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DE RUEHGT #0621 1371319
ZNY CCCCC ZZH (CCY AD93101F WSC8661-695)
P 161319Z MAY 08 ZDS
FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5356
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 1191
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 4847
RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR 4188
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0408
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0220
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RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
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RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//SCJ2-JIC-IRD/OPSD//
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 000621 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y - ADDED 
WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE TO SLUG LINE 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO WHA CENTRAL MERICAN COLLECTIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 0/15/2018 
TAGS: PTER KCRM ASECVZ PREL PHUM KJUS PGOV GT
SUBJECT: CICIG COMMISSIONER PROVIDES UPDATE 
 
REF: A. GUATEMALA 355 
     ¶B. GUATEMALA 441 
     ¶C. GUATEMALA 387 
 
Classified By: Ambassador James M. Derham for reasons 1.4 (b & d) 
 
¶1.  (C)  At luncheon hosted by Swiss Ambassador on May 14, 
CICIG Commissioner, Carlos Castresana provided overview to 
international community ambassadors involved with CICIG on 
activities to date.  Of note were the following comments by 
Castresana: 
 
Relations between CICIG and the GOG - Castresana 
characterized them as good.  He has met with President Colom 
on a monthly basis and is in constant communication with the 
Ministers of the Interior (Gobernacion) and the Public 
Prosecutor (Fiscal General).  The only frictions were an 
unannounced change in Castresana's security detail and 
problems for CICIG access to the airport, both appear to be 
miscommunications or misunderstandings, not deliberate 
harassment.  Castresana does anticipate, however, that the 
good relationship will be put to the test when CICIG's 
investigations progress and follow-up GOG action or 
cooperation is needed.  Castresana commented also that since 
the new government took over in January, the Minister of 
Gobernacion has strengthened what had been a very weak 
position while the Fiscal General seems to be losing ground 
politically. 
 
International Assistance - Castresana lauded Chile, Mexico 
and Uruguay for seconding professionals to work with CICIG. 
He hoped that the U.S. and Colombia could also provide 
personnel.  CICIG was still very much in need of criminal 
investigators.  Also important would be establishment of a 
winess protection program outside of Guatemala for Guatemalan 
witnesses. 
 
Investigations - Castresana said CICIG is investigating three 
cases and three themes/areas.  The three cases are the 
murders of Victor Rivera (reftel B) and Pepe Mendez (son of 
human rights activist Amilcar Mendez), and the Zacapa drug 
shootout (reftel C).  The three themes are femicides, 
extorsions and trafficking in children.  CICIG has received 
dozens of requests for investigations and may take on more 
investigations if resources permit.  Other possible 
investigative areas might be violence against labor leaders, 
journalists or human rights defenders. 
 
Law Enforcement in Guatemala - Castresana said that law 
enforcement in Guatemala is essentially non existent and 
CICIG is in a sense doing an autopsy of collapsed 
institutions.  In the short term CICIG hopes to train up a 
cadre of Guatemalan investigators who will make a 
contribution to Guatemalan institutions once CICIG has 
completed its work.  Longer term, a sustained, politcally 
challenging total overhaul of Guatemalan law enforcement 
institutions is needed.  As experiences in Chile and Colombia 
have shown, this will require many years, and much political 
will. 
 
Crime in Guatemala - Castresana noted that the murder rate in 
Guatemala is decreasing.  He attributed it to a drop in 
extra-judicial killings after Adela Torrebiarte took over the 
Ministry of Gobernacion in March 2007.  Castresana estimated 
QMinistry of Gobernacion in March 2007.  Castresana estimated 
that at that time almost 6,000 people were being murdered in 
Guatemala every year; 25 percent of that total were 
extra-judicial executions.  Comment:  While the murder rate 
is declining, it is not clear to us that this is due to a 
decline in extra-judicial killings nor that previously 25 
percent of all murders were extra-judicial. 
Derham