GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PLAY MUSICAL CHAIRS BEFORE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 000045

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PASS TO WHA/BSC KREAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/26/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PA
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PLAY MUSICAL CHAIRS BEFORE
NATIONAL ELECTIONS

REF: A. A) ASUNCION 37


B. B) 07 ASUNCION 974

Classified By: DCM Michael Fitzpatrick for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) President Duarte named Senator Roberto Gonzalez
January 17 to head the Ministry of Public Works and
Communications. Gonzalez, who has been serving as
presidential hopeful Blanca Ovelar's campaign manager,
replaced Rogelio Benitez, who resigned to run for a senate
seat on Ovelar's ticket. Colorado insiders indicated that
Colorado President Jose Alberto Alderete may replace Gonzalez
as Ovelar's campaign manager once the Colorado primary
results are officially announced, expected January 21 (reftel
A). Gonzalez previously served as defense minister until
Duarte tapped him November 21, 2007, to replace Vice
President Francisco "Papito" Oviedo Britez as senator (reftel
B). Gonzalez will vacate his senate seat, and Colorado
Inocencia Lopez de Sanabria will likely replace him.


2. (SBU) Duarte also named close ally Ramon Romero Roa
general director of the Itaipu (Dam) Binational Enterprise.
Romero replaced Victor Bernal Garay, who is also running for
a senate seat on Ovelar's ticket. Romero, a lawyer by trade,
has worked for Itaipu since 2002 and most recently served as
administrative director of executive coordination. Prior to
joining Itaipu, Romero served as mayor of Minga Guazu in Alto
Parana Department from 1996 to 2001 until prosecutors
indicted him on charges of embezzling municipal funds.
(NOTE: Prosecutors suspended Romero's case when President
Duarte entered office in 2003. END NOTE.) Romero is the
first person from Alto Parana to become Itaipu director, and
his brother Alcides currently serves as mayor of Minga Guazu.


3. (C) Public officials running for elective office in the
April 20 national elections must step down before January 20,
and Duarte has taken advantage of these vacancies to place
individuals not running for election in key government
positions. Duarte's choice of Gonzalez and Romero follows
Duarte's tendency to place personal allies in key government
positions, improving the Colorados' prospects for victory in
the upcoming election. Romero's designation as Itaipu
director could help Ovelar win more votes in Alto Parana,
where Ovelar suffered her worst defeat -- losing to rival
Luis Castiglioni 39.2 to 60.8 percent -- during the December
16 Colorado primary.

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