VZCZCXYZ0007
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGT #0462/01 1351712
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151712Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7474

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000462 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR KYLE M. BALLARD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC KMOC GT
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA: BLUE LANTERN POST-LICENSE PRE-SHIPMENT 
END-USE CHECK, 050143296 
 
REF: A. STATE 30527 
     ¶B. STATE 80 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  In response to reftel, Emboffs conducted 
a background check of the Mazatenango owner of El Venadito, 
Zoraida Elizabeth Valenzuela Gomez, whose company was 
formerly connected to El Venadito of Coban through marriage, 
the same El Venadito which purchased large volumes of Marlin 
Model 60, .22 caliber rifles from the weapons store, Defensa. 
S.A. As stated in reftel, these three companies and owners 
involved have an active relationship in the buying and 
selling of Marlin rifles. According to Valenzuela and in a 
previous interview with Farid Massis of Defensa, S.A., these 
rifles are legally purchased and used by two types of 
individual buyers: hunters and farmers.  The investigation 
included an interview with the company's owner, and records 
checks of both the company and the owner with the Guatemala's 
Arms and Municions Control Department (DECAM).  As of result 
of the investigation, Post recommends approval of reftel 
license.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On May 13, Emboffs conducted an interview with 
Valenzuela, whose company, El Venadito, is located in Calzada 
Centenario, Comercial Centenario, Local #3, Mazatenango, 
Guatemala.  Valenzuela, accompanied by her husband, who is 
also a weapons store owner, Jorge Andrade, were professional 
and provided all proper documentation including a list of 
weapons sold over a five month period and pictures of the 
outside, inside, and weapons storage room of the store.  As 
described in reftel, Emboffs asked for an explanation of the 
relationship between Valenzuela's company and another company 
by the same name located in Coban.  Valenzuela is the former 
daughter-in-law to Otto Erick Ponce Morales, who owns El 
Venadito of Coban.  (Note: The Coban El Venadito was cited in 
reftel B for purchasing large quantities of Marlin rifles, 
which Emboffs at the time suspected may have had ties to 
narcotrafficking activity.  But further evidence indicated 
that El Venadito of Coban did not have ties to 
narcotraffickers.  End Note.) 
 
¶3. (SBU)  From a detailed review of recent photographs taken 
of the outside, inside and the weapons storage room, El 
Venadito (Mazatenango) is located on the bottom floor of a 
commercial retail center, and includes a secure storefront 
with visible signage, one large steel rolling door that 
protects the side entrance of the store, two sets of security 
bar doors inside the front entrance, and a security guard 
protecting the inside of the store.  The retail area has one 
long weapons counter.  In the back of the store is a weapons 
storage room.  The weapons storage room itself is very secure 
with all of the necessary protective measures required 
including motion detectors in the walls and ceiling that are 
connected to a 24-hour alarm company.  The weapons storage 
room is made of four solid cinder block walls with one 
reinforced steel-grated wall.  And Valenzuela added that 
directly behind the weapons storage room is a commercial bank. 
 
¶4. (SBU) As noted in reftel, Valenzuela is the authorized 
firearms retailer listed on the license application, and this 
is her first license to import U.S.-origin firearms. 
Valenzuela will be selling Marlin Model 60 Rifles, .22 
caliber to hunters and farmers in the Mazatenango area and 
she plans to sell to weapons store owners in the future. 
Valenzuela has purchased other weapons from Argentina, Turkey 
and the Czech Republic, but a majority of her weapons 
purchases are from other Guatemalan weapons stores. 
Valenzuela confirmed with Emboffs that she knows the 
regulations governing the imports of U.S.-origin defense 
Qregulations governing the imports of U.S.-origin defense 
articles, including restrictions on re-transfer and re-export. 
 
¶5. (SBU) El Venadito has a satisfactory record with DECAM and 
has passed all routine inspections without incident. 
According to DECAM's Director, Colonel Hector Del Cid, El 
Venadito is a small-scale but well managed weapons store that 
is operating within local laws and regulations.  Based on the 
results of the interview and a records check with DECAM, Post 
recommends approval of the reftel license. 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT:  Emboff conducted separate interviews with 
additional satisfactory Blue Lantern licensing recipients who 
provided insight into the popularity of Marlin Model 60, .22 
caliber gun ownership in Guatemala.  Both Emboff contacts 
agreed that these firearms are not used for crime, but are 
"coveted firearms in the countryside, where people use them 
for hunting, and also as pest control and home defense." The 
contacts concluded that gun users are "craving" for them 
because 20 years ago, the Marlin weapons were considered a 
"luxury" and very difficult to purchase in Guatemala at that 
time. 
 
McFarland