- DRAFT Con denti and Legally Privilegg - To Fit From Date Sep mber 2000 Subject - Colombia Security 0 meet in Colombia with the cry of Banadex s payments to La Tagua del relevan anadex managers and review 6 Darlen the Convivir organization in Uraba region of Antioquia and to learn how Banadex started making payments to the Autedefensas de Colombia operation in Magdalena Banadex s Turbo Division is in Uraba and its Santa Marta Division is in Magdalena Antioquia and Magdalena are Departments similar to a state or a province and Medellin is the capital of Antioquia eccrihed how Benedex was Uraba region of Antioquia lawyer handling labor relations in - - land Santa Marta he is quite familiar with the security issues raised by Autodefensas activities utodefensas But knows about the payments and believes Banadex must make them said he would not want to travei to Banadex farms' in Santa Marta or Ura'oa if Ban - ex stopped making the payments The risk of renewed guerilla attacks and reprisals from Autodefensas would be too great rst informed Banedex that payments would he required and how Banadex made these payments while he worked for Banadex 1 CHIGUITA NSD 5275 On August id me what he learned in these meetings and gave me the attached did not keep any notes or other documents This memorandmn smnmarizes what V a old me La Tagga About 3% to 4 years ago a prominent Medellin banana producer and cattle farmer contacted 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 member of the Medellin business community Refusing to meet would antagonize the Colombia military local and state government of cials and Antodefensas ere told to go a very large private national leader of Autodefensas I at Banadex shared a common interest with the government military and nusinees ooniniunity in driving the guen'lias out of Uraba It was well-hone at the time that senior of cers of the Colombian military and the Governor of the Department of Antioquia were message 1Autode cases was already well established' in Antioquia g a very wealthy person had offered their home for the meeting and supported the establishment of a Convivir organization in Uraba Autodefensas expected Banadex to support Convi and 'f Banadex did Banadex would have support Convivir About 4 or 5 months after this meeting a known Autodefensas organizer and supporter where to send the money - this representative made no tineats he didn t need to Esoobar knew Autodefensas supported Convivir and expected Banadex to make the payments and he knew what would happen if Banadex refused of ts and attempts to slow down and reduce the payments when possible CHIQUITA NSD 6277 I Autodefensg Magdalena ago the same Medellin banana reducer and cattle farmer that rst Autodefensas anan operation 111 Ma daiena tEdm to meet with him at a hotel' In Cienaga a small wn ne - escribed the hotel as an armed - the only people at the hotel were Autodcfensas soldiers He said the leader had the coldes ever seen During a very short meeting the leader bluntly and as matter of fact tol Autodei ensas had arrived 11 Magdalena and had started operations that it was time for Banadex to start making payments to Autodefensas He did not threaten neither did he indicate any willingness to discuss the Issue The leader unspoken but ear message was we are here 111 Santa Marta and we are strong g all the soldiers at the hotel we know who you are and you need to make sure Banadex pays when we as The leader frightened and intimidated He also worried that police Colombian military or guerilla informants might have spotted him arriving for the meeting Guerillas commonly execute people they believe are Autodefensas sympathizers who agreed that when the request was Two weeks later a business man serving as an Autodefcnsas collector contacted The collector told Alvarado to have Banadcx make payments to lnversiones Manglar which Autodcfensas rented to collect payments Who did we give the checks to The collector did not say how much Banedex should pay bu inoe Autodefensas was demanc' 7 the payments the amount would same as Banadex was paying to Convivir 111 Turbo 'll check on whether any cash payments were made and if so how much when and how How much time between this meeting and the rst payment Does chronology mails sense Hotel mec n to 1V years ago Jan to June 1999 2 weeks later collector contae 1 First Manglar 1016 IS undated- I thought I saw a copy dated 10199 1t is 10199 seems like along time to wait to make rst payment '11 check chronology Bauadex paid Manglar 40 000 000 pesos 000 pesos in February 2000 and 57 500 000 poses in June 2000 Banadcx' 5 Director of Security prepared a payment request form Form 1016 for each payment the General ers signed each fotm and the or O iee cut a check and gave it to the CHIQUITA use 5273 The rst two payments were given to Manglar How'2 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 these efforts the payments are expected to average per month 0 get same facts for Santa Marta re efforts to delay and reduce payments OBI-V1 41034300024 CHIGUITA N80 6279                     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