US embassy cable - 03BOGOTA3994

S E C R E T BOGOTA 003994 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, PTER, CO 
SUBJECT: FARC KILLS TWO HIGH PROFILE HOSTAGES 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMB. ANNE W. PATTERSON FOR REASONS 1.5(B,D) 
 
1. (S) ON MAY 5, THE FARC EXECUTED TWO HIGH PROFILE HOSTAGES- 
ANTIOQUIA GOVERNOR GUILLERMO GAVIRIA AND FORMER DEFENSE 
MINISTER AND PEACE ADVISER GILBERTO ECHEVERRI- IN AN AREA 
NEAR URRAO, ANTIOQUIA DEPARTMENT.  EIGHT SOLDIERS WHO THE 
FARC ALSO HAD KIDNAPPED WERE KILLED AS WELL.  SOURCES 
INDICATE THAT THE MURDERS TOOK PLACE DURING AN ILL-FATED 
RESCUE ATTEMPT BY A COLOMBIAN SPECIAL FORCES UNIT. THE FARC 
DISCOVERED THE ATTEMPTED RESCUE AND A FIREFIGHT ENSUED. 
DURING THIS ENCOUNTER, THE FARC ALLEGEDLY EXECUTED THE 
PRISONERS WITH SHOTS TO THE HEAD. 
 
2. (S) THE FARC RELEASED A STATEMENT THAT CONFIRMED THE 
DEATHS OF GAVIRIA AND ECHEVERRI, ALONG WITH THE MILITARY 
HOSTAGES, AND ATTRIBUTED THE FATALITIES TO A FAILED RESCUE 
ATTEMPT ORCHESTRATED BY THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT.  GAVIRIA 
AND ECHEVERRI HAD BEEN KIDNAPPED BY THE FARC ON APRIL 21, 
2002 WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A PEACE MARCH IN CAICEDO, 
ANTIOQUIA DEPARTMENT. 
 
3.(U) THE 41-YEAR-OLD GAVIRIA, SON OF A PROMINENT MEDELLIN 
FAMILY THAT OWNED THE INFLUENTIAL EL MUNDO NEWSPAPER, ENTERED 
OFFICE AS GOVERNOR OF ANTIOQUIA IN JANUARY, 2001. HE WAS THE 
SOLE CANDIDATE OF THE LIBERAL PARTY DURING THAT CAMPAIGN. 
PREVIOUSLY, HE HAD WORKED AS DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL 
INSTITUTE OF ROADS OF COLOMBIA FROM 1994 UNTIL 1999.  HE 
ATTENDED THE COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES WHERE HE GRADUATED WITH 
A DEGREE IN ENGINEERING AND MINING ADMINISTRATION. 
 
4. (U) THE 69-YEAR-OLD ECHEVERRI, FORMER MINISTER OF DEFENSE 
DURING THE SAMPER ADMINISTRATION, WORKED AS THE PEACE 
COMMISSIONER FOR ANTIOQUIA.  THE MEDELLIN NATIVE HAD HELD THE 
GOVERNORSHIP OF ANTIOQUIA FROM 1990-91.  FOLLOWING THIS, HE 
REENTERED THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS PRESIDENT OF THE CELLULAR 
TELEPHONE COMPANY, OCCEL. 
 
5. (C)  COMMENT:  THE ASSASSINATION OF GAVIRIA AND ECHEVERRI, 
BOTH POPULAR POLITICIANS, BY THE FARC WILL STUN COLOMBIANS. 
GAVIRIA AND ECHEVERRI WERE THE FARC'S TWO MOST IMPORTANT 
BARGAINING CHIPS WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN SECURING AN EXCHANGE 
OF HOSTAGES FOR FARC PRISONERS.  WE EXPECT THAT URIBE WILL 
ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BOTCHED RESCUE ATTEMPT.  URIBE 
WILL NOW FIND HIMSELF UNDER EVEN MORE INTENSE PRESSURE TO 
NEGOTIATE A HOSTAGE EXCHANGE WITH THE FARC AND FOREGO FUTURE 
RESCUE ATTEMPTS.  URIBE WILL RESIST THIS PRESSURE TO 
NEGOTIATE A HOSTAGE EXCHANGE; HOWEVER, HE MAY SHY AWAY FROM 
APPROVING ANY RESCUE EFFORTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.  AS FOR THE 
FARC, ITS TERRORIST INSTINCTS HAVE ONCE AGAIN FORFEITED ANY 
SUCCESS AT GAINING SOME POSITIVE POLITICAL TRACTION ON THE 
HOSTAGE ISSUE.  EMBASSY IS CERTAIN THAT WE CAN DETERMINE THE 
EXACT FACTS OF THE RESCUE IN A FEW DAYS, AND WE WILL ADVISE 
THE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER AGENCIES. END COMMENT. 
 
 
PATTERSON 
 
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