Cables of interest on Latin America, March 14-20, 2011

[dawn paley]

Wikileaks cables of interest on Latin America, March 14-20, 2011

ARGENTINA

Argentine Minister of Economy "likes to ski every season at Aspen and surf at San Diego-area beaches" http://bit.ly/h9DR54 #cablegate

Cristina Kirchener to USG: Chavez is "Caribbean" and "full of surprises" http://bit.ly/hccAGA #cablegate

G7+: Argentina "could be expelled from the G-20" http://bit.ly/hb03TZ #cablegate

Argentina's performance at G-20 has the US wishing they were more like Mexico or Brazil http://bit.ly/fDZ0a2 #cablegate

Principle Spanish commercial interests in Argentina: airlines, pension funds, energy, toll roads, telephones http://bit.ly/ei92Ej #cablegate

Canada carrying out $800 million upgrade to Embalse nuclear energy plant in Cordoba, Argentina http://bit.ly/gdEn1C #cablegate

Cdn Embassy & mining companies in Argentina teach local governments that cyanide is fine & dandy http://bit.ly/gxbPVj #cablegate

Canadian mining companies able to "work around" new taxes in Argentina w/help from Secretary of Mining http://bit.ly/gxbPVj #cablegate

USG gathered financial intel on Argentina in attempt to diffuse tensions at G20 re: world financial crisis http://bit.ly/dLWCkG #cablegate

COLOMBIA

USG: Key fiscalia officials manipulated investigations & prosecutions in para & narco cases http://bit.ly/hXBgZF #cablegate #Colombia

USG tweaks bases deal so Colombia can "say they got something more than Ecuador" (did from Manta) http://bit.ly/etSPbB #cablegate

Whoever said the cold war ended? Russia arms Venezuela, US arms Colombia http://bit.ly/e03smt #cablegate

2009: Uribe pushed Colombian negotiators to move "as quickly as possible" on bases agreement with USG http://bit.ly/fb1BBj #cablegate

Uribe: the problem with US soldiers carrying arms in Colombia is that congress would have to approve it http://bit.ly/dGnvgj #cablegate

Do Colombian politicos ever get tired of brown nosing the USG? Insane '08 cable on bases, incl draft deal. http://bit.ly/flP0fD #cablegate

Santos initially willing to have US make use of Colombian army bases without any formal agreement http://bit.ly/dFtOOX #cablegate

2006: Santos showed interest in a US Cooperative Security Location (CSL) in Colombia, but only done quietly http://bit.ly/gTCTjn #cablegate

Uribe claims that Chavez asked 2x for GoC help to fight criminal activity along Venezuela-Colombia border http://bit.ly/eTa0f4 #cablegate

USG & Uribe discuss counternarcotics metrics. It's clear that "drug war" is secondary part of Plan Colombia http://bit.ly/gEm5Jd #cablegate

In 2006, Santos and Uribe insisted that the USG must participate in rescue of US hostages held by FARC http://bit.ly/f3GVb3 #cablegate

Spain, France and Switzerland urged Uribe not to break off talks with FARC in 2006 http://bit.ly/fIaj6C #cablegate

USG, 2006: Human rights abuses at Mapiripan & San Jose del Apartado, Colombia, continue to raise concerns http://bit.ly/fomvbY #cablegate

Full reparations for victims of Colombia's armed conflict since '64 wld cost up to $44 billion (33% of GDP) http://bit.ly/h4T37p #cablegate

Cable alleges paracos Diego Sierra and Sor Teresa Gomez (linked to Mancuso & Castaño) killed Izquierdo http://bit.ly/emoX7o #cablegate

Cable on 2007 murder of activist Yolanda Izquierdo in Colombia http://bit.ly/h8yadI #cablegate

18 hours ago

Swiss mining giant Glencore used scabs protected by army during strike http://bit.ly/e7226A #cablegate #Colombia

Feb, 2010: After strike deemed "illegal," Drummond fired "most of the 35-member union board" http://bit.ly/eGoEcZ #cablegate

Chronicle of para murders of labour leaders in #Colombia, testimony linking Drummond to killings discredited http://bit.ly/eKBVQf #cablegate

Railway 41% owned by Drummond fired 16 union leaders after strike declared illegal http://bit.ly/gtnDnC #cablegate #Colombia

Drummond coal considered firing 20 union leaders if strike ruled "illegal" by courts http://bit.ly/hwen2T #cablegate #Colombia

Colombia's "Jungla" counternarcotics force is a "model for other countries" http://bit.ly/e2eWWb #cablegate

2008: Colombia's mining & hydrocarbons sectors seeing "unprecedented increase" in investment & exploration http://bit.ly/fhWMMv #cablegate

Influx of Canadian mining companies in Colombian dept's of Antioquia, Caldas, Choco, Santander, & Vaupes http://bit.ly/dXs1Za #cablegate

USG: Many of Drummond's private security guards are former paramilitary who had operated in the area http://bit.ly/fHXWxe #cablegate

USG: Many Colombian coal reserves are in traditional zones of conflict in Cesar & Santander http://bit.ly/ft7KPf #cablegate

Drummond: If Colombia finds offshore deposits, pipeline to Panama & Central America might become feasible http://bit.ly/foeksy #cablegate

SINTRAMINENERGETICA's Francisco Ramirez told USG he was "very happy" with Drummond settlement in '06 http://bit.ly/dW0anz #cablegate

Colombia, 2006: Drummond strike costs company $3.5m per day, worker demands would cost $5m per year http://bit.ly/ggMsFC #cablegate

COSTA RICA

Costa Rica prez Chinchilla told USG that she wld seek help w/recruitment and training of police officers http://bit.ly/gkXTDf #cablegate

Oscar Arias's bro Rodrigo faced allegations of corruption in '05 linked to Canadian landfill company EBI http://bit.ly/ftQm5F #cablegate

USG: Despite his phlegmatic and lugubrious bearing, [Oscar] Arias enjoys a reputation as a lady's man. http://bit.ly/fIgSmX #cablegate

ECUADOR

USG renewal of Andean Trade Preference Act before 2006 Ecuador vote wld help pro-free trade candidate Noboa http://bit.ly/fTUac9 #cablegate

MEXICO

USG assessment of drug violence in Tijuana circa November 2009 http://bit.ly/eAl0gI #cablegate #Mexico

USG casts doubt on former Tijuana security chief Lt. Col. Julian Leyzaola, who is now in Juarez http://bit.ly/fokmbp #cablegate #Mexico

USG casts doubt on former Tijuana security head Lt. Col. Julian Leyzaola, who is now in Juarez http://bit.ly/fokmbp #cablegate #Mexico

USG 2009: Violent crime is a fact of everyday life in Ciudad Juarez http://bit.ly/hU0yCD #cablegate #Mexico

2009: USG lends credibility to existence of additional Zeta-linked paramilitary groups in Juarez http://bit.ly/flMdSS #cablegate

Juarez Mayor looked to set up paramilitary force of 2000 to guard banks, maquilas http://bit.ly/dLoZ20 #cablegate #Mexico

Juarez Mayor Reyes Ferriz to USG, 2008: 100 percent of the municipal police force is corrupt http://bit.ly/e627HT #cablegate #Mexico

USG raises [theoretical] possibility that Mexican troops in Ciudad Juarez support the Sinaloa cartel http://bit.ly/dYGypf #cablegate

Key cable shows level to which USG is active behind the scenes w/regards to security in Mexico http://bit.ly/fleLjE #cablegate

16 Mar

US think tank NSIC "pitched" clandestine intelligence gathering strategy to GoM http://bit.ly/ia5TnM #cablegate #Mexico

USG: Mexico is "heavily reliant on the United States for [intelligence] leads and operations" http://bit.ly/e1ND73 #cablegate

USG: Mexico deploying a security strategy w/o strategical or tactical intelligence http://bit.ly/gacBw5 #cablegate

Must read cable on Mexico: policy wonks toss around security ideas with USG as if they're talking chess: http://bit.ly/hPdEyI #cablegate

16 Mar

Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, "relatively safe" late 2009 http://bit.ly/gxE3Ng Today it's run by the Zetas http://bit.ly/eVkcky #cablegate

GOM rep: Not enough strategic thought went into Merida Initiative in the early phase http://bit.ly/gtzEkP #cablegate

Bonus Mexico update: US ambassador to Mexico resigns over leaked cable http://bit.ly/fhBZHG #cablegate

PARAGUAY 

Lugo claims Paraguayan Peoples Army (EPP) consists of 20-30 people http://bit.ly/ihLQGh #cablegate

Lugo draws fire for allowing "Latin American Youth for Change" Congress to take place at military facility http://bit.ly/h3r3k2 #cablegate

Long '09 cable on Paraguayan People's Army & U.S.-trained Joint Rapid Response Detachment in Paraguay http://bit.ly/frX7rz #cablegate