EMISSARY OF LIBERAL MAYORS' GROUP CLAIMS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 001065 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KDEM NU SUBJECT: EMISSARY OF LIBERAL MAYORS' GROUP CLAIMS INDEPENDENCE FROM ALEMAN REF: MANAGUA 1036 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Ambassador Paul Trivelli for reasons 1.4 (b and d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Elvin Sandigo, Executive Director of the Association of Patriotic Mayors (ASALPAT),claims that his organization is no longer an organ of the Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC). According to Sandigo, the 58 Liberal mayors that form ASALPAT's membership support Liberal unification and are "open" to the Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance (ALN). The mayors plan to request support from "friendly" embassies to help resist inroads from the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN). End Summary. ¶2. (C) ASALPAT Executive Director Elvin Sandigo, who assumed his current post after the ouster of former director Novis Rosales, met with poloff on April 24 to explain ASALPAT's position on Liberal unity and the current political situation. Sandigo claimed that ASALPAT's Executive Board decided to fire Rosales in July 2006 for using the organization to support personal and party interests. With the support of the membership, Sandigo explained that he has distanced the group from its affiliation from the PLC by moving its headquarters out of the PLC national offices and disassociating himself from PLC leader Arnoldo Aleman. He has also reached out to the Conservative and Resistance mayors elected in 2004. ¶3. (C) Sandigo commented that ASALPAT's membership supports the goal of Liberal unity, but acknowledged that the mayors disagree on whether or not to accept Aleman's leadership in this process. He said, "the most important goal is to maintain a unified position," but did not explain how he could accomplish this without clarifying Aleman's role. ASALPAT has invited both Aleman and ALN leader Eduardo Montealegre to discuss opposition rapprochement. ¶4. (C) Liberal unity is critical, Sandigo explained, to confront the increasing dominance of the FSLN. He accused the Ortega administration of directing almost all official funds for municipal assistance to FSLN mayors. Sandigo plans to approach the U.S. and other embassies to request support for municipal projects in health, education, and infrastructure. ¶5. (C) Comment: Sandigo's professed distancing of ASALPAT from Aleman and the PLC leadership is a positive move, although we know several mayors owe their support to Aleman's influence and will not easily abandon the caudillo. We are planning a meeting with key members of ASALPAT's Executive Board to discuss unity efforts. The Ambassador will use the occasion to reiterate our position that any role for Aleman would be counterproductive. TRIVELLI