SALVADORAN VP ANNOUNCES RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 001959

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ES
SUBJECT: SALVADORAN VP ANNOUNCES RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY

REF: SAN SALVADOR 1947


1. (U) Ana Vilma de Escobar, El Salvador's Vice-President,
has announced her possible candidacy for the ARENA party's
nomination for President in the 2009 election. Escobar made
her announcement in a hastily organized press conference on
September 27. In her statement, she said only the she
"wanted to show (her) interest in participating as a
'precandidate,'" and was careful not to expressly declare her
candidacy. (Note: As per our read of the Salvadoran
Constitution, an official candidacy would probably require
her to relinquish her post as Vice-President by May 2008. End
note.) The announcement seems to have caught ARENA party
leaders somewhat by surprise, but none have thus far publicly
come out in opposition to her candidacy. Salvadoran
President Antonio "Tony" Saca was out of the country when
Escobar held her press conference. Upon his return a few
hours later, he described the announcement as "an example of
the freedom and democracy within the ARENA party," and told
the press that Escobar had informed him of her plans prior to
her announcement.


2. (U) The timing of Escobar's announcement is not
accidental, coming mere hours after the FMLN announcement
that Mauricio Funes will be its candidate for the presidency
(reftel). The announcement may also have been timed to help
frame the agenda of ARENA's general convention which is being
held on September 28. Escobar no doubt hopes that her
'precandidacy' will steal some momentum from a possible run
by Rene Figueroa, the Minister of Public Security, who is
often mentioned as a leading candidate for the top spot on
the ARENA ticket. (Note: Initial polls allegedly show Escobar
well ahead of Figueroa. End Note.) She may also hope
reaction to her announcement will blunt recent discussions in
the press regarding a poll released earlier this month that
suggests a large portion of the electorate feels a man is
more capable of serving as President than a woman. (Note: The
poll results do not indicate the strength of the gender issue
in the overall voting decision. End Note.)


3. (U) Biographical Note: Ana Vilma Albanez de Escobar was
born on March 2, 1954. She has served as El Salvador's
Vice-President since 2004. Escobar has been an active member
of the ARENA party and currently serves as its executive
director. For several years she was Director of the
Salvadoran Social Security Institute under ARENA President
Francisco Flores. She also worked for the U.S. Agency for
International Development mission in El Salvador for nine
years. Escobar holds a degree in Economics from the Jesuit
University of Central America (the "UCA") in San Salvador.
Escobar is married to prominent businessman Carlos Patricio
Escobar, and they have one daughter.
Glazer