Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LAPAZ3045
2007-11-19 21:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
EVO TO USAID: "YOU HAVE THE RIGHT NOT TO HELP US"
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LA PAZ 003045
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2017
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: EVO TO USAID: "YOU HAVE THE RIGHT NOT TO HELP US"
REF: A. LA PAZ 2960
B. LA PAZ 3002
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 003045
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2017
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: EVO TO USAID: "YOU HAVE THE RIGHT NOT TO HELP US"
REF: A. LA PAZ 2960
B. LA PAZ 3002
Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) During a November 19 press conference President Evo
Morales again criticized USAID for putting "conditions" on
its help and claimed that the majority of USG aid is funneled
back to the U.S. Evo opened the door for USAID to leave
Bolivia, stating that "this (conditional) aid program has the
right not to help us." Embassy sources say the Venezuelans
are pushing Morales and his cabinet to make conditions
extremely difficult so as to cause USAID to decide to
withdraw from Bolivia. Morales also reiterated his claims
that the United States is conspiring against him. End
summary.
--------------
EVO: USAID IS FREE TO LEAVE
--------------
2. (U) In a November 18 press conference President Evo
Morales referred to the recent presidential decree overseeing
aid programs and said that USAID programs will be required to
"submit to Bolivian norms" (Ref A). Morales told the press
that the United States has sent large sums of money
throughout the years to Bolivia but that through different
mechanisms USAID ensured that the majority of the funds
returned to the United States (Note: the GOB on several
occasions has claimed that more than eighty percent of USAID
funds are channeled back to the U.S.). Morales openly
questioned USAID by asking "what help is it when the aid
doesn't stay in the country but rather in name only and the
contributions directly benefit their own country?" Morales
went on to say that "unconditional help is welcome, any
unconditional help is welcome, but if it is not transparent,
no. This aid program has the right not to help us, we just
want transparency."
3. (U) Morales continued his lack of transparency attack by
evoking President Jimmy Carter. Evo told reporters "What are
they (USAID) afraid of, what are they hiding? I learned from
Jimmy Carter, ex-President of the United States, about
transparency. If Carter says it, its not understandable that
the government of the United States does not want to be
transparent." Evo asserted that the country must stop being
a colony of the United States.
--------------
WORN OUT CLAIM OF CONSPIRACY
--------------
4. (U) Evo also took the occasion to once again say that
the United States is conspiring against him, although his
comments were somewhat more restrained than earlier remarks
(Ref B). Referring to Bolivian Ambassador Guzman being
convoked to explain Evo's conspiracy claims, he demanded that
"instead of telling us enough of the lies it would be
important that they (USG) tell the head of their embassy to
stop conspiring against our government, that would be the
best thing they could do if they (the U.S.) are a democratic
government." Morales mentioned the photograph of Ambassador
Goldberg and a Colombian citizen currently under arrest in
Santa Cruz for burglary. Evo said he has "proof" that the
Colombian is a paramilitary. (Note: the Colombian
ambassador to Bolivia has repeatedly stated publicly that the
individual in question has no criminal record or paramilitary
ties in Colombia.) Morales made clear, however, that Boliva
would not break ties with the United States "because Bolivia
encourages the culture of dialogue, but, that does not mean
LA PAZ 00003045 002 OF 002
because we are a small country with economic problems that
other countries can humiliate us."
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C) Evo picked a slow news weekend to renew his attacks
against USAID and the Ambassador, although his tone was less
acerbic than previously. Sources tell us that the
Venezuelans are strongly pushing Evo to tighten the screws to
the point of making it so difficult for USAID to operate in
the country that it will force us to withdraw. Getting USAID
to withdraw would give Evo greater control of the economy and
allow him to claim the United States has abandoned Bolivia's
poor. End comment.
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2017
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: EVO TO USAID: "YOU HAVE THE RIGHT NOT TO HELP US"
REF: A. LA PAZ 2960
B. LA PAZ 3002
Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) During a November 19 press conference President Evo
Morales again criticized USAID for putting "conditions" on
its help and claimed that the majority of USG aid is funneled
back to the U.S. Evo opened the door for USAID to leave
Bolivia, stating that "this (conditional) aid program has the
right not to help us." Embassy sources say the Venezuelans
are pushing Morales and his cabinet to make conditions
extremely difficult so as to cause USAID to decide to
withdraw from Bolivia. Morales also reiterated his claims
that the United States is conspiring against him. End
summary.
--------------
EVO: USAID IS FREE TO LEAVE
--------------
2. (U) In a November 18 press conference President Evo
Morales referred to the recent presidential decree overseeing
aid programs and said that USAID programs will be required to
"submit to Bolivian norms" (Ref A). Morales told the press
that the United States has sent large sums of money
throughout the years to Bolivia but that through different
mechanisms USAID ensured that the majority of the funds
returned to the United States (Note: the GOB on several
occasions has claimed that more than eighty percent of USAID
funds are channeled back to the U.S.). Morales openly
questioned USAID by asking "what help is it when the aid
doesn't stay in the country but rather in name only and the
contributions directly benefit their own country?" Morales
went on to say that "unconditional help is welcome, any
unconditional help is welcome, but if it is not transparent,
no. This aid program has the right not to help us, we just
want transparency."
3. (U) Morales continued his lack of transparency attack by
evoking President Jimmy Carter. Evo told reporters "What are
they (USAID) afraid of, what are they hiding? I learned from
Jimmy Carter, ex-President of the United States, about
transparency. If Carter says it, its not understandable that
the government of the United States does not want to be
transparent." Evo asserted that the country must stop being
a colony of the United States.
--------------
WORN OUT CLAIM OF CONSPIRACY
--------------
4. (U) Evo also took the occasion to once again say that
the United States is conspiring against him, although his
comments were somewhat more restrained than earlier remarks
(Ref B). Referring to Bolivian Ambassador Guzman being
convoked to explain Evo's conspiracy claims, he demanded that
"instead of telling us enough of the lies it would be
important that they (USG) tell the head of their embassy to
stop conspiring against our government, that would be the
best thing they could do if they (the U.S.) are a democratic
government." Morales mentioned the photograph of Ambassador
Goldberg and a Colombian citizen currently under arrest in
Santa Cruz for burglary. Evo said he has "proof" that the
Colombian is a paramilitary. (Note: the Colombian
ambassador to Bolivia has repeatedly stated publicly that the
individual in question has no criminal record or paramilitary
ties in Colombia.) Morales made clear, however, that Boliva
would not break ties with the United States "because Bolivia
encourages the culture of dialogue, but, that does not mean
LA PAZ 00003045 002 OF 002
because we are a small country with economic problems that
other countries can humiliate us."
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C) Evo picked a slow news weekend to renew his attacks
against USAID and the Ambassador, although his tone was less
acerbic than previously. Sources tell us that the
Venezuelans are strongly pushing Evo to tighten the screws to
the point of making it so difficult for USAID to operate in
the country that it will force us to withdraw. Getting USAID
to withdraw would give Evo greater control of the economy and
allow him to claim the United States has abandoned Bolivia's
poor. End comment.
GOLDBERG