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

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09SANJOSE552 | 2009-06-30 12:54 | 2011-03-08 16:00 | 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

`