

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 09BOGOTA3441, XXXXXXXXXXXX TO AMBASSADOR: GOC ANGRY AT USG SILENCE ON VENEZUELA; PROBLEMS WITHIN MOD; NO NEW PROSECUTOR GENERAL
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. #09BOGOTA3441.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09BOGOTA3441 | 2009-11-25 20:08 | 2010-12-08 21:09 | SECRET//NOFORN | Embassy Bogota |
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBO #3441/01 3292006
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 252006Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1230
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMFISS/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0258
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
S E C R E T BOGOTA 003441
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/11/25
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC MOPS PHUM KJUS PINR VE CO
SUBJECT: XXXXXXXXXXXX TO AMBASSADOR: GOC ANGRY AT USG SILENCE ON VENEZUELA; PROBLEMS WITHIN MOD; NO NEW PROSECUTOR GENERAL
REF: A. BOGOTA 3421; B. BOGOTA 3375; C. BOGOTA 3271
CLASSIFIED BY: William R. Brownfield, Ambassador; REASON: 1.4(B), (D)
SUMMARY
-------
¶1. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX told the Ambassador on November 24 that President Uribe was angry with the USG for its lack of response to Venezuela's aggressions towards Colombia.
XXXXXXXXXXXX also said the GOC was interpreting the
cancelation of Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg's December
1-3 visit to Colombia as a political signal. The Ambassador explained
that the visit was only canceled due to a scheduling conflict.
XXXXXXXXXXXX understood, but said this was further
indication of how bad the worrisome anti-USG reaction now was i
Colombia. Even the private sector and former presidents and ministers
were lashing out. The Ambassador said he would seek to address this
perception with the media, and urged the GOC not to fall into
Venezuelan President Chavez' rhetorical trap. XXXXXXXXXXXX
said that Uribe would discuss Venezuela with Brazilian President
Lula in Manaus on November 26.
¶2. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX also told the Ambassador that Minister
of Defense Gabriel Silva and Armed Forces Commander Freddy
Padilla do not get along; that the Uribe-Supreme Court standoff
would continue well into next year, with the Supreme Court likely
refusing to select a Prosecutor General unless Minister of Interior and
Justice (MOIJ) Fabio Valencia Cossio resigned; that the CNP had asked
prosecutors to begin arrests and prosecutions in the Administrative
Department of Security (DAS) wiretap cases; and that extradited narcotics
traffickers and paramilitaries were preparing a smear campaign
against XXXXXXXXXXXX. End Summary.
URIBE ANGRY AT USG SILENCE ON VENEZUELA
---------------------------------------
¶3. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX invited the Ambassador and ORA
Chief to lunch November 24 to share his worries about the growing
anti-United States reaction in Colombia. At a security meeting on
November 23, President Uribe, for the first time in
XXXXXXXXXXXX memory, expressed open anger with the USG's
fence-sitting on Venezuela's aggressive threats and posture (ref A).
The Colombian private sector and the Presidential Advisory Board
(former presidents and ministers) were also ventilating against the USG
in private and public. XXXXXXXXXXXX said he was very concerned.
The Ambassador said he would try to address some of these perceptions
with the press on November 25, but stressed the importance of not
falling into President Chavez' rhetorical trap. Chavez was
currently winning the public relations struggle in Colombia, which
is neither in the USG or GOC's interest. Chavez hopes to isolate
Colombia from the region; he is now accomplishing that and dividing
Colombia from the United States. XXXXXXXXXXXX shared that
Uribe had just decided to attend the Summit of Amazon Nations in Manaus,
Brazil, on November 26, where he would work with President Lula on
Venezuela.
DEFENSE MINISTRY DISARRAY
-------------------------
¶4. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX said there were serious, growing
problems in the MOD (which oversees both the military and the police)
Minister Silva did not trust Armed Forces Chief Gen. Padilla; they now
rarely spoke to one another. XXXXXXXXXXXX also feels that Silva
allows his personal secretary (from the private sector) too much access to
his meetings, which is a growing security concern. Padilla does
not allow Army Commander Gonzalez to run the Army, and Silva does
not support Padilla, so the Army is adrift and senior officers are
playing one off against the other. Compounding things, the Navy
was feeling under assault due to the Rear Admiral Gabriel Arango
Bacci narcotics trafficking case (ref B). Only the Air Force and
CNP seemed to be operating on all cylinders. XXXXXXXXXXXX
himself has comfortable access to both Silva and Uribe.
XXXXXXXXXXXX urged the USG to pay attention to MOD
dysfunctionality.
NO PROSECUTOR GENERAL FOR MONTHS, MINISTER OF
INTERIOR & JUTICE RESIGNATION MAY BE ONLY SOLUTION --------------------------------------------- -----
¶5. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX said that the standoff between the
Supreme Court and President Uribe on naming a new Prosecutor
General would continue well into 2010. The Supreme Court justices
were visiting Spain now and would go into recess upon their return.
In January, the justices' focus would be on electing a new Supreme
Court president. (Note: Last year, this took three months and 130
votes. End Note.) XXXXXXXXXXXX was convinced that the only
solution to the Executive-Judiciary standoff was to remove MOIJ
Minister Valencia from office. The Supreme Court had personalized
much of its dislike for the Uribe Administration in Valencia.
¶6. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX conceded that the Court had a point
when it claimed Uribe changed signals on the three-person list of
nominees for Prosecutor General. The Uribe Administration haD asked
Inspector General Alejandro Ordonez to find a solution with the
Court. Ordonez worked out a deal whereby the Court would accept
the list if Juan Angel Palacio's name was pulled and replaced by
former magistrate Gomez Gallego. When Ordonez presented this
solution to Uribe, the President said he would not abandon his
candidate Camilo Ospina and replaced Palacio with State Counselor
Marco Antonio Velilla Moreno instead (Note: Lawyer Virginia Uribe
is the third candidate on the list. End Note.). The Court
promptly rejected Velilla for his lack of penal experience. This
rejection of the compromise he had been asked to work out angered
Ordonez. XXXXXXXXXXXX thought a long term solution to
Colombia's judiciary woes might be to split the MOIJ into two
ministries -- Interior and Justice -- but that was unlikely before the
May 2010 presidential elections. XXXXXXXXXXXX planned to tell
Uribe that the only way he saw to resolve the Prosecutor General
issue in the near term was for Valencia to resign, with an understanding
that the Supreme Court would then select one of the three nominees on the list.
DAS WIRETAPS INVESTIGATIONS
---------------------------
¶7. (S/NF) The Ambassador inquired as to the state of the
investigations into the illegal wiretaps by the Administrative Department of Security (DAS). XXXXXXXXXXXX said CN investigators had developed cases that should allow prosecutors to arrest and prosecute the suspects (ref C). However, he feared that the prosecutors assigned to the Supreme Court were new and that the supervisory Court magistrate was determined to make a case against a senior official in the Presidential Palace. Lead prosecutor Maria Consuelo Rincon opposed any prosecution until the investigators had reached the intellectual author. The CNP had delivered its investigatory results to the prosecutors with formal recommendation to proceed with arrests and prosecutions, in an attempt to force a decision by the prosecutors. XXXXXXXXXXXX expected a positive response next week. He acknowledged that there are probably more senior people involved in the illegal wiretaps, but arrests and prosecutions had to begin in order to force the lower level suspects to talk.
SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST NARANJO
------------------------------
¶8. (S/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX said Baruch Vega, a drug trafficker
who had served time in the United States and now resided in Miami,
was conspiring with Don Mario and other extradited United Self-
Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) paramilitaries to build a false
case against him. He said that a number of his officers had reported
being approached by these individuals seeking dirt on XXXXXXXXXXXX. He thought some smear was inevitable, and said he would share the information he had with U.S. law enforcement.
COMMENT
-------
¶9. (C/NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX is now the second most popular person
in Colombia and perhaps the smartest, best informed member of the GOC. His views and observations are usually worth serious consideration. End Comment. BROWNFIELD