EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING-LA PAZ 9/17

S E C R E T LA PAZ 002000 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2018 TAGS: AEMR ASEC AMGT PTER BL SUBJECT: EMERGENCY ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING-LA PAZ 9/17 REF: LA PAZ 1994 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: RSO Patrick J. Moore, reasons 1.4c,d ¶1. (SBU) Emergency Action Committee (EAC) met at 10 a.m. 9/17 to discuss current political situation, status of authorized departure process, and - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Current Political Situation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (C) Opposition and government-aligned groups are reacting positively to the news of a "pre-negotiation" agreement signed 9/16 by President Morales and opposition Tarija Prefect Mario Cossio (who signed on behalf of the opposition association CONALDE). However, there is still little trust on either side. Press announcements indicate that the government may be pushing ahead with plans for a referendum on the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) draft constitution. One of the terms of the deal with the opposition was that the constitutional process be put on hold; if the government ignores this term, the tentative agreement may be broken within a week. (See septel for further analysis.) ¶3. (C) There are currently no indications of future protests targeting the Embassy or other USG property. ¶4. (S/NF) There is increasing chatter about threats to President Evo Morales. EAC will form a working group to review consequences should Morales be removed from power either by assassination or coup. The working group will also assess repercussions in the opposition media luna departments should Prefect Costas or other leaders be arrested, as was the case with Pando Prefect Fernandez. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Decertification Announcement - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶5. (SBU) Press coverage of the counter-narcotics decertification decision is thus far mostly factual. President Morales gave a press conference in which he said that the United States has "no moral authority" to certify and described the decision as "blackmail." Morales also again claimed that USAID is involved in "conspiracy"; he did not mention DEA or NAS specifically. NAS Director asked that EAC consider in the next few days the possibility of returning to more-normal operations in Santa Cruz and Chimore offices, if the threat-level allows. - - - - - - - - - - - Authorized Departure - - - - - - - - - - - ¶6. (C) A C130 left 10:40 a.m. 9/17 carrying 41 passengers (thirty-three official Americans, three non-official Americans, and five Peruvian USG contractors). The total number of official Americans who will have left on authorized departure by close of business 9/17 is 127. There are still a few people who wish to leave on authorized departure but have not yet done so, either for reasons of family illness, delay in flights to alternate safe havens or other logistical reasons. EAC will work with Washington to try to allow these individuals to leave on authorized departure as soon as possible. EAC asked MGT for a list of personnel and families still at Post, for security purposes. Some non-official Americans have called Consular asking if there will be another C130 flight. Consular is taking their names and advising them to seek commercial flight options, which are still available. GSO is coordinating with Embassies Lima and Santiago to expedite arrivals; Embassy La Paz sincerely thanks both Embassies for their assistance. ¶7. (C) RSO informed EAC that the MSD security team is expected to arrive 9/18, pending logistical arrangements (Note: It now appears that the MSD team will not/not arrive. End note.) MILGROUP confirmed that the SSAT SOUTHCOM security team was also scheduled to arrive on 9/18. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Locally Engaged Staff Issues - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶8. (C) Charge will hold townhall meetings for the locally engaged staff at USAID/NAS and the chancery 9/17. Section heads reported that their employees are asking questions about job security. Some LES also report incidents of "targeting" because of their association with the Embassy: one employee was not able to go to his house in El Alto recently because his neighbors had fingered him as an Embassy employee. Charge reminded all section heads to report this type of incident to RSO. - - - - - - - - - - Actions Considered - - - - - - - - - - ¶9. (S/NF) The EAC reviewed actions to take and notifications needed for Mission personnel and U.S. wardens. The following is provided: a. All EAC members were reminded to report to RSO all security issues such as threats to locally engaged staff based on their association with the Mission. b. In upcoming EAC meetings, EAC will discuss the possibility of returning to normal or more-normal operations in Santa Cruz and Chimore, where NAS helicopter maintenance in particular is falling behind. c. Charge will hold two townhall meetings for locally engaged staff on 9/17. d. EAC working group will meet 9/18 to discuss contingency planning should Morales suddenly be removed from power. e. POCs are RSO Patrick Moore (moorepj@state.gov) and DRSO Daniel Hernandez (hernandezd@state.gov),IVG 547-8300. URS