LAVALAS FEELS LEFT OUT BY PREVAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000832 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR S/CRS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL HA SUBJECT: LAVALAS FEELS LEFT OUT BY PREVAL Classified By: Janet A. Sanderson for Reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C) Summary: Newly-elected Lavalas parliamentarians Rudy Heriveaux, Coffy Jonas, and Sorel Francois complain that Preval has excluded Lavalas in his outreach to other political parties and the development of his 25-year plan. Lavalas is, nevertheless, still ready to work with Preval on mutual goals. They recognize the negative impact Aristide's return would have for the country, and will advocate on his behalf. These three were among a larger group of Lavalas members who broke ranks with more militant Lavalas members in the summer of 2005 committing to participation in the electoral process and ever since have made a point of communicating their unwavering commitment to democratic principles to the Embassy. End Summary. -------------- Lavalas Deserves a Role -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Lavalas senator-elect Rudy Heriveaux, and deputies-elect Coffy Jonas and Sorel Francois, all from the West Department (Port-au-Prince),on April 27 met with poloff to discuss their views on Preval's, Parliament's, and Aristide's upcoming agenda. Heriveaux stated that Lavalas wanted to promote a democratic Haiti alongside Preval, but admitted that Preval has shown no sign that he is willing to work with Lavalas, despite the obvious Lavalas and L'Espwa connection. According to Heriveaux, Lavalas and Lespwa are the same, characterzing L'Espwa as "simply the branch of the Lavalas root." Without Lavalas support, Lespwa could not succeed politically. Preval was obligated to approach Parliamentarians from the Lavalas party because they were insiders and not fringe members of the population. ¶3. (SBU) Jonas and Francois stated that it was up to Preval to create a coalition government. Even if Preval did not reach out to Lavalas members, they would still forge a working relationship with the new administration. All three declared that as elected representatives, they would engage with the other members of parliament in order to advance the interests of their constituents. Lavalas had three priorities; job creation, protection of the environment, and national dialogue. Francois added that education and the investment in Haitian youth was also very important and decentralization should be at the top of the agenda for Parliament. ¶4. (SBU) These priorities were consistent with Preval,s, and for this reason they will try to reach out to him. If Preval's programs did not meet their consitutents' needs, however, they would oppose him, though only through democratic means. Jonas underscored that Preval was elected by the people, as were Lavalas members, and both sides must transform the country peacefully. Because so many political parties gained representation in the Parliament, this was an opportunity for broad-based cooperation. ¶5. (SBU) When asked for their views on Preval,s 25-year plan, they are quick to point out that they are not familiar with the plan because Preval had not yet sought input from Lavalas. Heriveaux took the opportunity to stress yet again that if not for Lavalas, Preval would not have won. &Lavalas permitted Preval to have a second mandate. We worked to put these people where they are and now we are considered outsiders. Without Lavalas, the elections would have lacked validity.8 -------------- Aristide -------------- ¶6. (C) Without prompting, the three raised the issue of Aristide. They said that his return would not be beneficial, despite internal Lavalas pressures to bring him back. They affirmed that there were members of the Haitian diaspora who were actively planning an Aristide return. However, in their opinion, which they presented as Lavalas' internal position, &there are pros and cons (to his return) but his presence would lead to destabilization.8 PORT AU PR 00000832 002 OF 002 ¶7. (C) Comment. While the former Lavalas base rallied to vote for Preval, the president elect has indeed kept his distance from Lavalas elected officials. Heriveaux and company feel they deserve better. Though none of them were model democrats in the past, their relatively small group showed personal courage in breaking with militant Aristide supporters in committing to the the electoral process. Though circumspect in talking about him, they surely assume that they are out of Aristide's favor and that their political futures depend on his absence. If Preval will not have them, who will? End Comment. SANDERSON