Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LAPAZ382
2007-02-12 21:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
PODEMOS PARTY SHOWS SOME CONFIDENCE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000382
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: PODEMOS PARTY SHOWS SOME CONFIDENCE
REF: LA PAZ 198
Classified By: Amb. Philip S. Goldberg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
-------
SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000382
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: PODEMOS PARTY SHOWS SOME CONFIDENCE
REF: LA PAZ 198
Classified By: Amb. Philip S. Goldberg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) The Ambassador met with Podemos party Chairman and
former President Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, Senate Vice President
Carlos Bohrt, Podemos senate leader Oscar Ortiz, and Podemos
congressional leader Lourdes Millares on February 9. The
group expressed satisfaction with the opposition's recent
acquisition of the presidency of the senate (reftel),noted
the many problems facing the GOB, and predicted that the GOB
will face increasing tension after the Carnival holiday at
the end of February. The senate election and a series of GOB
missteps have given Podemos a sense of newfound confidence,
but the party has yet to offer the public a viable
alternative to the MAS, and continued personality conflicts
between Tuto Quiroga and Samuel Doria Medina of the UN party
continue to generate problems. End summary.
--------------
THE OPPOSITION UNITES
--------------
2. (C) The Ambassador hosted the Podemos party leadership
at a lunch on February 9. Party chairman and former
President Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, Senate Vice President Carlos
Bohrt, Podemos senate leader Oscar Ortiz, and Podemos
congressional leader Lourdes Millares attended the meeting.
President Quiroga related that Senator Santos Ramirez "had no
idea" that the opposition was going to acquire the presidency
(reftel). Quiroga told the Ambassador that the Podemos/UN
coalition is working in the senate, in part because Senate
President and UN member Jose Villavicencio "is his own man"
more than a UN hardliner. Carlos Bohrt said Podemos has a
more difficult time working with the UN in the Constituent
Assembly possibly, he argued, because UN party chairman
Samuel Doria Medina's businesses are under constant threat of
expropriation by the GOB.
--------------
GOB HITS A TOUGH PATCH
--------------
3. (C) President Quiroga expressed satisfaction that the
GOB was having a challenging January and February,
particularly given that these two months are the best of the
year for most governments given Bolivia's traditional
Christmas bonus and vacations through Carnival. Quiroga
added that the stalled Constituent Assembly is just one of
many problems facing the GOB. Problems with the hydrocarbons
nationalization contracts, resistance to mining industry
reforms, and the return of mass protests to La Paz have made
people start to think "this government is no better at
solving the country's problems" than previous governments.
"The MAS," Tuto said, "is starting to lose control of its
cocalero base." Tuto predicted the GOB will face increased
social tensions after the Carnival holiday, especially when
government-union salary negotiations begin.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
4. (C) Tuto and those accompanying him displayed cautious
optimism, and some new found self-confidence. Congresswoman
Lourdes Millares said the enthusiasm from the opposition
senate win has spread to the lower house. While Podemos and
UN can take credit for gaining control of the senate, the
problems facing the GOB are more the result of Morales' own
missteps than political strategy by the opposition. A
serious challenge for the opposition continues to be the deep
mistrust and personality conflict between Tuto Quiroga and
Samuel Doria Medina. End Comment.
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: PODEMOS PARTY SHOWS SOME CONFIDENCE
REF: LA PAZ 198
Classified By: Amb. Philip S. Goldberg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) The Ambassador met with Podemos party Chairman and
former President Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, Senate Vice President
Carlos Bohrt, Podemos senate leader Oscar Ortiz, and Podemos
congressional leader Lourdes Millares on February 9. The
group expressed satisfaction with the opposition's recent
acquisition of the presidency of the senate (reftel),noted
the many problems facing the GOB, and predicted that the GOB
will face increasing tension after the Carnival holiday at
the end of February. The senate election and a series of GOB
missteps have given Podemos a sense of newfound confidence,
but the party has yet to offer the public a viable
alternative to the MAS, and continued personality conflicts
between Tuto Quiroga and Samuel Doria Medina of the UN party
continue to generate problems. End summary.
--------------
THE OPPOSITION UNITES
--------------
2. (C) The Ambassador hosted the Podemos party leadership
at a lunch on February 9. Party chairman and former
President Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, Senate Vice President Carlos
Bohrt, Podemos senate leader Oscar Ortiz, and Podemos
congressional leader Lourdes Millares attended the meeting.
President Quiroga related that Senator Santos Ramirez "had no
idea" that the opposition was going to acquire the presidency
(reftel). Quiroga told the Ambassador that the Podemos/UN
coalition is working in the senate, in part because Senate
President and UN member Jose Villavicencio "is his own man"
more than a UN hardliner. Carlos Bohrt said Podemos has a
more difficult time working with the UN in the Constituent
Assembly possibly, he argued, because UN party chairman
Samuel Doria Medina's businesses are under constant threat of
expropriation by the GOB.
--------------
GOB HITS A TOUGH PATCH
--------------
3. (C) President Quiroga expressed satisfaction that the
GOB was having a challenging January and February,
particularly given that these two months are the best of the
year for most governments given Bolivia's traditional
Christmas bonus and vacations through Carnival. Quiroga
added that the stalled Constituent Assembly is just one of
many problems facing the GOB. Problems with the hydrocarbons
nationalization contracts, resistance to mining industry
reforms, and the return of mass protests to La Paz have made
people start to think "this government is no better at
solving the country's problems" than previous governments.
"The MAS," Tuto said, "is starting to lose control of its
cocalero base." Tuto predicted the GOB will face increased
social tensions after the Carnival holiday, especially when
government-union salary negotiations begin.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
4. (C) Tuto and those accompanying him displayed cautious
optimism, and some new found self-confidence. Congresswoman
Lourdes Millares said the enthusiasm from the opposition
senate win has spread to the lower house. While Podemos and
UN can take credit for gaining control of the senate, the
problems facing the GOB are more the result of Morales' own
missteps than political strategy by the opposition. A
serious challenge for the opposition continues to be the deep
mistrust and personality conflict between Tuto Quiroga and
Samuel Doria Medina. End Comment.
GOLDBERG