Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LAPAZ2223
2007-08-13 22:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
MORALES THREATENS TO RULE BY PRESIDENTIAL DECREE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LA PAZ 002223
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2017
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: MORALES THREATENS TO RULE BY PRESIDENTIAL DECREE
REF: LA PAZ 2205
Classified By: Ecopol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
-------
SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LA PAZ 002223
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2017
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: MORALES THREATENS TO RULE BY PRESIDENTIAL DECREE
REF: LA PAZ 2205
Classified By: Ecopol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) Presidents Morales and Chavez, on the last stop of
Chavez' official visit to Bolivia, announced the construction
of a 100 megawatt hydro-electic plant in the Chapare on
August 10. President Chavez told the crowd of several
hundred hardcore Morales supporters that "the hour to
liberate the Bolivian people from the damned perverse formula
of capitalism and neoliberalism has arrived." President
Morales, caught up in the euphoria standing next to Chavez,
made his strongest statement yet rejecting democratic
principles, saying that he would not let the law stand in his
government's way and would use presidential decrees to push
through change. End summary.
--------------
EVO FOLLOWING CHAVEZ' SCRIPT . . .
--------------
2. (C) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez' last act during
his August 9-10 Bolivia visit (reftel) was the announcement
of the construction of a 100 megawatt hydro-electric plant to
be built in Entre Rios, Chapare area. There, Chavez told the
crowd of several hundred hard core Morales supporters that
"the hour to liberate the Bolivian people from the damned
perverse formula of capitalism and neoliberalism has arrived,
it is time to make Tupac Katari and Tupac Amaru's dreams
real. Enough already, we have been waiting for too long for
the birth of a new era, a new world. It is time to turn the
damn formula upside down." President Morales then spoke and
asked his government to advance his agenda through political
decisions, without waiting for laws or amendments to be
passed. Morales, threatening to impose change through
presidential decrees, stated, "being subjected to the law is
damaging ourselves; though they may say our decrees are
unconstitutional, that does not matter. Ministers, I tell
you we should not wait for the laws; we have to continue to
work with political decisions and if they file lawsuits
arguing our decrees are unconstitutional, it will be the
people who will judge." Vice President Garcia Linera tried
to walk back the President's comments and told the press on
August 12 that the Bolivian government will push its change
through a combination of decrees and working with the
congress.
--------------
BUT NOT GETTING HIS WAY
--------------
3. (C) Podemos Senator Rafael "Toto" Loaiza told Emboff
that he believes Evo realizes the Constituent Assembly (CA)
is in very real danger of failing and that the MAS will not
be able to get the constitution it wants. Loaiza speculated
that Morales will resort to presidential decrees as a means
to push the MAS agenda through. Senator Loaiza added that the
MAS is having many internal problems and does not have a
clear plan to deal with the Constituent Assembly or its
aftermath.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
4. (C) Evo's remarks in Entre Rios were his strongest yet
rejecting democratic principles. Part of the explanation
could be Morales' playing up to Chavez but part can be
attributed to Evo's increasing frustration at the slow pace
of the Constituent Assembly, increasing internal MAS
LA PAZ 00002223 002 OF 002
bickering, and the realization that his long honeymoon with
the Bolivian people is coming to an end. While Vice
President Garcia Linera tried to downplay Evo's remarks,
Morales words may shed light on the inner thinking of the
President. End Comment.
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2017
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: MORALES THREATENS TO RULE BY PRESIDENTIAL DECREE
REF: LA PAZ 2205
Classified By: Ecopol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) Presidents Morales and Chavez, on the last stop of
Chavez' official visit to Bolivia, announced the construction
of a 100 megawatt hydro-electic plant in the Chapare on
August 10. President Chavez told the crowd of several
hundred hardcore Morales supporters that "the hour to
liberate the Bolivian people from the damned perverse formula
of capitalism and neoliberalism has arrived." President
Morales, caught up in the euphoria standing next to Chavez,
made his strongest statement yet rejecting democratic
principles, saying that he would not let the law stand in his
government's way and would use presidential decrees to push
through change. End summary.
--------------
EVO FOLLOWING CHAVEZ' SCRIPT . . .
--------------
2. (C) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez' last act during
his August 9-10 Bolivia visit (reftel) was the announcement
of the construction of a 100 megawatt hydro-electric plant to
be built in Entre Rios, Chapare area. There, Chavez told the
crowd of several hundred hard core Morales supporters that
"the hour to liberate the Bolivian people from the damned
perverse formula of capitalism and neoliberalism has arrived,
it is time to make Tupac Katari and Tupac Amaru's dreams
real. Enough already, we have been waiting for too long for
the birth of a new era, a new world. It is time to turn the
damn formula upside down." President Morales then spoke and
asked his government to advance his agenda through political
decisions, without waiting for laws or amendments to be
passed. Morales, threatening to impose change through
presidential decrees, stated, "being subjected to the law is
damaging ourselves; though they may say our decrees are
unconstitutional, that does not matter. Ministers, I tell
you we should not wait for the laws; we have to continue to
work with political decisions and if they file lawsuits
arguing our decrees are unconstitutional, it will be the
people who will judge." Vice President Garcia Linera tried
to walk back the President's comments and told the press on
August 12 that the Bolivian government will push its change
through a combination of decrees and working with the
congress.
--------------
BUT NOT GETTING HIS WAY
--------------
3. (C) Podemos Senator Rafael "Toto" Loaiza told Emboff
that he believes Evo realizes the Constituent Assembly (CA)
is in very real danger of failing and that the MAS will not
be able to get the constitution it wants. Loaiza speculated
that Morales will resort to presidential decrees as a means
to push the MAS agenda through. Senator Loaiza added that the
MAS is having many internal problems and does not have a
clear plan to deal with the Constituent Assembly or its
aftermath.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
4. (C) Evo's remarks in Entre Rios were his strongest yet
rejecting democratic principles. Part of the explanation
could be Morales' playing up to Chavez but part can be
attributed to Evo's increasing frustration at the slow pace
of the Constituent Assembly, increasing internal MAS
LA PAZ 00002223 002 OF 002
bickering, and the realization that his long honeymoon with
the Bolivian people is coming to an end. While Vice
President Garcia Linera tried to downplay Evo's remarks,
Morales words may shed light on the inner thinking of the
President. End Comment.
GOLDBERG