Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BOGOTA832
2006-01-30 17:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:
LEFT IN COLOMBIA MAY MOVE FARTHER LEFT
how-toVZCZCXYZ0023 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHBO #0832 0301747 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 301747Z JAN 06 FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1741 INFO RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES IMMEDIATE 1741 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS IMMEDIATE 7116 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ JAN 7641 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA IMMEDIATE 3188 RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA IMMEDIATE 8723 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO IMMEDIATE 3797 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO IMMEDIATE 1931
C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 000832
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL CO
SUBJECT: LEFT IN COLOMBIA MAY MOVE FARTHER LEFT
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood
Reason: 1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 000832
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL CO
SUBJECT: LEFT IN COLOMBIA MAY MOVE FARTHER LEFT
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood
Reason: 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) Former Foreign Minister Maria Emma Mejia told
Ambassador Wood on January 24 that the leadership of the Polo
Democratico Alternativo (specifically Representative Gustavo
Petro) is attempting to move the party farther to the
populist left, alienating Mejia and other moderate members of
the party. According to Mejia, Gustavo Petro is winning
internal party debates against moderates such as Bogota Mayor
"Lucho" Garzon. Mejia said she was unwilling to accept the
party's leftist drift and therefore withdrew her name from
consideration as the Polo's lead Senate candidate in the
March 12 Congressional elections. Mejia said Petro's growing
influence presages closer Polo identification with Hugo
Chavez and Evo Morales. Prominent Polo candidate for the
House of Representatives Daniel Garcia-Pena (and one of the
five civil society guarantors for the GOC-ELN exploratory
talks) told poloffs January 26 that Mejia's decision was a
loss to the party, but he claimed Mejia only withdrew her
name after learning that Polo leaders had voted for Petro to
head the party's Senate list.
--------------
PDA Infighting
--------------
2. (C) Mejia explained clearly that, without her and other
moderates on the candidate list, PDA would not get its target
15 Senate seats. She confirmed press reports of infighting
between moderate leftists such as Bogota Mayor Lucho Garzon,
Medellin Mayor Sergio Fajardo, and Valle del Cauca Governor
Angelina Garzon with Petro and others over the party's
ideological direction. The moderates represent a pragmatic,
Lula-like perspective, whereas the Petro faction leans
towards a Chavez/Morales-style populism. Bogota Mayor
"Lucho" Garzon was one of Mejia's strongest supporters in the
debate over who should head the party's Senate campaign.
Garzon regarded the moderate, popular, and well-known Mejia
as a candidate who could expand the party's influence by
attracting new voters.
--------------
Comment
--------------
3. (C) As this cable is being sent, prominent Liberal Party
Senatorial candidate and former party chief Piedad Cordoba is
opening her campaign in Caracas, ostensibly to get the votes
of Colombians living there, but also to associate herself
with the Chavez phenomenon. We will track pro-Venezuelan
movements among the PDA and the Liberal Party closely.
WOOD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL CO
SUBJECT: LEFT IN COLOMBIA MAY MOVE FARTHER LEFT
Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood
Reason: 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) Former Foreign Minister Maria Emma Mejia told
Ambassador Wood on January 24 that the leadership of the Polo
Democratico Alternativo (specifically Representative Gustavo
Petro) is attempting to move the party farther to the
populist left, alienating Mejia and other moderate members of
the party. According to Mejia, Gustavo Petro is winning
internal party debates against moderates such as Bogota Mayor
"Lucho" Garzon. Mejia said she was unwilling to accept the
party's leftist drift and therefore withdrew her name from
consideration as the Polo's lead Senate candidate in the
March 12 Congressional elections. Mejia said Petro's growing
influence presages closer Polo identification with Hugo
Chavez and Evo Morales. Prominent Polo candidate for the
House of Representatives Daniel Garcia-Pena (and one of the
five civil society guarantors for the GOC-ELN exploratory
talks) told poloffs January 26 that Mejia's decision was a
loss to the party, but he claimed Mejia only withdrew her
name after learning that Polo leaders had voted for Petro to
head the party's Senate list.
--------------
PDA Infighting
--------------
2. (C) Mejia explained clearly that, without her and other
moderates on the candidate list, PDA would not get its target
15 Senate seats. She confirmed press reports of infighting
between moderate leftists such as Bogota Mayor Lucho Garzon,
Medellin Mayor Sergio Fajardo, and Valle del Cauca Governor
Angelina Garzon with Petro and others over the party's
ideological direction. The moderates represent a pragmatic,
Lula-like perspective, whereas the Petro faction leans
towards a Chavez/Morales-style populism. Bogota Mayor
"Lucho" Garzon was one of Mejia's strongest supporters in the
debate over who should head the party's Senate campaign.
Garzon regarded the moderate, popular, and well-known Mejia
as a candidate who could expand the party's influence by
attracting new voters.
--------------
Comment
--------------
3. (C) As this cable is being sent, prominent Liberal Party
Senatorial candidate and former party chief Piedad Cordoba is
opening her campaign in Caracas, ostensibly to get the votes
of Colombians living there, but also to associate herself
with the Chavez phenomenon. We will track pro-Venezuelan
movements among the PDA and the Liberal Party closely.
WOOD