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| Identifier: | 03GUATEMALA916 |
|---|---|
| Wikileaks: | View 03GUATEMALA916 at Wikileaks.org |
| Origin: | Embassy Guatemala |
| Created: | 2003-04-07 15:44:00 |
| Classification: | UNCLASSIFIED |
| Tags: | PHUM PREL GT |
| Redacted: | This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks. |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000916
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, GT
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT RECEIVES LIMITED PRESS COVERAGE
REF: A. GUATEMALA 705
B. GUATEMALA 683
1. (U) Summary: Upon public release of the 2002 Human Rights
Report (HRR) on March 31, Embassy issued a press statement
from the Ambassador highlighting the USG human rights
concerns in Guatemala and areas where we believe improvements
can made. However, neither the report nor the Ambassador's
statement received much public attention, as the recurring
theme of the human rights situation was overshadowed by the
war in Iraq and breaking political scandals. End Summary.
2. (U) The Ambassador's statement reiterated USG concern over
the human rights situation and expressed hope for improvement
with the creation of CICIACS (Ref A). Only one daily
newspaper, Prensa Libre, reported the release of the HRR and
the Ambassador's statement. No radio programs covered the
report's release. All press attention focused on the war in
Iraq and the latest Guatemalan scandal, that of the duel
between Attorney General Carlos de Leon and former
Anti-Corruption Prosecutor, Karen Fischer. (Ref B)
3. (U) Immediately after the public release in Washington,
HROff and PolOff delivered a copy of the report to Sara
Solis, Director of Bilateral Affairs, and Mario Cifuentes,
Senior Assistant to the Minister, at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. HROff also circulated the report amongst human
rights contacts. All recipients thanked HROff for the
detailed report and said they anxiously await translation,
which post expects to have completed with the next two weeks.
4. (U) Comment: Domestic scandals in an election year and a
controversial foreign war crowded out news of the HRR's
release this year. In addition, USG concern over the human
rights situation here in Guatemala is common knowledge, and
thus not particularly newsworthy. Once we have a Spanish
translation, we will consider new PD opportunities to advance
our human rights agenda. At a meeting April 3, however,
Foreign Minister Gutierrez said he had read the report in its
entirety. He appeared to find it balanced and objective.
HAMILTON
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