Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ASUNCION634
2007-08-01 21:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Asuncion
Cable title:
NEW FINANCE MINISTER PROMISES MORE OF SAME
how-toVZCZCXYZ0015 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHAC #0634 2132114 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 012114Z AUG 07 FM AMEMBASSY ASUNCION TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6020 INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS ASUNCION 000634
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PASS TO WHA/BSC, INR/B
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV PINR PA
SUBJECT: NEW FINANCE MINISTER PROMISES MORE OF SAME
UNCLAS ASUNCION 000634
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PASS TO WHA/BSC, INR/B
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV PINR PA
SUBJECT: NEW FINANCE MINISTER PROMISES MORE OF SAME
1. President Duarte named Dr. Cesar Amado Barreto Otazu July
30 to head the Ministry of Finance, replacing former Minister
Ernst Bergen, who resigned -- according to the media -- for
personal reasons. Barreto becomes Duarte's third finance
minister in four years. In his initial press statement,
Barreto praised the efforts of the finance ministry and
affirmed that he would not radically alter its direction. He
pledged to keep fiscal accounts in order, maintain a balanced
budget, and resist pre-election political interference. He
indicated that the next administration would have to tackle
the ongoing issue of financial reform, tacitly acknowledging
his status as a lame duck in the remaining 12 months of the
Duarte administration.
2. Barreto served as head of the Finance Agency for
Development (AFD),a quasi-public development bank, from July
2006 until his appointment as finance minister. He
previously served as president of the board of directors and
general manager of Hutchison Telecom Paraguay from 2001 until
2005, and as executive director of economic think tank
Development in Democracy in 2004-05. Barreto worked for
Citibank's Paraguayan branch from 1998 until 2000, when he
left to serve as economic advisor to the Chamber of Deputies'
Committee on Economic Affairs. In addition, he served as
economic advisor to the finance ministry's National Economic
Team in 1997-98. An author of numerous economic think
pieces, Barreto developed the economic program for Pedro
Fadul's Beloved Fatherland Party (PPQ),although he denied
affliation with the party at the July 30 press conference.
3. Barreto earned his doctoral degree in economics from the
National University of Asuncion in 1996. He also graduated
in the mid-1990's with a master's degree in applied economics
from the Pontifical Catholic University in Chile.
CASON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
PASS TO WHA/BSC, INR/B
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV PINR PA
SUBJECT: NEW FINANCE MINISTER PROMISES MORE OF SAME
1. President Duarte named Dr. Cesar Amado Barreto Otazu July
30 to head the Ministry of Finance, replacing former Minister
Ernst Bergen, who resigned -- according to the media -- for
personal reasons. Barreto becomes Duarte's third finance
minister in four years. In his initial press statement,
Barreto praised the efforts of the finance ministry and
affirmed that he would not radically alter its direction. He
pledged to keep fiscal accounts in order, maintain a balanced
budget, and resist pre-election political interference. He
indicated that the next administration would have to tackle
the ongoing issue of financial reform, tacitly acknowledging
his status as a lame duck in the remaining 12 months of the
Duarte administration.
2. Barreto served as head of the Finance Agency for
Development (AFD),a quasi-public development bank, from July
2006 until his appointment as finance minister. He
previously served as president of the board of directors and
general manager of Hutchison Telecom Paraguay from 2001 until
2005, and as executive director of economic think tank
Development in Democracy in 2004-05. Barreto worked for
Citibank's Paraguayan branch from 1998 until 2000, when he
left to serve as economic advisor to the Chamber of Deputies'
Committee on Economic Affairs. In addition, he served as
economic advisor to the finance ministry's National Economic
Team in 1997-98. An author of numerous economic think
pieces, Barreto developed the economic program for Pedro
Fadul's Beloved Fatherland Party (PPQ),although he denied
affliation with the party at the July 30 press conference.
3. Barreto earned his doctoral degree in economics from the
National University of Asuncion in 1996. He also graduated
in the mid-1990's with a master's degree in applied economics
from the Pontifical Catholic University in Chile.
CASON