GOVERNMENT COMMISSION REPORT ON COLOMBIA RAISES CRITICISM

SECRET,NOFORN S E C R E T QUITO 001045 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/18 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PTER, SNAR, MOPS, EC, CO SUBJECT: Government Commission Report on Colombia Raises Criticism REF: QUITO 1033 CLASSIFIED BY: Heather M. Hodges, Ambassador; REASON: 1.4(A), (B), (D) 1. (C) SUMMARY: A government-appointed commission on the 2008 Colombian military attack against a FARC camp in northern Ecuador admitted that its report was not exhaustive, but defended it against charges that it provided nothing new and lacked proof for its conclusions. The GOE has stressed the report's conclusion that, while certain individuals may have ties to the FARC, the GOE did not. President Correa called for another reorganization of Ecuador's intelligence services in response to unsubstantiated allegations against the USG in the report. END SUMMARY. Commission Defends Report ------------------------- 2. (C) Six days following the release of its report and amidst extensive press coverage and other reactions, the Truth and Transparency Commission on Angostura used a press conference on December 15 to respond to ongoing criticism. The Commission admitted that the report was not exhaustive, but defended the report as fulfilling its mandate "to investigate the possible ties of officials and former officials of the government to narcotrafficking" and events surrounding the March 1, 2008 Colombian military attack against a FARC camp in Angostura, Ecuador. The Commission complained that a lack of access and/or time limited the Commission's ability to draw conclusions, permitting only observations in numerous instances. 3. (C) On one point commission head Francisco Huerta acknowledged that the Commission had erred, namely in alleging that former Latin American Association of Human Rights (ALDHU) Director Juan de Dios Parra and former Security Minister Gustavo Larrea approved the clandestine departure of FARC member Nubia Calderon, survivor of the March 2008 bombing. President Orders Reorganization of Intelligence Services --------------------------------------------- ----------- 4. (C) While asserting during his December 12 radio address that he had not read the complete report, President Correa expressed his disappointment that "the report really did not provide much new information." Correa added that some former government officials would have to respond to allegations of ties to the FARC. The President conveniently overlooked the fact that current National Assembly member Maria Augusta Calle, a member of the government's Proud and Sovereign Fatherland (PAIS) movement, was also accused of having FARC ties. 5. (S/NF) One element of delivery of the report was very much to the GOE's liking. Commission head Huerta has emphasized that the Commission "did not find any direct relations between the Rafael Correa government and the FARC; only ties by former and current government officials." Interestingly, one outspoken, pro-GOE and anti-U.S. member of the Commission, Israel Batista, is a former Cuban national who has immigrated to Ecuador, but reportedly still travels frequently to Cuba on a Cuban passport. 6. (C) President Correa announced on December 14 that the GOE's intelligence system would be restructured to delink it from foreign influence. Correa complained that "information that (Ecuador security services) had was passed to the U.S. Embassy and to Colombia and not to the President of Ecuador." The GOE has not announced any action to follow up on the President's declaration. Correa had already restructured Ecuador's intelligence services for the same reason earlier this year. 7. (SBU) Security Minister Miguel Carvajal stated on December 14 that the Executive was still studying the Commission's report, but that certain points in it generated doubt, while others needed further investigation. Carvajal highlighted the report's conclusion that the Forward Operating Location (FOL) at Manta collaborated in the Angostura attack (reftel). He also asserted that the GOE would investigate whether certain GOE security agents were aware of FARC presence in Angostura and the reasons why police intelligence agents traveled to Colombia only days before the attack in Angostura. For his part, Foreign Minister Fander Falconi said on December 15 while on an official visit to Cuba that "a set of questions has arisen regarding the quality of the sources used." Other Fallout from Report ------------------------- 8. (C) The report was delivered the same day to the Presidency and to the press, which drew harsh criticism from National Assembly President Fernando Cordero, who asserted that the report should have been delivered first to the Prosecutor General. Cordero warned that if the Commission did not provide evidence supporting many of its conclusions, the Assembly would not grant immunity to the Commission. 9. (C) Individuals described in the report as having possible ties to the FARC have been on the defensive. Former Security Minister Gustavo Larrea fired back that he had been "a victim of unfounded accusations, slander and persecution for two years." Former Under Secretary of Government Jose Ignacio Chauvin called for the Commission members to be investigated for slander and moral damage. National Assembly member Maria Augusta Calle angrily stated that "the members of the Commission will have to prove" their allegations. 10. (C) Prosecutor General Washington Pesantez stated on December 16 that after a first analysis of the report, there was nothing new to support further action on any issue already investigated by the Prosecutor General's office. He added that the document did not constitute proof of any crime. However, Pesantez promised to study the contents of the report carefully and take action as necessary. Commission Coordinator Huerta warned that anonymous sources may have to be revealed if certain issues are investigated by the Prosecutor General's office. Comment ------- 11. (C) The Embassy's immediate press response was widely reported and helped minimize damage from the report's allegations of a FOL role in the March 2008 attack. Certain GOE officials will without doubt continue to point to the Manta FOL allegation for personal political gain and to divert attention from possible GOE ties to the FARC. Legal action against those individuals cited in the report for possible FARC ties appears unlikely. Security Minister Carvajal will likely continue to pursue those people that the report criticized for working closely with the U.S., which is cause for concern. However, chances are that the report, like others before it, will gradually fade from the public's attention with little damage to the GOE or U.S.-Ecuador relations. HODGES