WikiLeaks drug corruption report hits Peru general (commander of the army)

[rabs]

The Associated Press
Monday, December 13, 2010; 5:30 PM

LIMA, Peru -- A leaked U.S. diplomatic message reporting speculation that the new head of Peru's military was involved in drug corruption has shaken the nation's armed forces, with the general angrily denying any drug ties on Monday and saying he may take legal action against the former U.S. ambassador.

The March 2009 document from then-Ambassador Michael McKinley noted that a source - whose name was omitted in the released document - "saw signs that officers may have continued to cooperate with drug traffickers." It was released Sunday by WikiLeaks.

The document cited a 2007 meeting between Gen. Paul da Silva and a regional fishing industry leader, Rolando Eugenio Velasco Heysen, and said the source suggested they were coordinating drug shipments. Velasco was arrested in October 2007 on charges of trying to export 840 kilograms of cocaine hidden in frozen fish and remains imprisoned facing trial.

Da Silva, then chief of the Piura military region, was named head of Peru's army this month.


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Da Silva called the document "infamous" and said he reserves the right to bring a criminal complaint against the U.S. ambassador "for his irresponsibility," though the document did not say if the allegation was true. McKinley is now U.S. ambassador to Colombia.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/13/AR2010121303345.html

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It is hitting the fan in Lima today over McKinley's claims.

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Edit to add:

Da Silva said today that he would consult with lawyers in Peru's Defense Ministry to take legal action action against McKinley for "infamy" against him and the Peruvian army. He said there will be a "profound investigation" to find out who McKinley's Peruvian source was.

[Judi Lynn]

1. The important thing to know is how does Two Breakfasts take this?

If Gen. de Silva has Two Breakfasts' backing, he could probably get him to put an enormous scare into him. He hasn't been a mass murdering fool for all these long years for nada.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com.nyud.net:8090/4076/4765289663_e741dbca8a_z.jpg

McKinley and his wife Fatima greet TwoBreakfasts Garcia.

http://www.rpp.com.pe.nyud.net:8090/paul-tito-da-silva-gamarra-asume-comandancia-general-del-ejercito-imagen-noticia-3-n-/picsnews/565067.jpg
Paul Tito da Silva Gamarra

[rabs]

2. Poor Rose, she is catching hell in Lima ...

REALLY PISSED OFF: The former commander of the Peruvian army, Gen. Edwin Donayre, has given the U.S. ambassador in Lima, Rose Likins, 24 HOURS for HER GOVERNMENT to explain the cable from McKinley implicating Gen. da Silva and other military officers in drug trafficking.

Likins has only been ambassador in Lima since Sept. 15, and replaced McKinley, who replaced Brownfield in Bogota.

http://elcomercio.pe/politica/683627/noticia-general-edwin-donayre-expreso-su-repudio-informacion-wikileaks-que-vincula-al-ejercito-narcotrafico


U.S. Ambassador Rose M. Likins during a recent visit to the U.S. Navy vessel Swift which made a call in Callao, Peru's main port in Lima.

-----------------------------------
Rose M. Likins

Ambassador

Peru

Term of Appointment: 09/15/2010 to present

On August 5, 2010, the United States Senate confirmed Rose M. Likins to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Peru.

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ambassador Likins is a former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador (2000 – 2003) and has also served previously as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria; Chief of the Political Section at the U.S. Embassy in Asuncion, Paraguay; and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs in Washington, D.C.

Her most recent assignment was Deputy Director of the Foreign Service Institute in Washington, D.C., where she was also Dean of the Foreign Service Institute’s School of Professional and Area Studies. Earlier assignments include Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State, Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary for Global Affairs, Director of the Department's Operations Center, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Department, and Honduras Desk Officer all in Washington, D.C. She has also served overseas as a Consular Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Monterrey, Mexico.

Ambassador Likins received a B.A. in Spanish and International Affairs from Mary Washington College in Virginia.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Someone they didn't anticipate stood up to them. Cool! What are the chances they'll answer?

They know there will be a lot of people waiting for that explanation, all over the world.

The way they handle this should be interesting.

Rose Likins wouldn't have been expecting to walk into this!

Wonder how much she was involved in helping Micheletti and company.