Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LAPAZ1949
2007-07-13 22:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
OPPOSITION POLITICIAN PHYSICALLY ATTACKS
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHLP #1949 1942214 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 132214Z JUL 07 FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4322 INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6929 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 4277 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 8165 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 5410 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 2640 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 2800 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 3533 RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4722 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 5271 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 9877 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0410 RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001949
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION POLITICIAN PHYSICALLY ATTACKS
INDIGENOUS LEADER
REF: LA PAZ 1877
Classified By: Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001949
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION POLITICIAN PHYSICALLY ATTACKS
INDIGENOUS LEADER
REF: LA PAZ 1877
Classified By: Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).
1. (C) On July 10, Adolfo Chavez, president of the
Confederation of Indigenous and Original Peoples of Bolivia
(CIDOB, an umbrella group of lowland indigenous groups, see
reftel) was attacked by Podemos assembly member Fernando
Morales. Chavez had flown in to Sucre and was stopped in the
airport by a news crew, who asked him why he was flying when
his group, including children and the elderly, were marching
to Sucre in the bitter cold to support indigenous autonomy.
During the incident, the reporter also asked why Chavez was
traveling with a Cuban and a Venezuelan. As Chavez began to
answer, Morales approached from behind, insulted Chavez, and
then struck him at least twice (the assault was caught on
camera.) The Bolivian Information Agency immediately ran
coverage describing how Chavez was "brutally beaten" by
Morales and reportedly hospitalized.
2. (C) While the attack itself was disturbing to watch and
miscalculated as a political ploy (if Morales in fact planned
the event),the repercussions of Podemos' lack of action
after the attack are more significant. Several political
analysts have approached Emboffs to say that Podemos leader
Tuto Quiroga has to date made a grave error in not
immediately expelling Morales from the party. Quiroga has
privately said that he cannot afford to lose Morales' vote in
the Assembly. But the continued non-punishment of a
politician who looks at best violent and at worst violently
racist could have serious repercussions for Podemos. In a
country where the majority of voters identify themselves as
indigenous, being seen as a racist anti-indigenous party is
not a good survival strategy. (Comment: Post expects the
ruling MAS party to fully take advantage of this incident.
It is simply too good a publicity weapon to ignore. End
comment.)
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/13/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION POLITICIAN PHYSICALLY ATTACKS
INDIGENOUS LEADER
REF: LA PAZ 1877
Classified By: Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).
1. (C) On July 10, Adolfo Chavez, president of the
Confederation of Indigenous and Original Peoples of Bolivia
(CIDOB, an umbrella group of lowland indigenous groups, see
reftel) was attacked by Podemos assembly member Fernando
Morales. Chavez had flown in to Sucre and was stopped in the
airport by a news crew, who asked him why he was flying when
his group, including children and the elderly, were marching
to Sucre in the bitter cold to support indigenous autonomy.
During the incident, the reporter also asked why Chavez was
traveling with a Cuban and a Venezuelan. As Chavez began to
answer, Morales approached from behind, insulted Chavez, and
then struck him at least twice (the assault was caught on
camera.) The Bolivian Information Agency immediately ran
coverage describing how Chavez was "brutally beaten" by
Morales and reportedly hospitalized.
2. (C) While the attack itself was disturbing to watch and
miscalculated as a political ploy (if Morales in fact planned
the event),the repercussions of Podemos' lack of action
after the attack are more significant. Several political
analysts have approached Emboffs to say that Podemos leader
Tuto Quiroga has to date made a grave error in not
immediately expelling Morales from the party. Quiroga has
privately said that he cannot afford to lose Morales' vote in
the Assembly. But the continued non-punishment of a
politician who looks at best violent and at worst violently
racist could have serious repercussions for Podemos. In a
country where the majority of voters identify themselves as
indigenous, being seen as a racist anti-indigenous party is
not a good survival strategy. (Comment: Post expects the
ruling MAS party to fully take advantage of this incident.
It is simply too good a publicity weapon to ignore. End
comment.)
GOLDBERG