CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY DELAYS CONTINUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001570 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON BL SNAR SUBJECT: CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY DELAYS CONTINUE Classified By: Charge d'Affairs Krishna Urs for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) On June 5, for the first time a senior MAS Constituent Assembly (CA) delegate publicly conceded that not enough time remains to draft a new constitution by the government's August 6 deadline. The MAS concession followed a recent deadline extension, from May 30 to June 11, for the CA's twenty-one commissions to submit their formal reports. The Commission on Coca became the first CA commission to issue a report on May 30. Poloffs have learned from CA delegates that most commissions are not expected to reach consensus -- meaning that the commissions will issue two reports, a majority and minority report. Tight deadlines and vastly opposing viewpoints have resulted in occasional yelling matches between MAS and opposition delegates. The need to extend the CA is no surprise. Opposition delegates have publicly, and MAS delegates have privately, long argued for extending the deadline. End Summary. -------------- The MAS Concedes Deadline Needs Extending -------------- ¶2. (U) On June 5, for the first time a senior MAS Constituent Assembly (CA) delegate conceded publicly that not enough time remains to draft a new constitution by the August 6 deadline. MAS delegate and spokesperson Rene Navarro acknowledged that the time remaining is insufficient and that a debate on prolonging the CA should be considered. Navarro's acknowledgment followed the latest in a series of deadline extensions, from May 30 to June 11, for the CA's twenty-one commissions to submit their formal reports. -------------- Little to Show So Far -------------- ¶3. (U) On May 30 the Commission on Coca was the first CA commission to issue a report. The report includes the text, "The state recognizes coca ... as cultural patrimony, is a renewable natural resource of Bolivia's biodiversity, and is a factor for social cohesion." All seven commission members approved the report. With the exception of the Coca Commission and perhaps one or two others (such as the Commission on Rights and Guarantees),poloffs have learned from CA delegates that most commissions will not reach consensus and therefore will issue two reports, a majority and minority report. -------------- Consensus Beyond Coca is Hard to Find -------------- ¶4. (U) Tight deadlines and vastly opposing viewpoints have resulted in occasional verbal skirmishes between MAS and opposition delegates. On June 5, two separate shouting matches erupted, one within the Commission on Hydrocarbons, the other within the Commission for the Development of the Amazon. The hydrocarbons fight stemmed from the fact that MAS delegates have failed to provide a formal proposal yet have rejected the proposal submitted by a coalition of opposition party members. The Amazon commission delegates began shouting at each other after a group of MAS delegates proposed prohibiting all concessions (logging, nut picking, etc.,) within Bolivia's Amazon region. Opposition delegates argued that the prohibition had never been discussed before and would negatively impact people whose economic livelihood depend on concessions. (Note: Other MAS proposed articles grant indigenous groups land and resources ownership rights thereby potentially making the Amazon prohibition irrelevant except for companies who have existing concessions or want new concessions. End Note). -------------- Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) The need to extend the CA is no surprise. Opposition delegates have for months been pointing out that August 6 deadline is untenable given the volume of issues and proposals that require review. Many MAS delegates have also long privately acknowledged that an extension is required, for personal reasons -- because they are earning more money as delegates than ever before in their lives -- as well as for the pragmatic reasons identified by the opposition. The opposition is also in no hurry to wrap up the CA, as it feels the longer it takes for the new constitution to be proposed and approved, the greater the chance that weaknesses and failings in Evo Morales' management of Bolivia will become apparent to the electorate, which ultimately must approve the new constitution. End Comment. URS