E15 UNCLASSIFIED PTQ7904 RELEASED IN PART B6 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION ARA-01 LIMA INFO ACDA-10 CA-02 DODE-00 H-01 ADS-00 OPIC-01 SCT-00 PMB-00 LOG-00 ACQ-01 OASY-00 FB0-01 L-01 OMB-01 CI0-00 usss-oo 03392 01 OF 04 ACDE-00 CC0-00 DOEE-00 IMM C-01 M-00 OPR-01 SP-00 DSCC-00 PTQ7904 182007Z INLB-01 CIAE-00 SRPP-00 TEDE-00 NSAE-00 PA-00 SS0-00 PRM-10 AID-00 SMEC-00 DS-00 INR-00 NSCE-00 PM-00 STR-00 PRME-01 AMAD-01 CTME-00 EB-00 I0-00 OCS-03 PRS-00 TRSE-00 DRL-09 050W ------------------B15B9E 182007Z 38 0 182000Z APR 97 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7043 INFO AMEMBASSY MEXICO AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY CARACAS DIA WASHDC NMJIC-J2 DH-511 AMEJl 1BASSY BUENOS AIRES AMEJl 1BASSY SANTIAGO USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM USMISSION GENEVA AMEJl 1BASSY BOGOTA AMEJl 1BASSY QUITO CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 01 OF 04 LIMA 003392 SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 LIMA 03392 01 OF 04 182007Z UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY DAVID W COX DATE CASE ID 07 OCT 2008 200706146 UNCLASSIFIED A-00 INL-01 FBIE-00 L AB-01 OIC-02 P-00 USIE-00 G-00 UNCLASSIFIED E O 12958 DECL 4 17 2007 TAGS PHUM PGOV PINR PE SUBJECT MURDER DECAPITATION OF INTELLIGENCE AGENT MARIELA BARRETO HORRIFIES PERU REF 1 A IIR 6 876 0234 97 B LIMA 3283 CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE JAMES MACK REASON 1 5 D 2 C SUMMARY THE DISCOVERY IN MARCH OF THE DECAPITATED BODY OF PERUVIAN ARMY INTELLIGENCE AGENT SIE MARIELA BARRETO AND REPORTS ABOUT HER INVOLVEJ 1ENT WITH THE COLINA DEATH SQUAD HAVE CAUSED AN UPROAR IN PERU THIS SHOCKING STORY CAME ON THE HEELS OF PUBLICITY SURROUNDING THE TORTURE BY SUPERIORS OF FELLOW SIE AGENT LEONOR LA ROSA DEFENSE MINISTER CASTILLO TOLD CONGRESS APRIL 9 THAT THE ARMED FORCES WERE NOT INVOLVED IN BARRETO'S MURDER AND THEREFORE IT WAS UP TO THE CIVILIAN COURTS TO FIND AND PUNISH THOSE RESPONSIBLE COLINA DEATH SQUAD LEADER SANTIAGO MARTIN RIVAS THE FATHER OF ONE OF BARRETO'S CHILDREN HAS PUBLICLY DENIED INVOLVEJ 1ENT IN THE MURDER EVEN SO HE AND OTHER J 1EMBERS OF THE COLINA DEATH SQUAD ARE BEING INVESTIGATED BY POLICE A FORMER SIE AGENT HAS PUBLICLY EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT BARRETO WAS KILLED BY THE COLINA DEATH SQUAD IN RETALIATION FOR HAVING LEAKED TO THE PRESS INFORMATION REGARDING THE 1992 LA CANTUTA MASSACRE THIS AGENT WAS DETAINED ON DISLOYALTY AND DESERTION CHARGES THE FOLLOWING DAY END SUMMARY INTEL AGENT MURDERED CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 LIMA 03392 01 OF 04 182007Z 3 U THE MUTILATED BODY OF PERUVIAN ARMY INTELLIGENCE OFFICER MARIELA BARRETO WAS FOUND MARCH 23 BARRETO'S HEAD AND THE LOWER PARTS OF HER LEGS AND ARMS HAD BE N CHOPPED OFF PROBABLY IN ORDER TO PREVENT IDENTIFICATION BARRETO WAS 28 YEARS OLD AND HAD TWO DAUGHTERS COLINA DEATH SQUAD LEADER SANTIAGO MARTIN RIVAS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE NOTORIOUS 1992 LA CANTUTA UNIVERSITY MASSACRE IS THE FATHER OF MARIELA'S FOUR-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER NATALY BARRETO'S BODY WAS IDENTIFIED MARCH 25 AND SHE WAS BURIED IN A UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED MiLITARY CEMETERY MARCH 26 REVELATIONS REGARDING BARRETO'S MURDER COINCIDED WITH THE APRIL 6 TELEVISED INTERVIEW OF SIE AGENT LEONOR LA ROSA WHO WAS SUFFERING FROM THE EFFECTS OF BEING TORTURED BY HER SUPERIORS AND GENE TED PUBLIC OUTRAGE -----4 C B6 I B6 TOI I SHE HAD BEEN ON MATERNITY LEAVE SINCE DECEMBER AND GAVE BIRTH TO A DAUGHTER HER SECOND CHILD ON JANUARY 17 ON MARCH 22 THE DAY OF HER DISAPPEARANCE MARIELA SHE WAS GOING TO THE MILITARY HOSPITAL BUT DID NOT GIVE SPECIFICS SHE LEFT HER HOME SHORTLY AFTER 6 30 A M AND SAID SHE WOULD RETURN AT 10 00 A M WHEN SHE DID NOT RETURN BY MIDDAY HER FAMILY BECAME I RN CoNE'IOEN·rIAL B6 B6 B6 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 LIMA 03392 01 OF 04 182007Z __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ SEARCHED FOR HER IN HOSPITALS AND POLICE STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AT 1 00 A M SUNDAY MORNING A SIE AGENT FRIEND OF MARIELA' S KNOWN f 1ONLY AS MAYRA ACCOMPANIED BY SOMEONE THEY THOOGHT WAS MAYRA'S HUSBAND TURNED UP UNEXPECTEDLY ASKING FOR MARIELA B6 B6 B6 MARIELA'S FUNERAL UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED 6 C ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 26 A FUNERAL SERVICE WAS HELD FOR MARIELA SIE CHIEF COL JOSE SANCHEZ NORIEGA WHO WAS JAILED APRIL 8 ON CHARGES RELATING TO THE TORTURE OF SIE AGENT LA ROSA ATTENDED AS DID MAYRA MARIELA WAS PREPARING TO RETURN TO THE SIE AFTER HER MATERNITY LEAVE AND WAS REPORTING TO A MAJOR ESPINOZA CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ7905 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION ARA-01 LIMA INFO ACDA-10 CA-02 DODE-00 H-01 ADS-00 OPIC-01 SCT-00 _PMB-00 LOG-00 ACQ-01 OASY-00 FBO-01 L-01 OMB-01 CIO-00 USSS-00 0S0W 03392 02 OF 04 ACDE-00 CCO-00 DOEE-00 I MMC-01 M-00 OPR-01 SP-00 DSCC-00 PTQ7905 182007Z INLB-01 CIAE-00 SRPP-00 TEDE-00 NSAE-00 PA-00 SSO-00 PRM-10 ------------------B15BB0 AID-00 SMEC-00 DS-00 INR-00 NSCE-00 PM-00 STR-00 PRME-01 AMAD-01 CTME-00 EB-00 IO-00 OCS-03 PRS-00 TRSE-00 DRL-09 182008Z 38 0 182000Z APR 97 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7044 INFO AMEMBASSY MEXICO AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY CARACAS DIA WASHDC NMJIC-J2 DH-511 AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES UNCLASSIFIED A-00 INL-01 FBIE-00 LAB-01 OIC-02 P-00 USIE-00 G-00 UNCLASSIFIED AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY BOGOTA AMEMBASSY QUITO CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 02 OF 04 LIMA 003392 SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POL AD CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 LIMA 03392 02 OF 04 182007Z E O 12958 DECL 4 17 2007 TAGS PHOM PGOV PINR PE SUBJECT MURDER DECAPITATION OF INTELLIGENCE AGENT MARIELA BARRETO HORRIFIES PERU WHO ALSO ATTENDED THE SERVICE B6 DISCOVERY OF THE DISMEMBERED BODY 7 C MARIELA 1 S BODY WAS FOUND MARCH 23 AFTER A 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL WITNESSED TWO MEN LEAVE A BAG AT 8 30 A M BY A HIGHWAY NORTH OF LIMA SHE AND HER FRIENDS LATER INVESTIGATED AND FOUND WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE MARIELA 1 S BODY THE GIRL'S FATHER THEN ALERTED POLICE WHEN THE POLICE BEGAN THEIR INVESTIGATION THEY INITIALLY SUSPECTED MARIELA'S FIANCE ELMER VALDIVIESO A DRIVER WITH ARMY INTELLIGENCE HOWEVER SHOWN A PHOTO OF VALDIVIESO THE EYEWITNESS SAID HE WAS NOT ONE OF THE MEN WHO LEFT THE BODY BELIEVES VALDIVIESO IS INNOCENT THERE HAVE BEEN PRESS REPORTS THAT THE 14-YEAR-OLD EYEWITNESS HAS RECEIVED DEATH THREATS UNCLASSIFIED B6 UNCLASSIFIED HOWEVER THE GIRL'S FATHER CONCERNED ABOUT HER SAFETY HAS NOT CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 · LIMA 03392 02 OF 04 182007Z PERMITTED APRODEH TO INTERVIEW HER MORE THAN ONCE AND APRODEH DOES NOT HAVE INFORMATION ON THIS THREAT PRESS BEGINS TO DISCUSS MARIELA'S DEATH 8 U RUMORS THAT MEMBERS OF ARMY INTELLIGENCE SPECIFICALLY MEMBERS OF THE COLINA DEATH SQUAD WERE INVOLVED IN MARIELA'S DEATH BEGAN APRIL 6 WHEN VARIOUS WEEKEND NEWS PROGRAMS RAN REPORTS ON HER MURDER EARLY PRESS REPORTS SPECULATED THAT MARIELA HAD BEEN KILLED BY COLINA DEATH SQUAD MEMBER JUAN SOSA SAAVEDRA ON ORDERS OF MARTIN RIVAS SOSA DENIED THIS IN AN APRIL 17 MAGAZINE INTERVIEW THE EXTENSIVE PRESS COVERAGE ABOUT MARIELA' S MURDER COINCIDED WITH NEWS THAT FELLOW AGENT LEONOR LA ROSA'S HAD BEEN TORTURED ON APRIL 9 DEFENSE MINISTER TOMAS CASTILLO IN A PRESENTATION TO CONGRESS ON BOTH CASES STATED THAT THE CIVILIAN COURTS HAD JURISDICTION OVER FINDING THOSE WHO MURDERED MARIELA SINCE THE ARMED FORCES WERE NOT INVOLVED REF B THAT NIGHT AT 11 30 A CIVILIAN PROSECUTOR SHOWED UP AT THE BARRETO RESIDENCE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND INTERVIEWED HER FAMILY UNTIL TWO IN THE MORNING THE BARRETOS NOTICED A STRANGE VEHICLE DRIVING AROUND THEIR HOME ON THE EVENING OF APRIL 8 AND ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY THROUGH APRODEH THEY HAVE SENT A LETTER TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN EXPRESSING THIS CONCERN MARIELA'S TIES TO LEONOR LA ROSA 9 B6 CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 LIMA 03392 02 OF 04 182007Z B6 MARIELA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH COLINA DEATH SQUAD LEADER MARTIN RIVAS 10 U AS FOR ___ _ _ _ _ _____ RELATIONSHIP WITH MAJOR SANTIAGO MARTIN RIVAS THE LEADER OF THE COLINA DEATH SQUAD I ISAID I I HAD NEVER MET HIM AND DID NOT THINK HE HAD EVER SEEN HIS DAUGHTER NATALY WHO WAS BORN IN JULY 1993 DID SHOW A PHOTO OF MARTIN RIVAS FROM A NEWSPAPER WHEN NEWS EMERGED OF MARTIN RIVAS'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE JULY 1992 MASSACRE OF A PROFESSOR AND NINE STUDENTS AT LA CANTUTA UNIVERSITY FOR WHICH HE WAS SENTENCED BY A MILITARY COURT TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON MARTIN RIVAS WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON IN JUNE 1995 AS A RESULT OF THE AMNESTY GRANTED TO MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO COMMITTED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES DURING THE WAR ON TERRORISM I 11 U IN RESPONSE TO INTENSE MEDIA SPECULATION REGARDING HIS ROLE IN MARIELA'S MURDER MARTIN RIVAS APPEARED APRIL 13 ON THE CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ7906 CONFIDENTIAL PTQ7906 UNCLASSIFIED I B6 B6 B6 B6 B6 PAGE 01 ACTION ARA-01 LIMA INFO ACDA-10 CA-02 DODE-00 H-01 ADS-00 OPIC-01 SCT-00 PMB-00 LOG-00 ACQ-01 OASY-00 FB0-01 L-01 OMB-01 CI0-00 USSS-00 050W 03392 UNCLASSIFIED 03 OF 04 ACDE-00 CC0-00 DOEE-00 IMMC-01 M-00 OPR-01 SP-00 DSCC-00 182008Z INLB-01 CIAE-00 SRPP-00 TEDE-00 NSAE-00 PA-00 SS0-00 PRM-10 ------------------B15BC2 0 182000Z APR 97 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7045 INFO AMEMBASSY MEXICO AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY CARACAS DIA WASHDC NMJIC-J2 DH-511 AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY BOGOTA AMEMBASSY QUITO AID-00 SMEC-00 DS-00 INR-00 NSCE-00 PM-00 STR-00 PRME-01 AMAD-01 CTME-00 EB-00 I0-00 OCS-03 PRS-00 TRSE-00 DRL-09 A-00 INL-01 FBIE-00 LAB-01 OIC-02 P-00 USIE-00 G-00 182008Z 38 C O N F I D E N T I A L SEC TION 03 OF 04 LIMA 003392 SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 LIMA 03392 03 OF 04 182008Z E O 12958 DECL 4 17 2007 TAGS PHUM PGOV PINR PE SUBJECT MURDER DECAPITATION OF INTELLIGENCE AGENT MARIELA BARRETO HORRIFIES PERU HIGHLY-RATED SUNDAY PROGRAM PANORAMA HE CATEGORICALLY DENIED ANY INVOLVEMENT IN MARIELA'S MURDER ADDING THAT HE HAD BEEN IN TRUJILLO WHEN SHE WAS KILLED MARTIN RIVAS SAID HE HAD NOT SEEN UNCLASSIFIED _UNCLASSIFIED MARIELA IN OVER A YEAR AND A HALF HE ADMITTED TO SPEAKING TO HER A FEW DAYS BEFORE HER DEATH REGARDING SOME FINANCIAL NEEDS OF MARIELA AND SAID HE HAD DEPOSITED MONEY IN A BANK MARTIN RIVAS EXPRESSED ADMIRATION FOR MARIELA SAYING SHE DID NOT DESERVE TO DIE IN SUCH A FASHION HE SAID HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HER HAD BEEN FLEETING AND THAT HE HAD NEVER LIVED WITH HER NOR MET HER PARENTS IN ADDITION TO DENYING INVOLVEMENT IN MARIELA'S MURDER MARTIN RIVAS WHO DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS AN ANALYST SAID HE HAD NEVER KILLED ANYONE AND WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE 1992 LA CANTUTA UNIVERSITY MASSACRE DESPITE HAVING BEEN SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR THAT OFFENSE BY A MILITARY COURT HE ALSO DENIED THE EXISTENCE OF THE COLINA DEATH SQUAD THE INTERVIEW REPORTEDLY TOOK PLACE AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE SIN AND LED TO THE RESIGNATION OF A PANORAMA PROGRAM EMPLOYEE FOR ETHICAL REASONS NOTE THE SIN WHOSE DE FACTO CHIEF IS VLADIMIRO MONTESINOS COORDINATES ALL PERUVIAN INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES AS A PERUVIAN INTELLIGENCE ENTITY THE SIE PROVIDES THE SIN THE PRODUCT OF ITS INTELLIGENCE EFFORTS AND COORDINATES ITS IMPORTANT OPERATIONS WITH THE SIN END NOTE THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 LIMA 03392 03 OF 04 182008Z 12 U ON APRIL 15 AND 16 MARTIN RIVAS WAS INTERVIEWED BY CRIMINAL POLICE INVESTIGATING MARIELA'S DEATH A FELLOW COLINA DEATH SQUAD MEMBER MAJOR CARLOS PICHILINGUE GUEVARA HAS ALSO BEEN QUESTIONED POLICE PLAN TO INTERVIEW SIE AGENT IRIS CHUMPITAZ WHO ACCORDING TO APRODEH IS MAYRA 11 MARIELA' S PARENTS BELIEVE MAYRA ALSO BE THE MOTHER OF ANOTHER OF MARTIN RIVAS'S CHILDREN POLICE ALSO PLAN TO QUESTION ARMY COMMANDER RAFAEL ALCANDRE WHOM MARIELA'S PARENTS HAVE TOLD POLICE THEIR DAUGHTER OFTEN SPOKE ABOUT MARIELA'S FIANCE ELMER VALDIVIESO IS ALSO STILL BEING QUESTIONED ACCORDING TO APRIL 17 PRESS REPORTS POLICE HAVE ALSO PREPARED DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO MEN ONE WHO SAID HE WAS AN ARMY CAPTAIN WHO ASKED ABOUT MARIELA AFTER SHE REPORTEDLY ENTERED AN AMUSEMENT PARK SEEKING A JOB AS A SECURITY GUARD MARCH 22 THE CAPTAIN REPORTEDLY ASKED WHY MARIELA HAD VISITED THE AMO'SEMENT PARK SHORTLY AFTER MARIELA'S DISAPPEARANCE SOME SIE AGENTS TOLD VALDIVIESO THAT SHE WAS SEEN ENTERING SIE OFFICES ON MARCH 22 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED ACCUSATION BY FORMER INTEL AGENT 13 U IN AN APRIL 10 TELEVISION INTERVIEW JOSE BAZAN A FORMER SIE AGENT STATED THAT MEMBERS OF THE COLINA DEATH SQUAD WHOM HE SAID HE HAD BEEN CLOSE TO ALWAYS SUSPECTED THAT MARIELA HAD PASSED INFORMATION TO THE PRESS AND THEREFORE IN HIS VIEW THEY KILLED HER IN REVENGE HE SAID HER KILLING WAS NOT SANCTIONED BY THE SIE BAZAN ADDED THAT HE HAD SPOKEN TO ACTIVE DUTY SIE AGENTS WHO DEPLORED MARIELA'S MURDER THESE AGENTS BELIEVED THAT DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE COLINA DEATH SQUAD HAD BEEN DEACTIVATED ITS FORMER CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL LIMA 03392 03 OF 04 182008Z PAGE 04 MEMBERS STILL MEET BAZAN ALSO DID NOT BELIEVE THAT MARTIN RIVAS WHOM HE DESCRIBED AS PSYCHOLOGICALLY UNSTABLE HAD COMPLETELY RETIRED FROM THE SIE 14 U BAZAN SAID IT WAS NOT DIFFICULT FOR SOMEONE TO LEAVE THE SIE BUT MANY AGENTS KNOW A LOT OF CLANDESTINE INFORMATION AND WORRY THAT THEY WILL BE WATCHED OR DISAPPEARED SHOULD THEY LEAVE FOR THIS REASON THEY REMAIN WITH THE SIE DESPITE RECEIVING A LOW SALARY BAZAN SAID MOST OF THE 1200 TO 1400 SIE EMPLOYEES ARE PAID ONLY 800 SOLES A MONTH EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT USD 310 HE INDICATED THA T THERE WERE MANY CASES INVOLVING SIE PERSONNEL BEING TORTURED WHEN THEY WERE SUSPECTED OF DISLOYALTY AND ASSERTED THAT ARMED FORCES CHIEF GENERAL NICOLAS HERMOZA RIOS KNEW OF THIS PRACTICE AND THAT HERMOZA ALSO KNEW THAT THE TORTURE OF CIVILIAN DETAINEES WAS COMMON ON ALL MILITARY INSTALLATIONS 15 C BAZAN SAID THAT THERE ARE FISSURES WITHIN THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE SIN AND THAT THOSE WHO ARE UNHAPPY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE HAVE BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO THE PRESS IN ORDER THAT ABUSES NOT BE REPEATED BAZAN ALSO ADMITTED THAT AS A SIE AGENT HE PARTICIPATED IN THE BOMBING OF CONGRESSMAN DIEZ CANSECO'S HOME A FEW YEARS AGO AS FOR DE FACTO SIN CHIEF MONTESINOS BAZAN CLAIMED THAT MONTESINOS WAS A CLOSE FRIEND OF MARTIN RIVAS AND THAT IT WAS MONTESINOS WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CREATION OF THE COLINA DEATH SQUAD COMMENT WE HAVE NO INFORMATION TO CONFIRM UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ7907 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION ARA-01 LIMA 03392 04 OF 04 PTQ7907 182008Z INFO LOG-00 ACDA-10 ACDE-00 INLB-01 AID-00 AMAD-01 ACQ-01 CA-02 CC0-00 CIAE-00 SMEC-00 CTME-00 OASY-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 H-01 FB0-01 IMM C-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 I0-00 L-01 ADS-00 M-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OCS-03 OMB-01 OPIC-01 OPR-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 CI0-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SS0-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 USSS-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-10 PRME-01 DRL-09 050W ------------------B15BDO 182008Z 38 0 182000Z APR 97 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7046 INFO AMEMBASSY MEXICO AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY CARACAS DIA WASHDC NMJIC-J2 DH-511 AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM USMISSION GENEVA AMEMBASSY BOGOTA AMEMBASSY QUITO CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 04 OF 04 LIMA 003392 UNCLASSIFIED A-00 INL-01 FBIE-00 LAB-01 OIC-02 P-00 USIE-00 G-00 UNCLASSIFIED SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 LIMA 03392 04 OF 04 182008Z E O 12958 DECL 4 17 2007 TAGS PHUM PGOV PINR PE SUBJECT MURDER DECAPITATION OF INTELLIGENCE AGENT MARIELA BARRETO HORRIFIES PERU BAZAN'S CLAIM OF A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MONTESINOS AND MARTIN RIVAS END COMMENT BAZAN WAS ARRESTED ON APRIL 11 AND HAS BEEN CHARGED IN A MILITARY COURT WITH DISLOYALTY AND DESERTION AS WELL AS WITH FINANCIAL FRAUD COMMENT A HUMAN RIGHTS LEADER WHILE NOT DISCOUNTING WHAT BAZAN HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE BARRETO CASE SAID BAZAN WAS WELL KNOWN TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY AND JOURNALISTS AS SOMEONE WILLING TO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR MONEY ANOTHER HUMAN RIGHTS NGO OFFICIAL HAS SAID THAT IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR POORLY PAID SIE AGENTS TO PROVIDE JOURNALISTS WITH INFORMATION IN RETURN FOR CASH END COMMENT COMMENT 16 C PERU -- OR AT LEAST THE PERU WHICH PAYS ATTENTION TO PRINT OR ELECTRONIC MEDIA WHICH IS PROBABLY LESS THAN HALF THE POPULATION -- IS AGAIN CONVULSED BY HUMAN RIGHTS ATROCITIES THIS TIME THOUGH INSTEAD OF THE VICTIMS BEING ACCUSED TERRORISTS OR THEIR SYMPATHIZERS THEY ARE MEMBERS OF AN ALLEGEDLY ELITE BRANCH OF THE ARMED FORCES -- ITS INTELLIGENCE SERVICE THE BARRETO MURDER ALONG WITH THE LA ROSA TORTURE REF B HAVE PRESENTED PERUVIANS A GLIMPSE AT THE DARK SIDE OF THEIR GOVERNMENT AND THANKS TO CRUSADING JOURNALISTS HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES AND OPPOSITION POLITICAL FIGURES THE DOOR ON THIS PROBLEM MIGHT BE CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 LIMA 03392 PUSHED OPEN A BIT FURTHER 04 OF 04 182008Z 17 C HOWEVER WE ARE NOT READY TO DECLARE THAT JUSTICE WILL TRIUMPH AND THE WRONGDOERS WILL BE PUNISHED EVEN IF A HANDFUL OF INTELLIGENCE TYPES ARE CONVICTED OF EITHER INCIDENT THE SYSTEM WILL HAVE SOUGHT OUT AND PUNISHED ONLY THOSE WHO COMMITTED THE CRIME NOT THOSE GUILTY OF PERMITTING THE EVOLUTION OF A CULTURE WITHIN THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES OR SECURITY FORCES WHICH ALLOWS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS TO OCCUR ONE OPPOSITION MEMBER OF CONGRESS WHO VISITED LA ROSA IN THE HOSPITAL REMARKED SADLY THAT EVEN LA ROSA AS THE VICTIM COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THAT ALL TORTURE NOT JUST THE ABUSE SHE SUFFERED WAS WRONG 18 C WHAT WE HAVE ASKED THIS WEEK BOTH OF OURSELVES AND OF OUR CONTACTS IS IF THE PERU OF 1997 IS DIFFERENT FROM THE PERU OF 1991-1992 WHICH FORGAVE THE ATROCITIES COMMITTED IN BARRIOS ALTOS LA CANTUTA AND ELSEWHERE ON THE SURFACE THE ANSWER IS YES DESPITE THE MRTA RESURGENCE IN DECEMBER 1996 THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM HAS BEEN LARGELY SUCCESSFUL AND MANY PERUVIANS ARE STILL ABLE TO RATIONALIZE HARSH MEASURES TAKEN TO DEFEAT AN EVIL WHICH THREATENED THE VERY INTEGRITY OF THE NATION-STATE BUT WE DO NOT YET KNOW IF THE PUBLIC REVULSION AT THESE INCIDE TS IS DEEP ENOUGH TO BLOCK ANY POTENTIAL EFFORTS TO SWEEP THEM ASIDE AS ONLY THE WORK OF A FEW EMPLOYEES OF THE PERUVIAN STATE WE HAVE SEEN THOUGH THAT THERE HAS BEEN SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE IMAGE OF PRESIDENT FUJIMORI FOR THOSE PERUVIANS WHO WERE STILL WILLING TO FORGIVE HIS DEMOCRATIC SHORTCOMINGS IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS HAVING SAVED PERU FROM ITSELF FOR MANY POLITICALLY AWARE PERUVIANS THE REVELATIONS OF TORTURE AND MURDER WITHIN THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES HAVE TRANSLATED INTO A FEELING THAT IN THE WORDS OF ONE POLITICIAN THIS IS NOT THE GOVERNMENT THAT I THOUGHT I WAS SUPPORTING CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 MACK LIMA 03392 04 OF 04 182008Z UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL NNNN UNCLASSIFIED