Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LAPAZ1499
2008-07-07 22:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
BOLIVIA ACCUSES PEACE CORPS OF BEING INTEL AGENCY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001499
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2018
TAGS: ASEC BL PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA ACCUSES PEACE CORPS OF BEING INTEL AGENCY
REF: LA PAZ 1498
Classified By: Acting EcoPol Chief Brian Quigley for reasons 1.4(b,d.)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001499
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2018
TAGS: ASEC BL PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA ACCUSES PEACE CORPS OF BEING INTEL AGENCY
REF: LA PAZ 1498
Classified By: Acting EcoPol Chief Brian Quigley for reasons 1.4(b,d.)
1. (C) SUMMARY. The Peace Corps has come under verbal assault
from the Bolivian government. In a speech given from Caracas
July 5, President Evo Morales accused organization volunteers
of having taking pictures of him and other South American
leaders in December 2006. Morales echoed the opinion in a
private meeting with the Ambassador two days later on July 7,
calling it an "intelligence agency." On July 6, Minister of
the Presidency Quintana also listed the Peace Corps as a
conspiring "arm" of the Embassy and U.S. government. END
SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) From Caracas, Morales recounted an event that took
place in 2006 in Cochabamba at a summit of several South
American leaders. According to his account, two young people
attempted to enter the meeting as press but were detained
after a photos of Evo, Brazilian President Lula and
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez were found in their
belongings. Upon questioning, the two said they were fans of
President Morales. Evo said they were from the Peace Corps
program, but suggested their real agenda was from a
"following of presidents" program. He criticized their
methods and told them "If you wanted to find me, why not ask
for a meeting?" (NOTE: As reported previously, it appears the
two young AmCits were Maryknoll workers visiting Cochabamba.
They were not Peace Corps volunteers. END NOTE.)
3. (U) Minister of the Presidency Quintana, in a public
speech on July 6 reported by the media, listed the Peace
Corps, along with USAID, DEA and NAS as "arms" of the Embassy
used to undermine the current administration. He said the
Peace Corps is a dependency of the USG and that through the
program, hundreds of students from the U.S. have arrived as
intelligence agents.
4. (C) Morales further attacked the Peace Corps in a private
meeting with the Ambassador on July 7. (reftel) Evo told the
Ambassador: "You can't keep lying to me. I know (the Peace
Corps) is an intelligence agency. I was told so on a trip to
Belgium. Your own volunteer denounced you."
5. (C) COMMENT. The Peace Corps is now part of the Government
of Bolivia's conspiracy theory. Despite the Ambassador's
explanation of the Peace Corps' history and his repeated
denial that the organization is an intelligence operation,
Evo's opinion will not be swayed. These attacks by top
members of the Bolivian government, while in all likelihood
do not represent an immediate threat against Peace Corps
volunteers, is a worrying development. It was, after all,
Quintana who started the campaign against USAID in a similar
public presentation in August 2007. Post's Emergency Action
Committee will meet this week to determine the appropriate
response to these accusations and potential threats. END
COMMENT.
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2018
TAGS: ASEC BL PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA ACCUSES PEACE CORPS OF BEING INTEL AGENCY
REF: LA PAZ 1498
Classified By: Acting EcoPol Chief Brian Quigley for reasons 1.4(b,d.)
1. (C) SUMMARY. The Peace Corps has come under verbal assault
from the Bolivian government. In a speech given from Caracas
July 5, President Evo Morales accused organization volunteers
of having taking pictures of him and other South American
leaders in December 2006. Morales echoed the opinion in a
private meeting with the Ambassador two days later on July 7,
calling it an "intelligence agency." On July 6, Minister of
the Presidency Quintana also listed the Peace Corps as a
conspiring "arm" of the Embassy and U.S. government. END
SUMMARY.
2. (SBU) From Caracas, Morales recounted an event that took
place in 2006 in Cochabamba at a summit of several South
American leaders. According to his account, two young people
attempted to enter the meeting as press but were detained
after a photos of Evo, Brazilian President Lula and
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez were found in their
belongings. Upon questioning, the two said they were fans of
President Morales. Evo said they were from the Peace Corps
program, but suggested their real agenda was from a
"following of presidents" program. He criticized their
methods and told them "If you wanted to find me, why not ask
for a meeting?" (NOTE: As reported previously, it appears the
two young AmCits were Maryknoll workers visiting Cochabamba.
They were not Peace Corps volunteers. END NOTE.)
3. (U) Minister of the Presidency Quintana, in a public
speech on July 6 reported by the media, listed the Peace
Corps, along with USAID, DEA and NAS as "arms" of the Embassy
used to undermine the current administration. He said the
Peace Corps is a dependency of the USG and that through the
program, hundreds of students from the U.S. have arrived as
intelligence agents.
4. (C) Morales further attacked the Peace Corps in a private
meeting with the Ambassador on July 7. (reftel) Evo told the
Ambassador: "You can't keep lying to me. I know (the Peace
Corps) is an intelligence agency. I was told so on a trip to
Belgium. Your own volunteer denounced you."
5. (C) COMMENT. The Peace Corps is now part of the Government
of Bolivia's conspiracy theory. Despite the Ambassador's
explanation of the Peace Corps' history and his repeated
denial that the organization is an intelligence operation,
Evo's opinion will not be swayed. These attacks by top
members of the Bolivian government, while in all likelihood
do not represent an immediate threat against Peace Corps
volunteers, is a worrying development. It was, after all,
Quintana who started the campaign against USAID in a similar
public presentation in August 2007. Post's Emergency Action
Committee will meet this week to determine the appropriate
response to these accusations and potential threats. END
COMMENT.
GOLDBERG