' oo 1 o I o Chiquita Brands 1 ' Inf rnafional From 71l Z I tl I i ' - MIf h f ' i 'r V tII l '-' - - ' I ' f ' i it f 11 1I f -- - - r f 1 II l ' - j1-e V' -liANf t 'J lJ ' -tlf A ' l r MIA M7 ' ' _r _ - iAJ 0 i IIf tZ4i f e ' $ Ni fl ''''' i _ _For Your Signature _ _ For Your Information _ _Please Return _ _For Your Files _ _Please ttandle _ _As Requested _ _For Your Cornmen and Suggestions CBI-V1-o03 000020 CHIQUITA NSD 6280 'i i ' 01 ' DRAFT Memo Confidential and Legally Privileged To From Date Subject File September _ 2000 Colombia Security I to meet in Colombia with the relevan anadex managers and review the history ofBanadex's payments to La Tagua del Darien the Convivir organization in Uraba region ofAntioquia and to learn how Banadex started making payments to the Autodefensas de Colombia operation in Magdalena Banadex's TUIbo Division is in Uraba and its Santa Marta Division is in Magdalena Antioquia and Magdalena arc Deparbncnts similar to a state or a province and Medellin is the capital of Antioquia j i f ' f t e edelU ' HOUS attomey s an and outside counsel to Banadex escribed now Banadex was supporters ofa Convlw organizatlon or the Uraba region of Antioquia escribed his administration ofthe La Tagua IU1d Autodefensas payments since his predecessor _ l e f t in October 1999 nothing specific to add but as B ex s semor lawyer handling labor relations in and Santa Marta he is quite familiar with the security issues raised by Autodefensas' activities nterviewedI1iYA' 'Uj cucn f I% i fu Mf 'fW not mvolved in the discussions regarding La Tagua or Autodefensas But e mows about the payments and believes Banadex must make them said he would not want to travel to Banadex's farms in SantiMarta or Uraba if an ex stopped making the payments The risk of newed guerilla attacks and reprisals from Autodefcnsaa would be too great Later that day also in Medellin ibW al i j payments SC ensas r those first infonned Banadex that would be required and h w Banadex made payments while he worked for Banadex cal V1 003 000021 CHIQUITA NSD 6276 i _ - _ _u _ _- ' On AUgust lt I f a e n e f m what old me La Tagua Antioguial bout 3 4 to 4 years ago a prominent Medellin banana producer and cattle fanner contacted d told him that Autodefensas was supporting the establishment of a new Convivir organization for the Uraba region and would like to meet with Banadex management Autodefensas is a widely-known illegal vigilante organization ' i'i f XPlained to that Banadex had no choice but to attend the meeting Banadex was and still is a wellmember ofthe Medellin business community Refusing to meet would antagonize the Colombia military local and state government officials and Autodefensas and two others whose nam oes not remember ere told to go a very large private national leader ofAutodefensas ecounted the well-known L r i I 1 I I I senior officers ofthe Colombian militiuy and the Governor ofthe Department ofAntioquia were cam for the es lishment ofa Convivir organization in U a t i l aid he was sure 'agreed the guerillas needed to be driven out ofUraba and looked forward to th ir support ofConvivir Although as polite and made no explicit threats he sent an unspokcm but clear message - Autode ensas was already well established in Antioquia e g a very wealthy person had offered their home for the meeting and supported the establishment ofa Convivir organization in Urab3t Autodefensas expected Banadex to support Convivir and ifBanadex did not Autodefensas woul attack Banadcx's people and property EF ' S8 l'0jJPYt understood the unspoken threat idi1i 1M remarks and after the meeting they agreed that when asked Banadcx would have to support Convivir About 4 or 5 months after this meeting a known Autodefensas organizer and supporter contacted_ll fliand told him that Banadex needed to start paying 3c box to the new Convivir organizatiOn in Uraba called La Tagua del Darien How did we know how much to pay and where to send the money 1i j jtJPYjj W 'ij fi 4il Likel' FjS' t' 1Iat the earlier meeting this representative made no threats he didn't need to Escobar knew Autodefensas supported Convivir and expected Banadex to make the payments and he knew what would happen if Banadex refused dd history ofpayments and attempts to slow down and reduce the payments when possible 2 CBI V1-o03 o00022 nHIQUITA NSD 6277 Autodefensas Magdalena 1 About 1 to Yi years ago the same Medellin banana roducer and cattle farmer that first approachedpMI l$ 1about Convivir contacted and told him that the leader of the Autodefensas anned operation' lena wanted to meet with him at a hotel in Cienaga a small town believed not refuse to goto the meeting w W1 @JHJID told about the meeting an agreedl ZM fiJneeded to attend _'''' t' it t gNi escnbed-the hotel as an anned camp - the only people at the hotel were Autodefensas soldiers He said the leader hid the coldes ever seen Dwing a very short meeting the leader bluntly and as matter offact tol Autodefensas had arrived in Magdalena and had started operations and that it was time for Banadex to start making r I i eh a a ess and we are strong e g all the soldiers at the hotel we know who you are and you need to make sure Banadex pays when we ask ' The leader frightened and intimidated He also worried that police Colombian military or guerilla informants might have spotted him arriving for tlle meeting Guerillas commonly execute people they believe are Autodefensas sympathizers B a ' m n ts who agreed that when the request was Two weeks later a business man serving as an Autodefcnsas collector contacted The collector told Alyarado to have Banadcx make payments to Inversiones Manglar GBP GBPa Turbo' l'Pnll e same as Banadex was paying to Convivir in payments were made and ifso how much when and how check on whether any cash Hew much time between this meeting and the-first payment Does chronology se Mi 1F 1 i er copy dated 10 99 fit is 10199 seems like a long time to wait to make first payment ' WI check chronology Banadex paid Manglar 40 000 000 pesos in o 1999 12 000 000 pesos in Febnwy 2000 and 57 500 000 pesos in June 2000 Banadex's Director ofSecurity prepared a payment request fonn Form 1016 forcachpaymen the General M ers signed cach form and theC 'er's initia11yt' c ' 4 n Office cut a check and gave it to the 3 CBI V1 003-Q00023 CHIQUITA NSD 6278 The first two payments were given to Manglar How The third payment was given to La Tagua which forwarded it to Autodefensas in Magdalena Future payments will also be made through La Tagua Banadex will manage the amount and timing of these payments as they do the La Tagua payments Despite thes efforts the payments are expected to average _ per month I 0 get same facts for Santa Max ta re efforts to delay and reduce payments 4 - CBI-V1-003-000024 CHIQUITA NSD 6279 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu