Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Message Text PAGE 01 STATE 092243 ORIGIN IO-14 INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 015 R 66011 DRAFTED BY EDDY EDWARDS APPROVED BY ROBERT ANDREW ------------------079842 111440Z 43 R 110720Z APR 78 FM SECSTATE WASHDC INFO USMISSION GENEVA 0000 UNCLAS STATE 092243 FOLLOWING REPEAT BOGOTA 3232 ACTION SECSTATE INFO DEA HQS DATED APR 6 1978 QUOTE UNCLAS BOGOTA 3232 E O 11652 NA TAGS SNAR PEPR PINT CO US SUBJECT DRUG TRAFFIC TEXT OF LETTERS FROM PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TURBAY AND MINISTER OF DEFENSE VARON TO AMBASSADOR AND FROM THE AMBASSADOR TO VARON REGARDING CBS PROGRAM'S CORRUPTION CHARGES REFS A BOGOTA 3198 B BOGOTA 3214 C BOGOTA 3180 1 FOLLOWING ARE INFORMAL TRANSLATION OF SUBJECT LETTERS A BOGOTA APRIL 3 1978 MR AMBASSADOR I UNDERSTOOD THAT LAST NIGHT ONE OF THE AMERICAN TV CHANNELS PRESENTED VARIOUS REPORTS REGARDING DRUG TRAFFIC IN COLOMBIA THE REPORTER INTERVIEWED PRESIDENT LOPEZ IN BOGOTA AND IN THE UNITED STATES MR BOURNE THE HIGHEST NARCOTICS AUTHORITY WORKING IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITH A VERY HIGH HIERARCHY BOTH PRESIDENT LOPEZ AND MR BOURNE WERE CATEGORICAL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 STATE 092243 IN DENYING THE FALSE ALLEGATIONS WHICH AS A RESULT OF THE VERY DIRTY CAMPAIGN INITIATED AGAINST MY HONOR HAVE BEEN CIRCULATING DURING THE LAST FEW MONTHS IN THE BOGOTA RUMOR MILLS AND WHICH HAVE REACHED AS I ANNOUNCED BEFORE THE RECENT CONVENTION OF MY PARTY THE PRESS EMBASSIES AND FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS NEVERTHELESS I KNOW THAT IN THE PROGRAM OF MR MIKE WALLACE THE RESPONSES OF MR BOURNE WERE DISTORTED ESPECIALLY THOSE RESPONSES WHICH EMPHATICALLY AND WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT DENIED THE OFFENSIVE AND CALUMNIOUS STATEMENTS SELECTED BY THE REPORTER I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION THE EXACT VERSION OF WHAT MR Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 BOURNE SAID AND I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY PERSONS WHO SAW THE PROGRAM THAT IT OMITTED THE RESPONSES IN WHICH SAID HIGH WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS ANSWERED IN A MANNER WHICH PUTS AN END TO THE CAMPAIGN OF INFAMY WHICH IGNOBLE ADVERSARIES WERE FORMING AGAINST ME FOR UNDENIABLY POLITICAL ENDS AS MR BOURNE HIMSELF WARNED IN ONE OF HIS RESPONSES FOR THE HONOR OF MY COUNTRY AND MY PARTY THE LATTER OF WHICH I AM PRESENTLY NATIONAL DIRECTOR AND CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC I DO NOT ACCEPT THAT MY REPUTATION AND ALL WHICH I REPRESENT REMAIN AFFECTED IN ANY WAY BY THE DISTORTED DECLARATIONS OF A UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT I ASK YOU AS AMBASSADOR OF THE UNITED STATES TOCONFIRM TO THE COLOMBIAN PEOPLE WHAT YOU OR YOUR GOVERNMENT KNOW CONCERNING MY IRREPROACHABLE MORAL CONDUCT SAID DECLARATION IS INDISPENSABLE NOT BECAUSE MY HONOR NEEDS TO BE CERTIFIED BY ANY FOREIGN GOVERNMENT BUT BECAUSE I CANNOT PERMIT THAT MY DETRACTORS FIND JUSTIFICATION FOR THE CALUMNY IN FALSE REPORTS AND DISTORTED STATEMENTS OF YOUR OFFICIALS FOR SOME TIME YOU MR AMBASSADOR AND YOUR GOVERNMENT HAVE KNOWN MY POSITION ON THE DRUG PROBLEM AND I DO NOT WISH THAT THERE BE ANY SECRET ABOUT IT IN THE OPINION OF OUR TWO NATIONS JULIO CESAR TURBAY AYALA UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 STATE 092243 B AMBASSADOR TO MINISTER OF DEFENSE VARON VALENCIA MARCH 28 1978 EXCELLENCY I HAVE RECEIVED YOUR EXCELLENCY'S LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 23 1978 IN WHICH YOU MAKE REFERENCE AMONT OTHER THINGS TO A REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE ON NARCOTICS THE ONLY RECENT CONGRESSIONAL REPORT RELATED TO THIS MATTER AND OF WHICH THE EMBASSY IS AWARE IS THAT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON NARCOTICS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES A COPY OF WHICH I GAVE TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC LAST MONTH A SPANIS TRANSLATION OF THE PART OF THE REPORT THAT CONCERNS COLOMBIA WAS INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC COMMUNIQUE OF THE PRESIDENCY DATED JANUARY 21 AND IN THIS REPORT NO MENTION IS MADE OF ANY OFFICIAL OF THE GOVERNMENT OF COLOMBIA A SEARCH OF OUR FILES INDICATES NEVERTHELESS THE EXISTENCE OF AN UNPROVED AND UNEVALUATED ALLEGATION ABOUT A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE GAVE TO AN INDIVIDUAL NAMED NORBERTO MORENO CARRILLO WHO WAS INVOLVED IN A JUDICIAL HEARING FOR THE POSSESSION OF NARCOTICS IN POPAYAN IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR THIS ACCUSATION AS WITH MANY OTHER REPORTS OF WHICH WE BECOME AWARE WAS HANDLED BY THE EMBASSY IN A CONFIDENTIAL MANNER AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF AN INVESTIGATION BY THE COMPETENT COLOMBIAN AUTHORITIES COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE DIEGO C ASENCIO C MINISTER OF DEFENSE VARON VALENCIA TO AMBASSADOR Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 BOGOTA APRIL 4 1978 MR AMBASSADOR IN A LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 22 1978 I ASKED YOU ABOUT AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN 'THE MONDE' WHICH WAS REPRODUCED BY A NUMBER OF COLOMBIAN PUBLICATIONS WHICH AFFIRMED THAT THERE WAS OFFICIAL COMPLICITY TO OBSTRUCT THE GOC'S FIGHT AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKERS THE ARTICLE ALLEGED THAT THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE HIMSELF WAS INVOLDED AND SAID HIS INVOLVEMENT WAS MADE EXPLICIT IN A CONFIDENTIAL REPORT ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATES SENATE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 STATE 092243 I SENT THIS LETTER TO YOU PRECISELY BECAUSE THE EMBASSY DID NOT DENY THESE ALLEGATIONS AND YOU MUST BEAR IN MIND THAT THE ORIGINAL INFORMATION CAME FROM YOUR GOVERNMENT YOU ANSWERED IN A LETTER DATED MARCH 28 1978 AND STATED 'THE ONLY RECENT CONGRESSIONAL REPORT ON DRUGS IS THAT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON NARCOTICS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES A COPY OF WHICH I MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PRESIDENT LAST MONTH A SPANISH TRANSLATION OF THE PORTION RELATING TO COLOMBIA WAS ISSUED BY THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE ON JANUARY 21 THIS REPORT DOES NOT CONTAIN THE NAME OF ANY COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ' IN THE SECOND PART OF YOUR LETTER YOU STATE 'AN INSPECTION OF OUR FILES INDICATES NONETHELESS THE EXISTENCE OF AN UNSUBSTANTIATED UNEVALUATED CHARGE UNDERLINING IS MINE REGARDING A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION GIVEN BY THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE TO NORBERTO MORENO CARRILLO WHO WAS BEING TRIED IN POPAYAN FOR POSSESSION OF NARCOTICS IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR YOU ALSO INDICATED THAT THIS CHARGE AS WELL AS OTHERS WHICH COME TO YOUR ATTENTION WAS HANDLED BY THE EMBASSY IN A CONFIDENTIAL MANNER WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY COMPETENT COLOMBIAN AUTHORITIES PRECISELY ON THIS SUBJECT THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO ESTABLISH THE TRUTH ABOUT THE LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION WHICH IN THE EMBASSY'S OPINION WAS SUPPOSSEDLY GIVEN BY THE COLOMBIAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE TO THE SUBJECT NAMED NORBERTO MORENO CARRILLO INVOLVED IN A TRIAL FOR POSSESSION OF NARCOTICS IN POPAYAN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ORDERED AN INVESTIGATION ON THAT TRIAL WHICH WAS COMPLETED ON FEBRUARY 1 1978 AND CONDUCTED BY MESSRS HERNANDO ACOSTA SANCHEZ ESQ REGIONAL ATTORNEY VICE ADMIRAL EDUARDO MELENDEZ RAMIREZ ATTORNEY FOR THE ARMED FORCES AND ORLANDO NOEL BENAVIDES BOLANOS ESQ UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 05 STATE 092243 ASSISTANT LAWYER AND SPECIAL AGENT ON THE TRIAL FOR VIOLATION OF THE NATIONAL NARCOTICS STATUTE WHICH WAS BEIGN HANDLED BY THE FIFTH COURT OF POPAYAN AGAINST NORBERTO MORENO CARRILLO AND OTHER PARTIES AN AUTHENTIC PHOTOCAOPY OF THIS DO- Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 CUMENT IS IN MY POSSESSION AND I CAN TRANSCRIBE LETERALLY THE PORTION CONCERNING ME AND WHICH SAYS HAVING COMPLETED THE SPECIAL VISIT SUBJECT OF THIS JUDICIAL ACTION THE INTERVENING AUTHORITIES AGREE TO RATIFY EXPRESSLY THAT NONE OF THE PAGES OF THIS TRIAL SHOW THE NAMES OF THE MINISTERS OF JUSTICE NATIONAL DEFENSE AND PUBLIC WORKS AND SOCIAL SECURITY OR ANY OTHER MINISTER OF STATE SIMULTANEOUSLY AND AS A REPLY TO THE REQUEST MADE BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC THE ATTORNEY GENRAL SENT THE FOLLOWING COMMUNICATION REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA - PUBLIC MINISTRY OFFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL - ATTORNEY GENERAL - BOGOTA D E JANUARY 30 1978 MR PRESIDENT I TAKE LIBERTY TO INFORM YOU THAT IN THE TRIAL AGAINST NORBERTO MORENO CARRILLO WHICH IS BEING PROCESSED IN THE FIFTH COURT OF POPAYAN FOR TRAFFIC OF NARCOTICS AND ON WHICH MR ORLANDO NOEL BENAVIDES ESQ POPAYAN'S ASSISTANT REGIONAL ATTORNEY IS ACTING AS SPECIAL AGENT FOR THE PUBLIC MINISTRY THERE IS NO MENTION WHATSOEVER OF THE NAME OF THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE GENERAL ABRAHAM VARON VALENCIA THE UNDERLINING IS MINE THE ONLY REFERENCE TO ENTITIES UNDER THIS MINISTRY WHICH IS MADE IN THE TRIAL IS THE ONE WHICH APPEARS ON PAGE 351 OF BOOK TWO AS PER TELEPHONE CALL RECEIVED TODAY WHICH DEALS WITH A COMMUNICATION THAT TEXTUALLY SAYS REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA - MINISTRY OF DEFENSE- ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF - BOGOTA MARCH 30 1977 NUMBER CEAYG-156 UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 06 STATE 092243 SUBJECT RECOMMENDATION TO THE FIFTH CRIMINAL CIRCUIT COURT POPAYAN CAUCA THE BELOW-NAMED LT COL EFRAIN MARTINEZ ROCHI ARMY OFFICER ON ACTIVE DUTY SWEARS THAT HE HAS KNOWN MR NORBERTO MORENO CARRILLO IDENTITY CARD # 2 022 575 ISSUED IN BUCARAMANGA FOR A LONG TIME AND ATTESTS TO HIS GOOD CONDUCT AND INTEGRITY SIGNED LT COL EFRAIN MARTINEZ ROCHI - I D NO 5 540 420 BUCARAMANGA OFFICIAL STAMP AFFIXED I THEREBY FULFILL THE REQUEST MADE OF ME BY THE PRESIDENT THIS MORNING SIGNED JAIME SERRANO RUEDA AS YOU CAN READILY UNDERSTAND MR AMBASSADOR THE UNEVALUATED AND UNPROVEN ALLEGATIONS WHICH YOUR GOVERNMENT HAS MADE AVAILABLE AND WHICH ARE RELATED TO THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE TO THE SUBJECT NORBERTO MORENO CARRILLO IS ABSOLUTELY FALSE AS A LETTERHEAD FROM THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE WAS USED AS IF IT WERE FROM THE MINISTER HIMSELF PERSONALLY Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 BECUASE OF THE UNPARDONABLE MISTAKE WHICH HAS BEEN COMMITTED I BELIEVE IT IS PERTINENT TO ASK YOU MR AMBASSADOR JUST WHAT KIND OF INFORMANTS YOUR INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENCE SERVICES EMPLOY - WHAT ARE THEIR MORAL STANDARDS WHAT IS THEIR PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE WHAT IS THEIR NATIONALITY ALSO HAS IT OCCURRED TO YOU TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER YOUR INFORMANTS - IN ADDITION TO BEING MOTIVATED BY THE PAY THEY RECEIVE - ARE ACTING ON THE BASIS OF THEIR OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS IN ORDER TO PUT INTO QUESTION THE INTEGRITY OF THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT AND SEVERAL OF ITS MINISTERS WITH MANIFEST IRRESPONSIBILITY APPARENTLY ACCEPTED AND OFFICIALLY CONDONED BY YOUR GOVERNMENT THE INFORMATION PUBLISHED IN FOREIGN NEWSPAPERS SUCH AS LE MONDE OF PARIS AND AMPLY DIVULGED BY THE NATIONAL PRESS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 07 STATE 092243 ORIGINATED BY FALSE INFORMATION FROM YOUR GOVERNMENT AND COMPLETED IN AN ABSURD FORM BY THE U S TELEVISION NETWORK CBS WHICH MALICIOUSLY DISTORTED AND INTERVIEW GRANTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC HAS CAUSED A SERIOUS LOSS OF PRESTIGE FOR THE NATION AND ITS GOVERNMENT AND HAS GRAVELY INJURED THE DIGNITY OF THE COLOMBIAN ARMED FORCES AND ITS MINISTER OF DEFENSE TO WHOM IT HAS ALSO CAUSED MORAL INJURY WHICH NECESSARILY AFFECTS HIS OWN FAMILY SINCERELY GEN ABRAHAM VARON VALENCIA MINISTER OF DEFENSE D LETTER FROM AMBASSADOR ASENCIO TO DR TURBAY BOGOTA APRIL 3 1978 DEAR DOCTOR TURBAY UNFORTUNATELY WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A TRANSCRIPT OR A VIDEOTAPE OF THE PROGRAM SIXTY MINUTES WHICH APPEARED ON CBS TELEVISION ON APRIL 2 IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO COMPARE THE EDITED VERSION OF THE DECLARATIONS OF THE STATEMENTS OF DR PETER BOURNE WITH THE COMPLETE TEXT OF THE ORIGINAL INTERVIEW GIVEN BY DR BOURNE IN THE COMPLETE THEXT OF THIS INTERVIEW IS THE UNEQUIVOCAL DECLARATION THAT WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT MR TURBAY PERSONALLY HAS BEEN IN ANY WAY INVOLVED IN THIS AND WE NEVER SUGGESTED SUCH A THING TO PRESIDENT LOPEZ MICHELSEN IN THE ORIGINAL DECLARATION IT IS ALSO STATED WE DID NOT FIND ABSOLUTELY ANY PROOF THAT SUPPORTS THIS ACCUSATION AGAINST MR TURBAY IT IS THE POSITION OF MY GOVERNMENT THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT YOU HAVE HAD ANY PART WHATSOEVER IN THE TRAFFIC OF NARCOTICS BASED ON MY OWN CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A MAJOR EFFORT FOR NARCOTICS INTERDICTION I FIND COMPLETELY INCOMPREHENSIBLE AND ABSURD ANY ALLEGATION Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 OF YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE NARCOTICS TRAFFIC UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 08 STATE 092243 WITH THE ASSURANCES OF MY PERSONAL RESPECT AND CONSIDERATION I REMAIN SENCERELY DIEGO C ASENCIO 2 THE AMBASSADOR'S RESPONSE TO VARON'S LATEST LETTER IS DISCUSSED IN REF A 3 SPANISH COPIES HAVE BETN POUCHED TO ARA AND C ASENCIO UNQUOTE VANCE UNCLASSIFIED END OF DOCUMENT Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Message Attributes Automatic Decaptioning X Capture Date 26 sep 1999 Channel Indicators n a Current Classification UNCLASSIFIED Concepts DRUG TRAFFIC CORRUPTION AMBASSADORS DIPLOMATIC COMMUNICATIONS TELEVISION BROADCASTING ALLEGATIONS Control Number n a Copy SINGLE Draft Date 11 apr 1978 Decaption Date 01 jan 1960 Decaption Note Disposition Action n a Disposition Approved on Date Disposition Case Number n a Disposition Comment Disposition Date 01 jan 1960 Disposition Event Disposition History n a Disposition Reason Disposition Remarks Document Number 1978STATE092243 Document Source ADS Document Unique ID 00 Drafter EDDY EDWARDS Enclosure n a Executive Order 11652 NA Errors n a Expiration Film Number D780155-0709 Format TEL From STATE Handling Restrictions n a Image Path ISecure 1 Legacy Key link1978 newtext t197804109 baaafcjp tel Line Count 287 Litigation Code IDs Litigation Codes Litigation History Locator TEXT ON-LINE TEXT ON MICROFILM Message ID 2937bda6-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc Office ORIGIN IO Original Classification UNCLASSIFIED Original Handling Restrictions n a Original Previous Classification n a Original Previous Handling Restrictions n a Page Count 6 Previous Channel Indicators Previous Classification n a Previous Handling Restrictions n a Reference A BOGOTA 3198 B BOGOTA 3214 C BOGOTA 3180 Retention 0 Review Action RELEASED APPROVED Review Content Flags Review Date 11 mar 2005 Review Event Review Exemptions n a Review Media Identifier Review Release Date n a Review Release Event n a Review Transfer Date Review Withdrawn Fields n a SAS ID 2829898 Secure OPEN Status NATIVE Subject DRUG TRAFFIC TEXT OF LETTERS FROM PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TURBAY AND MINISTER OF DEFENSE VARON TO AMBASSADOR AND FROM THE AMBASSADOR TO VARON REGARDING CBS PROGRAM 'S CORRUPTION CHARGES TAGS SNAR PEPR PINT SOPN CO US ASENCIO DIEGO C TURBAY JULIO CESAR To n a INFO GENEVA Type TE vdkvgwkey odbc SAS SAS dbo SAS_Docs 2937bda6-c288-dd11-92da-001cc4696bcc Review Markings Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Markings Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014 Sheryl P Walter Declassified Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 20 Mar 2014