Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07PORTAUPRINCE799
2007-04-30 19:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:
(C) BOB MANUEL LEAVES HAITI - BUT FOR HOW LONG?
how-toVZCZCXRO1633 OO RUEHQU DE RUEHPU #0799 1201925 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 301925Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5956 INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 1513 RUEHGT/AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA PRIORITY 0130 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 000799
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV HA
SUBJECT: (C) BOB MANUEL LEAVES HAITI - BUT FOR HOW LONG?
Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson, reason 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 000799
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV HA
SUBJECT: (C) BOB MANUEL LEAVES HAITI - BUT FOR HOW LONG?
Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson, reason 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Saying that he will not/not return to Haiti until
President Preval gives him a paying job that will allow him
to decently support his family, Presidential Counselor Bob
Manuel called me from the airport April 29 to say that he was
leaving the country to return to Guatemala for good. Manuel
told me he could no longer work in Haiti "for free" and take
care of his family. His wife, a Guatemalan journalist,
believes Haiti is unsafe and refuses to live here. Manuel
said that he had asked Preval to make him Ambassador to
Guatemala, so he would have a regular government salary, but
the President had not done so. As presidential advisor,
Manuel noted, he is paid less than dols 1200 a month and
cannot manage on that sum any longer.
2. (C) Furthermore, Manuel said, Preval did not ask him to go
to Washington for the President's May trip. Manuel said that
he was surprised not to be included. He refused to speculate
on the reason, but in the past has indicated that he is
increasingly shut out of the decision-making process as
Preval has grown closer to financial advisor/fiancee
Elisabeth Delatour. When I pointed out that Preval had tapped
him as our main contact on counter-narcotics issues, Manuel
told me to call him in Guatemala if we need him.
3. (C) Comment. Manuel has often expressed concern about his
inability to make a living wage here in Haiti and has angled
for any number of ambassadorial positions, but to no avail.
(Preval has not named any new envoys as they must be approved
by the Senate first and he believes that it would be
difficult to get anyone through the process at this point.)
Manuel has also confided that he feels more and more removed
from the president these days as Delatour has come to the
forefront and his frustration about a perceived lack of
influence is often palatable. Nonetheless, we suspect that
Manuel, a volatile and vociferous individual, could still be
enticed back with a phone call or two from his old friend
Preval - and an invitation to join the president's party in
Washington.
SANDERSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/30/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV HA
SUBJECT: (C) BOB MANUEL LEAVES HAITI - BUT FOR HOW LONG?
Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson, reason 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Saying that he will not/not return to Haiti until
President Preval gives him a paying job that will allow him
to decently support his family, Presidential Counselor Bob
Manuel called me from the airport April 29 to say that he was
leaving the country to return to Guatemala for good. Manuel
told me he could no longer work in Haiti "for free" and take
care of his family. His wife, a Guatemalan journalist,
believes Haiti is unsafe and refuses to live here. Manuel
said that he had asked Preval to make him Ambassador to
Guatemala, so he would have a regular government salary, but
the President had not done so. As presidential advisor,
Manuel noted, he is paid less than dols 1200 a month and
cannot manage on that sum any longer.
2. (C) Furthermore, Manuel said, Preval did not ask him to go
to Washington for the President's May trip. Manuel said that
he was surprised not to be included. He refused to speculate
on the reason, but in the past has indicated that he is
increasingly shut out of the decision-making process as
Preval has grown closer to financial advisor/fiancee
Elisabeth Delatour. When I pointed out that Preval had tapped
him as our main contact on counter-narcotics issues, Manuel
told me to call him in Guatemala if we need him.
3. (C) Comment. Manuel has often expressed concern about his
inability to make a living wage here in Haiti and has angled
for any number of ambassadorial positions, but to no avail.
(Preval has not named any new envoys as they must be approved
by the Senate first and he believes that it would be
difficult to get anyone through the process at this point.)
Manuel has also confided that he feels more and more removed
from the president these days as Delatour has come to the
forefront and his frustration about a perceived lack of
influence is often palatable. Nonetheless, we suspect that
Manuel, a volatile and vociferous individual, could still be
enticed back with a phone call or two from his old friend
Preval - and an invitation to join the president's party in
Washington.
SANDERSON