DOMINICAN SENATE PRESIDENT SKETCHES AMBITIOUS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 005393

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC) AND H

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: DR ETRD HA OREP PGOV PINR PREL KCOR
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN SENATE PRESIDENT SKETCHES AMBITIOUS
AGENDA

REF: A. REF: (A) SANTO DOMINGO 5088


B. (B) SANTO DOMINGO 4679


1. (SBU) Summary: Dominican Senate President Jesus Vasquez
Martinez, during a meeting September 8, predicted President
Mejia would get strong majority support in the ruling PRD for
his reelection bid in May 2004. Vasquez said he would work
with Chamber of Deputies President Alfredo Pacheco on a
common agenda to expedite needed legislation, including a
financial control law to prevent future bank scandals, and
would "take the Senate to the people" by inaugurating
television coverage of Senate proceedings and holding Senate
meetings in the provinces to hear constituents' concerns.
Vasquez emphasized his desire for exchanges with the US
Senate and visits by US legislators. The Ambassador urged
Vasquez to expedite important legislation such as the
immigration bill and stressed USG interest in a clean
presidential election next year and removal of parliamentary
immunity from a legislator who faces charges of alien
smuggling. End summary.

Election Prospects
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2. (SBU) The Ambassador, accompanied by DCM and poloff,
called on Dominican Senate President Jesus "Chu" Vasquez
Martinez (PRD) September 8 and four Senate committee
chairpersons (also PRD). The Ambassador emphasized USG
interest in the Dominican Republic having fair, free, and
clean presidential elections next May, open to international
observers. Vasquez agreed and said that serious charges of
fraud, such as last occurred in the 1994 elections, would be
unlikely, but that the Central Electoral Board needed to do a
better job of building public confidence in the election
preparations (as reported Ref A). The Ambassador asked about
President Mejia's prospects for winning the contested
nomination of the ruling PRD, in his controversial bid for
reelection. Vasquez, who declared himself a Mejia supporter,
replied that the President was confident of winning a
majority in the planned party convention. He said the
"solid" and "experienced" PRD organizations outside the
capital and the tendency of provincial voters to follow the
guidance of their local legislators, coupled with Mejia's
presidential image, would deliver enough support for him to
win the May election. However, he noted the importance of
achieving party unity behind the candidate and also expressed
concern about the impact of the nation's economic slump on
the election.

Senate Agenda
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3. (SBU) The Ambassador expressed appreciation for swift
Senate action on legislation of interest to the US in recent
months, including laws to combat money laundering and
trafficking in persons, and said he hoped the long-stalled
immigration bill would soon be approved. The DCM inquired
about the Senate's agenda priorities. Vasquez replied that
they included revisions of the outdated commercial and civil
codes, the immigration bill, an environment bill, and a
financial control law that would preclude further bank
collapses similar to the current BANINTER scandal -- which he
feared would impose a high political as well as economic cost
on the country. He said that he had worked for two years to
reach a consensus on the immigration bill and that the
situation of numerous undocumented Haitian immigrants in the
Dominican Republic was "worrisome." Without offering
specifics, he added, "We need the support of the
international community and the United States" to address
this issue.


4. (SBU) Vasquez said that the Senate was also interested in
current free trade negotiations with the US and that he had
been named to the relevant Senate committee. However, he
complained that the Congress "wasn't able to change anything"
during the talks. The Ambassador noted the tight timetable
for the Dominican Republic to qualify for the proposed
"docking" with the Central American Free Trade Agreement
(CAFTA) and stressed that few countries had been offered such
an advantageous arrangement.

Modernization of Senate Procedures
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5. (SBU) According to Vasquez, the Senate had also designated
a committee to work out a common agenda with the Chamber of
Deputies (Ref B),which would then lead to a dialog with the
executive and judicial branches and civil society. He also
said he planned within weeks to inaugurate television
coverage of Senate proceedings along the lines of C-Span. In
the longer term, he hoped to organize legislative excursions
to each of the provinces, where the senators would hold
meetings to hear the concerns and wishes of the local public.

Relations with the United States
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6. (SBU) Vasquez expressed interest in increasing exchanges
between his institution and the U.S. Senate next year. He
hoped that a U.S. senatorial delegation might come to Santo
Domingo and a delegation of Dominican counterparts might
visit the Hill. He also said U.S. speakers on legislative
topics would be welcome, to share experiences with the
Dominican Senate. The Ambassador agreed this would be a good
idea, and the DCM said we would look for such opportunities
in connection with visiting Codels. Vasquez stressed the
common interests of the Dominican Republic and the United
States, for example in combatting illegal drugs -- an issue
on which, he said, "I am your unconditional ally."

Prosecution of Alien Smuggler
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7. (SBU) The Ambassador asked about prospects that the
Congress would lift the legislative immunity of accused alien
smuggler Radhames Ramon Garcia, a member of the Chamber of
Deputies and former Dominican consul in Haiti (para 6 Ref B),
and noted the importance the USG attached to enforcement of
laws against alien smuggling. Vasquez replied that the issue
was in the hands of the Attorney General's office
(Procuradoria General de la Republica),but said he (Vasquez)
had spoken out on this issue. The DCM suggested Vasquez
raise it with Chamber of Deputies President Pacheco, and
Vasquez agreed. (Note: Dominican Chief Justice Jorge Subero
Isa told the press September 22 that the Supreme Court
expected to try this case in October, but that the Attorney
General had not yet formally submitted a request to the
court. End Note.)

Comment
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8. (SBU) This meeting, like the Ambassador's previous call on
the Chamber of Deputies president (Ref B),set the tone for a
strong working relationship with this Mission. Vasquez
appears to share USG concerns on corruption, migration,
drugs, and other issues. He set forth a democratic vision
and specific plans for realizing it by making the Senate more
accessible to the people. However, it is too early to tell
to what extent the Senate will accomplish its legislative
priorities; we have already seen press criticism that the new
congressional leaders are off to a slow start. Vasquez's
comments on President Mejia's election prospects should be
read in the context of an ongoing struggle within the PRD
over whether Mejia or one of several rivals will get the
nomination. We agree that Mejia is likely to become the
candidate, but are much less certain of his chances for
reelection in May, especially if the economy continues to
deteriorate. End comment.

Bio Note
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9. (U) Vasquez, born in 1958, has served as senator from
Maria Trinidad Sanchez province since 1993, was Senate
president in the late 1990s, and was elected Senate president
August 16. He has been PRD president in his native province
since 1991 and served as provincial governor 1982-85 and
consul general in Venezuela in 1985-86. His father, an early
PRD activist, opposed the Trujillo dictatorship (1930-61).
KUBISKE