VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGT #1175/01 2611439
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171439Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6110
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF STATE AIR WING PATRICK AFB FL

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 001175 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INL/LP, DAS CHRISTY MCCAMPBELL AND AIMEE 
MARTIN 
DEPARTMENT FOR INL/RM, JAMES WALSH 
EMBASSIES FOR NAS 
PAFB FOR SHARON NELL 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC PREL GT
SUBJECT:  BI-WEEKLY REPORTING CABLE FOR PERIOD ENDING 
09/05/08 ? NARCOTICS AFFAIRS SECTION 
 
(U) 1. SUMMARY: This cable provides a summary of NAS 
activities in Guatemala covering the period ending 
September 5, 2008.  End Summary. 
 
------------------------ 
¶2. NARCOTICS 
------------------------ 
 
(U) a. NAS attended a monthly GOG interagency meeting on 
airport security chaired by Vice President Espada. The 
participants included the Director of the DGAC (Civil 
Aviation) the MOG, the Chief of Staff, members of 
the President?s committee on strategic intelligence, SAT 
(Customs/tax entity) and Immigration Department on 
port/airport security.  The main topic of the meeting was 
security at the airports throughout Guatemala and 
the need for additional staffing of DIPA (Port/Airport 
Police) agents to support operations at airports outside 
of the city of Guatemala. The head of the DGAC also 
brought to the attention of the Vice President the need 
for a control tower and a radar system to provide 
coverage in the area of Quiche, and said he needed 
assistance in regaining control of the Puerto Barrios 
airport, which was under the control of unionized workers 
who reportedly are in league with narco-traffickers. 
 
(U) b. A special U.S Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) 
arrived in Guatemala on August 26 to conduct a survey to 
determine whether they could host a four to six week 
training course for members of SAIA (local CN police), 
the FIAAT (the JTF for anti-drug and terrorism) and the 
MILGRP/DEA Pacific Task Force. 
 
 
(U) c. NAS, along with SAIA and DIPA, attended a meeting 
with the Director and Sub Director of PNC to discuss the 
staffing of units and special weapons and vehicles needed 
for future FIAAT operations.  The request was well 
received by the Director who ordered the PNC Sub Director 
of Finance and Logistics to fulfill the request. 
 
(U) d. NAS hosted a planning session with senior SAIA 
officials, the MOD-D2 (Intel), DEA, and the FIAAT 
regarding the first FIATT deployment which is tentatively 
scheduled for September 23. 
 
------------------------ 
¶3. RULE OF LAW 
------------------------ 
 
(U) a. NAS met with Supreme Court Magistrate Luis 
Fernandez Molina to address problems encountered with a 
judge recently appointed to Villa Nueva.  The Villa Nueva 
Model Precinct had developed an integrated strategy (with 
NAS assistance) to investigate and prosecute extortion 
cases.  The strategy has included joint training with 
judges and law enforcement officers on interpretation of 
legal issues, especially those related to the crimes 
sanctioned by the Anti-organized Crime Law. The newly- 
appointed judge has opposed cooperation with law 
enforcement officials. 
 
(U) b. NAS participated in a meeting convened by the 
Public Ministry to discuss the strategy by which the 
Public Ministry (Attorney General?s Office), the MOG, the 
MOD and SECCATID (Demand Reduction Agency) can obtain 
some of the assets seized in narcotics, money laundering 
and organized crime cases.  The different GOG agencies 
agreed to prepare a draft agreement to be signed with the 
Supreme Court.  The draft should be revised and approved 
by the Ministers by September 27, for its presentation to 
the SCJ plenary in early October.  SECCATID informed NAS 
that Vice President Espada will lead the delegation that 
will address the issue with the Supreme Court. 
 
------------------------ 
¶4. POLICE 
------------------------ 
 
(SBU) a. Villa Nueva:  Personnel from CICIG requested NAS 
Q(SBU) a. Villa Nueva:  Personnel from CICIG requested NAS 
assistance in recruiting, vetting and training 
investigators.  NAS met with Raul Jofre, Rafael Guiaman, 
and Nelson Neri Figueroa who are in the process of 
selecting and training investigators for CICIG.  They 
 
approached NAS because they have witnessed ?the success 
of the investigative unit in the Model Precinct? in Villa 
Nueva, as well as the high level of public confidence 
that the public has in the Model Precinct investigators. 
The CICIG group is very impressed with the quality of 
investigations, the high rate of convictions and 
sentences that have been achieved by the Model Precinct. 
They explained that their mission is to 1)recruit, train 
and develop a cadre of investigators, 2) investigate and 
solve high profile cases and 3) to make recommendations 
to the Justice Sector Institutions on how to improve the 
investigative process.  NAS will continue to provide 
technical support to CICIG in the areas set forth above. 
 
(U) b. Adela Torrebiarte, former Minister of Government 
and members of Madres Angustiadas, a prominent NGO, 
requested a visit to Villa Nueva to tour the Model 
Precinct. They will go to Villa Nueva on Wednesday, Sept. 
¶13.  Torrebiarte believes that the Model Precinct should 
be replicated and would like to pressure the GOG to make 
this happen.  She is taking other members of the NGO to 
Villa Nueva to see in person how the success that has 
been achieved. 
 
(U) c. CRADIC (Police Intelligence and Dissemination 
center):  Interpol headquarters has authorized the 
connection of Interpol to CRADIC.  This will enhance the 
capability of CRADIC and provide access to Red Notices on 
people wanted by Interpol.  Additionally, CRADIC is in 
the process of establishing a direct link with the SAT 
which will provide vital information on vehicles and 
persons. 
 
(U) CRADIC has also coordinated with the 110 Center (911in the US) to channel all calls regarding criminal 
information directly to CRADIC where they will be 
analyzed and forwarded to the appropriate PNC unit. 
Statistical information reflects that approximately 35% 
of all calls are related to police corruption, 30% drug 
information, 20% regarding homicides and the remainder 
miscellaneous crimes.  CRADIC is working closely with 
SAIA and the Inspector General to ensure that the 
information is received on a timely basis and to follow 
up on information sent. 
 
(U) NAS has trained the trainers who will teach the use 
of the Standard Incident Report (RPI) or complaint form 
at the PNC Academy.  The trainers will teach 36 groups of 
30 starting in Sept 2008 and ending December 2008. 
 
(U) d. Prison System:  The Director of Prisons Edy 
Morales Mazariegos and Angel Morales, Inspector General 
of the Prison System and Jose Antonio Kupczewski, NAS 
Technical Advisor attended the First Prison Systems 
Regional Conference in El Salvador during the week of Aug 
17-21.  The participants were briefed on the status of 
prisons of the region and the INL proposal to work with 
each country.  NAS continues to provide technical 
assistance and provide some donations to enhance the 
security of some high profile drug traffickers that are 
being held in detention.  NAS is in the process of 
installing CC cameras and a biometric access door in the 
most critical areas of the prison. 
 
------------------------ 
¶5. DEMAND REDUCTION 
------------------------ 
 
(U) Edgar Camargo, SECCATID Executive Secretary, attended 
the DGAC aviation security meeting under orders from the 
Vice President (who also attended). 
 
(SBU) Comment: Camargo?s higher profile activities at the 
orders of the VP are interesting. It is possible that 
Qorders of the VP are interesting. It is possible that 
Camargo is being groomed for a posting outside SECCATID. 
End comment. 
 
------------------------ 
¶6. AVIATION SUPPORT 
------------------------ 
 
(U) a. There are now two FIAAT pilots in command (PIC) 
and four FIATT pilots (copilots) who are qualified in VFR 
day mission and standard mission tasks.  NAS will start 
 
two weeks of special mission task training next Monday 
which will complete all training on these pilots until 
initiation of the NVG phase. NOTE: Guatemala is working 
with Patrick Air Force Base (PAFB) on bringing in the 
NVGs as quickly as possible. 
 
(U) b. NAS held the first meeting between the aviation 
and ground elements of the FIAAT.  The meeting planned 
next week?s joint training sessions. 
 
(U) c. Four majors in the Guatemalan staff course have 
been identified as the next tranche of pilots. Three of 
the four successfully completed their polygraph and the 
fourth completed his on 5 September (results pending). 
NAS estimates that the Leahy vetting should be completed 
by the end of the month and will be able to commence 
flight training with them in October. These majors 
represent the third tranche of pilots. 
 
(U) d. Mark Bryant arrived in Guatemala on 1 September as 
the Guatemala Site Manager.  There was appropriate 
overlap with the TDY Site Manager in order to ensure a 
good turnover of the program. 
 
------------------------ 
¶7. OTHER ISSUES 
------------------------ 
 
(U) NAS has been working closely with INL/RM on getting 
the LFMS (Local Financial Management System) fully 
functional. 
 
MCFARLAND