Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05QUITO855
2005-04-19 17:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Quito
Cable title:  

STATE OF EMERGENCY: USG OUTREACH CRITICAL

Tags:  PGOV PREL EC 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 QUITO 000855 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL EC
SUBJECT: STATE OF EMERGENCY: USG OUTREACH CRITICAL

Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, Reason 1.4 (b&d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 QUITO 000855

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL EC
SUBJECT: STATE OF EMERGENCY: USG OUTREACH CRITICAL

Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, Reason 1.4 (b&d)


1. (C) Summary: After the declaration of a state of
emergency by President Gutierrez on the evening of April 15,
Embassy Quito and Consulate Guayaquil, working with other USG
colleagues, acted quickly to encourage GOE restraint and
non-violence. The Mission team (including several Embassy
sections and Consulate Guayaquil),with terrific support from
DOD, DOS, and Treasury colleagues in Washington and Miami,
conducted extensive outreach to contacts, including the
President and other GOE officials, opposition politicians,
GOE military, business leaders, indigenous leaders, and NGO
contacts. We believe these coordinated efforts contributed
to the early end of the state of emergency and commendable
restraint on the part of the GOE military. End Summary.

Ambassador Leads Embassy Outreach To GOE
--------------


2. (C) Team Effort: The Ambassador convened three Country
Team/EAC meetings over the weekend of April 16-17 to assess
the political situation. At these meetings, various sections
were able to share information gathered from their outreach.
The Ambassador led this outreach by calling President
Gutierrez on the evening of April 15, as well as on the
morning of April 16, to urge the lifting of the state of
emergency as soon as possible, and to urge restraint in the
face of peaceful protests and respect for civil rights. The
Ambassador and DCM had breakfast with Gutierrez on April 18
and suggested he signal conciliation by complimenting
Congress on its April 17 resolution and calling for dialogue.
They also suggested the Cabinet be more actively involved in
resolving the turbulent political situation.


3. (C) Presidency: Upon learning from clandestine sources
that the state of emergency would be declared, the Ambassador
spoke with Presidential Legal Advisor Carlos Larrea to
express USG concern. Larrea told us the state of emergency
was "a fact" and could not be changed. Shortly after the
President issued his declaration publicly (the announcement
was apparently taped hours before),Ambassador-designate to
the US Mauricio Pozo called the Ambassador to convey
Gutierrez' reasons for the decree. The Ambassador and
EconCouns also spoke with Presidential Secretary Carlos Polit

several times over the weekend, though he was in the US.


4. (C) Cabinet and Other Embassies: The Ambassador and
EconCouns also contacted several Cabinet members including
Minister of Commerce Ivonne Baki, Minister of Finance
Mauricio Yepez (in Washington),Minister of Labor Raul
Izurieta, and Presidential Secretary Carlos Polit, urging
them to help bring about a quick end to the state of
emergency. The Ministers unanimously agreed with a call for
restraint and dialogue and said they would convey this
message to the President at the Cabinet meeting held on April

16. With a visit by Chilean President Lagos in the offing,
the Ambassador called her Chilean counterpart to enlist
Chilean intervention with Gutierrez to encourage the lifting
of the state of emergency. President Lagos called Gutierrez
on April 17 to promise to reschedule his visit, and encourage
GOE respect for democratic norms, according to the Chilean
Ambassador here. Ambassador and DCM worked their Spanish
Embassy counterparts over the weekend as well, who have been
urging moderation from their contacts within the Democratic
Left opposition.


5. (C) Opposition: PolOffs called various opposition
leaders to gauge Congressional reaction to the state of
emergency and urge restraint and constructive dialogue.


6. (C) Military: DAO and MILGP spoke with Joint Forces
Chief Admiral Victor Rosero and Army Commander General Luis
Aguas on April 16. Rosero was later able to confirm that
Aguas had not been dismissed, as had been rumored. DAO also
spoke with the Chilean Defense Attache who confirmed that
Chilean President had canceled his trip to Quito, planned for
April 18-19. On April 18, the Ambassador spoke with Minister
of Defense Nelson Herrera to praise the military's
professionalism under difficult circumstances. The
Ambassador also met with Rosero on April 18 to encourage
continued military respect for constitutional norms.

Reaching Out to Civil Society
--------------


7. (SBU) ECON counseled calm and monitored reaction by key
private sector leaders.


8. (C) Citizens Groups: The DCM called Cesar Montufar of
NGO Citizen Participation on April 15 to urge calm and
recommend he (a possible target of GOE suspension of civil
rights) go to a secure location. AID extended our outreach
to other NGO contacts, such as Cornelio Marchan of the Esquel
Foundation, to monitor civil society efforts and promote
dialogue.


9. (C) Indigenous: POL made several calls to gauge the
indigenous reaction to the declaration of a state of
emergency. On April 16, PolOff spoke with indigenous leaders
(Santiago de la Cruz, CONAIE; Raul Ilaquiche, ECUARUNARI; and
Marco Murillo, FEINE) who were meeting within their
respective organizations to decide next steps. PolOff also
spoke with indigenous Congressman Jorge Guaman (Pachakutik)
on April 16. PolOff spoke again with indigenous leaders on
April 18 confirming the President's revocation of the state
of emergency had lowered tensions and made a general
indigenous anti-government mobilization less likely.

Support AmCit Safety, Embassy Operations
--------------


10. (U) Activating immediately as part of Embassy EAC, RSO
and CONS combined efforts to keep Embassy and AmCits safe and
informed about evolving risks. Making all these outreach and
reporting efforts possible, MGT provided crucial
communications and logistical support which allowed for
24-hour Embassy operations.

Guayaquil Contacts Coastal Leaders
--------------


11. (SBU) On April 15-16, CG and Pol/EconOff spoke with PSC
party leaders as well as business leaders. On April 15-16,
the CG spoke with Miguel Orellana, son-in-law of PSC leader
Leon Febres Cordero. CG stressed our desire to see a
government functioning with stable democratic institutions.
The CG also spoke with Guayaquil mayor Jaime Nebot (PSC) and
expressed the Ambassador's appreciation of his measured
response to the state of emergency. Reaching out to the
private sector, Pol/EconOff also spoke with Chamber of
Commerce VP Teodoro Maldonado on April 16, who described the
efforts of business chambers to support Nebot's evolving
protest strategy. Consulate Guayaquil also spoke with former
government officials, private business representatives, as
well as the AmCham president to encourage calm and promote
dialogue.

DOD Urges GOE Military Restraint
--------------


12. (C) Support from high-ranking DOD officials was
essential in helping get out our message of restraint on the
part of the military during the state of emergency. On April
11, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Richard Myers visit
to Quito had already helped support our pro-democracy and
pro-stability agenda and our continued commitment to military
cooperation. US SOUTHCOM CDR General Brantz Craddock's April
16 call to Ecuador Joint Forces Chief Admiral Victor Rosero
furthered our message of military restraint during the state
of emergency.


13. (U) In the end, GOE military acted very professionally
and with great restraint during the crisis. It is worth
noting that Admiral Rosero received training in the US under
the IMET program and his excellent leadership shows the
lasting results of this type of exchange. Unfortunately,
future military leaders will not have the same development
opportunities with IMET suspended.

Washington Officials Pitch In
--------------


14. (C) A/S Roger Noriega and DAS Charles Shapiro spoke with
GOE Presidential Advisor Carlos Polit early on to express USG
concern over the state of emergency. Department officials
did the same with the Ecuadorian Charge in Washington.
Department of Treasury and international financial
institutions also played an important role, counseling
Minister of Finance Mauricio Yepez on the possible negative
repercussions of recent events. Yepez, in turn, relayed
their concern to President Gutierrez.

Comment
--------------


15. (C) Ultimately, President Gutierrez decision to lift the
state of emergency was probably the result of a wide range of
factors. The USG's immediate and unequivocal response was
undoubtedly one key factor, of which we can be proud. With
the emergency over, but the resulting political crisis in
full sway, we will continue to use our contacts to follow the
political situation and urge dialogue and reconciliation.
Support from our colleagues in Washington and Miami will
continue to multiply our efforts here to promote
constitutional order, political stability, and dialogue.
KENNEY