Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LAPAZ2781
2006-10-17 11:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:  

GOVERNMENT OF BOLIVIA ALIENATES ITS POLITICAL BASE

Tags:  ECON PGOV PREL BL 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LA PAZ 002781 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF BOLIVIA ALIENATES ITS POLITICAL BASE
IN SANTA CRUZ

Classified By: ECOPOL Andrew Erickson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LA PAZ 002781

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/16/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF BOLIVIA ALIENATES ITS POLITICAL BASE
IN SANTA CRUZ

Classified By: ECOPOL Andrew Erickson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: During an October 13 visit, Emboff met
with leaders from several key social movements, including the
Santa Cruz Departmental Federation of Rural Workers (FDTCSC),
the Santa Cruz Federation of Neighborhood Committees
(FEJUVE),and Departmental Labor Union (COD). This cable
reports on the views of FDTCSC; septels will report on other
meetings. FDTCSC leaders complained that they are stuck
between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, the
Morales administration was becoming increasingly partisan and
insistent on complete loyalty and obedience; on the other
hand, the opposition-controlled prefectural government
distrusts FDTCSC, and has done nothing to win it over. The
federation has not been consulted on land reform nor received
the farm aid publicized by the national government. End
Summary.

BACKGROUND


2. (C) Emboff met October 13 with Franklin Moreno,
Executive Director, and Ruben Loras, Secretary, of the Santa
Cruz Departmental Federation of Rural Workers, known by its
Spanish initials FDTCSC. The organization is affiliated with
the Sole Trade Union Federation of Rural Workers of Bolivia
(CSUTCB),which in turn is affiliated with the Bolivian
Central Labor Union (COB). The FDTCSC is a non-political
organization dedicated to improving peasant farmers'
conditions. FDTCSC members overwhelmingly supported
President Morales and the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS)
during the past elections. Moreno and Loras were eager to
talk with Emboff, noting it was the first time someone from
the Embassy had visited their organization.

HALF OF SANTA CRUZ SUBSISTENCE FARMERS


3. (C) Moreno bitterly complained about the conditions of
campesinos in the fifteen provinces of Santa Cruz. He told
Emboff that in the past, neither businessmen nor political
parties gave the poor campesino a chance to improve their
standard of living. Acute shortages of credit for tools and
supplies cause the majority of campesinos to be relegated to
subsistence farming; Loras estimates about half of Santa

Cruz's population of 2.3 million fall into this category.
Moreno remarked that large landowners are "just as bad" as
traditional political parties in that they "just don't get"
that it is in their best interest to help campesinos improve
their lot.

PREFECTURE VIEWED WITH DISTRUST


4. (C) Moreno and Laras complained of the lack of support
from the opposition-led prefectural government. Moreno said
there is little coordination between the campesinos and the
prefect. Their organization has a difficult relationship
with Santa Cruz Prefect Costas because of his tense
relationship with the national government. The prefectural
government views the campesinos with distrust, believing they
are influenced by and supporters of the Morales
administration. The Morales government, meanwhile, is not
open to them because they are not MAS activists. Moreno said
the Santa Cruz campesino is getting "choked" and becoming
"more desperate by the day." Moreno asked if there was any
way for the Embassy could offer institutional support to help
the federation stay independent and democratic.

MAS APPARENTLY NO BETTER


5. (C) Moreno also had harsh words for the Morales
administration. He declared Morales' land reform up until
now "all talk" and said no federal government official had
consulted their organization about new measures. The FDTCSC
has no idea what the national government's plan is and is
eagerly awaiting any information or decree. No one from the
FDTCSC has received one of the Venezuela-donated tractors the

LA PAZ 00002781 002 OF 002


Morales government has widely publicized. Moreno told
Emboff that the MAS government is trying to take over his
organization. Recently, when Moreno went to a national
federation meeting in La Paz, officials stopped him at the
door and asked for his credentials. When he showed his union
membership card, they told him it was not the "right one" and
asked to see his MAS membership card (NOTE: Mr. Moreno is
not a member of any political party). Moreno claimed that
MAS party members are setting up parallel campesino
organizations as a way to pressure his group to become ardent
MAS supporters. If past governments didn't care about the
campesinos, Moreno said, "they at least left us alone." In
contrast, "this new government is breaking with democracy,
trying to impose a Cuban style system, and taking away
unions' independence."



6. (C) Comment: The large number of desperately poor,
embittered campesinos working on subsistence farms belies
Santa Cruz's self-image as the land of Bolivia opportunity.
While the Morales administration publicly speaks about
improving campesinos' conditions, the Santa Cruz Federation
of Rural Workers has not witnessed any such improvement.
Peasant farmers continue to live hand to mouth while
political rhetoric and fighting continues to mount on the
prefectural and national levels. At this point, neither MAS
nor opposition has won the battle for the hearts and minds of
the poor of Santa Cruz. End Comment.

GOLDBERG