UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 1 0 05 201 7 2A CONFIDENTIAL RELEASE IN FULL PAGE 01 ACTION SCT-03 INFO LOG-00 CG-00 EB-01 INM-02 NSAE-00 RPCS-01 USIE-00 BOGOTA 02870 01 OF 03 222 239Z ACDA-17 AID-01 ARA-01 A-01 CA-02 COME-00 CTME-00 C-01 OASY-00 DOEE-0 0 FAAE-00 OIGO-01 FBIE-00 HA-09 H-01 INSE-00 L-03 INR-00 ADS-00 M-01 OIS-01 OMB-01 PA-01 PM-02 PRS-01 SNP-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 TRSE-0 0 USSS-00 ASDS-01 055W ------------------9ECD88 222241Z 38 CCO-00 DS-00 IMMC-01 NRCE-00 P-01 T-01 R 2222362 FEB 93 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5290 INFO USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM DEA WASHDC DEPTJUSTICE WASHDC AMEMBASSY CARACAS AMEMBASSY LIMA AMEMBASSY QUITO AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA AMEMBASSY MEXICO AMEM3ASSY PANAMA DIRONDCP WASHDC JOINTSTAFF WASHDC CNOD NSC WASHDC DIA WASHDC CN CIA WASHDC USCINCLANT NORFOLK VA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 BOGOTA 02870 01 OF 03 222239Z C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BOGOTA 02870 DEA WASHDC FOR OF OFL DO AO AX OK NK E O 12356 DECL OADR TAGS PGOV PINS PIER ASEC SNAR CO SUBJECT ALVARO URIBE DEFENDS VISIT TO MRS ESCOBAR REFS A BOGOTA 593 B BOGOTA 1063 REVIEW AUTHORITY Marvin Russell Senior Reviewer UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No 017423251 Date 10 05 2017 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 10 05 2017 1 CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT 2 SUMMARY THE PUBLIC BICKERING BETWEEN THE THREE COLOMBIANS WHO MET WITH PABLO ESCOBAR'S WIFE IN DECEMBER REFTEL COMBINED WITH THE PROTESTATIONS TO POLOFF OF ONE OF THOSE INVOLVED APPEARS TO CONFIRM OUR BELIEF THE GAVIRIA ADMINISTRATION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THESE CONTACTS AND THOSE INVOLVED WERE ACTING PURELY OUT OF SELF-INTEREST END SUMMARY 3 THE FIRST OF PABLO ESCOBAR'S LATEST THREE LETTERS DEMANDING CONCESSIONS AND THREATENING VIOLENCE REFTEL WAS ADDRESSED TO THREE COLOMBIAN OFFICIALS ONE OF WHOM MEDELLIN SENATOR ALVARO URIBE VELEZ CALLED ON POLOFF AT THE EMBASSY JANUARY 26 TO EXPLAIN HIS VERSION OF EVENTS AND CLARIFY HIS ROLE ESCOBAR'S LETTER REFERRED TO THE VISIT OF THE THREE THE OTHER TWO BEING MEDELLIN REGIONAL PROCURADOR IVAN VELASQUEZ AND EX-CONSERVATIVE SENATOR ALVARO VILLEGAS WITH ESCOBAR'S WIFE AND CONTAINED THINLY-VEILED THREATS AGAINST FISCAL GENERAL CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 BOGOTA 02870 01 OF 03 2222392 PROSECUTOR GENERAL GUSTAVO DE GREIFF AND THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS URIBE EXPLAINED TO POLOFF THAT DURING A DECEMBER 24 4 SECURITY MEETING WITH MEDELLIN POLITICIANS WHICH INCLUDED MEDELLIN MAYOR LUIS ALFREDO RAMOS THE REGIONAL FISCAL AND REGIONAL PROCURADOR VELASQUEZ THE PROCURADURIA ACTS AS AN INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG AGENCY SOMEONE MENTIONED THAT THE REAL REASON ESCOBAR HAD NOT SURRENDERED WAS THAT HE FEARED HE WOULD BE KILLED URIBE REPLIED IF THAT WAS THE ONLY OBSTACLE HE WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO ACT AS A GUARANTOR OF ESCOBAR'S SAFETY 5 AT THIS POINT ACCORDING TO URIBE VELASQUEZ SAID HE KNEW ESCOBAR'S MOTHER AND COULD PROBABLY ARRANGE A MEETING WITH HER FOR URIBE WHO COULD RELAY HIS WILLINGNESS TO GUARANTEE ESCOBAR'S SAFETY IF HE SURRENDERED A FEW DAYS LATER VELASQUEZ CALLED TO SAY EVERYTHING WAS SET AND THAT EX-SENATOR AND CONSERVATIVE PARTY LEADER ALVARO VILLEGAS WOULD ACCOMPANY THEM THE THREE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING BODYGUARDS AND WENT UNACCOMPANIED TO AN APARTMENT TO MEET NOT ESCOBAR'S MOTHER BUT HIS WIFE URIBE SAID HE DID NOT REALIZE UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No 017423251 Date 10105 2017 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 10105 2017 THEY WERE DEALING WITH ESCOBAR'S WIFE UNTIL THEY WERE SEVERAL MINUTES INTO THE CONVERSATION AND HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR WHY THE MEETING HAD QEEN ARRANGED WITH HER AND NOT ESCOBAR'S MOTHER 6 URIBE SAID HE EMPHASIZED TO MRS ESCOBAR THAT HE HAD NO AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE AND HIS VISIT WAS NOT CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 BOGOTA 02870 01 OF 03 2222392 SANCTIONED BY THE GOVERNMENT HE EXPRESSED HIS DEEP CONCERN ABOUT THE VIOLENCE AND THAT HE WAS WILLING TO DO WHATEVER NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT ESCOBAR IS ALLOWED TO SURRENDER PEACEFULLY HE TOLD MRS ESCOBAR THAT MEDELLIN DESPERATELY NEEDED PEACE AND THAT PRESIDENT GAVIRIA'S SURRENDER DECREES WERE THE BEST MECHANISM TO ACHIEVE THIS 7 ACCORDING TO URIBE MRS ESCOBAR WAS VERY DISCREET REPLYING WITH GENERALITIES ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF THE CONFIDENTIAL NNNN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION SCT-03 BOGOTA INFO ACDA-17 COME-00 OIGO-01 INR-00 OIS-01 SNP-00 USSS-00 LOG-00 CG-00 EB-01 INM-02 NSAE-00 RPCS-01 USIE-00 02870 02 OF 03 AID-01 CTME-00 FAAE-00 INSE-00 OMB-01 SP-00 ASDS-01 ARA-01 C-01 FBIE-00 L-03 PA-01 SSO-00 055W 222240Z A-01 OASY-00 HA-09 ADS-00 PM-02 SS-00 CA-02 DOES-00 H-01 M-01 PRS-01 TRSE-00 CCO-00 DS-00 IMMC-01 NRCE-00 P-01 T-01 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 10 05 2017 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 10 05 2017 ------------------9ECD9D R 2222362 FEE 93 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5291 INFO USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM ' DEA WASHDC DEPTJUSTICE WASHDC AMEMBASSY CARACAS AMEMBASSY LIMA AMEMBASSY QUITO AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA AMEMBASSY MEXICO AMEMBASSY PANAMA DIRONDCP WASHDC JOINTSTAFF WASHDC CNOD NSC WASHDC DIA WASHDC CN CIA WASHDC USCINCLANT NORFOLK VA CONFIDENTIAL 2222412 38 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 BOGOTA 02870 02 OF 03 222240Z - C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 BOGOTA 02870 DEA WASHDC FOR OF OFL DO AO AX OK NK E O 12356 DECL OADR TAGS PGOV PINS PIER ASEC SNAR CO SUBJECT ALVARO URIBE DEFENDS VISIT TO MRS ESCOBAR SITUATION URIBE SAID SHE MAY HAVE BEEN COACHED BY LAWYERS TO SAY AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE ACCORDING TO URIBE WORD ON THE STREETS IS THAT SHE IS EMBARRASSED BY ESCOBAR'S TERRORISM AND SHUNNED BY NEIGHBORS THE PEOPLE OF MEDELLIN ARE ANGRY AT ESCOBAR AND THE-NUMBER OF SYMPATHIZERS IS CONSTANTLY SHRINKING THE MEETING ENDED WITH NO AGREEMENTS REACHED URIBE SAID HE NEVER RECEIVED ESCOBAR'S LETTER BUT LEARNED ABOUT IT FROM THE PRESS HE BELIEVES THE ORIGINAL WAS SENT TO REGIONAL PROCURA DOR VELZAQUEZ 8 DURING THE MEETING WITH POLOFF URIBE CONSTANTLY PACED THE SMALL OFFICE HE WAS VISIBLY AGITATED HE SAID HE WANTED THE EMBASSY TO BE AWARE OF HIS EXACT ROLE UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 10 05 2017 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 10 0512017 IN THE AFFAIR AND UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING WAS HE EMPHATICALLY DENIED TRANSPARENT AND ABOVE-BOARD HE ALSO RUMORS THAT ESCOBAR HIMSELF WAS AT THE MEETING SAID HE ABSOLUTELY REJECTS ANY THOUGHTS-OF DIALOGUE OR AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED CONCESSIONS TO ESCOBAR ESCOBAR HAS THREE OPTIONS--SURRENDER UNCONDITIONALLY BE URIBE WENT ON AT LENGTH ABOUT CAPTURED OR BE KILLED COLOMBIA'S DIMINISHED IMAGE IN THE EYES OF THE WORLD AS CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL 02 OF 03 02870 222240Z PAGE 03 BOGOTA HE SAID GAVIRIA THE RESULT OF THE ENVIGADO AFFAIR CANNOT MAKE ANY CONCESSIONS TO ESCOBAR BECAUSE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WOULD NOT ACCEPT IT 9 URIBE SAID HE FEARED FOR HIS LIFE AND THAT OF HIS FAMILY AND THAT HE WAS CONSIDERING MOVING HIS FAMILY TO HE HAS NOT CONSIDERED LEAVING THE COUNTRY BOGOTA BECAUSE HE COULD NOT AFFORD IT AND HE HIMSELF CANNOT LEAVE MEDELLIN BECAUSE OF HIS RESPONSIBILITIES AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE THERE DURING A FEBRUARY 3 LUNCH LIBERAL MEDELLIN SENATOR 10 LUIS GUILLERMO VELEZ TOLD POLOFF HE BELIEVES IT WAS URIBE WHO INITIATED THE CONTACT WITH ESCOBAR'S MOTHER VELEZ REMINDED POLOFF THAT URIBE IS A COUSIN OF THE OCHOAS VASQUEZ NARCO TRAFFICKING FAMILY MANY OF WHOM ARE IN PRISON AT ITAGUI WHO HAVE FINANCED HIS POLITICAL CAMPAIGN ESCOBAR THROUGH THE OCHOAS IS NOW DEMANDING URIBE RETURN THE FAVORS BY TRYING TO OPEN A COMMUNICATION CHANNEL TO GAVIRIA IN A SEPARATE MEETING FEBRUARY 4 FORMER ANTIOQUTA SENATOR ALEJANDRO GONZALEZ REITERATED VELEZ'S CHARGES THAT URIBE FEARS FOR HIS LIFE BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO DELIVER FOR HIS MEDELLIN CARTEL MENTORS 11 FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF ESCOBAR'S LETTER REFERRING TO THE MEETING THE THREE INVOLVED SCRAMBLED TO PUT THE BEST LIGHT ON THE EVENT VILLEGAS INSISTED THE MEETING WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY ALL OF ANTIOQUTA'S CONGRESSMEN WHICH WAS DENIED BY AT LEAST ONE OTHER CONGRESSMAN AND WHICH URIBE TOLD POLOFF WAS CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 10 05 2017 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 10 05 2017 PAGE 04 • BOGOTA 02870 02 OF 03 2222402 UNTRUE VILLEGAS ALSO CLAIMED THE VISIT WAS INSTIGATED BY PROCURADOR GENERAL CARLOS GUSTAVO ARRIETA A CHARGE ARRIETA DENIED 12 COMMENT WE ARE CONVINCED THAT THE MEETING WAS NOT SANCTIONED BY THE GAVIRIA ADMINISTRATION AND THAT NOTHING EVER CAME OF IT MOST LIKELY ALL THREE WERE ACTING OUT OF WHAT THEY SAW AS THEIR INDIVIDUAL CONFIDENTIAL NNNN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION SCT-03 INFO LOG-00 CG-00 EB-01 INM-02 NSAE-00 RPCS-01 USIE-00 BOGOTA 02870 03 OF 03 222240Z ACDA-17 AID-01 ARA-01 A-01 CA-02 COME-00 CTME-00 C-01 OASY-00 DOEE-00 OIGO-01 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 HA-09 H-01 INR-00 INSE-00 L-03 ADS-00 M-01 OIS-01 OMB-01 PA-01 PM-02 PRS-01 SNP-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 TRSE-00 USSS-00 ASDS-01 055W ------------------9ECDA4 222242Z 38 R 222236Z FEB 93 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5292 INFO USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS-PM DEA WASHDC DEPTJUSTICE WASHDC AMEMBASSY CARACAS AMEMBASSY LIMA AMEMBASSY QUITO AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA AMEMBASSY MEXICO AMEMBASSY PANAMA CCO-00 DS-00 IMMC-01 NRCE-00 P-01 T-01 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 10 05 2017 UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 10 05 2017 DIRONDCP WASHDC JOINTSTAFF WASHDC CNOD NSC WASHDC DIA WASHDC CN CIA WASHDC USCINCLANT NORFOLK VA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 BOGOTA 02870 03 OF 03 222240Z C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 BOGOTA 02870 DEA WASHDC FOR OF OFL DO AO AX OK NK E O 12356 DECL OADR PGOV TAGS PINS PIER ASEC SNAR CO SUBJECT ALVARO URIBE DEFENDS VISIT TO MRS ESCOBAR SELF-INTEREST ALTHOUGH URIBE'S INVOLVEMENT COULD WELL HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH HIS RELATIONSHIP TO THE OCHOAS WE HAVE NO RECENT INFORMATION LINKING HIM TO TRAFFICKERS BUSBY CONFIDENTIAL NNNN UNCLASSIFIED U S Department of State Case No M-2013-01203 Doc No C17423251 Date 10 05 2017 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 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