HUNGER STRIKES TURN VIOLENT, PRESSURE MOUNTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LA PAZ 003301 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2016 TAGS: BL ECON PGOV PHUM PREL SUBJECT: HUNGER STRIKES TURN VIOLENT, PRESSURE MOUNTS Classified By: ECOPOL Andrew Erickson for reason 1.4 (d). -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Violence erupted during the afternoon of December 5 when Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) militants confronted a group of hunger strikers in La Paz's historic San Francisco church. Meanwhile, the hunger strike in support of a two-thirds voting mechanism in the Constituent Assembly (CA) is growing nationwide. Digging in their heels in opposition to the GOB, the hunger strikers have attracted opposition-minded prefects and other community leaders, giving them greater credibility and galvanizing broader support. Nonetheless, the strike remains almost entirely a middle-class and elite phenomenon. President Morales has refused to negotiate, electing instead to lash out at the opposition with wild charges and promising to defend his government militarily. As Morales struggles to find his way out of this latest political crisis, he appears disinclined to abandon his favored tactics of confrontation. End summary. -------------- VIOLENCE ERUPTS IN HISTORIC CHURCH -------------- ¶2. (C) In the afternoon of December 5, a group of approximately one hundred Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) sympathizers stormed Bolivia's historic San Francisco Church in central La Paz and dislodged a small group of hunger strikers inside. Facing a crowd armed with dynamite, novelist Juan Claudi Lechin, Santa Cruz Business Federation President Gabriel Dabdoub, and retired General Alvin Anaya escaped from the church unharmed but seriously shaken. Church leaders reported there were no injuries but claimed the MAS intruders vandalized the church, broke windows, and burned the hunger strikers' sleeping bags and medical provisions. Fearing for their safety, the hunger strikers promised December 5 to continue with their peaceful protest in an undisclosed location. Responding to the violence and vandalism of church property, Santa Cruz Bishop Sergio Gualberto declared the church a place of protection and refuge, saying that it had never experienced similar acts of violence, even during the years of Bolivia's dictatorship. Speaking privately to Polcouns, Lechin expressed disappointment that the Church has not responded more aggressively to this incident, but offered the view that the Church has larger interests at stake. He also claimed the Church remains enamored with the prospect of the changes in Bolivian society held out by the Morales regime. ¶3. (C) Polcouns met with Lechin and several hunger strikers December 6, who explained they entered the hunger strike due to their "deep concern and rage" regarding the direction Morales is leading the country. Lechin repeated his December 5 comments that the GOB has adopted a "fascist style, that like Hitler, begins with popular discourse and ends with cruel dictators." Lechin expressed frustration the international human rights community and international press did not give sufficient attention to the disturbing trends in Bolivia today. Polcouns asked about the group's strategy. Lechin suggested the group would continue the hunger strike through the planned December 7 to 10 South American Summit in Cochabamba. He also noted that in his view, a nasty and personal attack advertisement slandering him in the December 6 edition of La Razon newspaper had been directly paid by the GOB. Lechin's father was an historic figure in Bolivia's labor movement; the advertisement accused him of betraying his father's legacy. LA PAZ 00003301 002 OF 003 -------------- SAFEGUARDING PROTESTERS NOT A GOB PRIORITY -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The hunger strike in support of a two-thirds voting mechanism in the Constituent Assembly (CA) is growing nationwide. Instead of cracking down on confrontation, the GOB in the San Francisco church incident actually enabled mob violence to occur against the strikers. Minister of Government Alicia Muoz pulled police protection of the San Francisco church December 5, citing "other security priorities." When pressed, Muoz reportedly stated "the police can not be worn down providing protection for a group of people that initiated what all view as a political strike." Following the mob attack on the church, the GOB finally bowed to public pressure by the Permanent Assembly of Human Rights, and Muoz reversed her decision and restored police protection to the church. The police are now guarding an empty church. -------------- -- HUNGER STRIKE GROWING, GAINING VIP PARTICIPANTS -------------- -- ¶5. (SBU) Digging in their heels in opposition to the GOB, the hunger strikers have attracted opposition-minded prefects and other community leaders, giving them greater credibility and galvanizing broader support. Nonetheless, the strike remains an elite phenomenon. Pando Prefect Leopoldo Fernandez, Tarija Prefect Mario Cossio, and the presidents of the Civic Committees in Beni and Santa Cruz joined the hunger strike December 5. These latest additions bring the total number of political leaders involved in the hunger strikes to fifty-six PODEMOS members of congress, two prefects, and numerous civic and neighborhood leaders. Reportedly, there are more than one thousand hunger strikers across Bolivia. -------------- - MORALES ATTACKS, PROMISES TO DEFEND GOVERNMENT -------------- - ¶6. (SBU) Despite growing pressure, President Morales has refused to negotiate, electing instead to lash out at the opposition with wild charges and promising to defend his government militarily. Using the December 5 anniversary of Viacha, a city in the Altiplano, to respond to opposition demands, Morales stated the absolute majority voting mechanism in the CA is non-negotiable. Accusing the hunger strikers of corruption, human rights violations, and narco-trafficking connections, Morales attempted to discredit the efforts of the opposition and promised the government will defend itself against these attacks. Army Commander Freddy Bersatti endorsed Morales' comments and claimed the military stands ready to preserve the country's national unity against the strikes. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) The small-scale violence on December 5 is representative of Bolivia's growing political tensions and intolerance. In the past twenty-four hours, Morales has continued to stir the political pot. Vice President Garcia Linera, on the other hand, has posed as the voice of reason, offering GOB respect for autonomy. although largely ignoring the striker's principal demand, respect for the enabling legislation requiring two-thirds approval of the new constitution. The upcoming South American Summit (December 7 to 10 in Cochabamba),and the international attention Bolivia will receive as a result may pressure the GOB to move toward consensus. Given the government's proven hostility to LA PAZ 00003301 003 OF 003 dialogue and compromise, however, the growing pressure of the hunger strikes is likely to prove an embarrassment for a GOB hungry for Latin American political credibility. End Comment. URS