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### Viewing cable 09BOGOTA849, SUBJECT: URIBE-SUPREME COURT POWER CONTINUES

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09BOGOTA849 | 2009-03-13 22:10 | 2011-03-13 12:12 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Bogota
Appears in these articles: http://www.elespectador.com/wikileaks

`

    VZCZCXYZ0001
    PP RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHBO #0849/01 0722203
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 132203Z MAR 09
    FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7628
    INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8730
    RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1827
    RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR 0003
    RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 7146
    RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY 3217
    RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 7872
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
    RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
    RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 000849

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2018
    TAGS: PREF PREL PTER SNAR KJUS CO
    SUBJECT: SUBJECT: URIBE-SUPREME COURT POWER CONTINUES
    AMIDST SPYING AND CHARGES OF IDEOLOGICAL BIAS

    REF: A. 09BOGOTA569
         ¶B. 08BOGOTA3718
    ¶C. 08BOGOTA1517

    Classified By: Classified By: Political Counselor John Creamer Reasons
    1.4 (b and d)

    SUMMARY
    -------
    ¶1. (C) The recent scandal involving the Department of
    Administrative Security's (DAS) surveillance of several
    Supreme Court justices has exacerbated the already tense
    relations between the Court and the GOC.  The dispute,
    originally centered on longstanding turf battles between the
    Supreme and Constitutional courts and aggravated by executive
    branch distrust of the Court's parapolitical investigations,
    now includes executive branch spying on the Court and
    executive charges that the Court's decisions on extradition
    and other issues are influenced by corruption or ideological
    bias. Despite these claims, a Congressional investigation did
    not reveal evidence of criminal wrongdoing by individual
    justices, and the Court's makeup indicates no obvious
    ideological bias. End Summary

    DAS SURVEILLANCE OF JUDGES
    --------------------------
    ¶2. (C) On February 21, leading news magazine "Semana"
    reported that the DAS had illegally monitored among others,
    several Supreme Court justices involved in the parapolitical
    investigations (ref A).  "Semana" reported that Auxiliary
    Magistrate Ivan Velasquez, the lead investigator in the
    parapolitical cases, was followed by DAS detectives and may
    have had as many as 1900 of his calls illegally tapped over
    two years.  Other magistrates possibly monitored included
    Supreme Court President Francisco Ricaurte, former Criminal
    ChamberPresidentSigifredo Espinosa, and Justices Mara del
    Rosario Gonzalez, Yesid Ramirez, and Cesar Julio Valencia.
    Justices Augusto Ibanez and Leonidas Bustos reported having
    been harassed by unidentified armed men at their residences.
    Presidential Human Rights Director Program Carlos Franco
    confirmed to us that the DAS illegally spied on Ramirez and
    Velasquez.

    RESPONSE BY THE COURT
    ---------------------
    ¶3. (U) The Supreme Court responded to the "Semana"
    revelations by calling a special plenary session of all 23
    magistrates on February 23 to discuss the allegations and
    publicly denounce the DAS's actions. Ricaurte expressed his
    disappointment in the way the investigation was being handled
    and called the scandal "a grave matter with immeasurable
    consequences to Colombian democracy."  The Court also
    announced that it would file complaints with both the UN and
    OAS.Ricaurte and Velasquez plan to fly to Washington D.C.
    the week of March 16 to denounce the DAS' acts--as well as
    alleged executive involvement--before the Inter-American
    Commission on Human Rights.  Colombia's four judicial
    entities and the Prosecutor General issued a joint statement
    in March 9 denouncing "national and foreign pressures" on
    Colombia's judicial system (see septel).

    BATTLE BETWEEN THE COURTS AND URIBE
    -----------------------------------
    ¶4. (U) The primary source of tension between the Supreme
    Court and President Uribe continues to center on the
    parapolitical investigations and the longstanding
    jurisdictional power struggle between the Constitutional and
    Supreme Court. The dispute between the courts stems from the
    1991 Constitution which set up the Constitutional Court--a
    move deeply resented by the Supreme Court.  The two Courts
    have sparred ever since, with both trying to gain the
    executive's support for their position.  Since 2006, the
    Supreme Court perceives that President Uribe has sided with
    the Constitutional Court (ref B). Animosity also hardened
    between the Supreme Court and the executive in early 2008
    when the Court accused him of interfering in its
    investigation of his cousin, then Senator Mario Uribe (ref
    C).

    ALLEGATIONS OF COURT TIES TO THE MAFIA
    --------------------------------------
    ¶5. (U) The local media has reported on allegations against

    members of the Supreme Court of possible corrupt ties to
    criminal and drug groups, as well as with ex-paramilitaries,
    but no hard evidence has surfaced. On July 31, 2007, Peace
    Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo asked the Congress'
    Accusations Commission (responsible for investigation of
    magistrates) to investigate some justices alleged ties to
    Giorgio Sale, an Italian mafia leader and drug trafficker
    with ties to ex-paramilitary leaders, including Salvatore
    Mancuso (extradited to the United States in 2008).

    ¶6. (C)  In September 2008, the Commission questioned former
    Criminal Chamber President YesidRamrez and former Court
    President Carlos Nder on their relations to Sale, but found
    no incriminating information. Ramrez admitted to having a
    friendship with Sale and receiving gifts from him, but argued
    that they were of minor value and given openly with no intent
    to bribe.  GOC officials, including former presidential
    advisor Jose ObdulioGaviria, Presidential Secetary Bernardo
    Moreno, and Presidential Legal Advisor Edmundo Castillo have
    repeatedly told us individual magistrates had criminal links
    to Sale, former paramilitary leaders, and the FARC, but have
    never provided any proof.  Franco told us he reviewed the
    DAS' file on its investigation of Yesid Ramirez, and found no
    evidence of criminal activity.

    COURT'S POLITICAL OUTLOOK
    -------------------------
    ¶7. (C)  In addition to criminal allegations, Casa de Narino
    officials routinely charge that several Supreme Court
    magistrates have a leftist political bias or personal
    animosity against Uribe.  Still, most magistrates are
    longtime judicial branch employees, and the Court's overall
    political makeup appears balanced.  In the nine-person
    Criminal Chamber, four judges are affiliated with the
    mainstream opposition Liberal Party, four with the Uribista
    Conservative party, and there is one independent.

    8  (U)  The Court selects its members from a list of
    qualified candidates generated from the results of a
    selection process overseen by the Superior Judicial Council
    (CSJ). Supreme Court members then take turns choosing the
    next magistrate from that list. The head of the local bar
    association, Alfonso Clavijo, told us that university
    affiliation is an important element in this selection
    process. The Criminal Chamber is currently dominated by
    magistrates from the Externado University and the Bolivariana
    de Medellin University.

    BROWNFIELD

`