RULING PARTY OFFICIAL CALLS FOR SUPPORT FOR CUBA

UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000317

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM CU GT UNCHR
SUBJECT: RULING PARTY OFFICIAL CALLS FOR SUPPORT FOR CUBA
AT UNCHR

REF: A. STATE 20816

B. GUATEMALA 275


1. Aristedes Crespo, Floor Leader for the ruling FRG party in
Congress, used the visit of three Cuban legislators to
announce in Congress that the FRG would press President
Portillo to support Cuba at this year's UNCHR in Geneva.
Crespo said his remarks were in response to Cuba's
long-standing solidarity with the people of Guatemala and
called for the Government of Guatemala not to vote against
Cuba.


2. Crespo is the right-hand-man of Rios Montt, the FRG's
leader and President of Congress. The FRG holds a
disciplined 63-seat majority among the 113 members of
Congress. The Guatemalan Congress passed a motion last year
that called for Executive branch support for Cuba at the
UNCHR.
Hamilton