

Currently released so far... 6239 / 251,287
Articles
Browse latest releases
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
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
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 Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
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 Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
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
Browse by tag
ASEC
AU
AORC
AF
AM
AFIN
AEMR
AR
ASIG
AMGT
AG
APER
AL
ABLD
ASUP
AA
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AE
AMED
AS
AGMT
APECO
AO
AFFAIRS
AJ
ACOA
AX
AROC
ATFN
ASEAN
AFGHANISTAN
ADCO
AFU
AER
ALOW
AODE
ABUD
ATRN
AID
AC
AVERY
APCS
CASC
CJAN
CVIS
CS
COUNTER
CD
CU
CI
CO
CG
CE
CA
CMGT
CH
CWC
CBW
CKGR
CR
CN
CPAS
CONS
CDG
CLINTON
CT
CJUS
CY
CV
COUNTERTERRORISM
CIA
CACM
CDB
CAN
COE
CM
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CACS
CF
CONDOLEEZZA
CARSON
CL
CIS
CODEL
CTM
CB
COM
ECON
EFIN
ETRD
EAIR
EAID
ET
EFIS
ENRG
EPET
ETTC
ER
EG
EINV
EAGR
ELAB
EUN
EWWT
ENGR
EMIN
ECIN
ENIV
ES
EC
ECPS
EIND
EI
EU
ENVI
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ELTN
EZ
EINT
ELN
EUR
EUNCH
EN
EINVECONSENVCSJA
ELECTIONS
EINVEFIN
ENNP
ECUN
EXTERNAL
EK
EFINECONCS
ECINECONCS
ECIP
EINDETRD
EUC
EREL
ENVR
ECA
ENERG
ENGY
ETRO
EFTA
ECONCS
ECONOMICS
ECONEFIN
EINVETC
EINN
ESA
ETC
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ESENV
ETRDECONWTOCS
IR
IZ
IWC
IC
ILC
IO
IAEA
IN
IS
IT
ICRC
INTELSAT
ILO
IBRD
IMF
ICAO
IMO
ITALY
ITALIAN
IRAQI
ITRA
ISRAELI
ICJ
IACI
INTERPOL
ID
IV
ICTY
IQ
IPR
INRB
ITPHUM
IIP
IL
IA
INR
ITPGOV
IZPREL
IRC
INRA
INRO
IRAJ
IEFIN
IF
KE
KCRM
KDRG
KIPR
KCOR
KSCA
KBIO
KDEM
KMCA
KMPI
KNNP
KJUS
KOMC
KGHG
KSUM
KSTC
KIRF
KTIP
KWMN
KZ
KG
KTFN
KHLS
KPAO
KFRD
KTIA
KOLY
KCFE
KISL
KFLU
KPKO
KWBG
KTBT
KTDB
KOCI
KUNR
KAWK
KICC
KPAL
KSTH
KN
KS
KGIC
KNPP
KWAC
KMDR
KAWC
KBCT
KIDE
KFLO
KWMNCS
KSEP
KU
KNEI
KVPR
KACT
KRAD
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KCIP
KSAF
KV
KSPR
KPRP
KFSC
KCRS
KR
KRFD
KX
KO
KPWR
KMIG
KSEC
KIFR
KDEMAF
KFIN
KGCC
KPIN
KHIV
KPLS
KIRC
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KGIT
KBTS
KPRV
KBTR
KERG
KWMM
KRVC
KNSD
KVIR
KNUP
KTER
KDDG
KHSA
KMRS
KHDP
KTLA
KPAK
KNAR
KREL
KPAI
KTEX
KCOM
KNNPMNUC
KPOA
KLIG
KHUM
KDEV
KNUC
KCFC
KREC
KOMS
KWWMN
MASS
MP
MARR
MOPS
MNUC
MX
MO
MCAP
MY
ML
MU
MIL
MC
MTRE
MA
MD
MTCRE
MEPI
MAR
MRCRE
MR
MV
MPOS
MZ
MEPP
MOPPS
MAPP
MASC
MT
MERCOSUR
MK
MDC
MI
MAPS
MCC
MASSMNUC
MQADHAFI
MUCN
MTCR
MG
OVIP
OREP
OTRA
OSCE
OECD
OIIP
OEXC
OPCW
OPIC
OPDC
OPRC
ODIP
OVP
OSCI
OAS
OFDP
OTR
OSAC
OIC
OFFICIALS
OIE
PREL
PGOV
PHUM
PTER
PE
PINR
PINS
PARMS
PARM
PHSA
PA
PK
PBTS
PO
PREF
POL
PLN
POLITICS
PROP
PL
PM
PAO
PSI
PG
PEPR
POV
PALESTINIAN
PINT
PSOE
PU
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PBIO
PECON
PAK
POGOV
PINL
PKFK
PMIL
PY
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PRAM
PMAR
PGOVLO
PUNE
PORG
PHUMPREL
PF
POLINT
PHUS
PGOC
PNR
PGGV
PNAT
PGOVE
PRGOV
PRL
PROV
PTERE
PGOF
PHUMBA
PINF
PEL
SNAR
SO
SENV
SU
SCUL
SOCI
SP
SC
SA
SMIG
SAN
SZ
SW
SN
SY
SR
SL
SEVN
SF
SYR
SI
SG
STEINBERG
SIPRS
SH
SNARCS
SOFA
SANC
SHUM
SK
ST
TERRORISM
TRGY
TZ
TX
TBIO
TSPA
TS
TSPL
TW
TU
TD
TIP
TURKEY
TP
TI
TC
TPHY
TH
TO
TK
TNGD
TINT
TRSY
TR
TFIN
TT
UG
UK
UP
UNGA
UNHRC
UZ
UN
UNAUS
USTR
UNSC
US
UNEP
UY
UNESCO
USUN
UNHCR
UAE
UNMIK
USEU
UV
UNO
UNDP
UNCHS
UNVIE
UNCHC
UE
UNDESCO
USAID
UNDC
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09SANJOSE836, COSTA RICA: MEDRETE TREATS NEARLY 400 PATIENTS IN
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.
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. #09SANJOSE836.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09SANJOSE836 | 2009-10-02 14:02 | 2011-03-21 16:04 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy San Jose |
VZCZCXYZ0005
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHSJ #0836/01 2751418
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021418Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1255
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUMIAGH/COMJTF-B SIMS SOTO CANO HO
UNCLAS SAN JOSE 000836
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN, WHA/PPC AND PM; SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM MASS SOCI CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICA: MEDRETE TREATS NEARLY 400 PATIENTS IN
TURRIALBA REGION
REF: A. 08 SAN JOSE 800
¶B. 08 SAN JOSE 003
¶1. (U) SUMMARY. On September 11-12, Honduran-based Joint
Task Force-Bravo (JTF-B) and Costa Rican medical personnel
conducted a Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE) in
Costa Rica's remote, mountainous Turrialba region. Nearly
400 people received much-needed medical treatment. Three
members of the national legislature, who were from the
province where the MEDRETE took place, also participated.
While visiting the MEDRETE site, the Charge d'Affaires was
interviewed by national print and television media, which
focused on the positive contributions of the U.S. to this
joint humanitarian mission. Local leaders and patients
deeply appreciated the assistance. END SUMMARY.
---------------------
AN "INVASION OF LOVE"
---------------------
¶2. (U) From September 11-12, over 50 JTF-B and Costa Rican
medical and support personnel treated nearly 400 Costa Rican
indigenous people in the Turrialba region, approximately 35
miles east of San Jose. At the first of the two sites,
Tolokicha, 241 patients were evaluated and treated for
various maladies. At Xichiari, the second site, 153 patients
were treated. The most common illnesses found included acute
upper and lower respiratory infections, ectoparasitic
infections (scabies), skin infections, some malnutrition in
children, intestinal parasitism, and diarrheal infections.
In addition, the H1N1 virus was detected in two patients and
another five had suspect symptoms.
¶3. (U) In addition to general medical evaluations, dentists
also provided oral exams and performed some basic dental work
such as extractions. Also, each person evaluated received a
preventative medical and hygiene packet that included items
such as soap, insect repellent, and vitamins.
¶4. (U) Most of the patients do not speak Spanish, but rather
Cabeca, a local indigenous dialect. Five Embassy translators
and GOCR translators assisted English-only speaking U.S.
military medical personnel. No translation was needed though
to express thanks, as evidenced from the smiles and gestures
of grateful recipients of the assistance. Additionally, in a
letter to the editor in Costa Rica's most respected daily
newspaper, La Nacion, the writer thanked the CDA, Embassy,
and SOUTHCOM for the "great medical and psychological
assistance" provided to these patients. The writer continued
and said that:
"Costa Rica, a country of peace, was the scene of a
military invasion, in this case from the U.S., an invasion of
love, solace, and humanitarian assistance to our ethnic
peoples who need it so desperately."
------------------------------
HELICOPTERS ATTRACTED PATIENTS
------------------------------
¶5. (U) Both MEDRETE sites were not easily accessible. The
only way to get timely medical treatment to the people in
these areas is by air; the only other way to get to the
remote communities is by horseback or by foot, which takes at
least one day. Because of a bridge that was washed out by
floods last year, the mountainous locations have become even
more isolated due to difficulties to get large amounts of
supplies in. In addition to the general isolation of the
area, the 3000 inhabitants in "nearby" villages often had to
walk many hours to get to the centrally located MEDRETE
sites. For example, one family of seven (with an eighth on
the way) walked for over 90 minutes to seek medical
assistance for the first time ever.
¶6. (U) Helicopters are the only efficient and effective way
to travel. The presence of large and relatively noisy
helicopters, such as JTF-B's UH-60 Blackhawks, also attracted
dozens of patients who figured out (and word spread fast)
that medical personnel were on the way. One 50-year old
patient, Rafael Martinez, said that he had simply heard the
helicopters and walked a couple of hours to see a doctor. He
added that it had been two years since he had last seen one.
--------------------------------------------- --
MEDRETES HIGHLIGHT U.S.-COSTA RICAN COOPERATION
--------------------------------------------- --
¶7. (U) As reported in Refs, MEDRETEs are great examples of
bilateral cooperation. Post's Office of Defense
Representative (ODR) coordinated with many GOCR agencies to
make this MEDRETE happen, but most importantly with the
GOCR's Caja Social (similar to U.S. Social Security
Administration, but additionally administers all of the
public hospitals in Costa Rica), the Ministry of Health, and
the Ministry of Public Security.
--------------------------
LEGISLATORS DO "VIP" VISIT
--------------------------
¶8. (U) Led by CDA Brennan, Post coordinated a VIP visit to
the area with three Costa Rican legislators. The legislators
all hailed from Cartago province, where the MEDRETE sites
were located. They represented three political parties (the
National Liberation Party-PLN, the Citizen Action Party-PAC,
and the Libertarian Movement-ML) and deeply appreciated the
assistance that the USG brought to their constituents.
-------------------------------------
POSITIVE AND SUSTAINED MEDIA COVERAGE
-------------------------------------
¶9. (U) Thanks to the coordination of Post's Public Affairs
section, positive coverage of the MEDRETE continued in
various media outlets for nearly two weeks after the
conclusion of the event. Four print/internet media and two
TV stations sent reporters, with transportation provided by
JTF-B helicopters, to the remote sites and conducted numerous
interviews, including Spanish language interviews of CDA
Brennan and ODR personnel.
-------
COMMENT
-------
¶10. (SBU) The positive contribution to overall bilateral
relations between Costa Rica and the U.S. due to MEDRETEs is
hard to overstate. Post has supported a sustained tempo of
2-4 MEDRETEs per year over the past two years that has opened
many doors and made believers out of doubters on the use of
U.S. military personnel in the region. With a near
withdrawal of all participation of any Costa Rican police
officials in U.S. military training facilities via the IMET
program two years ago (at places such as Fort Benning,
Georgia where WHINSEC is located), to U.S. military medical
personnel and aircraft flying in Costa Rican airspace, the
transformation of attitudes has changed greatly. Our
"invasions of love" have generated a lot of goodwill.
¶11. (U) Post sends a special thank you to the men and women
of JTF-B who made it all happen. Their medical
professionalism and ambassadorship benefited both patients
and USG goals in the region. Kudos for a job well done!
BRENNAN