NICARAGUA: BOLANOS GOVERNMENT COMMITS TO BEING

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 002505 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN AND IO/UNP E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2016 TAGS: NU PHUM PREL KTIA UN SUBJECT: NICARAGUA: BOLANOS GOVERNMENT COMMITS TO BEING ABSENT FOR VOTES ON CUBAN EMBARGO, UN HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS REF: A. SECSTATE 182099 ¶B. 184156 ¶C. 182267 ¶D. 184178 Classified By: CDA PETER BRENNAN REASONS 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (SBU) DCM Peter Brennan delivered reftel demarches on November 8 to Nicaraguan FM Nelson Caldera regarding the annual Cuban Embargo Resolution and the proposed Australian Human Rights Amendment. Amenable to receiving talking points on these issues, Caldera gave assurances that the Nicaraguan representative at UNGA would be absent during the votes. ¶2. (SBU) Turning to the topic of reftel demarches on country specific human rights resolutions to be voted on during the UNGA third committee, DCM delivered talking points to FM Caldera outlining U.S. interest in garnering Nicaragua's support. Caldera gave assurances that rather than voting in favor of U.S. position on resolutions, the Nicaraguan delegate would be absent during the votes. Caldera further noted that Nicaragua had never severed diplomatic ties with Iran or DPRK. ¶3. (C) Comment: Caldera and his advisor Ariel Granera conveyed to DCM a sense of despair among colleagues in the wake of the FSLN victory, speculated about changes during the transition between the Bolanos and Ortega administrations, and lamented the finger-pointing among the Liberals that would ensue. While conceding that the FSLN had committed "no fraud" nor did "they need it to win," Granera echoed a common complaint that election returns from the "Liberal bastions" of the interior were delayed or "reported last." Regarding Daniel Ortega's decision to allow the constitutional reforms to go through, Caldera explained that since Ortega had already named his people for key regulatory institutions and will have named his ministers and ambassadors by January 20, the reforms will not be a major problem while he is in office, but will be a major hindrance to his successor. END COMMENT BRENNAN