Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06QUITO2550
2006-10-18 22:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Quito
Cable title:
PALACIO SUFFERS SETBACKS, DROPS OUT OF WHO RACE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0004 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHQT #2550 2912234 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 182234Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY QUITO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5497 INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 6091 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 2101 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ OCT 0159 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 1066 RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 1309 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0091 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 002550
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PLEASE PASS ALSO TO USOAS AND USAID/LAC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2016
TAGS: KDEM PGOV EC PREL
SUBJECT: PALACIO SUFFERS SETBACKS, DROPS OUT OF WHO RACE
REF: A. QUITO 2549
B. QUITO 2544
C. QUITO 2002
Classified By: PolOff Erik Martini for reasons 1.4 (B&D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 002550
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PLEASE PASS ALSO TO USOAS AND USAID/LAC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2016
TAGS: KDEM PGOV EC PREL
SUBJECT: PALACIO SUFFERS SETBACKS, DROPS OUT OF WHO RACE
REF: A. QUITO 2549
B. QUITO 2544
C. QUITO 2002
Classified By: POLOFF Erik Martini for reasons 1.4 (B&D)
1. (C) Summary: President Alfredo Palacio announced he would
abandon his controversial campaign for the WHO Director
Generalship on October 18. At the same time, Palacio's fifth
Minister of Economy resigned and a major political party
conditioned its support for president in the second round on
Palacio's political trial. With Palacio's low approval
rating, he faces a difficult final three months in office
that couldn't get much worse.
Rough Day for Palacio
--------------
2. (SBU) In a press conference on October 18, GOE Foreign
Minister Francisco Carrion announced that President Alfredo
Palacio would withdraw from the race to become the next
Director General of the World Health Organization. The press
conference had been postponed half an hour as most of the
press corps was listening to President Palacio's fifth
Minister of Economy, Armando Rodas, announce he was quitting
after only three months on the job (Ref A). In other news,
the Patriotic Society Party (PSP) specifically declared that
it would throw its surprisingly substantial electoral support
to any candidate that promised to bring President Palacio to
trial for his role in toppling the Gutierrez administration
in April, 2005.
3. (U) Palacio had come under increasing pressure for his
open campaigning for the WHO Directorship. Through his
foreign minister, Palacio claimed 18 of the 34 members of the
WHO Executive Council had promised to vote for his candidacy
and another six expressed their support. Palacio said he
decided to drop out "in a demonstration of responsibility to
Ecuadorians and his country." Carrion thanked, on Palacio's
behalf, Presidents Lula da Silva of Brasil and Evo Morales of
Bolivia for their support. According to an informal Cedatos
survey, the public disapproved by a margin of 75% to 25% of
using government resources, including heavy diplomatic
campaigning, to further Palacio's personal career. On top of
this, Palacio's overall approval rating has been fluctuating
and generally very low all year.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) Although Palacio is at this point the lamest of lame
ducks, his presidency still has three months left. The PSP's
success (Ref B) at the polls gives them a potent bargaining
chip to move the next government to go after Palacio in a
political trial. Palacio,s dropping out of the WHO Director
General race is a blessing for the WHO (Ref C),but leaves
this failed caretaker president with little to do for the
next three months except grow increasingly paranoid and,
probably, focus on lining his pockets while he still has the
chance.
JEWELL
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
PLEASE PASS ALSO TO USOAS AND USAID/LAC
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2016
TAGS: KDEM PGOV EC PREL
SUBJECT: PALACIO SUFFERS SETBACKS, DROPS OUT OF WHO RACE
REF: A. QUITO 2549
B. QUITO 2544
C. QUITO 2002
Classified By: POLOFF Erik Martini for reasons 1.4 (B&D)
1. (C) Summary: President Alfredo Palacio announced he would
abandon his controversial campaign for the WHO Director
Generalship on October 18. At the same time, Palacio's fifth
Minister of Economy resigned and a major political party
conditioned its support for president in the second round on
Palacio's political trial. With Palacio's low approval
rating, he faces a difficult final three months in office
that couldn't get much worse.
Rough Day for Palacio
--------------
2. (SBU) In a press conference on October 18, GOE Foreign
Minister Francisco Carrion announced that President Alfredo
Palacio would withdraw from the race to become the next
Director General of the World Health Organization. The press
conference had been postponed half an hour as most of the
press corps was listening to President Palacio's fifth
Minister of Economy, Armando Rodas, announce he was quitting
after only three months on the job (Ref A). In other news,
the Patriotic Society Party (PSP) specifically declared that
it would throw its surprisingly substantial electoral support
to any candidate that promised to bring President Palacio to
trial for his role in toppling the Gutierrez administration
in April, 2005.
3. (U) Palacio had come under increasing pressure for his
open campaigning for the WHO Directorship. Through his
foreign minister, Palacio claimed 18 of the 34 members of the
WHO Executive Council had promised to vote for his candidacy
and another six expressed their support. Palacio said he
decided to drop out "in a demonstration of responsibility to
Ecuadorians and his country." Carrion thanked, on Palacio's
behalf, Presidents Lula da Silva of Brasil and Evo Morales of
Bolivia for their support. According to an informal Cedatos
survey, the public disapproved by a margin of 75% to 25% of
using government resources, including heavy diplomatic
campaigning, to further Palacio's personal career. On top of
this, Palacio's overall approval rating has been fluctuating
and generally very low all year.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) Although Palacio is at this point the lamest of lame
ducks, his presidency still has three months left. The PSP's
success (Ref B) at the polls gives them a potent bargaining
chip to move the next government to go after Palacio in a
political trial. Palacio,s dropping out of the WHO Director
General race is a blessing for the WHO (Ref C),but leaves
this failed caretaker president with little to do for the
next three months except grow increasingly paranoid and,
probably, focus on lining his pockets while he still has the
chance.
JEWELL