EVO THANKS DIPCORPS, ACCUSES USG

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 002293

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINR BL
SUBJECT: EVO THANKS DIPCORPS, ACCUSES USG

Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b)(d)


1. (C) Summary: President Evo Morales addressed the
diplomatic community October 23, showering them with praise
for helping him reach an October 21 compromise with the
opposition on a draft constitution. Morales portrayed the
compromise as a one-sided affair in which the radical
opposition was forced to sign an agreement with his
reasonable, internationally-supported government. Morales
used the occasion to simultaneously thank missions for
assistance while blasting U.S. assistance for "lack of
transparency." Evo then launched a bizarre accusation that
opposition radicals were receiving anti-tank weapons from the
USG, specifically from DEA. After weathering the first round
of Morales' verbal assault, The Charge' felt compelled to
respond to this second baseless diatribe by countering that
USG assistance is dedicated to helping Bolivians and
bolstering democracy and any contention to the contrary was
"totally false." The exchange visibly angered Evo. We heard
later in the day that Morales is preparing a speech to blast
us. End Summary.

Evo Thanks Missions/IOs for Support, Sans Uncle Sam
-------------- --------------


2. (C) President Evo Morales told the diplomatic community
October 23 that he appreciated their support of the
government's dialogue efforts with the opposition that
culminated in an October 21 compromise on the text of a draft
constitution and date for a constitutional referendum.
Morales thanked the international community for its
"critical" part as dialogue observers, which he claimed
forced the heretofore intransigent opposition to compromise.


3. (C) Morales also thanked missions for international
assistance, but took the opportunity to make exception for
U.S. assistance programs, which are "not transparent" and of
which "only 30 percent" goes to needy Bolivians. Evo
lamented the current state of U.S. bilateral affairs and said
he wanted "good" relations with us, but placed the onus on
improving relations on restructuring U.S. assistance
programs.

Evo to Dips: "Call Me"
--------------


4. (C) Morales then pledged to "make better use of you
(diplomatic missions and international organizations)." He
added that he appreciated advice from foreign missions and
found such advice useful during negotiations with the
opposition, but with the caveat that views be expressed
privately to him directly, not through the media. "Call me
with your complaints," said Morales.

Ah Shucks: International Community Takes Credit
-------------- --


5. (C) Various internal representatives then congratulated
Morales on the compromise, including the Argentine, Russian,
French, and South Korean mission representatives. The
Chilean representative made a point to stress Unasur's role
in the negotiations and its success in diffusing the
organization's first political crisis in Bolivia.

From Left Field, Fresh Allegations of USG Conspiracy
-------------- --------------


6. (C) Morales told the group he hoped the constitutional
compromise would serve as a springboard for increased
opposition acceptance of the government's "change agenda."
He then segued awkwardly into an accusation that the United
States was supplying anti-tank weapons to opposition radicals
in Beni and Pando departments (states). Morales said he had
"reason to believe" the DEA was responsible for supplying the
covert arms. He did not offer further details for the
opposition group, the type of weapon, or the connection with
the USG.

Battling Conspiracy Theories with Reality Check
-------------- ---


7. (C) After the MFA official in charge of the microphone
received permission to give the microphone to CDA, CDA
responded to Morales charges. CDA began by congratulating
the government, the opposition, and the Bolivian people for
the constitutional compromise, which visibly irked Morales,
who had tried to caste the compromise as a government victory
throughout. CDA stated that the USG continues to desire
improved relations, consistent with a long history of
positive USG-Bolivian relations, and to continue a friendship
with the Bolivian people. CDA refuted that USG assistance is
used for any other purpose than to help promote democracy and
improve the lives of Bolivians and that any allegations to
the contrary "are totally false."

VP: Opposition Should "Join the March of History"
-------------- --------------


8. (C) Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera told the group
that the government "has always said we were prepared to
compromise." He relayed his satisfaction that the opposition
had finally come around and agreed to negotiate, singling out
opposition leader Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga for a left-handed
compliment for "changing his mind at the last minute."
Garcia Linera fully credited international observers for
forcing the opposition to negotiate seriously, implying an
agreement would not have been possible without them. He
added that the opposition had committed a "fatal mistake" by
resorting to violence in August and September. Garcia Linera
also praised pressure from a large (estimated between 40,000
and 100,000) pro-government march on Congress to "help
convince them (the opposition)" to come to an agreement. He
hoped that the compromise would convince opposition militants
in Santa Cruz Department to reconcile with the national
government and "join the march of history." Foreign Minister
David Choquehuanca also addressed the group.

Evo Shrugs Off CDA; Dark Clouds for USAID Meeting?
-------------- --------------


9. (C) As President Morales shook hands with diplomats after
the event, CDA pulled him aside to mention that USAID would
meet with Minister of Planning and Development Carlos
Villegas later the same day to discuss assistance programs
and transparency. Morales, visibly upset, brushed off the
comment, saying only that "the policy needs to change."
(Comment: We understand that by the only "change" Morales
will accept regarding development assistance is to hand money
directly to the government/Evo. We will see if the exchange
sours our pre-scheduled meeting on USAID's assistance
programs with Minister Villegas today, October 23. We have
also heard that Evo plans to blast the USG in a speech
sometime between October 23-25. End Comment.)

Comment
--------------


10. (C) Garcia Linera's characterization of a warm and fuzzy
government that has always tried to be reasonable with a
radical and intransigent opposition is utterly blind to the
last year's worth of government strong-arm tactics to
steamroll its will over democratic rules and institutions.
The international community seems largely content to accept
the government narrative, at least publicly. As the CDA
noted, we too are pleased the government and opposition could
come to a peaceful agreement regarding the draft constitution
and at the role of the international community to facilitate
such outcomes. However, we take issue with the use of
obvious pressure tactics, such as the threat to unleash
potential violent government supporters on the institution of
Congress if the government did not get their way. The
government's continued reference to these pressure tactics as
legitimate instruments of democracy is unacceptable, as is
lack of international criticism of such measures. Igniting
dynamite at the door of the Congress is not harmless
"celebration," as the government describes it, but a signal
to opposition legislators inside to pass the government's
agenda or else.


11. (C) Evo wins dual awards for most uncomfortable moment
and most awkward bilateral attack at a multilateral event
with his bizarre accusations about DEA-supplied anti-tank
weapons. Evo's allegation is textbook Chavez: offer an
innuendo and no proof, let fester, and allow the perception
to linger without resolution. It goes without saying that no
international representative bothered to defend us at the
event, nor do we expect them to do so in the future. The
irony that at the same event Morales called on diplomats to
lodge their criticisms of his government privately through
diplomatic channels seems lost on Evo himself. Attacks like
these make it difficult to entertain seriously the
oft-repeated government speaking point that it wants to
improve relations with United States. End Comment.
URS