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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, Ambass...



id: 240727
date: 12/18/2009 20:18
refid: 09QUITO1045
origin: Embassy Quito
classification: SECRET//NOFORN
destination: 09QUITO1033
header:
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DE RUEHQT #1045/01 3522018
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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0574
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
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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 

=======================CABLE ENDS============================