PRESIDENT PORTILLO WILL VETO ELECTION HOLIDAY LAW

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 002831

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/05/2013
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR EAID GT
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT PORTILLO WILL VETO ELECTION HOLIDAY LAW

REF: A. GUATEMALA 2796


B. GUATEMALA 2827

Classified By: PolCouns David Lindwall for reason 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) President Portillo called the Ambassador early on the
morning of November 5 to say that he would veto the election
holiday law, as he had promised. Congress did not hold a
special session to revise the bill on November 4, and the
Executive Decree of November 3 (signed by Vice President
Reyes Lopez in Portillo's absence) had not resolved the
problem. With tensions mounting and growing international
pressure for a veto, Portillo has assured us he will veto it
today. Foreign Minister Gutierrez also called to Ambassador
to tell him the controversial law would be vetoed today.


2. (C) Comment: The removal of the holiday law will ease
tensions going in to the final days of the election campaign,
but it will not fully restore confidence in the opposition
that is waiting to see if the FRG has any other election week
surprises up their sleeves. The FRG leadership has promised
us (and the OAS, EU and MINUGUA) that they will be well
behaved.
HAMILTON