigration 
security system as well as the agreement between South Korea 
and Paraguay.  He stated that the system would be implemented 
in various ports of entry such as Ciudad del Este and 
Encarnacion by December 2005.) 
KEANE