Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MANAGUA932
2006-04-28 22:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Managua
Cable title:  

APRE LEADER INCHES CLOSER TO MONTEALEGRE

Tags:  PGOV PINR PREL KDEM NU 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMU #0932 1182222
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 282222Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6114
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0637
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 000932 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KDEM NU
SUBJECT: APRE LEADER INCHES CLOSER TO MONTEALEGRE

REF: MANAGUA 0709

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 000932

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KDEM NU
SUBJECT: APRE LEADER INCHES CLOSER TO MONTEALEGRE

REF: MANAGUA 0709

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


1. (C) Alliance for the Republic (APRE) President/National
Assembly Deputy Miguel Lopez Baldizon met with Ambassador on
April 26 to discuss the feasibility of multi-party primaries.
He opined there is no longer sufficient time to arrange such
primaries. Further, given Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC)
presidential candidate Jose Rizo's refusal to compete, Lopez
believes their utility would be limited.


2. (C) Lopez Baldizon announced that APRE will hold internal
primaries on April 30. APRE's 52,000 members will vote in
180 voting sites throughout Nicaragua for candidates for
president, vice president, and national and departmental
Assembly lawmakers, and PARLACEN deputies. Although APRE has
not obtained funding for the event, a number of members are
contributing in kind to cover costs.


3. (C) He also shared that APRE is now inclined to ally with
ALN candidate Eduardo Montealegre, rather than with the PLC,
noting that he has reopened communication with Montealegre
and will meet with him on April 27. According to Lopez
Baldizon, he had tried before to approach Montealegre, but
the "door was not open," while the PLC has been willing to
meet. What convinced him the PLC is no longer an option is
the fact that Aleman chose Rizo. In his view, Rizo is
untrustworthy, a weak leader who will be unable to counter
Aleman or to lead the party away from him.


4. (C) To Ambassador's query regarding the relationship
between APRE's and APRE presidential-hopeful Jose Antonio
Alvarado's separate discussions with Eduardo Montealegre, a
visibly annoyed Lopez Baldizon replied that Alvarado is
negotiating "on his own" and does not represent APRE.
Further, Lopez Baldizon is concerned that Alvarado will try
to strike a deal with Montealegre which would entail
Alvarado's choice for deputies, not APRE's. He asserted that
only deputy candidates participating in the April 30
primaries will be eligible to represent APRE.


5. (C) Comment: The political horse-trading and game of
brinkmanship among Montealegre, Alvarado, and Lopez Baldizon
is likely to continue until the clock runs out in May. As
planned, Lopez Baldizon and Montealegre met on April 27.
According to Lopez Baldizon, Montealegre is cognizant that
he, not Alvarado, represents APRE. The three of them are
scheduled to meet on May 2, hopefully to finalize an
alliance. Alvarado is expected to win APRE's presidential
candidacy on April 30. An APRE/Alvarado alliance with
Montealegre should boost Montealegre and likely create a bump
in his favor in the polls.
TRIVELLI