US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA1622

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 001622 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR WHA, WHA/CEN, INL/LP, AND CA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2013 
TAGS: SNAR, PREL, PGOV, KCRM, KJUS, SMIG, CVIS, HO 
SUBJECT: ANOTHER HONDURAN CONGRESSMAN BUSTED ON DRUG CHARGES 
 
REF: TEGUCIGALPA 1497 
 
Classified By: Political Chief Francisco L. Palmieri; 
Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  Yet another Honduran political figure was 
implicated in drug trafficking when he was arrested on July 6 
fleeing the scene of an airplane crash in the eastern 
department of Olancho.  National Party Deputy, Armando Avila 
Panchame, was arrested by the police for drug trafficking and 
attempted murder (for running his car through two police 
roadblocks.)  President Ricardo Maduro, President of the 
National Congress Pepe Lobo, and Attorney General Roy Medina 
-- all indicated congressional immunity would be lifted to 
pursue the prosecution of this deputy.  This arrest could 
prove to be a key test of the political and judicial 
systems, ability to attack the growing narcocorruption 
problem in Honduras.  END SUMMARY 
 
2.  (U) On Saturday, July 5, Honduran police authorities, 
responding to intelligence information, mounted an operation 
against a suspected drug trafficking airplane that crashed in 
the eastern Honduran department of Olancho.  The operation 
resulted in the arrest of nine individuals, including a 
member of the Honduran National Congress, Armando Avila 
Panchame, a Colombian, and a Venezuelan.  Unfortunately, 
there were no drugs seized or found; however police are still 
conducting a series of searches of the surrounding areas. 
Canine units, funded by a State International Narcotics and 
Law Enforcement (INL) program, did alert to the rpesence of 
drugs in the aircraft and vehicles.  The bold narco aircraft 
landing took place on a secondary paved roadway that was 
blocked by drug traffickers, vehicles, which had been 
modified to illuminate the makeshift runway with floodlights. 
 Trees along the roadway had also been removed with 
chainsaws.  Police recovered automatic AK-47 and M-16 rifles, 
200 rounds of ammunition, satellite phones, radio equipment, 
and night reflector vests at the location.  It appears that 
the aircraft successfully unloaded its cargo, but in its 
haste to depart as police descended on the scene it struck 
one of the vehicles that had secured one end of the 
improvised runway. 
 
3.  (SBU) There is some media speculation, based on public 
statements made by the son of the notorious (and currently 
incarcerated in the U.S.) drug trafficker Ramon Matta, that 
there was a confrontation between rival drug cartels.  The 
location of the drug delivery abutted a ranch owned by the 
Matta family.  Matta is claiming to have aided police by 
informaing them of the landing of the suspect aircraft and 
ythen shooting at it as it tried to depart.  He also said he 
permitted searches of his property for the missing drugs. 
(Comment: Police report no such cooperation and have said 
that the shots fired from the Matta group were a signal to 
the aircraft,s pilot that police were approaching.  There 
were bullet holes observed in the aircraft.  End Comment.) 
 
4.  (C) While no drugs were seized, Honduran Deputy Avila 
Panchame is charged with attempted murder for having run his 
vehicle through two police roadblocks. The statements of two 
police officers at those roadblocks accuse Avila Panchame of 
refusing to stop and charging through the roadblocks.  He is 
also being charged with drug trafficking.  The arrest of a 
member of Congress is keeping the spotlight on the extent to 
which narcocorruption is permeating Honduran institutions. 
President Maduro, President of the National Congress Pepe 
Lobo, and the Attorney General have all indicated 
congressional immunity will be waived in this case to pursue 
the prosecution of this deputy on the drug charges.  Under 
the Honduran Constitution, immunity for attempted murder or 
murder are exempt from any congressional immunity claim 
(Comment:  This incident is not the first time that Avila 
Panchame has come to the Embassy,s attention for possible 
involvement in drug trafficking.  Earlier in April of this 
year, the same vehicle in which he was traveling during this 
incident was observed by witnesses at the scene of an earlier 
suspected crashed aircraft.  In that incident police seized 
397 kilos of cocaine, but no arrests were ever made.  End 
Comment.) 
 
5.  (C) COMMENT:  This arrest could prove to be a key test of 
the political and judicial systems, ability to attack the 
growing narco-corruption problem in Honduras.  Avila Panchame 
is now the third Honduran political figure to be arrested on 
drug trafficking charges in the last year.  Coming on the 
heels of the June 20 arrest of Liberal Party Central American 
Parliament member Cesar Diaz in Nicaragua (reftel) and last 
summer,s arrest of a former deputy in Panama (both of whom 
were arrested in possession of heroin) the media is 
highlighting the mounting connections between international 
drug traffickers and Honduran political elites.  As reported 
septel, the Ambassador recently placed the Attorney General 
on notice that his office must produce some high-profile 
drug-trafficking and corruption prosecutions immediately or 
risk losing further U.S. support.  We will be monitoring 
developments in this case closely.  END COMMENT. 
Palmer