id: 55772 date: 3/8/2006 16:00 refid: 06BOGOTA2076 origin: Embassy Bogota classification: SECRET destination: header: VZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHBO #2076/01 0671600 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 081600Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2888 INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 6605 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 7292 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR LIMA 3335 RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 8838 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 3971 RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 3483 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC ----------------- header ends ---------------- S E C R E T BOGOTA 002076 SIPDIS SIPDIS SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2021 TAGS: PREL, MARR, MOPS, PTER, SNAR, CO, VE SUBJECT: CUCUTA PERSPECTIVE ON COLOMBIA-VENEZUELAN BORDER ISSUES REF: 05 BOGOTA 8932 (NOTAL) Classified By: DCM Milton K. Drucker, Reasons: 1.4 B & D. 1. (S) Summary: During a pre-election trip to Cucuta (septel will detail electoral issues), an Army commander told poloff that COLMIL forces were prohibited from crossing the Venezuelan border to pursue guerrilla high value targets (HVTs), in contrast to his counterparts on the Ecuadorian border, where incursions are permitted. Army and Police commanders described the easy flow of narcotics across the border into Venezuela and up through the Maracaibo Bay. According to the Governor and DAS (FBI equivalent) director, President Chavez had recently cut off the flow of contraband gasoline into Cucuta, creating hardship. Poloff learned of President Chavez's likely visit to the Venezuelan side of the Cucuta border area on March 9 and the request by leftist Representative Gustavo Petro to have a local security detail in Cucuta the same day. By all local accounts, Chavez is attempting to fortify the left in Colombia. End Summary. COLMIL: NO HOT PURSUIT OF HVTS ------------------------------ 2. (S) During a March 1-4 visit to Cucuta, Norte de Santander Department, poloff met with Army (COLMIL), National Police (CNP), Administrative Security Directorate (DAS), and local government officials to discuss border issues. Col. Jose Fernando Mejia Araujo, deputy commander of the roughly 6000-man 30th Army Brigade, described the state of play with regard to pursuit of high value targets (HVT) of the FARC and ELN. Mejia stated that military commanders in Bogota had repeatedly instructed COLMIL forces along the border against "hot pursuit" of HVTs into Venezuela. Mejia described a recent line of sight (he estimated 300 meters) of FARC commander Rodrigo Londono Echeverri (alias Timochenko) across the border in the vicinity of "Tres Bocas." While awaiting a go-ahead order from Bogota, Mejia indicated that a Venezuelan military helicopter landed near the FARC group and appeared to unload supplies for the guerrillas. He lamented that a stand down order came shortly after from Bogota. Mejia noted that he has virtually no formal ties to counterparts in Venezuela, except for an occasional cellular phone call. INCREASING FARC PRESENCE ------------------------ 3. (C) Mejia welcomed the recent arrival of a 900-man mobile brigade (Number 15) in hopes of rooting out illegal armed group presence in the conflictive Catatumbo region of the northern half of Norte de Santander Department. He stated that the demobilization of the majority of AUC forces in the area had allowed the FARC to return in large numbers. Mejia continued that the fertile and material-rich area (African palm, rice, and coal) was attractive for illegal armed groups, and that the GOC was playing catch-up. Mejia, joined by DAS Director Mauricio Rosales, claimed the FARC sends regular multi-ton cocaine shipments through the Catatumbo area, into Venezuela, and up through the Maracaibo Bay and out via the Caribbean. SEIZURE OF SUPPLIES HEADED FOR FARC ----------------------------------- 4. (C) Just prior to meeting with poloff, CNP deputy commander William Moctezuma presided over a press conference announcing the seizure of munitions and uniforms destined for the FARC. Poloff viewed roughly 400 army-style uniforms and some 200 grenades. According to Moctezuma, CNP intelligence indicated that the seized truck had originated in Bogota, and that the source of the bootleg uniforms was being established. Moctezuma also detailed joint COLMIL/CNP protection activities for Congressional candidates and for March 12 elections (septel). THE GASOLINE DYNAMIC -------------------- 5. (C) Governor Luis Miguel Morelli and Colombian Consul in San Antonio (Venezuela) Luz Stella Yanez, in separate meetings in Cucuta, described President Chavez's recent order (approximately one month ago) to restrict the contraband crossing of cheap (by Colombian standards) Venezuelan gasoline into the Cucuta region. In a tour of the Colombian side of the border in the late afternoon of March 2, poloff witnessed hundreds of vehicles waiting to fill their tanks at "international" gas stations just across the border in Venezuela. CHAVEZ VISIT TO BORDER AREA? ---------------------------- 6. (C) Yanez and Morelli (separately) advised poloff of President Chavez's planned visit to the cities of San Jose Urena and San Antonio on March 9. They noted that Chavez rarely visits the Venezuelan side of the Cucuta border area. Rosales confided to poloff a request he received from leftist Representative (and Senate candidate) Gustavo Petro for a GOC protective detail in Cucuta on March 9. Rosales was convinced Petro would cross into Venezuela to meet publicly with Chavez (but without his Colombian security detail). Yanez described the active search for votes in her consular district by leading leftist Colombian politicians, Petro included. COMMENT ------- 7. (C) While many in Cucuta feel that Chavez is fomenting the Colombian left, it remains to be seen what effect, if any, it will have in the March 12 Congressional elections, as the leading leftist party, the Alternative Democratic Pole (Polo, or PDA), has only limited electoral support both nationally and in the region. Local political actors are fixated on Chavez, and conspiracy theories abound. Congressional candidates of the U Party (pro-Uribe) told poloff they were concerned that party head (and anti-Chavez) Juan Manuel Santos, due in town that evening for a political rally, would make a negative statement about Chavez that would hurt Cucuta economically. To our knowledge, Santos made no mention of Chavez publicly in Cucuta. WOOD