BOLIVIA: VIOLENCE ERUPTS, GOVT INSTALLATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001941 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC PTER BL SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: VIOLENCE ERUPTS, GOVT INSTALLATIONS TAKEN, GOVT ACCUSES AMBASSADOR Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 b,d ¶1. (C) Summary: Starting late morning September 9, civic groups and university students in opposition-aligned departments (states) attacked and took over government installations. The focus of the attacks included buildings belonging to government agencies, Entel (the recently-nationalized formerly Italian telephone company), and various government media outlets. Due to damage to the Entel network, communication with Santa Cruz is currently interrupted. In the northern department of Beni, autonomy-seeking civic groups took three airports. In Tarija, the opposition-aligned Civic Committee of Villa Montes closed a bypass valve on the Gasyrg (Transierra) pipeline that supplies natural gas to Brazil: so far the delivery to Brazil has not been affected because gas has been diverted from Transierra lines to Transredes lines, but this is not sustainable long-term. In Santa Cruz's Chaco region, civic groups took over and shut down the Vuelta Grande gas field (around 2 million cubic meters of production daily). National hydrocarbon company YPFB President Santos Ramirez announced that a 32 inch gas pipeline had exploded in the Chaco, requiring 15-20 days to repair and costing the nation USD8 million a day in revenues. American Airlines has suspended flights until further notice. USDA's local APHIS employees have left their Santa Cruz office and are sheltering in their homes. ¶2. (C) Summary continued: Government Minister Alfredo Rada blamed Santa Cruz Prefect Ruben Costas and civic leader Branko Marinkovic for the wave of violence in Santa Cruz, calling it a "civic and prefectural coup" and claiming that Marinkovic had recently traveled to the United States where he "received instructions." Defense Minister Walker San Miguel called on the people to "defend democracy". Movement Toward Socialism (MAS)-aligned groups have begun blockades of major opposition-aligned cities. Cocaleros and campesinos in Cochabamba await the arrival of President Evo Morales to plan further action. Special Forces military units arrived in Santa Cruz last night, possibly charged with arresting civic leaders, and regular military units have been recalled to their barracks in Trinidad and Santa Cruz. Post called an Emergency Action Committee for the afternoon of September 10. No Mission personnel are reported missing, and those in areas of conflict are hunkering down. ¶3. (C) Summary continued: Ruling Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) Congress members accused Ambassador Goldberg of fomenting and supporting the violence in Santa Cruz. MAS Senator Ricardo Diaz said that it was no coincidence that the Ambassador previously had "clandestine meetings" with Santa Cruz Prefect Ruben Costas, "as the Ambassador did last week with Chuquisaca Prefect Savina Cuellar...Philip Goldberg, specialist in dividing countries, is involved in these affairs. We regret that wherever the Ambassador of the United States has gone, now these things happen." In the lower house, Rene Martinez assured the press that the violent acts against media outlets in Santa Cruz were part of a strategy planned "by the U.S. Ambassador, Philip Goldberg, when he met with the prefects of Beni, Pando, Tarija, Santa Cruz, and Chuquisaca...We cannot allow this level of interference, and to these actions we must add Goldberg's actions in Kosovo and describe them as separatist..." End Summary. - - - - - - - - - - - - Violence and Vandalism - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶4. (C) Long-simmering tensions erupted September 9 in the opposition departments of the media luna, which are demanding the return of hydrocarbon tax revenues taken by the central government to pay for President Evo Morales' new social security plan. The opposition groups are also frustrated by the President's announcement that he will not compromise on the text of the constitution, which contradicts the autonomy statutes passed by Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando, and Tarija (Chuquisaca's newly-elected Prefect Savina Cuellar has called for an autonomy referendum for her department in November.) Civic groups and Youth Unions (generally more-violent) as well as university students took over central government property belonging to the tax agency, the land-reform agency, Entel (the recently-nationalized telephone company),and government media outlets. In many cases, the police and military personnel guarding the buildings were attacked and driven away, often wounded, and often surrendering their protective gear and weapons to the attackers. The military is being humiliated as it tries to avoid armed confrontations with civilians unless Morales specifically orders in writing the use of force. ¶5. (C) In Beni, three airports (Guayamarin, Riberalta, and the capital Trinidad) were taken by civic groups, while the Santa Cruz airport is besieged, with no vehicular access. Our contacts tell us that Aerosur and Taca are still flying through Santa Cruz, but that American Airlines has indefinitely suspended flights both to Santa Cruz and to La Paz (flights leaving La Paz require a stop in Santa Cruz to refuel after the high-altitude takeoff.) In Chuquisaca, the violence was centered in the capital of Sucre, where the Youth Union and university students took over government buildings and attempted to take Entel. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - USDA (APHIS) Office Threatened - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶6. (C) After the overnight communication blackout and indications that the opposition-aligned groups also plan to take over installations of Bolivia's food safety service SENASAG, APHIS Program Management Specialist for South America Carlos Covarrubias told the two local APHIS employees to evacuate their offices, take all possible documentation and government owned vehicles, and take refuge in their homes. The APHIS office is co-located with SENASAG, and veterinary officer Cesar Orozco told Emboff that the police guarding the grounds had warned that all SENASAG installations were likely to be taken September 10. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hitting Where it Hurts: Hydrocarbons - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶7. (C) In the Chaco (a south-east region covering parts of Santa Cruz, Tarija, and Chuquisaca),opposition-aligned civic groups focused their attacks on hydrocarbon installations, attempting to disrupt the flow of gas to Brazil. Civic groups from the city of Villa Montes succeeded in shutting down a valve on the gas pipeline Yacuiba-Rio Grande (Gasyrg) operated by Transierra. The Gasyrg line transports around 17 million cubic meters a day (Mm3/d) to Brazil. However, as of the morning of September 10 export flows had not been disrupted. Jose Gordillo, Vice President at Transredes explained to us that Transierra was able to divert its flow of gas through lines operated by Transredes. While these actions can avoid short-term disruptions, they are not sustainable over time. Members of Tarija's Civic Committee, led by President Reynaldo Bayard, shut down production at the Vuelta Grande gas field operated by Chaco (the government claimed 51 percent ownership of Chaco in May 2008). According to Gordillo, the total production lost from the field is only around 2 Mm3/d, but nonetheless this shows that not only pipeline are vulnerable to takeover. From Brazil, the director of gas and energy for Petrobras, Maria das Gracas Foster, was quoted in Bolivian papers as saying, "Today (September 9) we have a normal situation from Bolivia to Brazil...Bolivia has been an exceptional supplier of gas for Brazil, despite its lack of tranquillity." ¶8. (C) The president of the national hydrocarbon company YPFB Santos Ramirez announced on television at midday that a 32-inch pipeline had exploded. He said the line would take 15-20 days to repair and would cost the nation $8 million a day in revenues. According to Jose Gordillo, Vice President at Transredes, the explosion occurred at the connection to the San Alberto field. The field is one of the two largest fields operated by Petrobras and produces between 6-8Mm3/d. Total production in Bolivia is around 40Mm3/d. The line belongs to Transierra, but Transredes is working with them to divert production to Argentina. - - - - - - - - - Brazil Weighs In - - - - - - - - - ¶9. (C) In Brazil's National Day celebration in La Paz on September 9, Brazilian Ambassador Frederico Araujo delivered an uncharacteristically stern speech, calling on the central government to "deal with the crisis." This follows a widely-reported speech by Brazilian President Lula, in which he warned that Bolivia's continued instability affects chances at attracting investment and said that companies need "guarantees" in order to operate. Brazilian Foreign Minister Amorim also recently commented that Brazil may in the future need to deal individually with Bolivia's departments. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Military and Police Response - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶10. (C) The state news agency ABI is calling the attacks against the National Police and the military "humiliations", after soldiers and police were forced to flee attacking mobs after being relieved of their weapons, shields, helmets and, in some cases, uniforms. Defense Minister Walker San Miguel called those who attacked the military police "xenophobes and fascists" while praising the officers for their "temperate" response. DAO contacts inform us that military Special Forces units from Tarija and northern Santa Cruz had been sent to the city of Santa Cruz the evening of September 9; rumor is that they will begin arrests of opposition leaders. Meanwhile, regular forces in Trinidad and Santa Cruz have been recalled to their barracks, possibly to wait out the crisis but also possibly to receive orders for future actions against opposition forces. ¶11. (C) A source close to the armed forces and the Youth Union in Santa Cruz told Emboff that the central government is giving considerable cash incentives to military top brass to retain loyalty and is also using blackmail (the example given was regarding an officer's wife having an affair.) Reportedly retired officers are also under pressure, to keep them from speaking up. An official with an American railroad company told Emboff in Santa Cruz that there were over 10,000 people in the main plaza of Santa Cruz September 9 and that the opposition-aligned forces are "running out of institutions to take." A number of contacts have told Emboff that Crucenos feel the armed forces "are key" and that sooner or later the military will have to "take a stance" for or against Evo Morales. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MAS-Aligned Groups Respond - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶12. (C) Cocalero leader Julio Salazar announced a blockade of the road between Santa Cruz and Chuquisaca in a press conference: "All the social movements of the countryside and the city of Cochabamba have decided to assume actions against the racist and fascist acts of the Civic Committee and the Prefecture of Santa Cruz...Cochabambinos are going to block the exit and entrance to (Santa Cruz)". Various press reports said that President Morales informed his social groups that the acts in Santa Cruz were a "coup against our government", although Morales did not speak directly to the press. After an emergency meeting with President Morales, the national leader of the Colonizers of Bolivia Fidel Surco announced that "the siege of Santa Cruz is guaranteed, starting September 10." Juan Barea, head of the Santa Cruz "Colonizers" Federation (MAS-aligned campesinos who have "colonized" the lowlands from their home in the altiplano) announced that after an emergency meeting his federation has "planned the taking of representative institutions of the Prefecture and the properties of (opposition leaders) and the industries they own." - - - - - - Blame Game - - - - - - ¶13. (C) Government Vice Minister Ruben Gamarra announced that "Any damage will be laid at the feet of those responsible: Branko Marinkovic and Ruben Costas", while Santa Cruz Prefect Costas declared, "What happened today and what could happen is only and exclusively the responsibility of Evo Morales." Costas also stated, "I am here with my people as Governor and I give a face to the civil valor that President Morales has not had, as he once again hides himself behind some of his servile followers." Senate President Oscar Ortiz (opposition PODEMOS party) blamed the central government for the conflict because the central government has not returned the disputed hydrocarbon tax revenues to the departments. - - - - Comment - - - - ¶14. (C) Although this sudden increase in violence has been expected for a while, it is not clear how long it will last nor whether it is the beginning of something bigger. It seems to be a make-or-break situation for the opposition, since they have now acted openly against government property and opposition leaders have clearly moved beyond mere civil disobedience. With both the government and MAS-aligned groups threatening the opposition leaders personally, there seems to be little room to back down, and the concerted effort to bring Brazil into the conflict is the opposition's way of trying to force the central government to engage in dialogue and compromise. The central government currently seems to be waiting out the conflict, but with troop movements taking place, the government may act decisively in the near future (President Morales, after all, is known as a tough fighter, not a conciliatory compromiser.) Senate President Oscar Ortiz warned on September 10 that the violence in Santa Cruz and other opposition-aligned regions would increase if the MAS insists on approving the MAS constitution. Santa Cruz contacts tell us that there are so far no signs of willingness to talk on the part of the central government, and contacts fear that the government will not negotiate "until there are deaths." Deaths in Sucre in 2007 did not bring the government to the negotiating table, however, nor did the deaths of two miners protesting government plans in August. ¶15. (C) Comment continued: If the government does not respond, the opposition cannot maintain this level of confrontation for long. Already there are food and fuel shortages in the opposition departments, and MAS-aligned blockades would worsen the situation. If the opposition cannot get the government to negotiate, its other goal might be a de facto autonomy, with control over hydrocarbon resources and possibly its own security forces, as previously suggested by Prefect Costas. If the armed forces stay out of the conflict (which may not be as certain as previously thought),the conflict could continue for a short time and then burn itself out. After which, the government could arrest opposition leaders on charges of sedition and violence against the state and thereby potentially cripple the autonomy movement. The opposition knows that their backs are against the wall, and unless the government gives some sign of being willing to negotiate, the opposition may decide to make this a bloody last stand. End comment. ¶16. (C) Given the current fluid situation, Post will continue to provide updates as warranted. GOLDBERG