Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LAPAZ1629
2006-06-16 19:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
LLOYD SECURES INSURANCE EXTENSION
how-toVZCZCXYZ0030 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHLP #1629 1671927 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 161927Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9598 INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 5917 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 3234 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7081 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 4334 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1625 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 1618 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 1723 RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 3843 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 4259 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 8807 RUEANHA/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS LA PAZ 001629
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/TRA JHORWITZ AND EB/TRA/OTP BMATTINGLEY
STATE ALSO FOR WHA/AND LPETRONI
STATE PASS TO FAA FOR CCAPESTANY
STATE PASS TO DOT FOR CCOLDREN
COMMERCE FOR JANGLIN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR ECON PGOV BL
SUBJECT: LLOYD SECURES INSURANCE EXTENSION
REF: LA PAZ 1518 (AND PREVIOUS)
UNCLAS LA PAZ 001629
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/TRA JHORWITZ AND EB/TRA/OTP BMATTINGLEY
STATE ALSO FOR WHA/AND LPETRONI
STATE PASS TO FAA FOR CCAPESTANY
STATE PASS TO DOT FOR CCOLDREN
COMMERCE FOR JANGLIN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR ECON PGOV BL
SUBJECT: LLOYD SECURES INSURANCE EXTENSION
REF: LA PAZ 1518 (AND PREVIOUS)
1. (SBU) Summary: Bolivia's national airline, Lloyd Aereo
Boliviano, narrowly avoided collapse June 15 by securing a
new extension on its AIRCRAFT insurance, set to expire the
same day. The extension will allow the CARRIER to continue
operating, but with board members' June 15 decision to resign
en masse and control now in the hands of a workers'
committee, operations will likely be sporadic at best. Four
prefects' recent offer to invest $20 million to save the
airline may yield few results, and with only three aircraft,
numerous flight cancellations, and deepening financial
difficulties, bankruptcy may remain the most probable outcome
(reftel). End summary.
2. (SBU) Bolivia's national airline, Lloyd Aereo Boliviano,
narrowly avoided collapse June 15 by securing a new extension
on its AIRCRAFT insurance, set to expire the same day.
According to William Scarborough, Cochabamba Consular Agent
and president of Lloyd's audit committee, the CARRIER paid
part of its estimated $600,000 debt to its insurance company
and promised to pay the remainder over the next several
weeks. The extension will allow the CARRIER to continue
operating, but with board members' June 15 decision to resign
en masse and control now in the hands of a workers'
committee, operations will likely be sporadic at best.
3. (SBU) Earlier this week, Cochabamba Prefect Manfred Reyes
Villa, along with his counterparts in Beni, Pando, and
Tarija, reportedly offered to invest $20 million to save the
airline. The four governors have not released the details of
their proposed plan, but according to Scarborough,
negotiations with Lloyd executives may be underway.
Concluding them, however, may be difficult, as Lloyd's chief
executive, Ernesto Asbun, is reportedly in hiding, unwilling
to reveal his whereabouts for fear of physical reprisal from
airline employees blaming him for Lloyd's problems.
4. (SBU) Comment: The prefects' offer may yield few results,
and with only three aircraft, numerous flight cancellations,
and deepening financial difficulties, bankruptcy may remain
the most probable outcome (reftel). Lloyd has stumbled along
since the February pilots' strike that initiated the crisis,
but it can continue only so long. Its situation is
increasingly desperate, debts continue to mount, and a viable
solution is far from evident. End comment.
GREENLEE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EB/TRA JHORWITZ AND EB/TRA/OTP BMATTINGLEY
STATE ALSO FOR WHA/AND LPETRONI
STATE PASS TO FAA FOR CCAPESTANY
STATE PASS TO DOT FOR CCOLDREN
COMMERCE FOR JANGLIN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAIR ECON PGOV BL
SUBJECT: LLOYD SECURES INSURANCE EXTENSION
REF: LA PAZ 1518 (AND PREVIOUS)
1. (SBU) Summary: Bolivia's national airline, Lloyd Aereo
Boliviano, narrowly avoided collapse June 15 by securing a
new extension on its AIRCRAFT insurance, set to expire the
same day. The extension will allow the CARRIER to continue
operating, but with board members' June 15 decision to resign
en masse and control now in the hands of a workers'
committee, operations will likely be sporadic at best. Four
prefects' recent offer to invest $20 million to save the
airline may yield few results, and with only three aircraft,
numerous flight cancellations, and deepening financial
difficulties, bankruptcy may remain the most probable outcome
(reftel). End summary.
2. (SBU) Bolivia's national airline, Lloyd Aereo Boliviano,
narrowly avoided collapse June 15 by securing a new extension
on its AIRCRAFT insurance, set to expire the same day.
According to William Scarborough, Cochabamba Consular Agent
and president of Lloyd's audit committee, the CARRIER paid
part of its estimated $600,000 debt to its insurance company
and promised to pay the remainder over the next several
weeks. The extension will allow the CARRIER to continue
operating, but with board members' June 15 decision to resign
en masse and control now in the hands of a workers'
committee, operations will likely be sporadic at best.
3. (SBU) Earlier this week, Cochabamba Prefect Manfred Reyes
Villa, along with his counterparts in Beni, Pando, and
Tarija, reportedly offered to invest $20 million to save the
airline. The four governors have not released the details of
their proposed plan, but according to Scarborough,
negotiations with Lloyd executives may be underway.
Concluding them, however, may be difficult, as Lloyd's chief
executive, Ernesto Asbun, is reportedly in hiding, unwilling
to reveal his whereabouts for fear of physical reprisal from
airline employees blaming him for Lloyd's problems.
4. (SBU) Comment: The prefects' offer may yield few results,
and with only three aircraft, numerous flight cancellations,
and deepening financial difficulties, bankruptcy may remain
the most probable outcome (reftel). Lloyd has stumbled along
since the February pilots' strike that initiated the crisis,
but it can continue only so long. Its situation is
increasingly desperate, debts continue to mount, and a viable
solution is far from evident. End comment.
GREENLEE