UNCLASSIFIED i - -- z Date Printed 07-Nov-2000 CHANNEL nAELEASED IN FULL HANDLING n a DOC NBR - 1984BOGOTA05463 Case Number 2000002859 FILM D840315-0996 PAGE 01 ACTION ARA-00 BOGOTA 05463 01 OF 02 151505Z CIAE-00 COPY-01 ADS-00 AID-00 INR-10 SS-00 CTME-00 TRSE-00 OMB-01 NSCE-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 SP-02 045 W INRE-00 AGRE-01 OES-09 USIE-00 ------------------157217 15152OZ 53 0 142156Z MAY 84 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3315 DEPTJJSTICE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO DEA WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO OCT-00 I0-15 INM-06 DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS IMMEDIATE SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 05463 DELL OADR E O 12356 TAGS PREL SNAR CO SUBJECT COLOMBIA'S ANTI-NARCOTICS EFFORTS WHILE THE IRON IS HOT REF A B C 1 STRIKE BOGOTA 5097 BOGOTA 5250 BOGOTA 5306 - ENTIRE TEXT THE EMOTIONAL RESPONSE OF THE 2 SUMMARY COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE TO THE MURDER OF RODRIGO LARA BONILLA HAS BEEN INTENSE AND HAS RESULTED IN AN ENTIRELY NEW ATTITUDE TOWARD DRUG TRAFFICKERS IN COLOMBIA THE HIGH LEVEL OF EMOTION CANNOT CONTINUE INDEFINITELY HOWEVER AND THERE ARE SIGNS THAT UNQUALIFIED SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S WAR ON NARCOTRAFICANTES IS BEGINNING TO ERODE THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO PRESS FOR STRONGER GOC ACTION AGAINST DRUG r PAGE 02 BOGOTA 05463 01 OF 02 151505Z PRODUCTION AND TRAFFICKING IS BEGINNING TO CLOSE USG EFFORTS TO HELP THE GOC TAKE POSITIVE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE Cu M M WGAJaTIit 6NIAMEPOWITZ DATE CASE ID 22 JAN 2001 200002859 UNCLASSIFIED _I i Page 1 v UNCLASSIFIED J l Date Printed 07-Nov-2000 CHANNEL n a HANDLING n a DOC NBR 1984BOGOTA05463 Case Number 2000002859 3 ACTION MUST BE QUICK AND DECISIVE BEFORE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR A STRONG ANTI-NARCOTICS PROGRAM ERODES FURTHER END SUMMARY i 3 THE REACTION IN COLOMBIA TO THE ASSASSINATION A OF RODRIGO LARA BONILLA HAS BEEN INTENSE COMBINATION OF OUTRAGE THAT A CABINET MINISTER COULD BE KILLED FOR DOING HIS DUTY SORROW ' THAT A YOUNG ATTRACTIVE AND PROMISING POLITICIAN SHOULD DIE PREMATURELY AND GUILT THAT HE WAS LARGELY UNSUPPORTED IN HIS VALIANT FIGHT AGAINST AN ELEMENT THAT THREATENED TO DESTROY THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL FABRIC OF COLOMBIAN SOCIETY SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT BETANCUR'S DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST THE PRESUMED PERPETRATORS OF THE CRIME AND FOR THE TOUGH ANTI-NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING MEASURES OF THE STATE OF SIEGE HAS BEEN•WHOLEHEARTED AND ALMOST HOWEVER THE EMOTIONAL OUTPOURING UNANIMOUS THAT PROMPTED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EXTRADITION TREATY THE WHOLESALE ARREST OF NARCOTRAFICANTES AND THE POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF A HERBICIDAL ERADICATION PROGRAM IS TOO INTENSE TO LAST A WANING OF THE CRACKDOWN AND A BACKLASH AGAINST THE USG FOR OBVIOUSLY BENEFITING FROM THE DEATH OF LARA AND THE CHANGED ATTITUDE IT PROMPTED CAN BE EXPECTED 4 ANTI-AMERICANISM HAS ALREADY REARED ITS HEAD IN THE FORM OF THE AGE-OLD QUESTION IN ANY ENRIQUE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION CUI BONO PAGE 03 BOGOTA 05463 •01 OF 02 151505Z SANTOS CALDERON NO FRIEND OF THE U S FIRST RAISED THE POSSIBILITY OF U S INVOLVEMENT IN LARA'S DEATH IN HIS EL TIEMPO COLUMN ON MAY 7 LISTING IT AS ONE OF FOUR POSSIBILITIES ON MAY 9 THE DISREPUTABLE AFTERNOON TABLOID EL BOGOTANO FRONT-PAGED AN ARTICLE BASED ON A REPORT FROM THE ANDEAN LABOR PARTY FOUNDED BY U S CITIZEN LYNDON H LAROUCHE SUGGESTING THE CIA OR DEA THE ANDEAN LABOR PARTY MAINTAINED KILLED LARA THE PLOT WAS HATCHED BY HENRY KISSINGER TO PREVENT LARA FROM DISRUPTING THE DRUG TRADE WHICH PROVIDES THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE NECESSARY TO COLOMBIA TO PAY ITS BANK LOANS SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE COLOMBIAN COMMUNIST PARTY GILBERTO VIEIRA IS REPORTEDLY Current Class Page 2 UNCLASSIFIED i UNCLASSIFIED Date Printed 07-No•v-2000 CHANNEL n a DOC NBR 1984BOGOTA05463 HANDLING n a Case Number 2000002859 3 PUSHING THE CULPABILITY OF THE DEA CIA AND HAS ALLEGEDLY VOLUNTEERED TO GIVE INTERVIEWS TO EXPOUND ON THIS THEORY HE HAS HAD NO TAKERS YET ON MAY 10 SANTOS NOTED AS OTHER COLUMNISTS HAVE THAT THE GOC'S REACTION TO LARA'S ASSASSINATION HAS'BEEN IN EFFECT TO SUPPORT THE LONG-STANDING OBJECTIVES OF THE USG THAT THE GOC IMPOSED A COUNTRY WIDE STATE OF SIEGE WHICH EMPOWERED THE MILITARY--THE MOST PRO-U S ELEMENT IN COLOMBIAN SOCIETY--TO LEAD THE ANTI-NARCOTICS FIGHT IS ALSO LOOMING AS A BONE OF CONTENTION AS IS THE VIEW EXPRESSED BY A GROWING NUMBER OF POLITICAL COMMENTATORS THAT THE GOC IS DOING MORE THAN THE USG TO COMBAT THE TRAFFICKERS EMBOFFS' COLOMBIAN INTERLOCUTORS ARE UNANIMOUS 5 IN SAYING THAT THE GOC HAS ONLY A LIMITED TIME NNN PAGE 01 ACTION ARA-00 INFO BOGOTA 05463 02 OF 02 151507Z OCT-00 I0-15 INM-06 COPY-01 ADS-00 AID-00 INR-10 SS-00 CIAE-00 NSCE-00 NSAE-00 SSO-00 CTME-00 TRSE-00 OMB-01 INRE-00 AGRE-01 OES-09 USIE-00 SP-02 045 W ------------------157324 151525Z 42 O 142156Z MAY 84 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3316 DEPTJUSTICE WASHDC IMMEDIATE INFO DEA WASHDC IMMEDIATE DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS IMMEDIATE SECTION 02 OF 02 BOGOTA 05463 FRAME IN WHICH TO WAGE ITS WAR ON DRUGGERS WITH POPULAR SUPPORT THE SHORT ATTENTION SPAN ON MOST BODIES POLITIC NEW CRISES AND POLITICAL REALITIES WILL ALL CONSPIRE TO REDUCE INTEREST IN AND SUPPORT FOR STRONG ANTI-NARCOTICS MEASURES THERE ARE EVEN REPORTS THAT PRESIDENT BETANCUR WILL END THE STATE OF SIEGE--AND HENCE MILITARY PURSUIT AND JUDGMENT OF TRAFFICKERS--BY MAY 28 WHEN THE TRUCE WITH THE FARC IS SCHEDULED TO Current Class Page 3 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Date Punted 07-Nov-2000 3 CHANNEL n a n a HANDLING DOC NBR 1984BOGOTA05463 2000002859 Number Case THE BETANCUR ADMINISTRATION SEEMS GO INTO EFFECT AWARE OF ITS LIMITED MANDATE HENCE ITS REQUEST TO THE EMBASSY THROUGH THE ACTING MINISTER OF JUSTICE-AND THE PRESIDENT'S LEGAL ADVISOR TO SUBMIT PROVISIONAL REQUESTS AND OR EXTRADITION REFTELS B AND C DOCUMENTS AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE THUS AS WE HAVE SUGGESTED FROM THE OUTSET 6 OF THIS CRISIS IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT USG ASSISTANCE--INCLUDING HELICOPTERS AS WELL AS EXTRADITION REQUESTS--BE PROVIDED AS FORTHCOMINGLY AND QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER PAGE 02 BOGOTA 05463 02 OF 02 151507Z TO ENCOURAGE PRESIDENT BETANCUR TO PROCEED ADDITIONAL WITH HIS CAMPAIGN VIGOROUSLY USG SUPPORT WILL ENABLE THE GOC TO INSTITUTIONALIZE LONG-RANGE ANTI-NARCOTICS OPERATIONS WHICH WILL CONTINUE AFTER THE IMMEDIATE TURMOIL SUBSIDES WATSON NNN Page 4 Current Class UNCLASSIFIED