Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LAPAZ2814
2006-10-18 19:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:  

MAS TACTICS ALIENATE SANTA CRUZ NEIGHBORHOOD

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 002814 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: MAS TACTICS ALIENATE SANTA CRUZ NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATIONS

REF: LA PAZ 02781

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

SUMMARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LA PAZ 002814

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: MAS TACTICS ALIENATE SANTA CRUZ NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATIONS

REF: LA PAZ 02781

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

SUMMARY


1. (C) This is the second in a series of three cables
reporting on Emboff's meetings with Santa Cruz social
movements. On October 13 Emboff met with the leadership of
the Santa Cruz Federation of Neighborhood Committees
(FEJUVE). FEJUVE, in some ways analogous with a condominium
association, brings together neighborhood associations on the
departmental and national level. While the organization has
an antagonistic relationship with the Santa Cruz mayor, it
works with the mayor on areas of mutual interest. The
leaders characterized relations with the prefect as good.
However, relations with the national government appear to
have hit rock bottom. Many FEJUVE members supported Morales
during his election campaign. Now, however, the FEJUVE
leadership resents the Movement Towards Socialism Party's
(MAS) attempts to undermine it by creating parallel (and
competing) organizations loyal to the Morales government. End
Summary.

BACKGROUND


2. (C) Emboff met October 13 with President Rodolfo
Landivar, General Secretary Fernando Rosso, and nine of the
fifteen district presidents of the Santa Cruz Federation of
Neighborhood Committees, known by its Spanish initials
FEJUVE. The organization is divided into fifteen districts
encompassing the Department of Santa Cruz and is affiliated
with the National Confederation of Neighborhood Committees
(CONFEJUVE). FEJUVE, in some ways analogous with a
condominium association, brings together neighborhood
associations on the departmental and national level. Rosso
said that membership in the FEJUVE is open to all, regardless
of religion, color, social class, or political affiliation.
Landivar spoke of the FEJUVE's past relationship with USAID
but indicated this was the first time someone from the
Embassy had visited its offices in Santa Cruz.

RELATIONS WITH THE MAYOR STRAINED BUT PRODUCTIVE


3. (C) Emboff inquired about FEJUVE's relations with the
local, state, and national government. On the local level,

Landivar describe the relationship with Santa Cruz Mayor
Percy Fernandez, of the Broad Front Party (FA),as
antagonistic. The mayor's office often treats the FEJUVE's
requests with "annoyance" and views the citizen group's
petitions as criticisms of the administration's performance.
Notwithstanding, the FEJUVE and the mayor have made progress
in two areas of priority, public security and neighborhood
cooking gas distribution. Landivar gave as an example the
recent inauguration of four new police stations.

RELATIONS WITH THE PREFECT LIMITED BY RESOURCES


4. (C) On the departmental level, Landivar said the FEJUVE
enjoys a good relationship with Santa Cruz Prefect Ruben
Costas of the Autonomy for Bolivia Party (APB). The civic
organization and the prefect have collaborated on public
security, a blood bank, and educational issues. Landivar
said the FEJUVE and prefect are united in their stance
against the proposed national educational reform law. FEJUVE
also works with the prefectural government to distribute
basic foods to rural communities and hopes to expand the
program to include the urban poor. Because Prefect Costas
has told Landivar that the current food program does not have
the capacity to expand, Landivar asked if the Embassy could
assist with the food distribution program. (Note: We passed
the request on to USAID. End note.)

RELATIONS WITH THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ROCKY


5. (C) When asked about the FEJUVE's relationship with the

LA PAZ 00002814 002 OF 002


Morales government, Landivar shook his head and said "we were
lied to." He went on to explain that many members of the
FEJUVE had campaigned for Morales during the election because
"the old parties are corrupt and people wanted a change."
The change they didn't contemplate, Landivar said, was a
"dictator" leading a government "that will only work with its
own party hardliners." Rosso added that the FEJUVE
leadership is "very worried" and feels "abandoned" by the
Morales government. At this point, Landivar invited the
district presidents to give their opinions. One president
complained that the MAS "refuses to work with the local
community". Another lamented the number of Bolivians
emigrating to Spain, while another questioned where all of
the aid money from President Chavez has gone.


6. (C) One president's remark of "we will not permit
Bolivia to become another Cuba" received a round of applause.
Secretary Rosso then explained that the MAS party has been
trying to form parallel neighborhood organizations in the
department, which only served to confuse residents. Rosso
expressed that the FEJUVE rejects the "hatred, racism, and
sense of revenge" that the Morales government is using "to
create tension and cause rifts between the citizenship."
Landivar closed the meeting by saying, "we do not want
violence -- what we want are jobs and better living
conditions".

COMMENT


7. (C) Post continues to hear that the MAS is co-opting
social organizations by forming parallel entities. Many
FEJUVE members not only voted for Morales, but campaigned for
him. In their conversation with us on October 13, these same
people now expressed feelings of alienation and
disappointment. Clearly they knew they were speaking with a
representative of the US Embassy, and were seeking food
assistance, as noted above. Nonetheless, in this meeting,
and in others, we are seeing strong signs that the Morales'
administration appears to be losing the battle for the
support of what should be its natural base in Santa Cruz.
Unlike the Santa Cruz Departmental Federation of Rural
Workers, this group seems to be much more in the prefect's
corner. End Comment.

GOLDBERG