ARGENTINA: KIRCHNER WITHDRAWS SUPPORT FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 002485

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: KIRCHNER WITHDRAWS SUPPORT FOR
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM AND UNLIMITED REELECTION

REF: BUENOS AIRES 02451

Classified By: CDA Michael Matera for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: At his request, General Coordinator of the
Presidential Unit Juan Carlos Mazzon met with Charge on
November 3, and opened the conversation with an admission
that the Casa Rosada has been very quiet and alone in the
wake of the results of the elections for the Constitutional
Assembly in Misiones on October 29. Those most affected by
the results in Misiones will be the other governors who were
seeking extra-constitutional reelections, such as Felipe Sola
in Buenos Aires province. Mazzon indicated that President
Kirchner will no longer support these efforts, believing that
the people have expressed their opposition to constitutional
reform and indefinite reelections. According to Mazzon, at
least one Governor, Eduardo Fellner of Jujuy province,
announced on November 3 that he is abandoning his efforts to
seek reelection through constitutional reform. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) At his request, General Coordinator of the
Presidential Unit (and the chief electoral advisor to
President Kirchner) Juan Carlos Mazzon met with Charge on
November 3, and opened the conversation with an admission
that the Casa Rosada has been very quiet and "alone" in the
wake of the results of the elections for the Constitutional
Assembly in Misiones on October 29 (REFTEL). Mazzon said
that President Kirchner held a late night meeting on November
2 to discuss the results of the October 29 referendum in
Misiones province. Mazzon said that President Kirchner will
no longer support efforts to establish indefinite reelection,
adding that Governor of Buenos Aires province Felipe Sola's
attempts to use the courts to authorize his reelection will
not be backed by the President.


3. (C) According to Mazzon, at least one Governor, Eduardo
Fellner of Jujuy province, has already announced that he is
abandoning his efforts to seek indefinite reelection through
constitutional reform (reportedly announced in Jujuy this
same afternoon). Just yesterday, Governor Fellner defended
in the press his reform efforts and vowed to pursue them to
the end. Tucuman Governor Jose Alperovich has been working to
assure his possibility for reelection until 2015, but Mazzon
said that Alperovich will now not push for anything beyond
one reelection (2007-2011).


4. (C) Mazzon indicated that President Kirchner will no
longer support these efforts, believing that the people have
expressed their opposition to constitutional reform to allow
indefinite reelections. Mazzon said the defeat in Misiones
has been a real distraction for the Casa Rosada and that
President Kirchner wants to move forward and put this behind
him. Charge noted with interest what Mazzon said and
reiterated that as always the Embassy takes no position and
will not comment on internal Argentine politics.


5. (C) COMMENT: It is significant that Mazzon took the
initiative to communicate President Kirchner's new policy on
indefinite reelections so quickly after it had been decided.
The President's complete public silence on the issue since
the Sunday referendum has been interpreted by many as
reflecting the great embarrassment to the GoA caused by this
referendum defeat, after the President and a number of his
Ministers took such an active role in promoting the
constitutional reform effort. (SEE REFTEL) We have noted
that President Kirchner's first public discourse since the
defeat in Misiones was a harsh criticism on November 3 of
Uruguay over the paper mill dispute, perhaps as an attempt to
divert public and press attention away from the events in
Misiones and the Casa Rosada's long silence on them.
President Kirchner's reversal on supporting the provincial
reelection movements could be an indicator that he believes
he is vulnerable to reinvigorated coalitions of the
opposition parties or non-Kirchnerista Peronists that have
been so outspoken since October 29 on the significance of the
referendum's defeat for President Kirchner's own popularity
and support. END COMMENT.


MATERA