"MEDIA LUNA" TO DECIDE CIVIL RESISTANCE MEASURES

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001702 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2017 TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL SUBJECT: "MEDIA LUNA" TO DECIDE CIVIL RESISTANCE MEASURES Classified By: ECOPOL Counselor Andrew Erickson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) A June 18 manifesto released by the Democratic Autonomous Board of Bolivia, which is comprised of the prefectural governments and civic committees of Santa Cruz, Tarija, Beni, and Pando states, calls for "democratic civil resistance" and a "national encounter for a democratic and united Bolivia" to be held on July 7. The civic committee directors and prefectural government authorities are holding a series of closed door meetings to define the civil resistance measures they will take. Tarija civic committee member Amilcar Taboada told Emboff on June 20 that the board will work to get other cities outside of the four opposition states to participate in the July 7 meeting. Taboada said the board is specifically trying to reach out to the middle class in La Paz. Former Foreign Minister and Santa Cruz leader Fufi Saavedra told Emboff that the board will decide on a series of escalating measures, including possibly withholding tax revenues from the central government. Saavedra said the board has the difficult task of pressuring the national government while at the same time keeping things from getting out of control in Santa Cruz. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶2. (C) The opposition Media Luna departments and the GOB continue to publicly accuse each other of trying to destabilize the country. Vice President Garcia Linera told the press on June 19 that the autonomous board was "beating the war drums." Vastly outnumbered by poorer, indigenous Morales supporters, the middle class in La Paz has been reluctant to publicly protest, and we assess that this reality will limit the efforts of the largely lowland opposition to bring effective opposition to President Morales' Aymara heartland. End Comment. URS