Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LAPAZ3229
2006-11-29 20:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:  

WHA PDAS SHAPIRO MEETS VICE PRESIDENT GARCIA LINERA

Tags:  ECON MOPS PGOV PHUM PREL USAID BL 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LA PAZ 003229 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

WHA/FO FOR A/S SHANNON, WHA/AND

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2016
TAGS: ECON MOPS PGOV PHUM PREL USAID BL
SUBJECT: WHA PDAS SHAPIRO MEETS VICE PRESIDENT GARCIA LINERA

Classified By: Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg for reason 1.4 (d).

--------
Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LA PAZ 003229

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

WHA/FO FOR A/S SHANNON, WHA/AND

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2016
TAGS: ECON MOPS PGOV PHUM PREL USAID BL
SUBJECT: WHA PDAS SHAPIRO MEETS VICE PRESIDENT GARCIA LINERA

Classified By: Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg for reason 1.4 (d).

--------------
Summary
--------------


1. (C) On November 29th WHA PDAS Charles Shapiro, the
Ambassador and WHA Special Advisor Tamburri met with Vice
President Garcia Linera to review recent developments in
Bolivia and the bilateral agenda. (President Morales was
traveling abroad.) Shapiro reiterated U.S. support for
democracy and the rule of law in Bolivia, and heard Garcia
Linera's views on recent developments, including the vice
president's account of the previous night's late senate
session (septel) which approved a controversial land reform
bill, a military pact with Venezuela, the renegotiated
hydrocarbons contracts, and other pending bills. Shapiro
and the Ambassador asked Garcia Linera about GOB intentions
regarding the constituent assembly; the vice president
replied with generalities. Shapiro reiterated U.S.
opposition to GOB trial balloons about expanding licit coca
production above current ceilings, while Garcia Linera
argued that Bolivian coca production is such a small part
of the "continent-wide" coca problem as to be of negligible
importance to the United States. Finally, the vice
president expressed gratitude for U.S. assistance and asked
Shapiro and the Ambassador for an update on ATPDEA, with
the U.S. side noting Administration support for ATPDEA, and
the reality of congressional control of next steps. The
vice president said that the GOB was sending a team of
entrepreneurs and government officials to Washington next
week to lobby Congress for passage. Finally, the vice
president expressed an interest in pursuing military
cooperation with the United States, and said he would
happily defend U.S. military exercises in Bolivia before
the Bolivian congress, if required. End summary.

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The Senate and the Constituent Assembly

--------------


2. (C) On November 29th WHA/PDAS Charles Shapiro,
accompanied by the Ambassador and WHA Special Advisor
Tamburri, met with Vice President Garcia Linera.
(President Morales was traveling abroad.) Also present
were Ecopol Counselor Andrew Erickson (notetaker) and
Morales' trade advisor Pablo Solon. Shapiro reiterated
U.S. support for democracy and democratic practices in
Bolivia, and heard Garcia Linera's account of recent
developments, including the previous night's late senate
session (septel) which approved the controversial land
reform bill, a military pact with Venezuela, the
renegotiated hydrocarbons contracts, and other pending
legislation, stalled until yesterday by an opposition
boycott.


3. (C) Garcia Linera defended the late night maneuvers
that allowed passage of the land reform bill (septel). He
argued that the opposition's decision to boycott further
consideration of a hard-fought bill negotiated over four
months amounted to a "congressional coup" on the part of
an intransigent minority using parliamentary trickery
(denying the senate a quorum). (Note: While the
circumstances of the GOB's tools for breaking the
opposition walk-out are unclear as of this writing, the
government persuaded one sitting senator and two alternates
from the opposition to switch sides late last evening.
There has been considerable speculation about the
inducements the GOB offered, and incendiary accusations of
bribery. End note.) Shapiro carefully responded to the
vice president that the broad U.S. concern is the

LA PAZ 00003229 002 OF 003


polarization of politics threatening to weaken government
legitimacy and democratic processes. The Ambassador added
that this polarization was evident in increasingly
incendiary rhetoric; this damaged democratic discourse and
weakened institutions. Shapiro noted that the GOB should
take care not to damage democratic institutions as it
sought to dismantle long-held privileges, a particularly
dangerous approach was the GOB's willingness to call
demonstrators into the streets in support of its policies.


4. (C) Shapiro and the Ambassador asked Garcia Linera
about GOB intentions regarding the constituent assembly;
the vice president replied with little specificity,
reiterating the government's position that the final draft
constitution will need to be approved by a two-thirds
majority, while maintaining the government's position that
the bill's more controversial provisions (the very issues
that the opposition is most concerned about) would
ultimately be decided by a simple majority in referendum
should they fail to pass by the legally required
two-thirds majority. (Note: a decision by the government
to simply disregard the requirement in the constituent
assembly's enabling legislation for two thirds approval of
the constitution would in essence allow the government to
push through whatever new constitution it chooses, as it is
virtually certain to win a simple majority in a national
referendum. End note.)

--------------
More Coca Means More Cocaine
--------------


5. (C) Shapiro reiterated U.S. opposition to GOB trial
balloons about expanding licit coca production above
current ceilings, while Garcia Linera argued that Bolivian
coca production is such a small part of the
"continent-wide" coca problem as to be of negligible
importance. Garcia Linera argued that never in Bolivian
history had Bolivian coca production fallen below 20,000
hectares, and rather than pursuing a quixotic quest to
attain the unattainable, the GOB was considering
recognizing this reality by increasing its legally allowed
"floor" of legal coca agriculture from 12,000 to 20,000
hectares. Rejecting this view, Shapiro noted that once
Bolivia's very limited licit coca market of tea and chewing
coca is satisfied, every increase in coca results in more
cocaine, in the final analysis. Both Shapiro and the vice
president noted that there would be more discussion of coca
challenge in Santa Cruz when the CICAD conference opened on
November 30th.

--------------
Trade and Aid
--------------


6. (C) Finally, the vice president noted that he has been
reading the USAID information the Ambassador recently
supplied him and was very impressed. The vice president
expressed gratitude for U.S. assistance and probed Shapiro
and the Ambassador on ATPDEA, with the Shapiro and the
Ambassador noting Administration support for ATPDEA, and
congressional control of the process of passage. The vice
president said that the GOB was sending a team of
entrepreneurs and government officials to Washington next
week to lobby for passage. Garcia Linera then noted his
pleasure that GOB CHOD Vargas is visiting SOUTHCOM this
week, and said that his government is open and interested
in pursuing military cooperation with the United States.
The vice president said that if required, he would happily
go before the Bolivian congress to defend U.S. military
exercises in Bolivia.

LA PAZ 00003229 003 OF 003



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Comment
--------------


7. (C) The tone of the meeting was cordial, despite
Shapiro and the Ambassador's repeated inquiries about the
government,s commitment to democracy. The vice president
was economical with the facts on the current GOB approach
to the constituent assembly, which has been confrontational
and uncompromising. Shapiro laid down a clear marker on
U.S. interest in respect for democratic norms, although
only time will tell if the vice president was in a
listening mode on this point. Based upon the most recent
actions of his government, both in the senate (septel) and
in the constituent assembly, there is reason for
skepticism. On aid and trade, the vice president has
clearly begun to open his eyes on the great value of USAID
to Bolivia, and is clearly extremely interested in the
future of ATPDEA.

PDAS Shapiro cleared this message.
GOLDBERG