CONVERGENCIA DEPUTIES HAVE INDEPENDENT AGENDA FROM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAGUA 000331

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KDEM NU
SUBJECT: CONVERGENCIA DEPUTIES HAVE INDEPENDENT AGENDA FROM
FSLN IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

REF: A. MANAGUA 0241

B. 06 MANAGUA 2724

Classified By: Ambassador Paul Trivelli for reasons 1.4 (b and d)


1. (C) Summary: National Assembly deputy Augustin Jarquin
recently told us that the non-Sandinista deputies in the
Sandinista Front (FSLN) caucus have developed an independent
legislative agenda. The deputies -- a mix of Liberals,
Conservatives, Resistance leaders, and indigenous
representatives -- are generally referred to as the
"Convergencia" (Convergence),a group of parties that have
formed alliances with the FSLN. Jarquin and some of the
other Convergencia deputies are troubled by President
Ortega's attempts to centralize power through legislative
reforms and decrees, and plan to support efforts to reverse a
number of "mistakes." Jarquin also requested assistance for
FOPREL, an organization that is working to harmonize
legislation in the region. End Summary.


2. (C) Ambassador and poloffs met with Convergencia deputy
Augustin Jarquin on February 2 (at his request) to discuss
perspectives on the Ortega government and the role of the
Convergencia deputies in the National Assembly. Ambassador
told Jarquin that our private meetings with administration
officials have been cordial and productive; nevertheless, we
are concerned that the FSLN has acted to centralize power
without any dialogue with civil society. Ambassador
explained that we will continue to closely monitor
legislative reforms, as well as the administration's
treatment of the press and civil society.


3. (C) Jarquin reported that the Convergencia deputies have
developed an independent legislative agenda that focuses on
professionalization of the justice system, electoral reforms,
and political/constitutional reforms. Specifically, the
Convergencia deputies agree that National Assembly deputies
should be directly elected from individual districts, not
from national or regional party lists. Jarquin agreed that
such a reform would make deputies more accountable to their
constituencies and give citizens a better sense of
representation from their elected officials. Jarquin
suggested a future meeting between Embassy officials and the
Assembly's Foreign Relations Commission (of which he is a
member) and a separate meeting with the five Convergencia
deputies.


4. (C) Jarquin agreed that President Ortega has made some
"mistakes" in his public discourse and legislative agenda,
but assured us that the administration will correct its
errors. Discounting recent press reports implying that
Ortega may not negotiate to renew Nicaragua's agreement with
the IMF, Jarquin commented that, while the IMF and the
administration may disagree on certain points and that the
negotiations may well be "difficult," the government will
ultimately sign a new accord with the IMF.


5. (C) Regarding the controversial reforms to the Organic Law
and Law 290 that were pushed by the FSLN (reftels),Jarquin
stated that Ortega should have left at least nominal
authority over the police and military with the Ministers of
Government and Defense to act as a buffer should the security
forces become involved in confrontations with civilians. He
was more critical of the Organic Law reforms, calling the
provision allowing the National Assembly to summon private
citizens "wrong" and mentioned that the Assembly will
probably revise this provision. He also asserted that the
Assembly's new power to hold secret votes should only be used
in "exceptional" cases such as votes on boundary disputes.
When asked, he pledged that the FSLN/Convergencia deputies
would not allow a secret vote on amnesty for ex-President and
convicted money launderer Arnoldo Aleman. Jarquin said that
the Convergencia will support efforts to modify the more
egregious reforms.


6. (C) Jarquin mentioned that he is a participant in the
Presidential and Legislative Forum (FOPREL),an organization
that works with SICA and SIECA to harmonize bureaucratic
practices and legislation throughout the Central American and
Caribbean region to facilitate travel and trade. FOPREL has
eight commissions that work in different areas of unification
and make proposals to the member states through SICA
(although the proposals are non-binding). Jarquin requested
assistance to establish a central document repository, where
experts would perform analysis of the legal and
constitutional framework of the member states for the FOPREL
commissions. The Ambassador suggested that USAID regional
funds might be available to support some of this work.


7. (C) Comment: Jarquin was eager that we perceive the
Convergencia deputies as a separate bloc from the rest of the
FSLN caucus, possibly as a way to improve direct
communications (and assistance flows from?) the Embassy.
Contacts have indicated that Convergencia leaders are
disgruntled with Ortega's moves to increase his authority,
but more upset that they have not been allotted their "quota
of power" within the administration. The Convergencia has
been reliably obedient to Ortega in the past, and many of its
more outspoken firebrands defected to the Sandinista
Renovation Movement (MRS) before the elections. Should the
Convergencia deputies eventually decide to break ranks,
however, their votes could prove crucial for the opposition.
TRIVELLI