EX-PRESIDENT BUCARAMS HOMECOMING CELEBRATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 GUAYAQUIL 000424 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ASEC PREL EC SUBJECT: EX-PRESIDENT BUCARAMS HOMECOMING CELEBRATION REF: A. QUITO 729; B. GUAYAQUIL 132 ¶1. (U) Summary: Former president Abdala Bucaram, of the Ecuadorian Roldosista Party (PRE),made a flamboyant, celebratory return to Guayaquil on April 2. After eight years of self-imposed exile in Panama, he arrived in the city center by helicopter, accompanied by men on horseback, and with fireworks exploding in the air. Joined on stage with his family, fellow PRE party leaders including president of congress Omar Quintana - Bucaram celebrated his homecoming with an impassioned speech to thousands of supporters. Though short on content and substance, his populist ranting was notable e for his professed admiration for Hugo Chavez' "Bolivarian revolution," and opposition to the imposition of foreign military bases and free trade agreements. End summary. -------------- A HEROS WELCOME -------------- ¶2. (U) Less than 48 hours after he was cleared of all pending corruption charges (Ref A) by the Supreme Court president, Guillermo Castro, Bucarams cohorts orchestrated an emotional arrival in Guayaquil. A visible lack of security forces, street closures, intermittent rain, and a delayed start of almost two hours did not prevent approximately 20,000 Bucaram admirers from thronging a nine-block area of downtown Guayaquil. Newspaper reports quoted PRE party leaders as having chartered buses to bring in followers from as far away as Esmeraldas and Cuenca. Guayaquil PolOff observed thousands of young men pouring out of all modes of transportation and making their way towards the stage erected on the edge of a city park, waving flags s displaying the PRE colors red and yellow. Many were drinking alcohol from bottles passed among them, and even more appeared to be barely old enough to remember Bucarams departure. Adding to the festive atmosphere were four musical groups positioned along the eventual parade route. The banner providing the stages backdrop had a large photo of Bucaram in his presidential sash and read "Only God knows how we have suffered in your absence." ¶3. (U) Bucaram arrived in Ecuador in the early hours of April 2. However, he avoided all press and made no public appearances, retreating to an undisclosed location to prepare for his grand public entrance. The PRE widely announced the location and timing of the homecoming commemoration, and their announcement that Bucaram would arrive by helicopter heightened the theatrical quality. By the time he began to transverse the nine blocks from his rooftop landing to the stage, the frenzied crowd impeded his progress as they y attempted to get as close as possible to their hero. Many tried to rush the stage once he finally got there, and the lack of security meant that more than one succeeded. -------------- POPULIST RHETORIC PERVADES ADDRESS -------------- ¶4. (U) Bucaram began by thanking his family and PRE party members for working so hard for his return. He singled out congressional president Omar Quintana, who stood next to him, though Quintana appeared visibly uncomfortable and left the stage before the speech concluded. Bucaram also expressed his appreciation for Supreme Court president Guillermo Castro and President Gutierrez, praising their courage in dropping the charges against him. Finally, he expressed his most heartfelt thanks to "the beautiful poor of Ecuador," gesturing to the crowd in front of him and declaring his commitment to fight on their behalf. The multitudes responded enthusiastically. ¶5. (U) At times using vulgar language, Bucaram lambasted Leon Febres-Corderos Social Christian Party (PSC) in particular, and all groups that opposed him in general. He emphasized that he had returned to Ecuador wiser, more mature, and more patient, but "crazier than ever to rid the country of the political oligarchy" that was responsible for the poors continued suffering. Lamenting the setbacks the country endured during his absence, including the loss of the sucre (Ecuadors currency before dollarization in 2000),he ridiculed Guayaquil mayor Jaime Nebots (PSC) 'Marcha Blanca' (Ref B) as nothing more than a parade of the elites. Bucaram also had harsh words for PRIAN (Partido Renovador Institucional Accion Nacional) founder and leader Alvaro Noboa, whom he claimed "must be crying" now that Bucaram is back in Ecuador. ¶6. (U) Populist rhetoric infused Bucarams address. Most prominent were his references to embarking on a Chavez-modeled Bolivarian revolution to wrest power from the privileged and embolden the poor. In a an oblique ique reference to US interests, Bucaram said he would now spend time analyzing the current state of affairs in Ecuador before putting forth a plan to rid the country of the "impositions of foreign military bases, and trade agreements," among other issues. -------------- NOT QUITE CENTER STAGE -------------- ¶7. (U) Reports of the death of Pope John Paul II somewhat eclipsed Bucarams return. National media focused on events at the Vatican until right up to the moment of Bucarams rally. Similarly, the next days front-page news featured full spreads of the pope, with Bucaram stories buried in the middle of all major papers. For his part, Bucaram expressed his personal sadness over the Pope's passing, and claimed that the pope waited to die until he (Bucaram) had been able to come home. Bucaram also had to share media attention with returned leaders Gustavo Noboa and Alberto Dahik (Ref A),who returned from exile to Ecuador this weekend. . ¶8. (U) Apparently anticipating Bucarams criticism, PRIAN leader and 2006 presidential candidate Alvaro Noboa began his counterattack on the PRE with a paid political announcement that aired immediately following coverage of Bucarams rally. Noboa used the five-minute spot to expand on his efforts to help the poor in Ecuador and his plans to bring the country out of poverty once elected president. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶9. (U) Abdala Bucarams theatrical return to Ecuador offered a glimpse of what we can expect from this populist rabble-rouser should he choose to stay in Ecuador. It is not clear if his image among the mostly- poor coastal Ecuadorians, who comprise his political base, has been tarnished by his years in exile. Despite his professed solidarity with the poor, he spent eight years not working while living in a luxurious apartment in Panama, chartered a private plane for his return, and maintains a lavish house in a wealthy Guayaquil il neighborhood. His welcome in Guayaquil was not impressively large despite party efforts to bus in supporters. ¶10. (SBU) To what extent Bucaram can promote Chavez- style Bolivarian populism here remains to be seen. Even his most ardent foes acknowledge his political skills and ability to motivate the disaffected masses with his populist message. However, Bucaram's political base has been weakened by his long absence and his presence back on the political scene here will energize both his own Ecuadorian Roldosista Party (PRE) and its rivals (especially Noboa's PRIAN, which has absorbed much of the PRE's base during Bucaram's absence). Bucaram has professed appreciation to Gutierrez and willingness to defend Gutierrez' tenure should it be threatened. Unfortunately for Gutierrez, Bucaram's return makes that threat all the more real. ¶11. This cable was cleared by Embassy Quito. HERBERT UNCLASSIFIED2 SIPDIS UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED ED