VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #1014/01 0862146
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 272146Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7958
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 8762
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1903
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR LIMA 7222
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 3287
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 7942
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4863

UNCLAS BOGOTA 001014 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SCUL EAID SNAR PHUM PTER PREF ECON CO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S VISIT TO MEDELLIN, ANTIOQUIA 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  (U) On March 10-11, the Ambassador traveled to Medellin on the 
occasion of a State Department-sponsored workshop on protecting 
cultural patrimony.  Antioquia Governor Luis Alfredo Ramos and Mayor 
Alonso Salazar Jaramillo told the Ambassador that the security 
situation had improved with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of 
Colombia (FARC) and National Liberation Army (ELN) weakened, but new 
illegal armed groups on the rise.  In addition, he met with 
departmental and municipal authorities, students at the binational 
center, the American Chamber of Commerce, and toured a model 
bilingual public school.  The visit was well covered by the local 
and national press.  End summary. 
 
-------------------------- 
Shifting Security Panorama 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Ambassador held separate meetings with Governor Luis 
Alfredo Ramos, Mayor Alonso Salazar Jaramillo, and Colombian 
National Police (CNP) and Metropolitan Medellin Commander Brigadier 
General Dagoberto Garcia.  In all three meetings the rise of 
criminal narco-trafficking gangs following the paramilitary 
demobilization and the FARC's withdrawal due to military pressure 
was discussed repeatedly.  Governor Ramos told the Ambassador that 
the FARC and ELN are losing more ground everyday to government 
forces.  He noted that there is not a single hostage in the entire 
department of Antioquia, forcing the FARC to survive on 
narco-trafficking.  Furthermore, CNP Commander Garcia told the 
Ambassador that no FARC or ELN groups are operational in Medellin. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) On the other hand, all said that new criminal bands have 
an increasingly strong presence in the department, in particular in 
Uraba, Medellin, and Bajo Cauca.  All noted that clashes between 
criminal groups over control of narco-trafficking routes and 
cultivation has sparked an increase in murders, but noted that the 
violence does not widely affect the civilian population.  Ramos 
asserted that the homicide rate has dropped across the department in 
the early months of 2009, with the exception of Medellin.  Garcia 
suggested that the increase in 2009 in Medellin was due to 
high-profile arrests and extraditions of the criminal leadership in 
2008, which has triggered in-fighting over succession. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Mayor Salazar was cautiously optimistic on the progress 
that has been made on the security front in the city of Medellin. 
He regretted having to involve the military in urban crime control, 
but said Medellin suffers from a serious shortfall in police.  He 
also highlighted that the city has benefited from an additional 
2,000 police in recent months ahead of the Inter-American 
Development Bank (IDB) General Assembly, but lamented that the GOC 
has not agreed to leave these forces in place after the IDB 
meeting. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Garcia and Salazar were both optimistic about IDB summit 
preparations.  The CNP has identified seven neighborhoods of 
particular concern ahead of the summit and neutralized crime in the 
zones using the so-called "quadrant strategy," consisting of 
enhanced police presence, supplemented with targeted intelligence 
and social programs.  Garcia said that in these neighborhoods there 
has only been one homicide since the strategy went into effect. 
 
------------------------------------- 
The Narco-sizing of Colombian Society 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Father Horacio Arango of the Center for Faith and Culture 
agreed that Colombia has entered a new phase.  He said that while 
the FARC and ELN have been seriously weakened, narco-trafficking has 
infiltrated greater portions of Colombian society as never before, 
including all state institutions.  Arango thanked the Ambassador for 
the positive role the United States has played via Plan Colombia in 
strengthening Colombia's institutions and professionalizing the 
armed forces.  He said U.S. military aid has been key to improving 
the military's human rights record and urged such assistance to 
continue.  Arango said the next step is for the U.S. to enhance its 
support to legal institutions responsible for trying and sentencing 
criminals. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Arango added that it is also important that the USG 
continue supporting the right of civil society to speak out against 
public authorities.  The Ambassador said that while the USG may not 
always agree with what is being said, the USG will continue to 
support the right for free speech without fear of reprisal. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Regarding the role of the private sector in counteracting 
narco-influences in Colombian society, Arango said that while the 
private sector has endorsed the right principles, this has not 
translated into the business community having a transformative 
effect on issues of peace and justice.  Arango suggested the 
Magdalena Medio Peace and Development program started by Father 
Francisco de Roux as a model for efforts to involve the private 
sector in broader social development efforts. 
 
------------------------- 
Mayor Proposes IDP Return 
-------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Mayor Salazar briefed the Ambassador on the city's 
proposal to carry out a 'structured' return of Internally Displaced 
Persons (IDPs) from Medellin to the city of San Carlos in April. 
Salazar said that he has enlisted the financial support of the two 
major energy companies operating in the area - ISA and ISAGEN - for 
the USD$5 million program.  Medellin's municipal-owned public 
utilities firm (EMP) would also contribute.  In addition to 
providing basic support to the returnees, the Mayor foresees 
demining, agricultural recovery, and emergency economic assistance 
as part of the package.  He asked for USG public support for the 
project, and invited the Ambassador to participate in its launch. 
The Ambassador voiced support for the project, and said he would ask 
USAID to look at the proposal. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Medellin Feels Impact of Global Economics 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (U) With regards to the impact of the global economic downturn 
on the department of Antioquia, Governor Ramos noted that Medellin 
has been most affected, in particular the textile, clothing, and 
construction industries.  The impact has been felt only marginally 
in export-driven flower and banana industries, thanks in large 
measure to the favorable exchange rate.  Ramos noted that the 
department is undertaking several large public works projects as a 
means for bolstering the economy during the downturn. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Lunch meeting with AmCham Members 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) At a lunch with business community and local political 
leaders, the Ambassador expressed optimism about Colombia's ability 
to weather the international economic downturn, while acknowledging 
the real difficulties ahead.  He noted that the recently passed 
omnibus spending bill maintains Plan Colombia FY09 funding at 
current levels.  With business potentially looking to cut back on 
expenses, the Ambassador emphasized the importance of continuing 
corporate social responsibility programs, particularly in 
economically difficult times when the community is most in need. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Interlocutors noted the importance they attach to 
longer-term extensions of Andean Trade Preference Act benefits for 
Colombia in the absence of the CTPA.  They also expressed a strong 
desire to see the USG open a Consulate in Medellin.  In response to 
a question about the upcoming Summit of the Americas in Port of 
Spain, the Ambassador noted the significance of President Obama's 
first Hemisphere-wide engagement on a wide range of issues including 
democracy, development, and defense. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Cooperation for Bilingual Education 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶13.  (U) Governor Ramos briefed the Ambassador on the department of 
Antioquia's English language "teach the teachers" program, which 
aims to bring bilingual education to all schools in the department 
by teaching English to all 24,000 teachers in collaboration with 
three local universities.  The Ambassador congratulated the Governor 
on the approach and reiterated that the Embassy stands ready to 
support bilingual education projects, in particular by harnessing 
the resources of the private sector, educational foundations, and 
binational centers. 
 
¶14. (U) In his visit to the Binational Center, the Ambassador - 
accompanied by Minister of Culture Paula Moreno - spoke with 60 high 
school students who have benefited from the Embassy-sponsored Martin 
Luther King English language program targeting high-potential 
Afro-Colombian and low-income students.  In his remarks, the 
Ambassador encouraged the students to continue their studies to the 
university level and emphasized that their English skills will be to 
their advantage.  The Ambassador also visited an elementary school 
founded by Maureen Orth, a former Peace Corps volunteer, that is a 
pilot project for bilingual education and recently became Colombia's 
first One Laptop per Child (OLPC) school.  In his remarks to the 200 
students, the Ambassador congratulated them on their enthusiasm for 
learning English and technology skills. 
 
----------------------------------- 
Security of Cultural Heritage Sites 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶15.  (U) The Ambassador hosted a reception for the participants of 
the Embassy-sponsored conference on security at cultural heritage 
sites hosted by the University of Antioquia.  The University's Dean 
recognized the Ambassador and the Minister of Culture by bestowing 
upon each of them the University's Gold Shield for their dedication 
to preventing the looting of archaeological and colonial objects and 
promoting cultural preservation activities. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Media Coverage of Trip Extensive 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶16.  (U) The visit received extensive print and broadcast coverage. 
Public Affairs organized joint press conferences following the 
meetings with both the Governor and Mayor.  Press also covered the 
Ambassador's visits to the Binational Center and a public elementary 
school.  Reports of the visit appeared in local dailies El Pais 
(Cali-based, conservative, readership: 145,000); El Mundo 
(Medellin-based, liberal, circ. 27,600); El Colombiano 
(Medellin-based, conservative, readership: 316,200); and nationally 
on El Tiempo's website (leading national daily, Centrist, 
readership: monthly hits 12,000,000).  Broadcast coverage included 
spots on RCN TV (viewership: 11,165,000); Caracol TV (viewership: 
11,148,000); CM& (viewership: 950,000); Telepais (viewership: 
750,000); Teleantioquia Noticias (viewership: 618,000); RCN Radio 
(listenership: 10,000,000); Caracol Radio (listenership: 
11,000,000); and La FM (listenership: 5,000,000).  Journalists 
repeatedly asked about expected policy changes affecting Colombia 
under the new administration and about the prospects for re-opening 
a U.S. Consulate in Medellin. 
 
BROWNFIELD