CONSERVATIVE PARTY FOCUSES ON WOMEN VOTERS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BOGOTA 009301

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM CO VE
SUBJECT: CONSERVATIVE PARTY FOCUSES ON WOMEN VOTERS


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Summary
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1. (SBU) The Conservative Party unofficially inaugurated its
campaign season with a conference aimed at increasing women's
political participation. The event offered data on women's
participation in the GOC, as well as criticism of Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez by the director of a Venezuelan women's
political group. However, while the conference's stated goal
was to increase women's participation beyond voting, the real
goal may have been to increase the number voting Conservative
in 2006.

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Conservative Party Takes an Interest in Women
in Colombia and the Region
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2. (U) On September 16-17, the Colombian Conservative Party
(PCC) sponsored a conference aimed at increasing women's
political participation. Alternate Secretary Adriana
Ardelaez said the PCC is concerned about the small number of
women who hold leadership positions in Colombian political
parties and local, departmental and national government. The
Conference was co-sponsored by the Christian Democratic Party
of America (ODCA),which is affiliated with the European
Christian Democrat movements.


3. (U) The conference, "Women as Directors of Social
Change," was opened by Elys Ojeda, the President of MUDCA, a
Venezuelan women's political group associated with ODCA.
Ojeda's remarks focused on the need to include women in
politics to ensure the future of democracy and to achieve
social change. She stated that women's participation is also
important to ensure that their rights are protected, as well
as to end violence against women. Ojeda said the "current
leadership" of Venezuela is opposed to women participating in
government.


4. (U) Other participants included members of parties
affiliated with ODCA in other Latin American countries,
including Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and
Ecuador. Most presentations focused more on social issues
than on women's participation in government. All implied
that increased women's political participation would lead to
improvements in health and education.

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Women's Political Participation
in Colombia by the Numbers
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5. (U) PCC Senator Carlina Rodriguez provided an historical
overview of women's political participation in Colombia,
including current figures for the number of women holding
elective office. Only 11 out of 102 Senators and 20 out of
166 Representatives are women. Senator Rodriguez also noted
there are five women Ministers in the President's cabinet.
However, participation in the judicial branch is much lower.
Less than 10 percent of offices in the different courts are
held by women. Moreover, there are no women holding
high-ranking offices in the Inspector General's Office
(Procuraduria). (Note. Rodriguez failed to mention that the
current Secretary General in the Prosecutor General's office
(Fiscalia) is a woman, Zaidy Mora. End Note.) Figures for
departmental and local government offices are also low,
according to Rodriguez.


6. (U) Colombia's numbers are low as compared to other
countries in the region (but on par with those for the United
States). For example, a participant from Costa Rica said
that women make up more than 30 percent of its legislature.
She credited a quota law for the increase in the number of
women holding elective office. Senator Rodriguez noted that
Colombia passed a quota law in 2000, which mandates that 30
percent of offices in the executive branch and 30 percent of
the executive positions in political parties be held by
women. Unlike quota laws passed by some countries, including
Costa Rica, the Colombian law does not mandate minimum
participation levels for women in the legislative or judicial
branches of government. (Note: An earlier legislative
attempt to regulate women's participation in these two
branches was declared unconstitutional in 2001. End Note.)

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Conservatives Solicit Women's Support in 2006
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7. (U) References to the PCC and the March 2006
Congressional elections became more numerous as the
conference continued. PCC President Carlos Holguin Sardi
concluded his opening remarks by saying that, with the
support of women voters and candidates, the Conservatives
would be the most powerful party in Congress after the 2006
elections. This theme was picked up by Senator Rodriguez,
who opted not to finish her prepared presentation on the
history of women's political participation in Colombia, but
instead made an impassioned speech on behalf of the PCC. She
made particular reference to the importance of Holguin's
leadership.


8. (SBU) Comment: Holguin would like to run for President
but lacks support outside the core of the PCC. The PCC will
hold a national vote on November 27 to decide whether to
support President Uribe for reelection or to run a stand
alone PCC candidate. The vote will likely favor the Uribe
option. End Comment.

WOOD