

Currently released so far... 6230 / 251,287
Articles
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Amsterdam
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Browse by tag
ASEC
AF
AE
AR
AORC
AJ
AU
AM
ABLD
AL
AMGT
ASUP
AFIN
APER
ABUD
AVERY
APCS
AEMR
ADCO
APECO
ASIG
AG
AA
AS
AFFAIRS
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AMED
AO
ACOA
AX
AROC
ATFN
ASEAN
AFGHANISTAN
AFU
AER
ALOW
AODE
ATRN
AID
AC
AGMT
CH
CO
CS
CE
CU
CLINTON
CG
CVIS
CMGT
CI
CJAN
CF
COM
CASC
CA
CBW
CM
CDG
CR
COUNTER
CD
CWC
CKGR
CN
CPAS
CJUS
CV
CONS
CT
CY
COUNTERTERRORISM
CIA
CACM
CDB
CAN
COE
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CACS
CONDOLEEZZA
CARSON
CL
CIS
CODEL
CTM
CB
ECON
EFIN
EAIR
EUN
EINV
ENRG
EG
ETRD
EPET
ETTC
ELAB
EU
ER
ET
EAGR
ECPS
ECIN
ELTN
EAID
EMIN
EWWT
EFIS
EIND
EC
ES
EN
EI
ENVR
ENGR
ENIV
EUNCH
ENVI
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ELN
EZ
EXTERNAL
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EINT
EUR
ECINECONCS
ENNP
EFINECONCS
EK
ELECTIONS
ECUN
EINVEFIN
ECIP
EINDETRD
EUC
EREL
ECA
ENERG
ENGY
ETRO
EFTA
ECONCS
ECONOMICS
ECONEFIN
EINVETC
EINN
ESA
ETC
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ESENV
ETRDECONWTOCS
IN
IC
IR
IZ
IS
IAEA
IT
ICTY
IO
IA
IWC
ID
ICRC
ILC
INTELSAT
IMO
ISRAELI
IACI
ILO
ITRA
IBRD
IMF
ICJ
ICAO
ITALY
ITALIAN
IRAQI
INTERPOL
IV
IQ
IPR
INRB
ITPHUM
IIP
IL
INR
ITPGOV
IZPREL
IRC
INRA
INRO
IRAJ
IEFIN
IF
KDEM
KCRM
KJUS
KTIA
KWBG
KPAL
KIPR
KTIP
KE
KNNP
KGHG
KICC
KV
KTFN
KU
KCFE
KDRG
KWMN
KSCA
KGIC
KCOR
KFRD
KPKO
KSUM
KPRP
KPAO
KBCT
KIRF
KCFC
KISL
KREC
KSPR
KHIV
KBIO
KMCA
KMPI
KFLU
KSTH
KBTR
KS
KOMC
KOMS
KSEP
KPRV
KFLO
KHLS
KN
KWWMN
KUNR
KLIG
KSTC
KZ
KG
KRAD
KOLY
KTBT
KTDB
KOCI
KAWK
KCIP
KNPP
KWAC
KMDR
KAWC
KIDE
KSAF
KX
KWMNCS
KNEI
KCRS
KVPR
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KACT
KO
KFSC
KR
KPWR
KMIG
KSEC
KIFR
KDEMAF
KFIN
KGCC
KPIN
KPLS
KIRC
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KGIT
KBTS
KERG
KWMM
KRVC
KNSD
KVIR
KNUP
KTER
KDDG
KHSA
KMRS
KHDP
KTLA
KPAK
KNAR
KREL
KPAI
KTEX
KCOM
KNNPMNUC
KPOA
KRFD
KHUM
KDEV
KNUC
MOPS
MARR
MASS
MNUC
MO
MX
MCAP
ML
MTCRE
MR
MP
MY
MU
MIL
MAR
MC
MRCRE
MTRE
MA
MEPI
MV
MPOS
MD
MZ
MEPP
MOPPS
MAPP
MASC
MT
MERCOSUR
MK
MDC
MI
MAPS
MCC
MASSMNUC
MQADHAFI
MUCN
MTCR
MG
OREP
OVIP
OFDP
ODIP
OPDC
OAS
OTRA
OSCE
OECD
OIIP
OEXC
OPCW
OPIC
OPRC
OVP
OSCI
OTR
OSAC
OIC
OFFICIALS
OIE
PHUM
PREL
PGOV
PREF
PTER
PARM
PBTS
PINR
PINS
PHSA
PK
POL
PM
PINT
PE
PINF
PEL
PA
PARMS
PO
PLN
PROP
PALESTINIAN
PAO
PL
POV
PG
POLITICS
PEPR
PSI
PSOE
PU
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PBIO
PECON
PAK
POGOV
PINL
PKFK
PMIL
PY
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PRAM
PMAR
PGOVLO
PUNE
PORG
PHUMPREL
PF
POLINT
PHUS
PGOC
PNR
PGGV
PNAT
PGOVE
PRGOV
PRL
PROV
PTERE
PGOF
PHUMBA
SENV
SY
SZ
SOCI
SO
SR
SNAR
SA
SP
SW
SMIG
SU
SCUL
SC
SAN
SN
SL
SG
SYR
SEVN
SF
SI
STEINBERG
SIPRS
SH
SNARCS
SOFA
SANC
SHUM
SK
ST
TRGY
TU
TBIO
TH
TS
TSPL
TT
TPHY
TSPA
TI
TK
TIP
TERRORISM
TZ
TX
TW
TD
TP
TC
TO
TNGD
TINT
TRSY
TR
TFIN
TURKEY
UK
UNGA
UN
UNHRC
UNMIK
UNO
UZ
UNSC
UP
UG
UNHCR
UNDC
US
UNAUS
USTR
UV
UNEP
UY
UNESCO
USUN
UAE
USEU
UNDP
UNCHS
UNVIE
UNCHC
UE
UNDESCO
USAID
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09SANJOSE1098, COSTA RICA: POLICE EQUIPMENT DONATION TO QUEPOS MUNCIPALITY
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09SANJOSE1098.
VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSJ #1098/01 3381806
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041750Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0093
INFO WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CCGDELEVEN ALAMEDA CA
RHMFISS/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RUMIAGH/COMJTF-B SIMS SOTO CANO HO
UNCLAS SAN JOSE 001098
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC, INL/LP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR PREL PINR ASEC CASC CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA: POLICE EQUIPMENT DONATION TO QUEPOS MUNCIPALITY
¶1. (U) SUMMARY. On November 23-24, we visited the city of Quepos
on Costa Rica's Pacific coast to donate nearly $14,000 of police
equipment as well as to conduct end-use monitoring of equipment
previously donated to the coast guard station there. Although the
police equipment was not purchased with Merida Initiative funds,
this donation certainly falls within the intent of the Merida
Initiative to improve security in Central America. Selecting
Quepos as Post's pilot project for donating directly to a
municipality improves security for Amcit residents and tourists and
complements the city's active anti-crime efforts. The event
received positive radio and print media coverage. END SUMMARY.
--------------------------------------
EARLY QUEPOS CHRISTMAS: "HAPPIEST DAY"
--------------------------------------
¶2. (U) On November 23, Post's INL office donated nearly $14,000 of
police equipment, including items such as uniforms, vests,
holsters, GPSs, and night vision equipment to the municipal police
of Quepos in the municipality of Aguirre. This donation, made
possible in part thanks to an agreement between the city of Quepos
and the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Security, marks the first
time we have directly contributed to the security efforts of a
local municipality. Oscar Monge, the Mayor of Quepos, accepted the
donation on behalf of the Quepos Municipal Police with great
gratitude and enthusiasm.
¶3. (U) One of the key players that made this donation possible was
Harry Bodaan, a private American citizen who owns a local boutique
hotel who has become deeply involved in improving security in
Quepos. He assisted in the liaison between the local government
and the U.S. Embassy to arrange for the donation. At the donation
ceremony, Monge and city council president Osvaldo Zarate
emphasized the longstanding need for better police equipment to
improve citizen security. Monge called the event "the happiest day
of my life." Political officer Robert Andrew detailed the contents
of the police equipment donated and expressed the Embassy's
expectation that the equipment would help improve security in
Quepos.
¶4. (U) Following the ceremony, the mayor led Post and media
representatives on a tour of various Quepos sites in which his
administration had significantly improved the level of security.
Included in this tour were:
-- a newly-constructed public park situated on a small peninsula,
built on the site of a former discotheque where drugs used to be
dealt;
-- a street alongside Manuel Antonio Beach (popular among Amcits)
that used to be filled with vendors who sold everything from beads
to drugs, and was once the site of five to six assaults per day,
has not seen a violent assault in four months; and
-- a centrally-located parking lot under construction that used to
be a dirt parking lot occupied by unlicensed taxis and drug
dealers. The revenue from the lot will raise funds for the Quepos
municipal police force.
-----------------------
POSITIVE MEDIA COVERAGE
-----------------------
¶5. (U) Several national media representatives accompanied us and
local officials at the donation ceremony and various site visits
throughout the day. Radio Colombia, a nationally syndicated radio
network and The Tico Times, Costa Rica's only English-language
print weekly, interviewed both the mayor and Poloff. Poloff
underscored the partnership between the "public-private-public"
(Mayor's office/Bodaan/Embassy)sectors that made the donation
possible.
----------------------------------------
END-USE MONITORING OF QUEPOS COAST GUARD
----------------------------------------
¶6. (U) On November 24, Poloff conducted end-use monitoring (EUM) of
previously donated coast guard equipment at Quepos. INL built a
coast guard barracks and operations center as well as donated six
boats and other support equipment eight years ago. All of the
boats and equipment were accounted for; however, none of the boats
were in operating condition (and have not been since 2003).
¶7. (SBU) During the EUM, we noted the construction status of Marina
Pez Vela, a private marina mostly funded by retired American
businessmen, and confirmed that two slips had been donated to the
coast guard to berth two operational boats. During a short ride on
a 36-foot patrol boat, the coast guard shared information with us
about narco-trafficking activities along the coast and their
efforts to interdict trafficking in the area. The boat that we
rode in, named the Rio Naranjo, has three 200 h.p. engines and was
seized from drug traffickers in June 2008. With a top speed of
40-45 knots, it now serves as one of the coast guard's primary
vessels for intercepting drug runners along the Quepos area of the
Pacific coast.
¶8. (SBU) While aboard the Rio Naranjo, the coast guard showed us
the site of a particularly dangerous drug pursuit in September.
Near the mouth of the Rio Damas River, where suspected drug-running
vessels frequently hide, the coast guard boat in pursuit of one of
these vessels capsized and two crew members drowned. The coast
guard also showed us a small air strip on the coast where they
believe drug traffickers frequently transfer from their cargo from
"go-fasts" onto small airplanes to be shipped further north. The
Quepos coast guard has taken some measures to better patrol the
area and prevent shipments from leaving by air, but according to
the coast guard there is little coordination between them and the
drug control police (PCD) or any other law enforcement agency to
maximize effectiveness of the operations.
-------
COMMENT
-------
¶9. (SBU) Selecting Quepos as Post's pilot project for donating
directly to a municipality directly promotes both USG security
interests as well as improving security for resident and tourist
Amcits. We estimate that hundreds, if not thousands, of Amcits are
permanent residents in the Quepos area with hundreds of thousands
of Amcits tourists visiting every year. During the high volume
holiday season, the security of tourist areas is a crucial concern.
¶10. (U) Attachments include some photos of the donation ceremony,
vessel Rio Naranjo in Marina Pez Vela, and a donation document
completely listing the police equipment donated.
BRENNAN