US embassy cable - 05ASUNCION1120

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ASUNCION 001120 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y 
(TO ADD AN ADDRESSEE AND A PASS LINE) 
 
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 
DOD FOR USD/ISA-DAS PARDO MAUER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2008 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, KCRM, PINR, PA 
SUBJECT: PARAGUAY: ENTRY OF CUBANS CONCERNS GOP 
 
Classified By: POLOFF STERLING TILLEY, FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
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Summary 
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1. (U) News articles in recent weeks alleged an alarming 
number of Cuban nationals are entering Paraguay. 
Confidential sources have confirmed the legal entry of 
 
SIPDIS 
significant numbers of Cubans into Paraguay since May 2005. 
Carlos Liseras, Director of Immigration, discussed this issue 
with the ConGen but would not confirm details since the 
investigation is on-going.  Embassy sources have noted that 
simultaneous investigations by intelligence and military 
organizations seek to determine if Cuban intelligence 
operatives are working in various parts of the country.  The 
Ambassador discussed the entry of Cubans with a reporter who 
indicated the Cubans are using Paraguay as a "trampoline" to 
go to the US.  Ironically, it seems the Cuban Government 
officials are also concerned; the Cuban Embassy in Paraguay 
has announced it was investigating the travel of Cubans to 
Paraguay and "how they got out of Cuba.".  The MFA's 
Bilateral Affairs Director confirmed the GOP plans to 
terminate the Cuban doctor program;  he placed the number of 
Cuban doctors in the country at 70 and the number of 
Paraguayans on scholarship in Cuba at 651.  Private 
individuals have informed Emboffs that a number of the Cuban 
doctors do not want to leave Paraguay. End Summary. 
 
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Immigration Chief Offers Little Information 
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3. (C) On August 24, ConGen discussed the legal entry of 
Cubans in increasing numbers in recent months with Carlos 
Liseras, Director of Immigration.  Liseras indicated 
Immigration along with the National Police are investigating 
the motives behind the increase in Cubans entering Paraguay. 
He indicated that the Immigration Office does not know the 
exact number of Cuban nationals in Paraguay.  He also said 
that the Cubans have been entering legally with the proper 
documentation.  Some Embassy sources have indicated that 
sixty (60) to seventy (70) Cubans per month have entered 
Paraguay since May 2005.  Some public and military sources 
estimate that as many as 700 Cubans have entered Paraguay 
since May.  Liseras indicated that once the investigation is 
complete he will discuss the issue again with ConGen. 
 
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Spies, Tourists, and Doctors, Oh My! 
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4. (C) Embassy sources confirm there are simultaneous 
investigations underway, including by the Military, 
Immigration and the National Police, into the travel of 
Cubans to Paraguay.  The military is addressing this 
situation from the perspective that some tourists and/or 
medical personnel may be GOC intelligence operatives. 
Immigration and the National Police are investigating the 
possibility that the Cubans are involved in international 
crime syndicates  operating in Paraguay and or are planning 
to travel to third countries.  Unconfirmed news reports have 
alleged that Cuban nationals have provided military training 
to leftist groups in the interior provinces. 
 
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Ninety (90) Miles Not Long Enough 
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5. (U) Recently, the Ambassador discussed this issue with a 
journalist, who believes many Cubans are using Paraguay as a 
means to earn enough dollars to enter the U.S. and then claim 
asylum.  A recent news report alleges, a large number of 
Cubans entered Paraguay in Ciudad del Este and Encarnacion, 
then obtained falsified documents and entered the U.S. via 
Argentina and Brazil.  Consular information indicates only 
three (3) Cuban nationals applied for NIVs and all were 
denied.  The ConGen suspects the Cubans may be using coyotes 
to enter the U.S., if the story is true.  ConGen will discuss 
this issue with the DHS Officer in Lima. 
 
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Cuban Government Concerned? 
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6. (U) News reports indicate that the Cuban Embassy in 
Asuncion is investigating not only the stay of its citizens 
here but also how they succeeded in leaving Cuba. One 
diplomatic source said that a normal Cuban citizen couldn,t 
get access to enough money to buy an airplane ticket to leave 
Cuba.  Cuba's Ambassador to Paraguay Gonzalez Cruz has 
asserted that Cuba is also interested in finding out more 
about its nationals entering Paraguay: namely who those 
people are, what they did for a living in Cuba, what 
itinerary they are using, whether they got their visa from 
the Paraguayan Embassy in Havana (headed by Augusto Ocampos 
Caballero), and whether they will remain in the country or 
are thinking of emigrating to a third country like the U.S. 
(NOTE: A related report claims, a Cuban mission plans to come 
in September with portable communications equipment to 
navigate through the Internet in connection with the medical 
work they will carry out in the country.  End Note.)  Other 
reports indicate Cuba's Ambassador to Paraguay will soon 
finish her mission. 
 
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Cuban Doctors and Paraguayan Scholarships 
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7. (C) On August 26, PolCouns met with the MFA's Director of 
Bilateral Affairs Amb. Ceferino Valdez to discuss the Cuban 
medical program.  When apprised President Duarte had told 
SECDEF on August 16 that there were 700 Cuban medical doctors 
in Paraguay, Valdez noted that the President had erred. 
Seventy (70) Cuban medical doctors are registered in the 
country.  It is possible the President was thinking of the 
number of Paraguayans studying in Cuba on medical 
scholarships, which Valdez placed at 651.  (NOTE: Embassy 
sources have given us a list of 67 medical personnel). 
 
8. (C) Valdez confirmed that President Duarte had decided not 
to renew the MOU with Cuba for the doctors program that 
expires at the end of the year.  However, he advised that 
Paraguay has not/not officially informed Cuba of this 
decision yet, although it has been mentioned publicly by the 
Health Minister.  He maintained the Cuban Embassy is calling 
"everyday" asking about extension of the MOU for the program, 
which is apparently in its fifth year.  To date, Valdez was 
not aware of any requests for asylum or refugee status made 
either to Paraguay or the UN by the Cuban doctors.  There 
were, however, several cases in which Cuban doctors had 
married Paraguayans and had children.  The Paraguayan spouses 
had petitioned for the Cubans to obtain permanent residency 
in Paraguay but Valdez said that the GOC required the doctors 
to return to Cuba while the petitions remained pending. 
Valdez did not discount the possibility that once the 
decision regarding termination of the program was announced 
several of the doctors might claim refugee status to avoid 
returning. 
 
9.  (C)  On September 1, Pierre Joly, the Belgian director of 
a medical relief NGO and Ivan Benavented, the Director of 
Institute that specializes in natural medicine discussed the 
Cuban doctor program with PolCouns.  Both maintained that 
they had heard from GOP sources that Paraguay intended to end 
the Cuban medical program in response to U.S. pressure 
exerted in part during the recent visit of SECDEF Rumsfeld. 
Both had worked with Cuban doctors whom they claimed brought 
to Paraguay a knowledge of natural medicine few doctors from 
other parts of the world could share.  Some of these Cuban 
specialists in natural medicine and a number of other Cuban 
doctors -- numbering 20 in total -- were worried about the 
imminent termination of the Cuban medical program.  They 
wanted to stay in Paraguay but had been informed by Cuban 
C O R R E C T E D    C O P Y 
authorities that they would be transferred to Venezuela where 
they understood "Cuban doctors had been killed."  Joly and 
Benavente appealed for U.S. intervention with the GOP to 
grant these doctors permission to stay in Paraguay. 
 
10. (C)  Polcouns described U.S. concern in principle with 
the Cuban doctor program given accounts that its participants 
involved themselves in political indoctrination activies -- a 
concern Joly and Benavente said that they shared. The U.S. 
had shared its concerns regarding Cuba but Paraguay would 
have to take its own decision about the future of this 
program.  Those fearing political persecution could consider 
appealing for refugee status directly to Paraguay through the 
United Nations.  Benavente believed that some Cuban doctors 
had stayed in Paraguay in the past upon completion of their 
tours.  He was concerned Cuba might decide to cancel its 
scholarship program for Paraguayans should Paraguay decide to 
cancel the doctor program or allow a significant number of 
Cubans to claim refugee status in Paraguay.  He conveyed 
interest, however, in exploring with UN representatives the 
possibility of pursuing refugee status. 
 
11.  (C)  Comment:  The entry of a significant number of 
Cubans, legal and otherwise, has captured the attention of 
immigration and law enforcement officials.  Immigration is 
under pressure to better account for the whereabouts of those 
Cubans.  The GOP appears prepared to address concerns 
regarding the activities of the Cuban doctors in country by 
terminating the program at years' end.  While the MFA advised 
us the number of doctors was limited to 70; the Japanese 
Ambassador told us that he had been informed by the Cuban 
Ambassador that there were approximately 200 Cuban doctors in 
country.  Post will remain in contact with GOP regarding 
their investigation into this matter and efforts to address 
the issue. Our quiet efforts have helped stir debate both 
about possible improper activities by Cuban doctors and 
others, and lack of adequate data on other Cubans possibly 
entering to escape Castro.  Ironically, the Cuban 
Ambassador's statements noting concern over how so many 
Cubans "got out of Cuba" strengthens our message. End Comment. 
KEANE