BOLIVIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS BAD FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 002156 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2017 TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL SUBJECT: BOLIVIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS BAD FOR MORALES REF: A. LA PAZ 2129 ¶B. LA PAZ 2112 Classified By: Ambassador Philip Goldberg for reasons 1.4 b,d -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) President Morales's public image took an unexpected hit during the Bolivian Independence Day celebrations August 6 in Sucre, when he received jeers and insults from the crowd and negative press following the event. President Morales's nearly four-hour-long speech included aspersions against other countries, including the United States, but did include an acknowledgment (his first thus far) that there must be a net reduction in coca production. President Morales also received negative coverage for his decision to play racquetball rather than attend an official Constituent Assembly (CA) presentation hosted by the president of the CA, Silvia Lazarte. End Summary. -------------- Poor Logistics and Disorganization -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In a break with tradition, the Bolivian Independence Day parade held in Sucre August 6 did not include the participation of President Morales or any federal government representative: nearly two and a half hours after the scheduled start of the parade, with President Morales and Vice President Garcia Linera still no-shows, the parade organizers chose to go ahead without the guests of honor. The official podium seating for the President to view the parade remained empty as parade participants, losing patience with the President's nearly-four-hour speech, broke through police lines and began marching. Various media noted the presence of Basque representatives among the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) delegation as well as other foreigners supporting Sucre or the President. -------------- Insult to Injury -------------- ¶3. (C) President Morales's three-hour-and-forty-minute speech was later criticized by many attendees. The Mayor of Sucre, Aidee Nava, said that although President Morales' term in office has had positive developments, his Independence Day speech lacked a theme and should have addressed both the question of the location of the capital and the current problem of inflation. The President of the Sucre Municipal Council complained about Morales' rudeness in arriving so late, saying, "Independence Day isn't an homage to the President, it's an homage to the country." For the first time in Sucre, President Morales was publicly booed, and he reportedly ordered the removal of a sign from the main square that read "Death to Centralism." Minister of Government Alfredo Rada was unable to answer questions about "aggressions" that members of the press had received at the hands of security personnel during the departure of President Morales and Vice President Garcia Linera. -------------- International Relations -------------- ¶4. (C) In a not-too-veiled reference to the United States, President Morales stated that Bolivia is in a process of de-colonization, that Bolivia no longer depends on international organizations, and that there are no longer "ambassadors who change or appoint ministers." In reference to Petrobras, President Morales added that there were no longer "gazolinazos" facing off against Bolivians. President Morales also suggested that countries such as Spain, Japan, and the United States should learn to give aid directly to Bolivia, presumably in the form of large checks such as recently received from Venezuela (ref B). -------------- Coca Handouts, But Net Reduction -------------- ¶5. (C) During the event, Justice Minister Celima Torrico passed through the crowd handing out coca leaves, which many participants in the event were also seen chewing. At the same time President Morales mentioned the need for a "net reduction" in coca production and referred to the La Asunta agreement (septel.) In the past, President Morales has focused on eradication numbers but has ignored the fact that total production has increased under his tenure. -------------- Morales Surprised by Public Opposition -------------- ¶6. (C) Diplomats present at the Independence Day event noted that President Morales seemed taken aback by the public censure directed at him. Newspapers highlighted booing crowds with pictures of Sucre-residents giving the President the finger. Although President Morales has received negative crowd reactions before in Santa Cruz, he seemed not to expect the same from Sucre. The Department of Chuquisaca has consistently supported the MAS party, unlike Santa Cruz and other media luna Departments. President Morales did not attend a special CA session but instead was filmed playing racquetball later. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) With much of the public focus directed towards Santa Cruz and the mixed military and indigenous parade scheduled for Armed Forces day August 7, President Morales appeared taken aback by his poor reception in Sucre. Invitations to attend the event went out to the diplomatic corps only four days before the event, and attendance by the diplomatic corps was relatively low. (Note: Ambassador Goldberg did attend. End note.) Ministers Alfredo Rada and Juan Ramon Quintana, caught off guard by the day's events, struggled with press questions about the president's poor reception in Sucre. End comment. GOLDBERG