VZCZCXYZ0007
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBR #0768 1091757
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191757Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5161
RUEABND/DEA WASHDC
INFO RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 1909
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 6789
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 3705
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ APR LIMA 2952
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3206
RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 5368

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000768 
 
SIPDIS 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR INL/LP, WHA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR BR
SUBJECT:  Brazilian Army Captures Two Suspected FARC Guerillas 
 
 
¶1.   Summary.    On April 5, 2006, a Brazilian Army patrol surprised 
a trio of individuals near the bank of the Rio Negro in Brazil's 
Amazonas state, just opposite where the small army outpost is 
located.   Two suspects were detained along with weapons and cash 
after a short-lived firefight.  The body of the third member of the 
group was found the next day floating in the water having died as a 
result of a gunshot wound to the neck.  The two-suspected FARC 
members are currently in Manaus and are in custody of the Brazilian 
Federal Police.  The incident received significant press coverage, 
but the GOB has been mute.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.   The events of last Wednesday unfolded quite unexpectedly when 
one of the three Brazilian soldiers assigned to a remote outpost on 
the Rio Negro came upon a group of individuals in the dense 
undergrowth on the other side of the river opposite the army camp. 
The soldier stealthily departed the area and returned to alert the 
other two soldiers at the base.  The three soldiers, all of 
Amazonian Indian descent, carefully made their way back to the site 
and surprised two of the suspects.   The first suspect complied and 
raised his hands, but the others opened fire.  Both were apprehended 
after a brief shootout.  A search of the area the next day by army 
and federal police reinforcements from Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira 
(about 50 kilometers down river) turned up a third individual who 
had died as a result of a bullet wound to the neck.   Initial 
examinations of the wound seem to indicate that it made have been 
made by the subject's own 9mm pistol and not by one of the FAL 
rifles used by the Brazilian soldiers in the firefight.   The 
forensic examination by the Brazilian Federal Police should shed 
some light on this anomaly in the near future. 
 
¶3.   The other big surprise for local authorities was the amount of 
cash the group was carrying as well the type of weapons they 
possessed.   Approximately USD 100,000 and 100,000 euros were 
confiscated along with smaller amounts of Brazilian and Venezuelan 
notes.   Three FAL rifles with "exercito brasileiro" (Brazilian 
Army) inscribed on them were also recovered.   The lack of serial 
numbers on the weapons leads the Federal Police to believe that they 
may have been obtained directly from the factory before being 
stamped.  Other items obtained are two cell phones, a GPS device, a 
digital camera, and a Motorola T5500 walkie-talkie. 
 
 
¶4.   The information on the three individuals is as follows: 
 
¶A. Justo Alexander RAMOS RAMIREZ, DPOB: Sept. 01, 73; Bogota, ID 
(cedula) 79.766.953 
¶B. William Norbey NAGLES CESPEDES, DPOB: Sept. 26, 1976; Ataco, 
Tolima, ID (cedula) 79767434 
¶C. Wilver Yeison VILLANUEVA DAZA (deceased), DPOB: Sept. 04, 82; 
Cubarral, Meta, ID (cedula) 86073437 
 
¶5.  Major dailies in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasilia carried 
accounts of the incident, but without any front-page fanfare and 
little follow up in the days afterwards.  The articles inaccurately 
reported that the confrontation had taken place on the water.  Other 
details regarding the confiscated weapons and cash were fairly 
accurate.  The "Journal do Brasil," however, did publish a piece 
outlining the past ties between the PT party and the FARC as well as 
pointing out links between Brazilian narcotraffickers and Colombian 
guerillas.  The Government of Brazil has been mute on the incident 
and seems to be treating it as a law enforcement matter. 
 
¶6.   COMMENT:  It is surmised that the group is part of, or 
associated with, FARC guerillas and was coming down river to 
purchase supplies in the form of medicine, foodstuffs, or quite 
possibly weapons.  The other theory is that they may have been 
returning with proceeds from a drug transaction.   Hopefully more 
information will come to light after interrogation by the Federal 
Police in Manaus.  The FARC constantly exploits the vast, sparsely 
manned Northern Amazon region to move shipments of cocaine and 
heroin through Brazil.  While the NAS Brazil supported "Operation 
COBRA" (COLombia-BRAzil) has resulted in a twofold increase in the 
amount of drugs seized in the North/Northeast during the last year, 
the Federal Police and Brazilian authorities must augment their 
presence in the region in order to further reduce the flow of 
narcotics, precursors, and counter band.   END COMMENT. 
 
CHICOLA