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### Viewing cable 07SANJOSE2074, COSTA RICA: UPDATED SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
07SANJOSE2074 | 2007-12-20 23:11 | 2011-03-07 18:06 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy San Jose

Appears in these articles:
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-06/Investigacion/NotasDestacadas/Investigacion2702320.aspx
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-06/Investigacion/NotasSecundarias/Investigacion2702325.aspx
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-06/Investigacion/NotaPrincipal/Investigacion2702324.aspx
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-06/Investigacion/NotasSecundarias/Investigacion2702326.aspx
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-06/Investigacion/NotasSecundarias/Investigacion2702327.aspx

`

    VZCZCXYZ0000
    OO RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHSJ #2074/01 3542303
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    O 202303Z DEC 07
    FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9302
    INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
    RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM PRIORITY
    RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
    RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
    RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN JOSE 002074

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    DEPT FOR WHA/CEN HILLARY THOMPSON AND WHA/FO GIOVANNI
    SNIDLE AND INL/LP AIMEE MARTIN

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2017
    TAGS: PGOV PREL PINS PTER SNAR CS KJUS PREF
    SUBJECT: COSTA RICA: UPDATED SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

    REF: A. STATE 163495
         ¶B. STATE 107145
         ¶C. SAN JOSE 1618
         ¶D. WHA/CEN-SAN JOSE EMAIL OF 12/06/07

    Classified By: CDA Peter M. Brennan for reason 1.4 (d).

    ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The GOCR's most pressing, non-lethal police
    equipment needs center on communications, transportation,
    technology, K-9 support, and surveillance equipment (in that
    order, see para 5).  Coast Guard modernization remains on top
    of the list of other initiatives to be funded by the pending
    FY2008 Merida Initiative supplemental and potentially in out
    years.  (We have updated and refined the original list
    presented in Ref C, see paras 6-9.)  Together, these projects
    clearly fall under the first and second pillars of the Merida
    Initiative: Counternarcotics, Counterterrorism and Border
    Security; and Public Security and Law Enforcement.  We
    believe that regional security would be significantly and
    positively impacted by fully funding these initiatives as
    well as by appropriate and complementary training programs.
    In addition, we believe the GOCR could benefit from the
    technical assistance for prison management (initial
    assessment and planning survey) outlined under the third
    Merida pillar: Institution Building and Rule of Law.  We have
    not yet had the opportunity to review this with GOCR prison
    officials, however.  Overall, the GOCR remains committed to
    cooperating with the Central American Integration System
    (SICA) to combat narcotrafficking, trafficking in weapons,
    and trafficking in persons.  END SUMMARY.

    ------------------------
    GOCR COMMITMENTS TO SICA
    ------------------------

    ¶2. (SBU) Carlos Cordero, Director of the Terrorism and
    Disarmament Foreign Policy Office of the MFA, assured us that
    the GOCR was cooperating with SICA in narcotrafficking,
    weapons trafficking and trafficking in persons (TIP).  As a
    member of the Central American Permanent Commission (CCP),
    Costa Rica was jointly developing policies and programs to
    fight narcotrafficking.  Cordero agreed that the Costa Rican
    Coast Guard (SNGC), the GOCR's only asset with "regional"
    reach, was in dire need of modernized equipment and training
    to properly conduct their maritime interdiction mission.

    ¶3. (SBU) Through the UN-funded Central American Small Arms
    Control (CASAC), Cordero said the GOCR will manage a budget
    and programs to combat trafficking in weapons (NFI).  The
    program is to start next year and will be managed by the
    Ministry of Public Security (MPS).  On TIP, Cordero
    acknowledged that the GOCR's program overall lacked a strong
    budget and suffered from poor interagency coordination.

    ¶4. (SBU) On gang-related violence, Cordero said that Costa
    Rica did not have a problem, unlike elsewhere in the region.
    Because Costa Rica does not suffer from gang-related
    violence, Cordero said the GOCR did not need assistance in
    that area at this moment.

    -------------------
    THE NON-LETHAL LIST
    -------------------

    ¶5. (SBU) To collect input from the GOCR on their prioritized
    non-lethal police equipment needs, we met with several
    high-level law enforcement officials, including Minister of
    Public Security Fernando Berrocal and Director of the
    Judicial Police (OIJ) Jorge Rojas.  With their input and
    Post's assessment, here is the prioritized list of Costa
    Rica's most pressing non-lethal police equipment needs.  This
    list has been endorsed by Post's inter-agency Law Enforcement
    Committee.  We will provide more details (and notional cost
    figures) when provided by the GOCR, but we wanted Washington
    decision makers to have something to start with.  We view
    these needs as consistent with the program outlined in the
    Department's briefing materials to Congress (Ref D):

    -- Police radios and communications infrastructure.
    -- Transportation assets including at least 12 Ford
    Explorer-type rough terrain vehicles and at least 10 regular
    police patrol vehicles.
    -- K-9 support including at least six more trained anti-drug
    and anti-explosive dogs.
    -- Body armor (at least 1000 new protective vests).
    -- Development of AFIS-type fingerprint program.
    -- Laptops with printers for on-scene criminal investigations.
    -- Mobile surveillance equipment to outfit a van or
    truck-type vehicle.
    -- Larger vehicles (1-4 buses) to transport groups of police
    officers.  (The Ministry of Public Security only has one).
    -- Forensics lamps.
    -- Night-vision goggles.
    -- IBIS-type forensic ballistic tools.

    In our view, the first four elements are the most important
    (radio and communications, vehicles, K-9 assets and
    protective vests).

    -------------------------------
    UPDATED OUT YEAR SECURITY NEEDS
    -------------------------------

    ¶6. (SBU) Based on GOCR input (including from new, more
    vigorous coast guard leadership) and an updated Post
    assessment (from an intensive evaluation of the Costa Rican
    Coast Guard by our Office of Defense Representative and NAS
    officer), we suggest the following initiatives.  These
    support USG and GOCR law enforcement objectives and are
    consistent with the SICA regional security strategy.  We have
    structured our updated assessment within the framework of the
    Administration's FY08 Merida Initiative Supplemental and the
    FY2009 Merida Initiative request with OMB.  We cover FY08,
    09, and 10.

    ¶7. (C) PRIORITIZED LIST OF USG ASSISTANCE FOR FY08 MERIDA
    INITIATIVE SUPPLEMENTAL ($1.975 million total)

    A) REFIT INOPERABLE COAST GUARD 65-FT PATROL BOAT IN LIMON
    ($900K): Two new engines, electronics, navigation,
    communications and radar equipment and a repaired/replaced
    hull on the GOCR's 65-foot patrol boat in Limon would provide
    Costa Rica with patrol capability on its Caribbean coast.
    Currently, the GOCR has virtually no such capability.  The
    GOCR Caribbean "fleet" consists of one 25-foot Eduardono-type
    boat with only one (of two) engines fully operational and one
    12-foot Boston-whaler type river patrol boat.  Putting the
    65-foot patrol boat in operation, which has been out of
    service since October 2006 due to the lack of spare parts and
    old, unreliable engines, would greatly enhance Costa Rica's
    ability to patrol its Caribbean waters and work with USG
    assets under the Bilateral Maritime Agreement.

    B) BUY TWO NEW 39-FT MIDNIGHT EXPRESS TYPE BOATS ($600K): The
    Costa Rican Coast Guard's (SNGC) current "fleet" of medium to
    large-size patrol boats (three 82-footers and two 65-footers)
    are aging (some approaching over 35 years of service between
    U.S. and SNGC usage) and need to be replaced, eventually.
    Acquiring these more modern and much faster craft, which
    would give the SNGC the capability to intercept drug-running
    "go-fasts" as well as to stop and board other vessels, is a
    good place to start, and would be a smarter investment in the
    short-term.  Even refurbished, the existing SNGC patrol boats
    cannot easily intercept smaller, faster drug runners.

    C) MODERNIZE ALL ELECTRONICS ON TWO 82-FT PATROL BOATS
    ($175K): Replace and modernize all the electronics on two of
    the SNGC's 82-foot patrol boats.  This includes the
    navigation, communications, and radar systems (which would
    provide night-time operating capability) on board.  Their
    current electronics gear on board is at least 20 years out of
    date and often does not operate due to lack of spare parts.
    Replacing this gear enhances the SNGC's surveillance
    capabilities and thus improving Costa Rica's contribution to
    regional counter narcotics and counter trafficking efforts.

    D) REFIT FOUR EXISTING 25-FT EDUARDONO-TYPE "GO-FAST" PATROL
    BOATS ($300K): Replace and repair engines, hulls, and upgrade
    navigation and communications on four of the SNGC's existing
    "go-fast" patrol boats.  Refitting these existing hulls will
    provide immediate capability to the SNGC to pursue and board
    close to shore drug smuggling vessels.

    E) THE RESULT: This investment would leave the SNGC with a
    much more capable "fleet" on both the Caribbean and Pacific
    Coasts, including four operational patrol boats, two Midnight
    Express-type fast boats, and smaller craft.
    ¶8. (C) PRIORITIZED LIST OF USG ASSISTANCE FOR FY09 MERIDA
    INITIATIVE REQUEST WITH OMB ($2.035 million total)

    A) REFIT COAST GUARD TWO 82-FT PATROL BOATS ($1.6M): This
    would continue the modernization started in FY08 for the two
    82-foot patrol boats by replacing all of their engines and
    transmissions.

    B) BUY ONE NEW 39-FT MIDNIGHT-EXPRESS TYPE BOAT ($300K): This
    purchase would further interdiction capability and nearly
    complete the goal of providing four new medium-size,
    high-speed patrol boats to supplement the SNGC's current
    aging fleet.

    C) INSTALL FORWARD LOOKING INFRARED RADAR (FLIR) ON THREE AIR
    UNIT SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT ($135K): This would maximize use
    of existing assets in arguably the best-maintained, equipped
    and utilized unit within the Ministry of Public Security.
    FLIR installation would enhance the detection of trafficking
    activity, especially along the porous border with Panama,
    essentially wide open now to illegal traffic of all types.
    This would be another GOCR contribution to regional security
    efforts.  The Air Unit has three aircraft that could be FLIR
    equipped.

    D) THE RESULT: Combined with the FY08 initiatives, this would
    leave the SNGC with four refitted patrol boats and three new
    Midnight Express-type fast boats, and the Ministry of Public
    Security's small air unit with a much enhanced border
    surveillance capability.

    ¶9. (C) PRIORITIZED LIST OF USG ASSISTANCE FOR FY10 MERIDA
    INITIATIVE REQUEST WITH OMB ($2.8 million total)

    A) REFIT INOPERABLE COAST GUARD 105-FT PATROL BOAT ($2.5M):
    This refit would include two new engines, hull repair, and
    upgrade and replacement of all electronic (navigation,
    communications, radar) systems.  Although less of a priority
    than refitting the 82-foot and 65-foot assets (and the
    purchase of four Midnight-Express type boats), putting this
    largest patrol craft into operation would greatly enhance
    Costa Rica's maritime capabilities (to include the ability to
    conduct fisheries patrols), enabling the SNGC to operate as
    far offshore as Cocos Island (250 miles from the Pacific
    coast).

    B) BUY ONE NEW 39-FT MIDNIGHT-EXPRESS TYPE BOAT ($300K): This
    purchase would complete the goal of providing four new
    medium-size, high-speed patrol boats to supplement the SNGC's
    current aging fleet.

    C) THE RESULT: If this entire FY08-10 package were financed,
    the SNGC would have five operational patrol boats, four
    modern "go-fasts" of their own, and the capability to patrol
    much of GOCR's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).  This would
    yield clear benefits not only for Costa Rican law
    enforcement, but for regional security cooperation.

    ---------------------------------------
    GOCR WELCOMES ASSISTANCE IN PRISON MGMT
    ---------------------------------------

    ¶10. (SBU) We met with Minister of Justice (and
    Vice-President) Laura Chinchilla to discuss prison management
    issues.  Chinchilla welcomed any assistance that the USG can
    provide to improve Costa Rica's prison system.  She
    highlighted the plight of criminals who are not properly
    rehabilitated and end up becoming career criminals.  She
    specifically requested assistance in how to better integrate
    criminals back into society by giving them useful job skills.
     Chinchilla agreed that Costa Rica needed a thorough survey
    of how it can better train its prison employees.  She said
    the infrastructure lacked basic communications and office
    equipment, including computers and better databases for
    prison management.  Two areas of particular concern to her
    were the high rates of crime among minors and women.
    Concentrating on the issue of women who are often arrested
    for transporting drugs as human "mules," she said better
    programs were needed to address the "orphans" left when their
    (often) single mothers went to jail.  Speaking to greater
    narcotics problems among the population in Costa Rica,
    Chinchilla said that crack cocaine was the most destructive
    drug on the streets, and requested any help/guidance we could
    provide based on U.S. expertise in this regard.

    -------
    COMMENT
    -------

    ¶11. (C) The Arias administration has taken significant steps
    against regional (mostly maritime) drug trafficking, but the
    problem is only getting worse.   The realistic investment
    plan outlined above would keep Costa Rica moving in the right
    direction by maintaining and increasing the GOCR's ability to
    interdict drug shipments.  This plan would also give the GOCR
    needed basic tools and equipment to deal with rising crime
    rates, a nagging worry among citizens that also has a direct
    impact on the approximately 50,000 Americans living
    permanently in Costa Rica and approximately 750,000 American
    tourists who visit every year.  This investment thus would
    contribute not only to the SICA regional security strategy
    (highlighting the importance of regional cooperation in the
    process), but also to Costa Rica's own domestic security
    plans and the safety/security of U.S. citizens in Costa Rica.
    BRENNAN

`