Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 5746 / 251,287

### Articles

Brazil Sri Lanka United Kingdom Sweden Editorial United States Latin America Egypt Yemen Jordan

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 86 88 89 90 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1986/05
1988/01
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/07 2001/10
2002/02 2002/03 2002/11
2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Amsterdam American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chennai Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamburg
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan
Embassy New Delhi Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Consulate Vladivostok
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AF AJ AU AG AE ASEC AS AM AR AMGT AORC AFIN APER ABUD ATRN AL AEMR ACOA AO AX AMED ADCO AODE AFFAIRS AC ASIG ABLD AA AFU ASUP AROC ATFN AVERY APCS AER ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AEC APECO ASEAN AID AGMT
BE BR BA BL BEXP BTIO BM BK BRUSSELS BX BU BO BH BIDEN BY BG BF BB BC BBSR BMGT BTIU BILAT
CH CA CD CV CVIS CMGT CO CI CU CASC CBW CLINTON CE CS CJAN CIA CG CF CN CAN COUNTER CDG CIS CM CONDOLEEZZA COE CR CY CTM COUNTRY CLEARANCE CPAS CWC CT CKGR CB CACS COM CJUS CARSON CL CODEL COUNTERTERRORISM CACM CDB
DR DA DHS DOE DEA DK DJ DISENGAGEMENT DS DTRA DOD DEAX
EAGR ETRD ECON EFIN ELAB EU ENRG EPET EG EAID ETTC EINV EIND EUN EAIR ER ECIN ECPS EFIS EI EINT EZ EMIN ET EC ETC ECONEFIN ENVR ES ECA ELN EN EFTA EWWT ENIV ELTN EXTERNAL EINVETC EINN ENGR EUR ESA ENERG EK ENGY ETRO ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS ETRDEINVTINTCS ESENV ENVI ECONCS ETRDECONWTOCS ENNP ELECTIONS ECUN EINVEFIN ECIP EINDETRD EUC EREL
FR FINR FAO FTAA FREEDOM FI FARC FBI FJ FMLN
GA GG GM GV GH GE GT GR GTIP GOI GCC GAZA GZ GANGS GTMO
HU HR HILLARY HA HUMAN HO HYMPSK HURI HK HSTC
IR IS IZ INTERPOL IPR IN IT INRB IAEA IRAJ INRA INRO IO IC ID IIP ILC ITPHUM IV IWC IQ ICTY ISRAELI IRAQI ICRC ICAO IMO IF IEFIN INTELSAT IL IA IBRD IMF INR IRC ITRA ITALY ITALIAN
JO JA JOSEPH JP JOHNNIE JM JUS JAMES
KCOR KN KS KDEM KNNP KSPR KPAL KJUS KFRD KCRM KTIP KZ KPAO KTFN KIPR KPKO KSCA KISL KNUC KMDR KGHG KPLS KE KOLY KWBG KUNR KDRG KAWK KIRF KIRC KU KBIO KHLS KG KACT KGIC KRAD KCOM KMCA KV KHDP KSUM KVPR KDEV KWMN KMPI KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KOMC KTLA KCFC KTIA KHIV KPRP KAWC KCIP KCFE KOCI KTDB KMRS KLIG KBCT KICC KGIT KSTC KPAK KNEI KSEP KPOA KFLU KNUP KNNPMNUC KO KTER KHUM KRFD KBTR KDDG KWWMN KFLO KSAF KBTS KPRV KNPP KNAR KWMM KERG KFIN KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KTBT KCRS KRVC KSTH KREL KNSD KTEX KPAI KHSA KOMS KWAC KR KPWR KMIG KSEC KIFR KDEMAF KGCC KPIN
LE LH LY LU LG LI LO LOG LT LAB
MARR MO MOPS MASS MNUC ML MR MZ MCAP MPOS MOPPS MTCRE MX MTCR MAPP MU MY MA MG MASC MCC MEPP MK MTRE MP MIL MDC MAR MEPI MRCRE MI MT MQADHAFI MD MAPS MUCN MASSMNUC MERCOSUR MC MV
NG NATO NL NI NU NIPP NO NPT NRR NE NS NAR NZ NPG NK NSG NA NT NASA NGO NP NSF NATIONAL
ODIP OIIP OREP OVIP OEXC OPRC OFDP OPDC OECD OTRA OSCE OAS OPIC OPCW OSCI OIE OIC OTR OVP OFFICIALS OSAC
PREL PGOV PTER PINR PSOE PHUM PBTS PARM PK PREF PINS PL PHSA PE PKFK PO PGOF PROP PA PARMS PUNE PORG PM PMIL PTERE POL PF PALESTINIAN PY PGGV PNR POV PAK PAO PFOR PHALANAGE PARTY PRGOV PNAT PROV PEL PINF PGOVE POLINT PRL PRAM PMAR PGOVLO PHUMBA PHUS PHUMPREL PG PGOC POLITICS PEPR PSI PINT PU POLITICAL PARTIES PBIO PECON POGOV PINL
QA
RW RS RU RP RO RIGHTS RICE ROBERT RF RFE REGION
SP SOCI SENV SNAR SL SW SY SG SU SA SMIG SCUL SO SF SR SZ SN SHUM SYR ST SANC SC SAN SIPRS SK SH SI SNARCS STEINBERG
TU TS TBIO TH TX TRGY TSPA TC TI TIP TR TT TW TERRORISM TO TFIN TD TSPL TZ TPHY TK TNGD TINT TRSY TP
UV US UK UP UN UNSC UNGA USEU UG USUN UY UZ UNO UNMIK UNESCO UNHRC UE UAE UNEP USTR UNHCR UNDP USAID UNCHS UNAUS UNCHC UNDC UNDESCO
VT VE VZ VM VTPREL VN
WTRO WA WI WZ WMO WTRQ WHO WWARD WB WBG WEU WHA WTO
XA XF XT XM XY XG XC XH XK XL XZ XW XR XD XE XS
YM YI YE YMCS
ZB ZI ZP ZK ZF ZANU ZOELLICK ZR ZU ZA ZO ZJ

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 09SANJOSE552, EMBASSY SAN JOSE REQUESTS MERIDA SUPPORT FOR 2009

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09SANJOSE552.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09SANJOSE552 | 2009-06-30 12:12 | 2011-03-08 16:04 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | 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/NotaPrincipal/Investigacion2702324.aspx
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-06/Investigacion/NotasSecundarias/Investigacion2702325.aspx
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-06/Investigacion/NotasSecundarias/Investigacion2702326.aspx
http://www.nacion.com/2011-03-06/Investigacion/NotasSecundarias/Investigacion2702327.aspx

`

    VZCZCXYZ0000
    PP RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHSJ #0552/01 1811254
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    P 301254Z JUN 09
    FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
    TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0997

` `

    UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000552

    SENSITIVE
    SIPDIS

    DEPT FOR WHA/CEN:CWEBSTER, CASHE, AND JVANTRUMP, WHA/EPSC:AWONG, AND
    INL/LP:KBROWN AND MAHERN

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV PGOV PREL CS
    SUBJECT:  EMBASSY SAN JOSE REQUESTS MERIDA SUPPORT FOR 2009
    FINANCIAL ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM

    REF:  A) SAN JOSE 0277
          B) SAN JOSE 0531 (NOTAL)

    ¶1.  (U) This is an ACTION MESSAGE.  Please see paragraph 8.

    ¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY. Costa Rica's unregulated and untaxed gaming
    industry, legal but unregulated prostitution, and growing
    narco-trafficking all contribute to an increase in criminal
    activity; this exposes Costa Rica to transnational cash smuggling
    and money laundering crimes.  Therefore, Embassy San Jose,
    Treasury's Office of Technical Assistance (OTA), the GOCR's Finance
    (Hacienda) Ministry and the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR), seek
    to launch an OTA Financial Enforcement program for Costa Rica before
    the end of this year.  Department funding would be an essential
    element of this program, because the OTA budgeting process that
    would consider Treasury funding for Costa Rica will not occur until
    late 2009 and, if approved, those funds would not become available
    until CY2010.  However, our earlier requests to INL (for program
    funding) and to WHA and INL (to use FY2009 Merida regional funding)
    were both turned down, the latter in favor of a DHS program dealing
    with bulk cash smuggling and money laundering.  We would like to
    request reconsideration of this inexpensive (less than $150,000) and
    virtually ready-to-go OTA program (if truly not feasible) and an
    explanation as to how the DHS program will better help the GOCR
    address its financial enforcement needs.  END SUMMARY.

    --------------------------------------------- --
    GOCR FINANCIAL CRIME INTEREST COALESCED IN 2008
    --------------------------------------------- --

    ¶3.  (SBU) In October 2008, the GOCR formally asked OTA for a
    financial enforcement program.  In April 2009, the OTA's Carlos
    Correa led a team, expert in economic crimes and gambling, on an
    assessment mission (Ref A).  Draft results of the assessment report
    indicate that OTA agrees that Costa Rica's unregulated and untaxed
    gaming industry, legal but unregulated prostitution, and growing
    narco-trafficking all contribute to the increase in criminal
    activity.  The three-way mix of vice -- gambling, sex trade, and
    drugs -- opens Costa Rica to economic crimes such as cash smuggling,
    money laundering, and terrorist financing.  Couple the three-way
    vice mix with weak inter-ministerial coordination (vital to
    thwarting financial crime) and a lax legal environment, and Costa
    Rica's growing financial crime potential exposes the country to
    sophisticated transnational crime rooted in drug cartels.

    -----------------------
    GOCR IS VERY INTERESTED
    -----------------------

    ¶4.  (SBU) In April 2009, Hacienda Minister Guillermo Zuniga met with
    Treasury DAS Larry McDonald and reiterated the GOCR's interest in
    OTA assistance.  In May, Zuniga met with DAS McDonald in San Jose
    and repeated the request, underscoring the urgent need to start
    working on the gambling issue.  In response, an OTA gambling team
    visited San Jose in early June for four days of consultations
    (Ref B).  The OTA team counseled the GOCR on the weaknesses of
    proposed legislation, and suggested policy and regulation options,
    including models from other countries.  This was an important first
    step, but more action is needed.

    --------------------------------
    THE TIME IS NOW -- NOT NEXT YEAR
    --------------------------------

    ¶5.  (SBU) The interest from the GOCR is strong and clear.  OTA has
    an excellent success record with other programs in Costa Rica and
    wants to continue to make a difference.  Now that the Arias
    Administration has entered its last year, it feels pressed about key
    issues such as security, and plans to forge ahead with related
    legislation and reforms.  We strongly endorse this approach and
    believe that certain GOCR agencies -- namely the Hacienda and the
    Costa Rican Drug Institute (the GOCR equivalent to our DEA) -- can
    institute effective reform.  Given that a receptive and eager team
    is in place, now is the time to respond.

    ------------------------
    FUNDING IS THE CHALLENGE
    ------------------------

    ¶6.  (SBU) The key variable in launching an OTA Financial Enforcement
    program in CY2009 is funding.  OTA funds are committed for CY2009
    (but likely available in CY2010).  Therefore, we proposed to use
    FY2009 Merida regional money (specifically Transnational Crimes,
    i.e. Bulk Currency Smuggling and Asset Forfeiture) to launch an OTA
    Financial Enforcement program in Costa Rica in CY2009.  After
    submitting a proposal to use INL program funds (which was turned
    down), we requested the use of Merida regional funds to launch the
    OTA Financial Enforcement program.  Despite an initial positive
    response, we learned that funds for Bulk Cash Smuggling and Asset

    Forfeiture had already been committed by INL and CEN to DHS.

    ¶7.  (SBU) We understand that INL program funds may be limited, but
    using FY09 Merida regional funding made eminent sense to us for the
    following reasons:

    -- We have a specific OTA plan ready for CY2009, which would launch
    this important and high-impact financial enforcement program for
    less than USD 150,000;

    -- Costa Rican counterparts are ready to work on the project;

    -- OTA (and we) have confirmed the acute need for assistance to
    address financial crimes; and

    -- an OTA financial enforcement program could be launched in very
    short order.

    ---------------
    ACTION REQUESTS
    ---------------

    ¶8.  (SBU) In light of the above:

    -- We request reconsideration of our request to fund the new OTA
    program with FY2009 regional Merida funding.  Again, we are not
    talking about a large or long-term expenditure; $150,000 in funding
    would launch the program in CY2009, with Treasury likely picking up
    the funding in CY2010;

    -- Please explain why it is felt that the DHS program would better
    support Merida and our Mission Strategic Plan objectives on
    financial enforcement.  Having no information about the DHS program,
    we are at a loss to provide an informed assessment to Washington;

    -- Please provide additional details on the DHS program.  How will
    it address Costa Rica's immediate financial enforcement needs?  When
    would it begin?  Are GOCR counterparts identified and ready to act
    now?

    -- If the Merida funds in question are fully committed to DHS,
    please advise what other Merida sources may support this important
    financial enforcement program for Costa Rica; and

    -- In the future, we would appreciate advance notification if/when
    potentially available Merida funding is committed to other agencies
    or programs.  We are doing our best to respond to numerous official
    and informal taskings to keep the Merida information flowing to
    Washington.  However, we cannot do this adequately unless we too are
    kept informed by Washington.  We want to support this very
    important, Congressionally-backed regional initiative as best as we
    can.

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

    ¶9.  (SBU) Though there may be priorities of which we are unaware, we
    firmly believe that Merida spending must reflect local needs.
    Although some commonalities exist throughout the Merida countries,
    local needs define local security threats.  An OTA financial
    enforcement program will help build institutional capacity in a
    reform-receptive environment.  With financial crimes and Costa Rica,
    we now see a unique confluence of events -- growing security
    problems and GOCR key players and the OTA ready to move to address
    them.  This is an ideal assistance relationship; we have the chance
    to meet a local need, instead of forcing a regional solution to meet
    that need.  This is how Merida was constructed in the first place,
    from the bottom up.  We do not want to lose this unique opportunity.

    BRENNAN

`