AMBASSADOR GOLDBERG NOVEMBER 9 COCHABAMBA VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LA PAZ 003128 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2016 TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR GOLDBERG NOVEMBER 9 COCHABAMBA VISIT Classified By: Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador Goldberg traveled November 9 to Cochabamba to meet with the mayor, social sector leaders, business leaders, the local American population, and local media and political analysts. The trip received extensive press coverage and provided an opportunity to publicly highlight our engagement with prominent social organizations. -------------- Mayor Gonzalo Terceros -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Ambassador's meeting with the mayor focused on a broad range of topics, including Tercero's relationship with the central and prefectural governments, the GOB's policy on coca, and the Constituent Assembly (CA). Tercero highlighted the difficulty of providing constituent services due to the division of responsibility and resources allocated among the central, prefectural, and local governments. According to Terceros, governance - and specifically autonomy (the division of responsibility and resources among all levels of government) - will be the most important issues the CA decides. -------------- Union Leaders -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador also called on union leaders, including Oscar Oliveras, a leftwing firebrand and the protagonist behind the 2000 "Water Wars" in Cochabamba. Oliveras, who is now the Coordinator for Water in Cochabamba, leads a social sector group whose primary goal is to extradite ex-President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada. Responding to his concerns over trade, jobs, and the expedited delivery of letters rogatory to Sanchez de Lozada, the Ambassador explained to Oliveras that Sanchez de Lozada is currently legally in the United States. He also emphasized the letters rogatory are being reviewed by the appropriate officials in Washington. Noting the Oliveras, concerns, the Ambassador expressed his willingness to continue USG dialogue with Bolivia's social sector organizations. -------------- Outreach to American Citizens -------------- ¶4. (U) The Ambassador met with U.S. citizens living in Cochabamaba to discuss their issues of concern. Unofficial Americans were concerned with the GOB's proposed education reform and rising levels of crime. The Ambassador assured them that the Embassy is working via diplomatic channels to protect private education. He also addressed consular issues and explained the warden system. The Ambassador also presided over a Peace Corps swearing-in ceremony. -------------- Lunch with Media Contacts -------------- ¶5. (SBU) During the Ambassador's lunch with media contacts and political analysts, the discussion centered on the GOB's coca policy and the political direction of the Morales administration. Noting USG concerns with the rapid growth of illicit coca and narcotrafficking in Bolivia, the Ambassador commented that the drug trade is a shared problem among Bolivia's neighbors, especially Brazil. -------------- Cochabamba Civic Committee -------------- LA PAZ 00003128 002 OF 002 ¶6. (U) The Ambassador attended a private meeting with Civic Committee President Oscar Zurita to improve the Embassy's dialogue with social sector organizations. In a meeting of the entire committee, Zurita publicly expressed the committee's interest in U.S. assistance to improve the department's infrastructure and economy. Highlighting their efforts to strengthen democracy, Zurita noted the committee's efforts to organize a march to promote consensus among all Bolivians. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The trip received extensive press coverage and provided an opportunity to highlight our engagement with prominent social sector organizations. GOLDBERG