AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH GOES FOMIN LAINEZ ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 002853

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2025
TAGS: PREL PGOV ES
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH GOES FOMIN LAINEZ ON
IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMIT


Classified By: Ambassador H. Douglas Barclay. Reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) During a 45 minute conversation with Ambassador on
October 18, Salvadoran Foreign Minister Francisco Lainez
(strictly protect) recounted his efforts to avert approval of
an Ibero-American Summit resolution calling for an end of the
U.S. "blockade" against Cuba. Lainez, who had just returned
to El Salvador late October 17, called Ambassador upon
arrival and requested a one-on-one meeting. Expressing his
concern over a declaration he affirmed he and the GOES did
not agree with, Lainez stated that he had come very close to
blocking use of the word "blockade" in the resolution, but
had apparently not received much support and failed in the
end. Lainez added that, during his attempt to have the word
"blockade" changed to "embargo," he was approached by Spanish
Prime Minister Rodriguez Zapatero, who, in essence, asked
Lainez to let the issue go away "in the best interests of the
summit." Lainez characterized Rodriguez Zapatero as having
"good intentions," but said Zapatero has made a lot of
mistakes, especially in his relations with the U.S., and is
not prepared to govern.


2. (C) Lainez said that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had
developed a clear plan in advance of the summit in
conjunction with the Castro government, and that the
Venezuelans did not make a move throughout the summit without
consulting the Cubans. At one point during deliberations,
Lainez overheard the Venezuelan Foreign Minister say to one
of his aides "you better run that issue past the Cuban
delegation." Lainez added that the Cubans were "masterful" at
manipulating the Spanish press. Lainez opined that Chavez is
not crazy, but is actually very calculating, and said Chavez
staged every summit event to draw the limelight, dragging a
GOV delegation of over 100 people with him, and waiting until
other heads of state left public areas so that he could
receive ovations from staged crowds.


3. (C) Separately, Lainez said that Guatemalan
Vice-President Eduardo Stein had argued in Lainez's presence
that stories circulating about Chavez giving money to the
left throughout Latin America is simply not true. Lainez
also characterized the Dominicans as playing both sides in
the dispute between Chavez and the U.S., but added that the
Dominicans "know that Chavez is a dictator."


4. (C) Lastly, Lainez told Ambassador that President Saca
feels President Bush should make a stopover in El Salvador
either on his way to or back from the Summit of the Americas.
Lainez said that the GOES needs a positive boost from
President Bush at this time.


5. (C) Comment: Lainez and the GOES are clearly
embarrassed by the outcome of the "blockade" and Posada
Carriles resolutions at the Ibero-American summit, since the
summit declaration and resolutions passed by consensus, and
the GOES, which affirms repeatedly its close relations with
the U.S. went along with our detractors.
Barclay