PLC EAGER FOR GOOD RELATIONS WITH USG, BUT NOT

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 000854

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM NU
SUBJECT: PLC EAGER FOR GOOD RELATIONS WITH USG, BUT NOT
WILLING TO SUBMIT CANDIDATE TO PRIMARIES

REF: A. MANAGUA 0738

B. MANAGUA 0709

C. MANAGUA 0807 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Ambassador Paul Trivelli for reasons 1.4 (b and d)


1. (C) Summary: Senior representatives of Nicaragua's Liberal
Constitutional Party (PLC) have informed Ambassador that the
party is willing to "negotiate and make sacrifices" to
achieve Liberal unity and defeat the Sandinista Front (FSLN),
but are adamant that Jose Rizo is the chosen presidential
candidate of the PLC, and the party will not submit this
position to multi-party primaries. The representatives told
Ambassador on April 17 that the PLC may allow the vice
presidential and deputy candidates to be chosen via
primaries. The group, which included emissaries from parties
allied with the PLC as well as Maria Fernanda Flores, PLC
leader Arnoldo Aleman's wife and "personal representative,"
varied the professed strength of their support for their
convicted leader, but all indicated that saving Nicaragua
from Sandinismo is more important than sidelining Aleman.
The Ambassador reiterated that we cannot maintain friendly
relations with a party controlled by a convicted felon; if
the PLC desires good relations with us, it needs to separate
from Aleman, reform its leadership structure, and hold
multi-party primaries. The Ambassador declined the PLC,s
suggestion that, rather than supporting multi-party
primaries, the Embassy help broker negotiations among these
parties (a deal which could well seal Rizo,s candidacy, with
the possibility of Eduardo Montealegre as his running mate).
End Summary.


2. (C) Ambassador and Emboffs met with PLC representatives on
April 17 at PLC president Jorge Castillo Quant's invitation
to discuss the Ambassador's multi-party primary proposal (ref
B). The PLC spun the meeting in the press in advance as a
make up session between the party and the USG. Indeed, the
true theme of the meeting was how to achieve "Liberal unity"
in general, as the PLC officers made clear from the beginning
that they would not submit their presidential candidate to
multi-party primaries. The tone of the meeting was generally
cordial, though the inevitable topic of Arnoldo Aleman's role
in the party caused visible tension. PLC attendees included
Jorge Castillo Quant, PLC president; Jose Rizo, PLC
presidential candidate; Wilfredo Navarro, PLC first vice
president; Noel Ramirez, PLC secretary; Leonel Teller, PLC
spokesman; Rene Herrera, PLC magistrate on the Supreme
Electoral Council (CSE); Oscar Moncada, PLC National Assembly
deputy; Maria Fernanda Flores de Aleman; and representatives
from PLC-allied parties.

RIZO IS OUR CANDIDATE
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3. (C) The PLC representatives were adamant that the party
has selected Jose Rizo as its presidential candidate via
internal "primaries" and that this position is no longer open
for negotiation with potential allies. Wilfredo Navarro
commented that consensus would be very difficult to achieve
on the proposed supervisory committee between political
entities with such an "imbalance" of power, the PLC towering
over all other parties. Noel Ramirez allowed, however, that
the party may be willing to open the vice presidential and
departmental deputy positions to primaries. (Comment: The
proposal to allow the deputy positions to be determined by
primaries instead of the personal selection of Aleman and his
circle of lackeys is new. End Comment.) Ultimately,
Castillo Quant agreed to formally respond to the Ambassador's
letter with a counter-proposal detailing the positions the
PLC is willing to compete.

AMBASSADOR: WE CANNOT SUPPORT A PARTY CONTROLLED BY ALEMAN
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4. (C) Eventually the discussion led to Aleman's role in the
PLC, and the Ambassador repeated that, while we respect
Liberal ideology and the PLC as an institution, we cannot
maintain friendly relations with a party controlled by a
convicted felon. Thus, if the PLC seeks positive relations
with us, it needs to separate from Aleman, reform its
leadership structure, and hold multi-party primaries. The
Ambassador also declined Ramirez, suggestion that, rather
than supporting multi-party primaries, the Embassy help
broker negotiations among these parties -- a deal which could
well seal Rizo,s candidacy, with the possibility of Eduardo
Montealegre as his running mate.



5. (C) After a tense moment of silence, Maria Fernanda --
bedecked with flashy gold jewelry that shone against the
backdrop of a deep tan cultivated during her Holy Week
vacation at the beach -- declared that her husband is
suffering from a "political persecution" and claimed that his
sentence has not been "confirmed." She insisted that Aleman
will not run for any government office and pleaded, "let us
breathe." Maria Fernanda commented that the PLC had
demonstrated its political dominance in the March 5 Atlantic
Coast elections, despite the fact that Aleman is "imprisoned"
and disparaged by the USG. Ambassador countered that the PLC
had witnessed a decline in voter support from the previous
Atlantic Coast elections and suffered a complete failure in
the 2004 municipal elections.


6. (C) Other PLC representatives defended Aleman as a symbol
of the party, although only Maria Fernanda refuted his
conviction. Teller mentioned "mistakes" during Aleman's
tenure, but opined that the Liberals did not have the luxury
of maintaining division in the ranks, no matter their
personal feelings regarding Aleman. Likewise, the
representatives of the minor Liberal parties claimed that
Aleman is willing to &compromise for the sake of unity8 and
that the Liberals must focus on the primary goal of defeating
the FSLN. Notably, Jose Rizo did not join the Aleman debate,
only repeating his desire for "good relations" with the USG
and the need to join forces to confront the FSLN.

HERRERA CONCERNED ABOUT MONTEALEGRE'S CHALLENGE
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7. (C) Rene Herrera complained about the USG's alleged
preference for Liberal challenger Eduardo Montealegre. He
claimed that Montealegre's image as the "gringo candidate"
will hurt him in the polls and could damage the PLC if
Montealegre eventually joins with the party as its vice
presidential candidate. Herrera admitted that PLC deputy-
hopefuls will likely defect to Montealegre's camp if they are
not selected by the PLC, and that this division will further
weaken the party. He also lambasted the National Assembly
deputies that support Montealegre for not backing an
"authentic interpretation" of the Electoral Law (ref C),
claiming that Montealegre is caving in to a Sandinista
takeover of the CSE in exchange for the CSE's approval of his
alliance's name change. (Comment: Herrera's rant likely
reveals a visible concern over Montealegre's strength. End
Comment.)

USG POSITION ON ALEMAN HAS NOT CHANGED
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8. (U) After the meeting concluded, the Ambassador provided a
statement to a gaggle of reporters, indicating that we had
been invited by the PLC to discuss the primary proposal. He
repeated that the USG has no quarrel with Liberalism as an
ideology, clearly underscoring that the USG,s position on
Arnoldo Aleman is clear and unchanged.

COMMENT: WORRIED, BUT STILL NOT WILLING TO LET GO OF ALEMAN
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9. (C) The meeting was part of Embassy,s strategy to exhaust
all possible efforts to arrange multi-party primaries, which
could have led to Liberal unity without Arnoldo Aleman,s
control and likely a candidate not as malleable as Rizo. Not
surprisingly, the PLC leadership declined to participate in
the primaries. In the PLC,s efforts to balance allegiance
to Aleman with the necessity to cultivate friendly relations
with the USG and achieve Liberal unity before the elections,
it was evident that Aleman,s influence prevails. Maria
Fernanda's presence was a clear sign that Aleman is still
pulling the PLC's strings, even though PLC members have
admitted privately that they feel the PLC cannot win the
elections without USG support and if they have to compete
against Montealegre. To counter the PLC,s and media,s
twisting of the outcome of this meeting, the Ambassador will
visit ALN-PC headquarters and meet with Eduardo Montealegre
and his party leadership. The event will allow the
Ambassador to note that the ALN-PC is the only party that
welcomes multi-party primaries, and to reiterate our position
that a PLC under Aleman,s control is a non-starter.

TRIVELLI
TRIVELLI