AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH COCHABAMBA PREFECT REGARDING

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000083

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2017
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH COCHABAMBA PREFECT REGARDING
DISTURBANCES

REF: A. LA PAZ 54


B. LA PAZ 75

Classified By: Amb. Philip S. Goldberg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

SUMMARY


1. (C) Cochabamba Prefect Manfred Reyes Villa met with the
Ambassador January 11 to discuss orchestrated political
violence occurring in Cochabamba. Reyes told the Ambassador
he would not resign from the governorship and expressed his
strong concerns about the state of Bolivian democracy, saying
the current situation is worse than October 2003 and warning
that civil conflict cannot be ruled out. The Ambassador told
Reyes that the USG is watching the situation in Cochabamba
closely and that it supports a peaceful outcome. Reyes is in
the middle of the maelstrom and may have emphasized some
points to arouse U.S. support; nevertheless, we believe his
warnings have validity, as shown by disturbances in
Cochabamba during the afternoon of January 11 that have left
one dead and over seventy injured. End summary.

MEETING WITH COCHABAMBA PREFECT MANFRED REYES VILLA


2. (C) Cochabamba Prefect (governor) Manfred Reyes Villa
requested a meeting with the Ambassador on January 11 to
discuss the political violence occurring in Cochabamba.
Reyes said he had traveled to La Paz on the morning of
January 11 to attend a meeting of opposition prefects (six of
the nine Bolivian departments). Violence erupted in
Cochabamba on January 8 when MAS affiliated protesters
demanding Reyes' resignation burned the Cochabamba prefecture
offices, torched cars, and looted offices and shops. Violent
conflicts continue as of January 11 as pro-Reyes groups take
to the streets to confront MAS protesters. (Reftels).



3. (C) Reyes said the GOB continues to orchestrate and
incite mob violence against him and would use any deaths as
an excuse to totally clamp down. (As of the afternoon of
January 11, clashed between pro-Reyes and pro-MAS protesters
has left one dead, apparently a cocalero supporter of Evo
Morales). The prefect said Minister of the Presidency de la
Quintana came to Cochabamba the morning of January 10 to
"negotiate" a stop. Reyes complained that de la Quintana did
not call him until 3:30 p.m. and asked him to meet in an
insecure location close to the protests. Reyes said he
accepted the meeting to avoid looking like he was unwilling
to talk. During the meeting, de la Quintanta reportedly
demanded that Reyes suspend his call for a referendum on
autonomy, calling it illegal. Reyes replied the referendum
initiative was a citizen's initiative; he did not control it.
In any event, he said he would not back down and would
respect the law. At that point Reyes' security team alerted
him that a group of protesters was marching toward the
location and advised him to leave. De la Quintana promised
to call Reyes within two hours but never did. Reyes feels he
was set up and that de la Quintana is personally overseeing
the MAS protests instead of trying to end the conflict.


4. (C) Reyes told the Ambassador that Cochabamba is a key
department, as it straddles both eastern and western Bolivia.
He opposes President Morales' plan to send presidential
delegates to each department as the GOB's way of creating
parallel governors. Reyes also said a Bolivian Air Force
source who was traveling with President Morales and Vice
President Garcia Linera heard Morales say to the VP, when the
VP suggested they be more flexible, that there was no need,
as Morales had spoken with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez,
who assured Morales that "everything would be fine."


5. (C) The prefect said he had a message for the USG:
"democracy is at risk in Bolivia." Reyes said the current
situation is worse than October 2003 and warned that civil
conflict cannot be ruled out. He said he is fearful that
Venezuela will send troops and asked what the USG would do in
such a case. The Ambassador responded that the USG supports

democracy and believes problems should be resolved
peacefully. The Ambassador assured Reyes that Venezuelan
military intervention would change the situation. He noted,
however, that press coverage indicates that the opposition
prefects are in a strong position and enjoy public sympathy.
Reyes replied that the prefects are fighting the battle and
plan to call for a nationwide referendum on autonomy.

COMMENT


6. (C) We believe that Prefect Reyes, himself in the middle
of the maelstrom, used the meeting to try to arouse greater
U.S. interest and support as much as to inform of the current
situation. That being said, we believe his warnings have a
great deal of validity, as shown by disturbances in
Cochabamba during the afternoon of January 11 that have left
one dead and over seventy injured. End Comment.
GOLDBERG