VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGT #0005/01 0061150
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 061150Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 6724

S E C R E T GUATEMALA 000005 
 
SIPDIS 
NOFORN 
 
DEPT FOR PM/DTCC- BLU LANTERN COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/2018 
TAGS: ETTC KMOC GT
SUBJECT: GUATEMALA: BLUE LANTERN POST-SHIPMENT END-USE 
CHECK ON LICENSE 050092123 
 
REF: A. STATE 130457 
     ¶B. CIA TD-314/041106-08 OF 29 MAY 2008 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Lance Hegerle, for reasons 1.4(a, b,an 
d d) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  In response to reftel a, PolMil Officer 
researched the bona fides of the arms import company Aguila 
del Desierto, examined records regarding the weapons imported 
under license 050092123, and the company's relationship with 
the freight forwarding company Sercogua.  The research 
included an on-site inspection of Aguila del Desierto; an 
interview with the company's owner; records checks of both 
the company and the owner with the Guatemala's Arms and 
Municions Control Department (DECAM); and coordination with 
other agencies at post regarding Sercogua.  As a result of 
the investigation, Post has determined that Aguila del 
Desierto received the reftel weapons and has a limited 
business relationship with Sercogua.  Post has no prejudicial 
information regarding Aguila del Desierto. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On December 17, PolMil Officer conducted an on-site 
inspection of Aguila del Desierto located at Centro Comercial 
Plaza la villa de Guadalupe 3-24, Zone 4, Local 7 Villa 
Nueva, and interviewed the company's owner, Erick Geovani 
Gonzalez Gonzalez.  Gonzalez was fully cooperative during the 
interview, offered complete access to his records, and a tour 
of the facility.  Aguila del Desierto is located in a small 
shopping complex in a high-crime suburb of Guatemala City 
called Villa Nueva.  According to Gonzalez, he owned a 
weapons store named Desierto in another part of city from 
1991 until 1995, but closed that business to open Aguila del 
Desierto at his current location in 1995.  He stated he 
imports rifles and shotguns from the U.S., and handguns from 
Argentina.  He added that he would love to import handguns 
from the U.S. but has been told that the U.S. will not export 
handguns above .22 caliber. 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Aguila del Desierto consists of a 15 foot by 10 
foot showroom accessible only via a heavy security gate, a 
small utility storage room, and a weapons storage area 
located above the utility storage room accessible only via a 
portable ladder.  The weapons storage area is 4 feet wide, 10 
feet long, and 4 feet high, and is made of extra thick cement 
lined on both the interior and exterior with steel plates. 
The weapons storage room contains motion detectors, a 
computer linked to a video monitoring system, a dedicated 
phone line, and water.  PolMil Officer noticed two loaded 
handguns in the utility room and another handgun and a loaded 
shotgun positioned at the entrance to the weapons storage 
area.  When asked about the loaded weapons, Gonzalez stated 
that crime in Villa Nueva had always been bad, but recently 
had become much worse.  He added that he had never been 
robbed, but that he, his mother, and his employee were 
prepared to fight off attackers long enough to lock 
themselves in the weapons storage room.  While the store is 
small and the weapons storage room is unorthodox, it is one 
of the most secure seen by PolMil Officer. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) According to DECAM records Aguila del Desierto has 
committed a few minor infractions, but has passed all routine 
inspections without major incident.  According to DECAM's 
Director, Colonel David Barrientos, Aguila del Desierto is a 
small-scale weapons store that has operated within local laws 
and regulations. Aguila del Desierto's records indicate that 
the company sells virtually all weapons imported from the 
U.S. to other weapons dealers, but sells no more than nine 
weapons to any given store.  Gonzalez stated that residents 
Qweapons to any given store.  Gonzalez stated that residents 
of Villa Nueva tend to purchase handguns for self protection 
as opposed to rifles, but if he could import hand guns from 
the U.S. he could sell many to local residents.  Aguila del 
Desierto's books indicated that 31 of the 100 weapons 
imported under license 050092123 are still in inventory, and 
PolMil officer verified that all 31 weapons were located in 
the weapons storage area. 
 
¶5. (S/NF) Per reftel a, PolMil Officer made inquires with 
country team members and host country authorities regarding 
concerns raised about the company Sercogua (ref b).  Sercogua 
is not currently the subject of any ongoing investigations 
for participating in illicit trafficking.  Post has no new 
evidence or intelligence to either support or contradict 
concerns regarding Sercogua raised in ref b. 
 
¶6. (S/NF) Gonzalez claims to have no regular business 
relationship with Sercogua, but stated that he did use the 
company to handle port and customs issues for his last 
shipment.  He added that he was directed by the company 
Air-Sea Forwarders to contact Sercogua regarding the 
shipment.  When questioned about the importation process he 
 
stated that he simply requests permission to import weapons 
from DECAM, which he then sends to Valor Corporation.  He 
added that Valor Corporation completes all the paperwork 
required by U.S. authorities and organizes the shipment of 
the weapons to Guatemala.  He stated that he never picks the 
local freight forwarder and that normally it is not Sercogua. 
 PolMil officer discussed the importation process with 
several other arms importers and they confirm Gonzalez's 
statements that it is the U.S. based company that selects the 
freight forwarding company, not the local company.  Based 
upon the information available at post, there is no 
substantial relationship between Aguila del Desierto and 
Sercogua. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Conclusion:  As a result of the investigation, Post 
finds that all weapons imported under license 050092123 are 
either still in Aguila del Desierto's inventory or were sold 
to other weapons dealers following relevant local laws and 
regulations.  Aguila del Desierto operates well within 
DECAM's regulations and occupies a secure, if somewhat 
unique, facility.  Post has no information that would be 
prejudicial to approval of future import license request on 
behalf of this company. 
 
 
 
 
McFarland