BOLIVIA: AFTERMATH OF MARCH ON EMBASSY

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001301 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER ASEC BL SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: AFTERMATH OF MARCH ON EMBASSY Classified By: Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg, for reasons 1.4 b,d ¶1. (C) Summary: On June 9, after a weekend of anti-U.S. rhetoric from El Alto leaders and public statements from President Morales (accompanied by the Cuban ambassador) blaming the USG for granting asylum to ex-Defense Minister Sanchez Berzain, thousands of Altenos protested in front of the Embassy. At various times the Embassy was surrounded, and protesters threw rocks, dynamite, and burning items over the walls of the compound. Embassy medical staff treated six Bolivian National Police for injuries including a concussion, burns, bruises, and possible broken bones; two policemen were later taken to the hospital. Press reports indicate that a number of protesters were injured, primarily in the rush to avoid tear gas, which the police used to disperse the crowd after numerous attempts to break the police line. The Bolivian government convoked the Ambassador to protest the granting of political asylum to former Defense Minister Sanchez Berzain June 10 (reported septel.) The official government news source ABI is quoting "sources linked to the government" saying that the executive office did not give the order for the police's "heavy repression," and Government Minister Alfredo Rada has removed from his post La Paz Police Commander Victor Hugo Escobar (who during the protest was hit in the head with a burning tire thrown by a protester.) End Summary. - - - - - - - June 9 Events - - - - - - - ¶2. (C) Despite a call from the Ambassador to Vice President Garcia Linera urging calm and reminding the government of its responsibility to protect the Embassy, high-level government officials did nothing to calm their followers in El Alto. In fact, President Morales made a public statement on June 8, saying, "It is not possible that some people with bad political histories could be protected by Philip Goldberg and the government of the United States." Cuban Ambassador Rafael Dauza, who was with President Morales, said that "imperialism" does not respect "the justice of the people." ¶3. (U) Contacts inform us that many of the protesters were told they must participate in the march on the Embassy in order to avoid being fined 50 bolivianos (approximately 8 dollars or a half day's wages.) Added to the fact that El Alto had declared a day-long strike and civic leaders were canvassing the city enforcing the work-ban, a large number of Altenos were available for the march down the hill. Among the protesters were indigenous "Red Poncho" militia members, who reportedly attacked vehicles and shops en route to the Embassy. Students from an El Alto college demanded that the Embassy lower its flag, and de la Cruz threatened to burn the Embassy and then expressed regret at not having managed to do so. El Alto city councilman Roberto de la Cruz later declared that he would return with this supporters but at a time when the Embassy is not as protected: "We will come back when the Ambassador is asleep." - - - - - - - - - - - - - Police Pushed to Respond - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶4. (U) The police surrounding the Embassy showed remarkable restraint when faced with a crowd pelting them with rocks, sticks, fireworks and dynamite. Protesters were lobbing fireworks and dynamite over the wall into the compound, and fireworks were impacting the walls of the Embassy building. In the midst of physical attacks and rushes on the police line, a protester took a can of pepper spray from a policeman and attempted to spray a number of the police in the face (Note: all of this was shown live on national television. End note.) At this point, the police used tear gas on the crowd and a "neptune" mobile water-cannon vehicle was brought into service. The crowd quickly dispersed in the face of the gas and water; when protesters later filed past the Embassy (to receive their chit showing participation so as to avoid being fined) they did so quickly and on the other side of the street. There was no further large-scale confrontation with the police. - - - - - Injuries - - - - - ¶5. (U) Embassy medical staff treated six police for injuries including burns, concussion, contusions, cuts, and a possible broken bone. Later two of the police were taken to the hospital. RSO reports that a number of other police were injured slightly and did not request medical attention from Embassy medical personnel. Although press reports indicated that some protesters were injured--primarily in the rush to get away from the tear gas--currently there are no estimates of how many injuries occurred or of what severity. El Alto city councilman (and protest instigator) Roberto de la Cruz was at one point before the police action seen to be bleeding from a minor scalp wound, presumably inflicted by a misdirected projectile from one of his followers. RSO personnel were slightly affected by tear gas but recovered quickly after receiving oxygen from Embassy medical personnel. No other Embassy employees were injured. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Police Punished for Responding - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶6. (U) The afternoon of June 9, the Embassy issued a press release thanking the police for their professionalism in completing their duty to protect diplomatic installations and regretting that the demonstration had turned violent. In marked contrast, Government Minister Alfredo Rada condemned the role of the police in protecting the Embassy and linked their actions to the replacement of La Paz police commander Victor Hugo Escobar. Rada announced the replacement of a number of high-level police officers the evening of June 9, and a little while later the official news agency ABI reported that sources "linked to the government" said that the reason for the Escobar's replacement was the "heavy repression of the marchers." Escobar himself was injured during the protest, when a flaming tire thrown by the marchers hit him in the head. Rada also described the police response as "inefficient" and scolded, "the easy road of repression should not be taken, instead you have to take the road of prevention." - - - - - - - - - - - A "Profile in Courage" - - - - - - - - - - - ¶7. (C) The Ambassador spoke with former La Paz Police Commander Victor Hugo Escobar to thank him for having taken appropriate action to protect the Embassy one day after Escobar was summarily removed from his post for in essence performing his professional duties to safeguard the Embassy. Escobar told the Ambassador "I was fired for doing my constitutional duty." Escobar added that, as a 30-year veteran of the police force, he would have been up for promotion to General in next couple of months and now he has no future. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Government Support for Attack on Embassy - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶8. (C) During the days leading up to the announced attack on the Embassy, while El Alto leaders publicly stated their goal of burning the building and called on their followers to attack the "imperialists", not one time did a Bolivian government official try to prevent the march by calling for calm. President Evo Morales' main base of support continues to be El Alto, and the march would probably not have turned violent without his tacit approval. During the siege, no government authority called the Embassy to express concern or regret, nor would government officials return calls from the Ambassador. - - - - Comment - - - - ¶9. (C) In light of President Evo Morales' continued vitriolic anti-U.S. rhetoric, reports that the government was involved in planning the June 9 demonstration, and the removal of the police commander who used measured and minimal force to protect the Embassy, we are increasingly skeptical that the Bolivian Government will provide adequate protection for our Mission in the future. Perhaps disingenuously, Government Minister Rada told us on June 10 that he had expected police commander Colonel Escobar to prevent radical elements in the June 9 crowd from reaching the Embassy instead of using tear gas and water canons to break up the demonstration. In any event, the Minister's quick action to dismiss a commander who successfully defended the Embassy will only embolden El Alto crowds when they next demonstrate against us. With El Alto leaders already threatening to come back down to the Embassy and publicly declaring that they will be "better prepared" next time, we are seriously concerned that the Bolivian government will fail to provide adequate protection the next time. End comment. GOLDBERG