VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGT #2325/01 3391746
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051746Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4458
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 0672
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 1159
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0165
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 4669
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//SCJ2-JIC-IRD/OPSD//
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 002325 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLS PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/CAM - K. SIENKIEWICZ 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OVIP PREL PGOV SNAR GT
SUBJECT: CODEL REID'S VISIT TO GUATEMALA 
 
Meeting with President Berger 
----------------------------- 
¶1.  (SBU) Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid led a bipartisan 
delegation of six senators to Guatemala Nov. 30 - Dec. 2. 
Reid opened the CODEL's November 30 meeting with President 
Berger by saying that the USG should give greater attention 
to social issues in Latin America, noting Guatemala's 
problems with corruption and narcotrafficking.  He stated 
that the U.S. shared responsibility for the drug problem. 
Senator Conrad asked whether the GOG is concerned that 
increased USG counternarcotics assistance to Mexico might 
have the effect of encouraging traffickers to move their 
operations to Central America.  President Berger and Vice 
President Stein responded that they are working in close 
collaboration with their Central American counterparts, as 
well as those in Mexico and Colombia, to ensure a coordinated 
regional response.  They said that they welcomed the 
President's Merida Initiative.  However, they found the 
proposed amount of $50 million inadequate to the challenge at 
hand, but were encouraged by indications that USG 
counternarcotics assistance might grow.  Senator Reid 
responded to President Berger's call to halt deportations of 
Guatemalans from the U.S. by stressing the importance of U.S. 
immigration reform, to include an expanded guest worker 
program. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) President Berger highlighted the accomplishments of 
his outgoing administrtion, including economic growth, 
poverty reductio, government transition planning, and 
securing congressional approval of the International 
Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).  Berger 
asked that the senators reconsider the long-standing 
congressional ban on USG military assistance to the 
Guatemalan Army, saying that it was an anachronism.  Senator 
Reid responded that the Senate is currently considering 
language that would provide some relief.  Berger accused 
Venezuelan President Chavez of trying to use oil to influence 
events in Guatemala.  In response to Senator Menendez's 
inquiry about what the USG could do to help Guatemala reduce 
poverty, Berger discussed the importance of remittances, GOG 
rural development programs, and efforts to include women and 
indigenous persons in national decision-making.  VP Stein 
highlighted the role of cooperatives in helping indigenous 
farmers to take full advantage of CAFTA. 
 
VP-Elect Seeks Close Bilateral Relationship 
------------------------------------------- 
¶3.  (SBU) In a subsequent meeting with Vice President-Elect 
Rafael Espada and UNE Congressman-Elect Roberto Alejos, 
Espada told CODEL Reid that the incoming Colom Government's 
top priorities would be poverty alleviation, improving access 
to health care and education for the rural population, and 
improving indigenous people's access to economic 
opportunities.  He described Guatemalan society as violent 
and rent by socio-economic divisions.  Broken homes led many 
of the country's youths to seek surrogate families in gangs. 
Espada said he looked forward to close collaboration with the 
USG and with other Central American governments, including on 
counternarcotics efforts.  (Bio Note:  Espada said that it 
had been the Alliance for Progress youth exchange program of 
Qhad been the Alliance for Progress youth exchange program of 
the 1960's that had taken him to Washington, where he worked 
as an intern in the office of Senator Robert Kennedy.  The 
experience had sparked his interest in public service, and 
had also led to a life-long relationship with the Kennedy 
Family, several members of which would attend his January 
inauguration, he said.) 
 
¶4.  (U) CODEL Reid visited USAID-supported "Cuatro Pinos" 
agricultural cooperative December 1, in which approximately 
1200 mostly indigenous farmers have united to take advantage 
of economies of scale in exporting their products to the U.S. 
 Senators Reid and Menendez also met with former gang members 
participating in a USAID-sponsored rehabilitation and 
employment program.  The former gang members, some of whom 
had been in prison in the U.S. and were then deported, said 
they had found new hope in religion and in the private-sector 
jobs they got with USAID assistance.  At the Peace Corps 
training site, Senators Reid and Menendez met with 
approximately 20 Peace Corps Volunteers working in Guatemala 
in a variety of fields.  Senator Reid praised the volunteers 
for enduring sacrifices in the cause of public service. 
 
¶5.  (U) CODEL Reid cleared this message prior to transmission. 
Lindwall