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RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #1611/01 1231328
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021328Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2602
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 8177
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0368
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAY LIMA 6178
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 1630
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 6830
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4424
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS BOGOTA 001611 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/AND (MWELLS); WHA/PDA (PSAMSON/BVASQUEZ-LOWE) 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV EAID PHUM EINV ETRD PTER PREL ECON SOCI CO
SUBJECT:  AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD'S VISIT TO MEDELLIN, ANTIOQUIA ON 
APRIL 15, 2008 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY.  The Ambassador traveled on April 15 to Medellin to 
open a three-day workshop on protecting cultural patrimony from 
looting and illicit trafficking, pay an office call on the Mayor of 
Medellin, speak with Martin Luther King (MLK) Fellows at a 
Binational Center, address the status of the U.S.-Colombia Trade 
Promotion Agreement (CTPA) during lunch with the business community, 
hear from victims at the National Commission for Reparations and 
Reconciliation, and tour the Fiscalia's National Unit for Justice 
and Peace.  This first "official" visit to Medellin, outside of the 
CTPA/congressional delegation context, was widely covered by the 
press and highlighted the fullness of the U.S.-Colombia bilateral 
relationship, focusing on human rights, education, and culture, and 
trade.  End Summary. 
 
U.S.-Colombia Relationship About More Than The CTPA 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶2.  (U) During their meeting, the Ambassador thanked Mayor Alonso 
Salazar for his support with recent congressional delegations, 
congratulated him on the selection of Medellin as the location for 
the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly meeting 
this June, addressed the status of the CTPA, and suggested the need 
for more small/medium Colombian businesses to voice support for the 
CTPA.  Former Mayor Sergio Fajardo joined Mayor Salazar in noting 
the strong level of U.S. private investment in Medellin. (Note: 
Fajardo was attending a Colombian education conference where Mayor 
Salazar spontaneously led the Ambassador upon greeting and where the 
Ambassador then offered an impromptu greeting to the crowd, 
encouraging Colombian students to apply for U.S. scholarships). 
Approximately 20 members of the press covered the meeting, including 
an Associated Press (AP) photographer. 
 
¶3.  (U) With a focus on education and scholarship programs, 
Ambassador Brownfield next visited the Medellin Binational Center 
where he toured classrooms, the library and multimedia room, and 
spoke with 25 MLK Fellows on themes ranging from studying in the 
U.S. to outlooks on the U.S. presidential elections.  After his 
meeting with the MLK fellows, which was open to the press, 
Ambassador Brownfield took questions in a press gaggle, using the 
opportunity to draw attention to the USG-sponsored cultural 
patrimony conference opening later that day. 
 
Optimistic The CTPA Will Eventually Succeed 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) Luis Alfonso, Executive Director of the Medellin American 
Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), opened a luncheon with members of the 
AMCHAM, Medellin Chamber of Commerce and the National Business 
Association of Colombia by asking for the Ambassador's thoughts on 
the status of the CTPA.   Ambassador Brownfield explained that the 
recent congressional developments and that he remained optimistic 
about the eventual outcome.  The Ambassador also praised the private 
sector for their role in transforming the image of Medellin and 
thanked them for assistance with USG visitors.  The director of 
Medellin daily newspaper El Mundo attended the lunch and published 
an editorial the following day entitled "A most pleasing visit", 
stating that they were cheered by the Ambassador's continued 
optimism that the U.S. Congress would ultimately pass the CPTA. 
 
USG Supports Both Justice And Reparations For Vicitms 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶5.  (U) The Ambassador visited the regional office of the National 
Commission for Reparations and Reconciliation (CNRR) which provides 
information and attention to victims of the Colombian conflict from 
the department of Antioquia.  Greeted by Commissioner Jaime 
Jaramillo and the director of the center, Eduardo Vega, the 
Ambassador toured the facility and received a briefing on the 
center's work and the reparations and reconciliation process in the 
department.  Since it opened in 2007, the CNRR has received over 
8,000 victims.  Following the briefing, the Ambassador met with a 
group of 27 members of the victim's organization, Madres de la 
Candelaria, and a smaller delegation representing 23 families, 
victims of paramilitary and guerilla activities in the area of 
Uraba.  The spokespersons of these groups presented testimonies of 
the issues affecting victims in Antioquia.  The Ambassador 
recognized the great efforts of the CNRR and the victims' groups, 
emphasizing the importance of reparations to the victims who suffer 
the most from the country's conflict, and reiterating the commitment 
of the USG to continue supporting the work of the CNRR as lead 
agency for the attention to victims. 
 
¶6.  (U) The Ambassador visited Medellin's Office of Fiscalia's 
 
National Unit for Justice and Peace (JP), where he met with the Unit 
Coordinator and lead prosecutor.  The National Unit is tasked with 
investigating demobilized paramilitary and guerilla members; 
interviewing, receiving, and recording complaints from victims; and 
preparing and administering the required confessions.  The Unit is 
also responsible for identifying, locating and seizing assets and 
other ill-gotten gains (which are then used to compensate victims). 
During the visit, the prosecutors provided the Ambassador a 
comprehensive presentation about JP legal and administrative process 
and its implementation.  They led him on a tour of the facilities, 
including hearing and victims' rooms, financial support provided by 
the USG, and introduced him to several prosecutors and 
investigators.  The day after the visit, El Colombiano, Colombia's 
second largest daily, featured the Ambassador visiting the 
Fiscalia's headquarters in a front page, above-the-fold picture. 
This served to draw attention to the enormous investments the USG 
has made into the construction of the facility as well as the 
training of Colombian prosecutors and defenders. 
 
¶7.  (U) Ambassador Brownfield offered welcoming remarks at the 
opening ceremony of a workshop sponsored by the U.S. and Colombian 
governments and the OAS for "Protecting Cultural Patrimony against 
Looting and Illicit Trafficking."  Ambassador Brownfield greeted the 
specialists who had traveled from the U.S., Argentina, Bolivia, 
Chile, Ecuador, and Peru to participate in this three-day workshop 
and stressed the importance of international cooperation in the 
protection of cultural patrimony. 
 
Huge Success With Colombian Media 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) Ambassador Brownfield generated an enormous amount of local 
broadcast and print media interest, including an editorial calling 
him "a great friend" to Colombia.  One journalist commented that the 
Medellin press corps viewed his visit as the "first time a U.S. 
Ambassador to Colombia had shown so much interest in Colombia's 
judicial process."  Ambassador Brownfield did an exclusive interview 
with Teleantioquia, Colombia's largest regional channel reaching all 
of the Department of Antioquia and the rest of the country via 
cable.  Questions focused on the prospects for the CPTA, former 
paramilitary leader alias Macaco's pending extradition, and whether 
the Ambassador enjoyed eating the local food. 
 
BROWNFIELD