DANNY,S DOUBLE WHAMMY: ALN NUMBER THREE ASSEMBLY CANDIDATE AND RIZO,S SISTER JUMP SHIP FOR THE FSLN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 002059

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR KDEM NU
SUBJECT: DANNY,S DOUBLE WHAMMY: ALN NUMBER THREE ASSEMBLY CANDIDATE AND RIZO,S SISTER JUMP SHIP FOR THE FSLN

Classified By: Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli. Reasons 1.4 (B,D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: As part of Sandinista Front (FSLN) candidate
Daniel Ortega's concerted efforts to discredit the political
prowess of his competitors, Ortega successfully recruited
Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance (ALN) National Assembly candidate
Salvador Talavera and Maria Elena Rizo, the sister of Liberal
Constitutional Party (PLC) candidate Jose Rizo. Both
"converts" were featured during one of Ortega's TV marathons.
Talavera -- who is also the President of the Nicaraguan
Resistance Party (PRN) -- and Ortega signed their accord on
the cloth of a Nicaraguan flag, an act that drew harsh
criticism. Talavera's betrayal reflects his lack of scruples
on the one hand, but Montealegre's poor judgment in selecting
him and the ALN's unfocused leadership on the other. Other
ALN and Resistance members had warned Montealegre that
placing Talavera so high on the ALN's deputy list was unwise;
his campaign manager's refusal to give Talavera the time of
day compounded the problem. Talavera's departure has shocked
Montealegre and may be the wake up call he needed.
Montealegre told DCM on September 17 that he will convene an
emergency session on September 18 to address the problem and
rally his supporters. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) As part of FSLN candidate Daniel Ortega's concerted
efforts to discredit the political prowess of his
competitors, Ortega successfully recruited ALN National
Assembly candidate Salvador Talavera (ranks third on the
ALN's list of national candidates) and Maria Elena Rizo, the
sister of PLC candidate Jose Rizo. Both "converts" were
featured during one of Ortega's TV marathons, which he calls
his "debates with the Nicaraguan people." Talavera
-- who is also the president of the Nicaraguan Resistance
Party (PRN) -- and Ortega signed their accord on the cloth of
a Nicaraguan flag, an act that drew harsh criticism from a
number of quarters, including claims that the defacement of
the flag violates Nicaraguan laws. (NOTE: According to
Article 25 of Nicaragua's Electoral Law, marking or stamping
anything on the flag is prohibited, but given the FSLN's
control of the CSE and the courts, no action against Ortega
is likely to be effective.)


3. (C) Accompanying Talavera were several members of the
PRN's leadership -- Julio Cesar Blandon, Roberto Ferrey, Jose
Benito Bravo ("Comandante Mack"),Jorge Luis Gutierrez and
seven PRN department presidents (NOTE: Responding to the
concerns of two Resistance leaders (Oscar Sobalvarro and Luis
Angel Fley, who support Eduardo Montealegre) regarding
Montealegre's decision to include Jose Benito Bravo Centeno
("Comandante Mack") on his list of Parlacen candidates,
Embassy addressed the matter with Montealegre and his chief
of staff Edmundo Leal in early June (Bravo Centeno ranked
third on the ALN's Parlacen list). After we provided
information that Bravo Centeno was involved in murder,
torture and other human rights abuses during the 1980s and
was associated at one point with the FSLN, Montealegre
removed Bravo Centeno from the slate, replacing him with
Talavera's brother Jose Angel. END NOTE).


4. (C) The ALN issued a press release on September 16
condemning Talavera's treachery and calling for him to
renounce his position on the ALN Assembly slate. A number of
PRN members supporting Montealegre also denounced Talavera,
including Oscar Sobalvarro (Comandante Ruben) and Luis Angel
Fley (Comandante Johnson). Despite the ALN's calls for his
resignation -- including by his brother/ALN candidate for
PARLACEN Jose Angel -- Talavera insists that he will remain
on the slate. CSE magistrate Emmet Lang informed the press
on September 17 that it is too late to make changes in
Assembly deputy slates, while on September 18, ALN campaign
manager Adolfo Arguello argued on Channel 2 that a precedent
exists to substitute names, citing the case of an FSLN
candidate who resigned ten days before the November 2001
election and was replaced by another candidate.


5. (C) NOTE: The electoral law allows for the resignation or
substitution of presidential and vice presidential candidates
in cases of force majeure, but does not mention the
resignation of legislative candidates. Further, now that the
ballots are at the printers, changing the ballot is out of
the question -- unless, of course, the FSLN decides it would
suit their interests. END NOTE.


6. (C) According to ALN contacts, Talavera, who ranks third on the ALN's national list of Assembly candidates, was disgruntled with the ALN's "lack of attention", and he also faces serious financial problems. Montealegre's personal secretary Edmundo Leal told polcouns on September 16 that Talavera had requested to meet with ALN campaign manager Adolfo Arguello on numerous occasions, but was rebuffed. Ortega probably is paying Talavera well for his loyalty and stroking his ego, assessed ALN Assembly candidate Maria Eugenia Sequeira.


7. (C) COMMENT: In addition to his financial woes,
Talavera's former wife has filed a claim against him for
alleged domestic abuse (he recently remarried). Possibly,
the FSLN is holding the outcome of this case over Talavera's
head. Talavera's betrayal reflects his lack of scruples on
the one hand, but Montealegre's poor judgment in selecting
him and the ALN's unfocused leadership on the other. ALN
supporters, including a number of other PRN members, had
warned Montealegre that placing Talavera so high on the ALN's
deputy list was unwise. The campaign manager's refusal to
give Talavera (whose ego knows no bounds) the time of day,
compounded the problem. Talavera's departure has shocked
Montealegre and may be the wake up call he needed.
Montealegre told DCM on September 17 that he will convene an
emergency session on September 18 to address the problem and
rally his supporters. END COMMENT.
TRIVELLI