PRESIDENTIAL CHALLENGERS ON RELATIONS WITH U.S.,

UNCLAS BOGOTA 003444

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ETRD KJUS CO
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL CHALLENGERS ON RELATIONS WITH U.S.,
THE FTA, AND EXTRADITION



1. (U) Summary: Presidential challengers Gaviria, Serpa,
Mockus, and Leyva held a televised (one channel) debate on
April 6. All save Mockus lamented an asymmetrical
U.S.-Colombia relationship and criticized the FTA. The
responses on our extradition relationship were more complex.
All supported extradition of drug traffickers but proposed
caveats for members of illegal armed groups. President Uribe
did not participate. While the National Electoral Council
has authorized TV airtime for up to three national debates,
it remains to be seen whether any will take place prior to
the May 28 election. End Summary.


2. (U) Caracol TV sponsored a Presidential challengers
"debate" on April 6. Formal nominees Horacio Serpa
(Liberal),Carlos Gaviria (Polo),Antanus Mockus
(Visionaries),and Alvaro Leyva (Nacional Movement)
participated; President Uribe declined to do so. Questions
addressed the following themes: relations with the U.S.,
FTA, extradition, humanitarian exchange, abortion, homosexual
marriage, and poverty. Each participant had one minute to
answer each question. They were not permitted to engage each
other in debate.


3. (U) On relations with the U.S., Serpa and Gaviria offered
strongly negative responses, lamenting asymmetry and
surrender of sovereignty on the part of Colombia. Serpa went
so far as to call the U.S. a "monster" in the hemisphere.
Gaviria criticized the Uribe Administration for distancing
Colombia from its Latin American neighbors as a result of
excessively close ties to the U.S. In separate public
remarks Gaviria called Colombia a "subject" of the U.S.


4. (U) While former Bogota mayor Mockus described the FTA as
an opportunity for Colombia, the others strongly criticized
the measure. Gaviria proposed a public referendum on the FTA
prior to Congressional consideration. Serpa stated the FTA
was negotiated poorly by the GOC and Leyva worried about
potential loss of jobs in the agricultural sector.


5. (U) All four challengers expressed strong support for
extraditing hard-core drug traffickers to the U.S.
Nevertheless, Gaviria and Serpa proposed that individuals
involved in a peace process with the GOC not be extradited.
Gaviria, a former head of the Constitutional Court, argued
for first trying locally individuals accused of crimes on
Colombian soil or against Colombian nationals. Leyva
attempted to shift the focus of the discussion to drug
consumption in the U.S.


6. (SBU) Comment: We understand the viewer base for the
event was small, and national print coverage was limited.
Given his commanding lead in all polls, Uribe sat this one
out with no noticeable public outcry. While the National
Electoral Council has authorized airtime for three nationally
televised debates (as opposed to the April 6 event, which was
carried on only one TV channel),time is running out, and we
have heard of no formal planning for such encounters. While
the Government plans to submit the FTA for congressional
consideration after the new Congress takes office on July 20,
debates to date have sharply criticized the lack of a
published text.
WOOD