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).

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Summary
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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.

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The MAS Concedes Deadline Needs Extending
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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.

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Little to Show So Far
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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.

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Consensus Beyond Coca is Hard to Find
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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).

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Comment
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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