BERGER SELECTS EDUARDO STEIN AS VP CANDIDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 001581

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2013
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KDEM GT
SUBJECT: BERGER SELECTS EDUARDO STEIN AS VP CANDIDATE


Classified By: Acting PolCouns Rob Copley for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: The front-running Gran Alianza Nacional
(GANA) officially nominated former Foreign Minister and chief
of two OAS missions to Peru, Eduardo Stein, as its Vice
Presidential candidate. The move, announced on June 16,
broadens the appeal of the Berger ticket providing it with
needed policy credentials. It is also generating optimism in
civil society and human rights groups that progress on
corruption and rule of law issues may be possible under a
Berger government. Several members of the Unionista party
have already joined the GANA as a direct result. End Summary.


2. (U) The Berger camp had been courting Stein with
increasing openness for several weeks. For his part, Stein
maintained in public that he would only join the Berger
ticket if he was assured of an important role in policy
decisions and of Berger's commitment to fighting corruption
and advancing rule of law and social issues. Stein's
presence on the ticket provides a solid base of credibility
and experience for countering Berger's substantive weakness
and appears to be attracting others to the Berger camp.


3. (C) For example, sources close to center-left
Congresswoman Nineth Montengro report she is agonizing over
her public promise to remain with the ANN party, when she
would have far more influence as part of the GANA. In
another example, Frank LaRue of the human rights group CALDH,
told the Ambassador that he was rethinking his avoidance of
electoral politics given the stakes in this election and the
possible progress that could be made by working directly with
Stein as part of a future government. LaRue said that, if
the opportunity arose, he would be willing to exchange his
position in CALDH for one in the government where he could
make structural changes to the Justice system and seriously
pursue CICIACS, a yet-to-be-established investigative body
that will target clandestine groups involved in organized
crime.


4. (U) Stein's nomination led to announcements that former
Vice President Luis Flores, Gustavo Porras, and Congresswoman
Olga Camey, all from the Unionista party had also joined the
GANA.


5. (U) In accepting the VP slot, Stein made clear he is
dropping his bid for the OAS Secretary General position.

Comment
--------------

5. (C) Stein is well known to the Embassy and to many in
Washington for his service as Foreign Minister in the Arzu
Government and for heading OAS electoral missions to Peru in
200 and 2001. He has terrific intellectual and diplomatic
skills and is a person of rock solid integrity. His
nomination thus shores up a critical weakness in the Berger
campaign and can be expected to generate further interest in
and momentum for the GANA coalition from groups beyond its
traditional backers in the private sector. We expect other
high profile politicians and opinion makers will now
seriously consider getting behind GANA in an effort to build
a coalition capable of defeating the ruling FRG.
HAMILTON