DOMINICAN ELECTIONS #7: OPPOSITION SAYS IT WILL

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001225 SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - SENSITIVE CAPTION ADDED SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR-SEARBY, INR/IAA; STATE PASS USTR; NSC FOR FISK AND FEARS; USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD; DHS FOR CIS-CARLOS ITURREGUI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ETRD DR PTER SUBJECT: DOMINICAN ELECTIONS #7: OPPOSITION SAYS IT WILL WIN ELECTIONS, THEN ADDRESS REFORMS ¶1. (SBU) This is the 7th cable in a series reporting on the May 16 congressional and municipal elections in the Dominican Republic: Opposition Says It Will Win Elections, Then Address Reforms (SBU) At a political party breakfast with the Ambassador and Embassy colleagues April 6, leaders of the PRD-PRSC Great National Alliance ("Gran Alianza Nacional") predicted that their parties and allies would win a majority of both congressional houses and of city halls in the May 16 legislative and municipal elections. They defended the decision of the Central Election Board (JCE) to accept the alliance's tardy registration of candidates and the inclusion of convicted lawbreakers among them, and dismissed the possibility of election fraud. They spoke of a program of national reforms to be undertaken by alliance legislators after the new congress takes office. They accused the Fernandez administration of "use and abuse" of public resources for campaign purposes and of playing politics with DR-CAFTA implementation. But they offered to help implement the treaty and ratify counterterrorism agreements. (U) The guests included PRD President Senator Ramon Alburquerque, PRSC president Federico "Quique" Antun Batlle, PRD secretary general Orlando Jorge Mera, PRSC secretary general Victor Gomez Casanova, PRSC National District senatorial candidate Johnny Jones, and PRSC candidate for reelection as National District congressman Victor "Ito" Bisono. United We'll Win (SBU) Orlando Jorge stressed the unprecedented nature of the alliance between two historic adversaries, the PRD and the PRSC. He said the coalition will enable them to win majorities in both houses of congress - including 27-28 of 32 senators -- and of the municipal governments (roughly replicating the present balance of power at both levels). The success in negotiating the alliance in most localities indicates "maturity of leadership" in the parties, Jorge believes. He stressed that the alliance would "not serve exclusively for the elections"; it hopes to use its renewed legislative muscle to promote a "national project" of institutional reforms, improvement in the business investment climate, strengthening of the justice system, and economic reforms. (SBU) "Just because our parties haven't tackled a program like this in the past doesn't mean we're not qualified to do it now." Post-elections, the alliance even hopes to enlist support of the ruling PLD for the "proyecto de nacion." Crooked Candidates (SBU) The Ambassador raised a concern, also expressed by local journalists, that persons accused or convicted of crimes are running for office and that narcotrafficking proceeds or other illegal financing may improperly influence the election. He specifically cited congressman Radhames Ramos Garcia (PRD),who last year served prison time for alien smuggling, and former Migration Director Miguel Vasquez (PRD),who in late March was sentenced to two years' incarceration for confiscating funds from illegal migrants (the sentence is on appeal). Both are running for congress. Gomez Casanova noted, "Both are the most popular candidates in their localities." Embassy officer replied, "Yes. I understand Ramos Garcia has shared money from his illicit activities with many voters in his district (La Vega). "No wonder he's well liked." (SBU) Alburquerque explained that Ramos Garcia was not barred by law from running. His conviction had been "correctional, not criminal," a distinction drawn in the Dominican Republic's constitution. "Criminal convicts lose their civil and political rights; correctional convicts don't. We must comply with the law." Jorge Mera put up the same defense. Replied the DCM: "He may have a right to run, but the PRD has no obligation to put him on the ticket." (The PRD blocked many other locally popular aspirants so as to back Reformista candidates in the context of the alliance.) (SBU) With regard to Vasquez, Jorge Mera said the PRD "has to evaluate his case, since his trial ended after he was registered as a candidate." (SBU) To remind us that the PRD has no monopoly on misbehavior, Alburquerque commented that President Fernandez had appointed Rafael Antonio ("Cheche") Luna as consul in Cape Haitian, Haiti. He is the husband of Rachel Montez, former consul in the same city during the first Fernandez administration. Alburquerque said Montez had been removed in 1999 for corrupt practices, but had not been prosecuted. The senator insinuated that Luna, and perhaps his spouse, might be engaged in improper activities now. Support JCE Now, Reform It Later (SBU) Senator Alburquerque defended the JCE's controversial decision last month to accept all the candidacies of the alliance, even though many of them were registered past the deadline or with other glitches of procedure or documentation. "The JCE did everything within the law," he asserted. "You can't impugn the JCE every time it acts. It should be supported rather than bashed. In 2004, for the first time in history, this same JCE proclaimed the new president before midnight of election day." Added "Quique" Antun, "Electoral fraud is a phantom. It would be very difficult to carry out with the current safeguards." (SBU) The Ambassador noted a public perception of the JCE as politically biased and as having untrammeled power because its decisions are final. He asked if political leaders had considered changes that would subject the election board to review by a higher court. Alburquerque and "Ito" Bisono replied that the alliance program would include amending the constitution so that future members of the JCE, as well as the Chamber of Accounts which audits the government's books, would be appointed by a mixed executive-legislative commission similar to the one that chooses Supreme Court justices. Observation Yes, Monitoring No (SBU) Alburquerque and Bisono were "fully in agreement" with having international and Dominican observers for the elections, whom the JCE has already invited. But they disagreed with the ruling PLD's proposal to reactivate the civil society Monitoring Commission, led by Catholic University (PUCMM) rector Monsignor Agripino Nunez. Such a commission figured prominently in the 2004 elections and previous ones. "Should we give full powers to PUCMM to resolve all the nation's issues? What about the Congress and other government institutions? I'm very fond of Agripino Nunez, but...." Abuse of Public Resources (SBU) Antun Batlle denounced "the indiscriminate use of state resources" to bolster candidates of the governing party and its allies. He claimed the Fernandez administration is "abusing social programs by passing out magnetic cards" that give low-income voters access to various kinds of assistance. Various ministries are dispatching officials to each province to oversee public works and other projects, hiring local people to implement them. Trucks of the ministries involved in this work display campaign propaganda. Jorge accused the administration of mounting a "campaign to discredit and disrupt the process of the alliance" and cited two provinces where "a battle" was underway. (SBU) Jorge accused the government of "abundantly using its propaganda machine" in the media. He said the ruling party's ads appear free on two government-owned TV channels and more than 50 state-owned radio stations, which also discriminate against paid spots from the opposition by delaying appointments or shunting the ads to less-watched channels. (The opposition makes similar complaints in every Dominican election. Plenty of smoke, some fire. The PRD used such tactics in its failed attempt to reelect former president Meja in 2004.) DR-CAFTA Implementation (SBU) The Ambassador urged the alliance parties to pass legislation needed so DR-CAFTA, the regional free trade agreement, can enter into force in the Dominican Republic - for example, a pending law on public procurement and contracting. Several of the guests criticized the Fernandez administration for having pushed through a tax reform last year to replace duties that would be lost under DR-CAFTA, but having postponed DR-CAFTA entry-into-force until July 1. This placed the political onus for the tax reform on Congress before the election, but minimized DR-CAFTA's political fallout on the administration until after the election. Nonetheless, Gomez Casanova promised, "Your best ally for DR-CAFTA implementation will be the congress." Jorge asked us to keep the parties informed of legislative requirements and offered to raise the issues with congressional leaders (who are of the PRD). Counterterrorism (SBU) Similarly, the Ambassador asked the parties to promote ratification of counter-terrorism conventions that the Dominican Republic has signed but not ratified. Embassy later faxed a list of international counterterrorism instruments, with their status in the Dominican Republic, to the participants. ¶2. (U) Drafted by Bainbridge Cowell. ¶3. (U) This piece and others in our series can be consulted at our SIPRNET web site (http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo) along with extensive other material. HERTELL