EVO TAKES ON THE CHURCH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 05 LA PAZ 002566 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PINR PHUM SNAR VT BL SUBJECT: EVO TAKES ON THE CHURCH Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b)(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Recent sermons from Bolivian Cardinal Julio Terrazas raising concerns about increases in narcotrafficking have unleashed a torrent of government criticism of Terrazas, the Catholic Church in general, and the Church's tax-exempt status. Terrazas maintains his views are endorsed by the Vatican and that he intends to focus Bolivians on urgent social problems, not to condemn or promote any particular political movement. The opposition hopes to exploit the government's perceived anti-Catholic rants to bolster its "no" campaign to the new constitution and improve its chances in December 2009 general elections. Meanwhile, the government is trying to expel Mennonite farmers from Beni Department and bullying a religious NGO in El Alto. End Summary. Genesis of the Latest Dispute With the Church -------------- ¶2. (U) The latest public argument between the Catholic Church and the Bolivian government was set off by a November 30 Sermon from Cardinal Julio Terrazas that Bolivia was "turning into a godless and lawless space dominated by drug traffickers." Terrazas further incurred the ire of the government in a December 2 statement concerning the terrorist attacks in Bombay, noting that the government is moving in a direction that "is not far away" from providing the conditions for similar attacks in Bolivia. "We need to be worried about this because our country is converting into a space where narcotraffickers will dominate, (narcotraffickers) that could ... exterminate the Bolivian people." MAS: God is on Our Side -------------- ¶3. (U) The sermons unleashed days of attacks on Terrazas from ruling Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party Congressmen, Presidential Spokesman Ivan Canelas, and President Evo Morales, who opined December 1 that supposedly neutral "mediators" were in fact supporting powerful opposition forces, a veiled reference to Terrazas. Canelas remarked December 2 that Terrazas' comments confirmed his "opposition stance" and that the Cardinal should "leave politics aside." Among other attacks: --Ruling Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) Congressman Gabriel Herbas accused the Bolivian Church of providing "false" information to the Vatican regarding Bolivian social and political conditions. --Cochabamba Department Interim Prefect (state governor) Rafael Puente, referring to the Church and other "oligarchic and colonial" power structures, said Bolivia "was through with (institutions that) oppress the people." He added that "just because they wear a cross and have a message of faith they think they can exercise power over our people." --Vice President Alvaro Garcia expressed his "concern" over "politicized" Church statements, but emphasized his "profound respect" for the Church. --MAS Senator Felix Rojas accused the Church of using the cross to endorse violent youth groups in Santa Cruz. "They should leave the cross alone, because the cross of Christ belongs to the poor." ¶4. (C) Note: The Morales government has a history of conflict with the Catholic Church, including a dispute early in his presidency over an initiative to extract the religious curriculum out of the Catholic Church-sponsored schools and Morales' rejection of the Church as a "valid" facilitator in potential talks with the opposition, after Terrazas had voted in favor of Santa Cruz autonomy during the May 10 referendum. End Note. LA PAZ 00002566 002 OF 005 Terrazas: God Doesn't Take Sides -------------- ¶5. (U) Terrazas and Church spokesman Marcial Chupinagua have countered that the Church is well within its jurisdiction to speak out on social and political issues and that the comments were focused on issues, not to condemn or condone particular political movements. Terrazas said Pope Benedict XVI provided the following guidance to Bolivian Church representative in November: "to continue planing the seeds of peace, hope, this is our work and if there are difficulties we cannot be silent, (we must instead) work for complete liberty." Chupinagua also pointed out that 80 percent of Bolivians are Catholic, and that only 67 percent support Morales, including "the dead that vote," a criticism of perceived voter fraud during the August 10 recall referendum. Eye for an Eye; Axing Tax Benefits for Perceived Criticism -------------- -------------- ¶6. (U) MAS Congressmen also began targeting the church for its tax-exempt status. Although Congressmen Cesar Navarro said the MAS would allow non-profit Church activities to accept denotations tax-free, he asserted the government would tax "for-profit" activities, such as the Bolivian Catholic University. (Note: Other MAS leaders did not make this distinction, implying that all Church revenue should be taxed. End Note.) Navarro also berated the Church for privileged positions" with past administrations and for "assuming a political position" against the draft constitution, which Navarro explained "provides for the independence of the state from religion." ¶7. (U) However, Marlene Ardaya, the head of the National Tax Service, publicly discounted any change in tax policy December 8. She said if the MAS wanted to tax the Catholic Church, it would also have to tax Evangelicals and indigenous Aymara priests, but insisted that any change in tax policy toward religion was unlikely and unwise. Ardaya further contended the Catholic Church was in compliance with its existing tax obligations for profitable institutions, such as the Bolivian Catholic University. Opposition: Evo to Reap Whirlwind with Church Attacks -------------- -------------- ¶8. (C) Opposition Strategist Javier Flores (protect) told PolOff December 8 that the government's "overreaction" to the Cardinal's remarks is opening up a vulnerability the opposition will try to exploit. Flores said as desperate and fragmented as the opposition has been in 2008, "everyone will unite to defend Terrazas." He said evidence of Terrazas' "unifying power" was already evident, as opposition leaders, Bolivia's press association, and civic groups have made a series of public gestures in Terrazas' after ex-Vice President Victor Hugo Cardenas met publicly with the Cardinal December 4. Flores said although Cardenas was ostensibly meeting Terrazas to congratulate him for being named one the 100 most influential people by Madrid Daily El Pais, the "understood purpose" was to defend Terrazas against government attacks. Terrazas' Defenders; Protective Custody for Evo's Bible? -------------- -------------- ¶9. (U) Among Terrazas many public defenders, Opposition Senator Hoz de Vila (Podemos) not only defended the Cardinal, but publicly called for the presidential palace's bible to be placed in the custody of the Cardinal "until there is a new catholic government ... that will value it." Hoz de Vila said such a change in the bible's locale was justified based on the government's "irreverent" attacks on the church. Former MAS Senator and union leader Filemon Escobar came to Terrazas defense, calling on Morales to stop attacking as LA PAZ 00002566 003 OF 005 "loyal defender of the coca leaf, (who was) against the eradication and coca zero (policy) of (ex-President Hugo) Banzer. ... Why are you spitting in the face of the Cardinal? He helped us more than any other sector." Press Writes Off Government Attacks -------------- ¶10. (U) Bolivia's National Press Association (ANP) released a statement December 6 expressing its "solidarity" with the Cardinal and rejecting "the irreverent, aggressive and unjust attacks" against him. It further characterized the government's reaction to Terrazas' sermon as a "disproportionate response." "The government, as it fires its verbal artillery against the bishop of Bolivia, should thank him for underlining the risk to society of this danger (narcotics)." Terrazas' Political Profile to Go Forth and Multiply -------------- -------------- ¶11. (C) Flores claimed during a closed-door meeting with Terrazas and Cardenas December 4, Terrazas confirmed he would "continue to criticize the government" and planned to publicly endorse the no campaign for the constitutional referendum, perhaps at a massive "no" rally planned in Santa Cruz December 11. (Note: The rally was confirmed in press reports December 9 and will include a wide variety of opposition leaders. Flores said it will be the first "visible evidence" of a larger opposition alliance to oppose Morales in December 2009 general elections. End Note.) The Cardinal argued that the draft constitution promoted inequality with heavy preferences to Bolivia's indigenous majority and would created a Bolivia divided between "first- and third-class citizens." Religious Leaders Working on Joint Referendum Statement -------------- -------------- ¶12. (C) Flores, who is also a leader in Bolivia's evangelical community, said Terrazas also supports increased inter-faith unity on social/political issues. He said Catholic and Evangelical leaders would meet December 12 to discuss issuing a two-page statement critical of the draft constitution before Christmas. It will include the typical constitutional text criticism, but will also stress specific changes in the status of churches that Flores argued would "open the door to hedonism." Flores said the Methodists have "strong links" to the Morales Administration and are blocking the measure, as they have similar statements in the past, but that other leaders may be willing to issue a statement without them. The Wrath of Terrazas, Backed by Pope -------------- ¶13. (C) Terrazas allegedly denied to Flores and Cardenas that the press had taken his comments out of context to generate a public fight with the government. "I meant those words to be strong and I will say them again and again," contended a fiery Terrazas. Terrazas told Flores that the Vatican had given Bolivia's church leaders instructions to "stand up to" government excesses and he intended to comply, albeit with a focus on issues, not personalities. Flores said the proactive Vatican guidance tracked with concerns raised by the Vatican's leadership on Latin America policy, with whom he and Senate President Oscar Ortiz met in June. Flores claimed Terrazas did not consider his sermons deserving of the government backlash and said if he really wanted to target the government he would have publicly revealed a meeting he had with Morales in the late 80s or early 90s during which Evo allegedly said "we are going to fill the United States with cocaine." Bolivia Changes, the Church Delivers? -------------- LA PAZ 00002566 004 OF 005 ¶14. (C) Fernando Untoja, National head of Movement Ayra, an indigenous political group, told PolOff December 8 that there is no upside for the government's attacks, as the churches critics are already firmly in the government camp, but that in addition to Catholics, the offensive would alienate recipients of the church's many development and charity programs, including Morales supporters. He added the government was unwisely invoking comparisons of the church's programs with inefficient and graft-riding government programs, such as the Venezuelan-funded "Bolivia Changes, Evo Delivers" program, which gives money to Bolivian municipalities. Attacks Mild, Considering MAS' Hate of the Church -------------- -------------- ¶15. (C) Trying to explain the government's (over)reaction to Terrazas comments, Untoja noted that the government "cannot resist a fight when they think they are being criticized," even when such a reaction is not in its best interests. Untoja explained further that the MAS' outlook on religion is "dated" and steeped in Marxist thought. "Even today," Untoja contended, MAS leaders are found of quoting Marx's description of religion as being "the opiate of the masses." Considering the deep animosity some MAS leaders have toward the church, Untoja said the MAS probably believes their responses were measured and "mild." Mennonites Also Under Attack -------------- ¶16. (C) Flores said although there are notable exceptions, the MAS leadership is decidedly anti-Church, using the example of land reform to illustrate. Flores believes the Bolivian Land Institute had targeted Mennonite settlers in Bolivia's Beni and Santa Cruz departments for land redistribution based on simmering Church resentments. He said the government overlooked larger land holders with more tenuous legal rights to their land because the MAS "hate religious people and view them as a challenge to their authority." In Beni, Flores claimed that the Mennonites had been "good neighbors" to local indigenous tribes and farmers, much to the irritation of newer "colonizers" from the altiplano tribes that are more closely aligned with the Morales administration and hope to gain from land redistribution. The Mennonites' good relations with locals was manifested November 24, when locals organized a 400-person march to protest the government's plans to force 80 Mennonite to vacate their farms. No Good Deed Unpunished in El Alto -------------- ¶17. (C) Former La Paz Department (state) Secretary General Alejandro Zapata (protect) told PolOff December 8 that MAS supporters in El Alto view the charitable activities of the Foundation of the Body of Christ (FCC) as an alternative, and thus a challenge, to MAS power. (Note: FCC is a popular and lauded institution that has been working in El Alto for decades building churches and sponsoring charities. End Note.) He said MAS activists told FCC's leader, Father Sebastian Obermeyer, that they would "take over your buildings and kick you out of El Alto" if he considered Zapata's request to return to the FCC's four-member executive board. FCC's Obermeyer and Melba Gutierrez registered similar complaints of MAS bullying and threats with Charge in October. Comment -------------- ¶18. (C) We met with Cardinal Terrazas a few days before his November 30 anti-narcotics sermon, and perhaps foreshadowing his upcoming homily, he expressed his deep concern over DEA's expulsion and the detrimental effect it would have on Bolivia. Terrazas worried about the direction of the Morales LA PAZ 00002566 005 OF 005 government and its lack of tolerance for differing views. "We (the Church) in the past have provided refuge to many of the people who are now in government. They should understand, but instead seem intent on imposing their vision," commented the Cardinal. Terrazas believes he has come under government attack because he has dared tell Evo when he is wrong. "I support much of Evo's program ... social inclusion, poverty alleviation,... but I also tell him when he is going too far, and threatening democratic values," Terrazas added. Terrazas, who had previously been quite supportive of Evo, clearly is disappointed and prepared to speak out. However, when we asked if anyone in the church was considering politics, like Paraguay's Lugo, he replied that he had not given it much thought. ¶19. (C) The government has presented the opposition an issue that has legs in the run-up to the January constitutional referendum. Whether the opposition has the unity, organization, and smarts to fully exploit the government's attacks on the church remains to be seen. Until now the government has cloaked its anti-church sentiment in seemingly reasonable legal arguments regarding tax status. But if the church-government public melee continues, it is only a matter of time before a MAS leader makes a more general and visceral attack on the church and offends its many Bolivian members, perhaps with a quote from Marx. Our own experience vindicates the views expressed by our religious community contacts that the MAS views any institution not under its direct control as a threat, no matter how benevolent or non-political. End Comment. URS