Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LAPAZ1669
2007-06-15 18:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY: FISTS FLY, MILITARY ANGRY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001669
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2017
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY: FISTS FLY, MILITARY ANGRY
REF: A. LA PAZ 1625
B. LA PAZ 1649
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Krishna Urs
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001669
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2017
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY: FISTS FLY, MILITARY ANGRY
REF: A. LA PAZ 1625
B. LA PAZ 1649
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Krishna Urs
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On June 14, a small group of opposition (PODEMOS
party) constituent assembly (CA) delegates was involved in a
confrontation with police within the Colegio Junin, the site
where the CA's twenty-one commissions are working. An
opposition delegate told poloff on June 15, that the incident
began when a few female opposition delegates formed a small
protest group in the courtyard of the Colegio Junin. The
group was protesting the Movement Towards Socialism's (MAS)
proposal to create a "plurinational state" with autonomous
indigenous territories as well as the MAS' strategy of using
a simple majority rather than the agreed upon absolute
majority to approve commission reports (reftel A). Other
opposition delegates joined the protest. The expanded group
then marched to the room where the commission "Vision of the
Country" was meeting. Police blocked the protesters from
entering the room despite the rule that commission
proceedings are supposed to be open to the public. Shortly
thereafter the police and the delegates came to blows.
Poloff's contact within the commission states that the police
was instructed by the MAS not to allow the protesters into
the room.
2. (C) The main opposition party PODEMOS has decided to
break-off discussions with the MAS, but will continue to
attend commission working and voting sessions. Opposition CA
delegates (with the exception of the UN party) are
contemplating meeting in Santa Cruz on June 17, with
opposition members of congress and the civic committees of
the four eastern (pro-departmental autonomy) departments
(reftel B). Proposed items on the agenda include discussions
on how to mobilize large protests directed at the MAS.
3. (SBU) Trying to prevent a crisis between Bolivia's two
security institutions, the Minister of Defense Walker San
Miguel and Minister of Government Alfredo Rada sent a letter
to the CA commission on Security and Defense asking the
commission to defer to congress any issues that would
generate controversy between the national police and the
armed forces. The letter was in response to the commission's
proposal to eliminate some of the armed forces
responsibilities under the new constitution. The
commission's proposal would relegate the armed forces
primarily to external security, while enhancing the role of
the police. A major issue for the military is the proposal
for the police to be the guarantor of the constitution rather
than the armed forces as it stands in the current
constitution. Military officials, speaking on the condition
of anonymity to La Paz daily La Razon, have stated that the
armed forces will not accept this diminished role. Of the
seven commission delegates four are former or active police
officers, while only one is former military.
URS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2017
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY: FISTS FLY, MILITARY ANGRY
REF: A. LA PAZ 1625
B. LA PAZ 1649
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Krishna Urs
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On June 14, a small group of opposition (PODEMOS
party) constituent assembly (CA) delegates was involved in a
confrontation with police within the Colegio Junin, the site
where the CA's twenty-one commissions are working. An
opposition delegate told poloff on June 15, that the incident
began when a few female opposition delegates formed a small
protest group in the courtyard of the Colegio Junin. The
group was protesting the Movement Towards Socialism's (MAS)
proposal to create a "plurinational state" with autonomous
indigenous territories as well as the MAS' strategy of using
a simple majority rather than the agreed upon absolute
majority to approve commission reports (reftel A). Other
opposition delegates joined the protest. The expanded group
then marched to the room where the commission "Vision of the
Country" was meeting. Police blocked the protesters from
entering the room despite the rule that commission
proceedings are supposed to be open to the public. Shortly
thereafter the police and the delegates came to blows.
Poloff's contact within the commission states that the police
was instructed by the MAS not to allow the protesters into
the room.
2. (C) The main opposition party PODEMOS has decided to
break-off discussions with the MAS, but will continue to
attend commission working and voting sessions. Opposition CA
delegates (with the exception of the UN party) are
contemplating meeting in Santa Cruz on June 17, with
opposition members of congress and the civic committees of
the four eastern (pro-departmental autonomy) departments
(reftel B). Proposed items on the agenda include discussions
on how to mobilize large protests directed at the MAS.
3. (SBU) Trying to prevent a crisis between Bolivia's two
security institutions, the Minister of Defense Walker San
Miguel and Minister of Government Alfredo Rada sent a letter
to the CA commission on Security and Defense asking the
commission to defer to congress any issues that would
generate controversy between the national police and the
armed forces. The letter was in response to the commission's
proposal to eliminate some of the armed forces
responsibilities under the new constitution. The
commission's proposal would relegate the armed forces
primarily to external security, while enhancing the role of
the police. A major issue for the military is the proposal
for the police to be the guarantor of the constitution rather
than the armed forces as it stands in the current
constitution. Military officials, speaking on the condition
of anonymity to La Paz daily La Razon, have stated that the
armed forces will not accept this diminished role. Of the
seven commission delegates four are former or active police
officers, while only one is former military.
URS