US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA10238

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 010238 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2015 
TAGS: KJUS, PGOV, PREL, PTER, CO, Demobilization, AUC 
SUBJECT: MANCUSO OUT, NEW SPOKESPERSONS FOR DEMOBILIZED 
PARAMILITARIES IN 
 
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood. 
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. (C) Representatives of 11 demobilized Colombian United 
Self-Defense Groups (AUC) factions have removed Salvatore 
Mancuso as AUC spokesperson and replaced him with three 
leaders: Diego Murillo, AKA "Don Berna," Antonio Lopez, and 
Eduard Cobos, AKA "Diego Vecino."  The AUC replaced Mancuso 
because they claim his personal concerns about possible 
extradition were affecting his advocacy of AUC interests. 
The new AUC spokespersons, however, are not necessarily more 
willing or able to represent all demobilized paramilitaries' 
interests.  Tensions between demobilized and active AUC 
leaders make the challenge inherently difficult.  End Summary. 
 
------------------ 
MANCUSO ON HIS OWN 
------------------ 
 
2. (C) AUC leader Mancuso's personal concern with his 
possible extradition has led to his removal as recognized 
spokesperson for the demobilized paramilitaries.  According 
to well-respected RCN journalist Alfredo Bustillo, who has 
covered the paramilitary phenomenon for several years, 
Mancuso's ouster should not come as a surprise since he has 
slowly been removing himself from the negotiation process 
with the GOC and become more focused on his personal future. 
Senator Carlos Moreno de Caro's mid-October interview in El 
Tiempo newspaper discussed Mancuso's interest in serving part 
of his sentence in the U.S. or Spain -- a move that confirmed 
the fears of demobilized paramilitaries that he no longer 
served the interest of the organization.  Nevertheless, 
Bustillo explained that, despite the resentment some AUC 
leaders and members harbor against Mancuso, he was unlikely 
to suffer the same fate as AUC leader Carlos Castano (Castano 
is rumored to have been killed by AUC members in April 2004), 
and he still has significant clout over the peace process. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
NEW AUC SPOKEPERSONS NOT SO REPRESENTATIVE 
------------------------------------------ 
 
3.  (C) Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo told the 
Ambassador that the new three -- Diego Murillo, AKA "Don 
Berna," Antonio Lopez, and Eduard Cobos, AKA "Diego Vecino" 
-- were unlikely to last since they did not fully represent 
the interest of all demobilized paramilitaries. 
 
-- Diego Murillo, AKA &Don Berna8: Don Berna was commander 
of the Cacique Nutibara Bloc (BCN), which demobilized in 
Medellin in November 2003.  According to Bustillo, his drug 
trafficking wealth has given him significant power within the 
AUC.  Bustillo considers this Don Berna's latest effort to 
increase his control over the remainder of the AUC and to 
strengthen the AUC's negotiating stance against extradition. 
 
-- Antonio Lopez of the Cacique Nutibara Bloc: According to 
researcher Juan Carlos Garzon at the independent, 
well-respected security think tank, Security and Democracy 
Foundation (FSD), Lopez is close to Don Berna and has always 
played a behind-the-scenes leadership role in the Medellin's 
BCN.  In recent years, his leadership role in Medellin's 
neighborhoods has increased and he has recently being chosen 
to lead the Cooperation for Democracy Center in Medellin, 
which works with over 1,500 demobilized paramilitaries. 
Lopez is described by many as intelligent, but with limited 
freedom of action under Don Berna. 
 
-- Eduard Cobos, AKA "Diego Vecino": Vecino was commander of 
the Heroes of Montes of Maria Bloc, which demobilized in 
Bolivar Department in July 2005.  Garzon describes Vecino as 
more a Mancuso supporter since his Montes de Maria Bloc fell 
under the overall leadership of Mancuso.  He is politically 
influential in Bolivar Department.  The FARC kidnapped him 
twice; once he escaped, the second time his family paid the 
ransom.  Bustillo said that Vecino is concerned with being 
extradited and wants to fight to remove extradition as 
negotiations proceed.  Vecino is also concerned with charges 
he may face for &unpardonable8 crimes for his alleged role 
in the San Onofre massacre in Sucre Department (San Onofre is 
the site where authorities have found a significant number of 
bodies; specific dates of the murders involved are unclear). 
 
----------------------------- 
DIVISIONS BETWEEN AUC LEADERS 
----------------------------- 
 
4. (C) Tensions between demobilized and active AUC leaders 
highlight the inherently difficult challenge of representing 
a large group of paramilitaries with different interests. 
Bustillo claims that North Bloc leader Rodrigo Tovar Pupo, 
AKA "Jorge 40," whose group has yet to demobilize, is not in 
favor of Don Berna's control over the organization and argues 
that Don Berna only represents his own interest rather than 
the organization's views.  Bustillo explains that it is in 
the interest of Don Berna and his supporters for the peace 
process to continue and guarantee a complete demobilization 
of the AUC and the implementation of the Justice and Peace 
law.  On the other hand, according to Bustillo, Jorge 40 and 
Central Bolivar Bloc leader, Lorenzo Gonzalez, AKA "Macaco," 
are in no rush to demobilize and willing to delay the process 
indefinitely. 
WOOD