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DE RUEHBO #0225 0422152
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 112152Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2750
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0046
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000225 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MCAP MARR SNAR ASEC EFIN KJUS KPKO HA CO
SUBJECT: COLOMBIA'S CONTRIBUTION TO UN PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN HAITI 
(MINUSTAH) 
 
REF: STATE 12558 
 
¶1. (SBU) Per reftel, Emboffs spoke on February 11 with officials at 
the Colombian Ministry of Defense (MOD) and Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs (MFA).  These Government of Colombia (GOC) officials 
confirmed that there are currently 26 Colombian police officers in 
Haiti as part of MINUSTAH.  The Colombian police contingent, led by 
Lt. Colonel Santiago Camelo, is specialized in anti-kidnapping and 
anti-narcotics. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) Immediately prior to the January 12 Haiti earthquake, the 
GOC intended to send an additional eight police officers 
specialized in border patrol and protection, but the deployment was 
put on hold following the earthquake.  MOD officials told us that 
the U.N. had previously approved travel for these eight police 
officers, and they are currently expected to deploy within the next 
three to four weeks.  Since arrivals into Port-au-Prince are 
complicated, the GOC plans to send the eight officers on a 
commercial flight through Santo Domingo.  The Colombian Ambassador 
to the Dominican Republic is retired General Mario Montoya, who is 
dually-accredited to Haiti. Colombia does not have an Embassy in 
Haiti. 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) MOD officials noted that all Colombian police officers 
participating in MINUSTAH arrive with the necessary training and 
equipment for their deployment, and are proficient in English (only 
one of the officers speaks French and none speaks Creole).  The 
Colombian officers are expected to deploy initially for 12 months, 
but MOD officials indicated that the GOC may be willing to extend 
their tours to a total of two years if possible.  The GOC expects 
to send additional officers to replace those whose tours expire. 
MOD officials also indicated that the GOC is interested in 
participating in longer-term efforts to rehabilitate the Haitian 
police force, based on a GOC report dated November 2009. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) GOC officials told us that Ambassador Claudia Blum Capurro 
de Barberi, the Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United 
Nations, has been coordinating the GOC's MINUSTAH participation 
with UNDPKO. 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) Minimize considered. 
BROWNFIELD