EVO IRKED BY AMBASSADOR/INDIGENOUS LEADERS MEETING

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000408 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BL SUBJECT: EVO IRKED BY AMBASSADOR/INDIGENOUS LEADERS MEETING Classified By: EcoPol Counselor Mike Hammer, reasons 1.4b,d ¶1. (C) Summary: The Ambassador and members of the Public Affairs and EcoPol sections met with indigenous leaders (particularly leaders of the eastern lowlands) on February 21 to discuss their view of the situation for indigenous Bolivians under President Evo Morales. Many of the participants declared their frustration with the current administration, questioning Morales' self-asserted indigenous status and complaining that, since they do not fully support Morales' Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) or its "Aymara revolution," they have been sidelined and are no longer receiving political or monetary support. In reaction, Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca gave a radio interview on February 25 citing Ambassador Goldberg's supposed role in "heading the opposition" and mentioning that "there is a photo of the Ambassador with indigenous leaders who are not true representatives and who are in open opposition to the government." (Note: Embassy had arranged press coverage of the event.) One day earlier, President Morales had again accused the Ambassador of being the "head" of the Bolivian opposition, probably referring to the indigenous meeting. End summary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Historically Oppressed Reject "Reverse Racism" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (C) The Ambassador and emboffs met with indigenous leaders representing large and small tribes of the eastern lowlands (Ayoreo, Chiquitano, and Guarayo) as well as leaders of umbrella organizations such as the National Confederation of Indigenous Nations of Bolivia (CONIOB),the Indigenous Central of Beni, the Autonomous Indigenous Council of Santa Cruz, the small-farmers confederations of Cochabamba, the peasant workers confederation of Bolivia (CSUTCB) and leaders of regional indigenous collectives. The head of the Indigenous Central of Beni, Marcial Fabricano, who was vice-minister of indigenous affairs under former-President Goni Sanchez de Lozada, expressed the sentiments of many present when he began his presentation by decrying the current administration's "reverse racism" against non-indigenous Bolivians. "There has been racism against us," Marcial Fabricano said, "but that does not justify turning around and being racist against others." Other indigenous leaders at the meeting joined in this assessment that the MAS and Evo Morales are fomenting dissent and division within Bolivia to the detriment of all Bolivians. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Non-Altiplano Indigenous as Minority within Majority - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶3. (C) There is growing tension between Bolivia's two largest indigenous groups, (the altiplano Aymara and Quechua) who are generally represented by the current administration and the eastern and lowland indigenous groups (Guarani and approximately 32 other groups) who feel neglected by a self-proclaimed-Aymara, cocalero president. Some of the indigenous groups who do not support the current administration (such as the original National Confederation of Peasant Farmer Workers of Bolivia, CSUTCB) have been 'cloned' by the government and are now ignored in favor of their pro-MAS replacements. Other indigenous groups are merely minorities within Bolivia's current self-identifying indigenous majority and feel sidelined by the government's almost exclusive definition of indigenous issues as altiplano issues. For example, the ceremonial use of coca has no place in many lowland indigenous communities, and community leaders express their frustration at the current administration's near-deification of the coca leaf under a blanket claim that it is "indigenous". ¶4. (C) After thanking the USG for ongoing support, particularly during the recent natural disasters, a number of the indigenous leaders focused on the fact that, because they do not fully support the MAS or President Morales, they have been sidelined and maligned, with their funding cut and their complaints ignored. Their worries on this front were supported by Foreign Minister Choquehuanca's February 25 statement that these indigenous leaders "are not true representatives." (Comment: Since these leaders are in fact chosen by their own communities, the fact that the central government would publicly denounce them emphasizes the MAS's penchant for doublespeak in its own favor. Despite the articles in the MAS-drafted constitution that declare that indigenous groups must be allowed to choose their own leaders, it is obvious that the MAS will only accept these leaders as long as they support the MAS. End comment.) ¶5. (C) Within this "opposition" indigenous block, there is also intra-indigenous dissent, however. Indigenous leaders from the small Guarayo and Chiquitano tribes privately told emboffs that they do not feel that "campesino" groups (small-scale farmers who are racially indigenous, often immigrants from the altiplano) should count as "indigenous" under a pure definition of the word, because they do not live communally or according to indigenous tradition, instead working as small land-holders. Dardo Anez Surubi, a leader of the Chiquitano tribe, explained that campesino groups should not be considered indigenous because "they don't follow the traditions" the way the communally-focused Chiquitano tribe does. Anez Surubi said that indigenousness should not be based on race: "There are no pure indigenous anymore; we are all mixed. But those of us who live traditionally can still call ourselves indigenous." Meanwhile, the campesino groups consider themselves indigenous and wish to benefit from new pro-indigenous laws and elements of the draft constitution; however, they feel neglected by the MAS because they and their members are now located in the opposition-aligned eastern lowlands. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "First Indigenous President" Not Indigenous Enough - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶6. (C) Another recurring complaint among the leaders at the meeting dealt with Evo Morales' personal claims to indigenous status and his use of this status as a rallying-cry and vote-getter. A number of the leaders present mentioned that Evo Morales does not speak an indigenous language and does not live an indigenous lifestyle based on the morals and values of indigenous communities. The fact that a cocalero leader is now basing his legitimacy at least in part on his 'indigenousness' was clearly frustrating to more-traditional indigenous leaders. (Note: By traditional Aymara standards, President Morales should not even be able to participate in public life, since he is not married. Morales' ignoring of this and other indigenous values further undercuts his claims to indigenousness in the eyes of more-traditional indigenous leaders. End note.) Participants also commented on the lack of indigenous advisors in Morales' inner circle and lack of indigenous representation in the MAS in general: a number of the invitees were previous colleagues and supporters of Morales and feel that he achieved his current position thanks to their hard work but has now cast them aside. - - - - Comment - - - - ¶7. (C) The indigenous leaders present thanked the Ambassador for his time and requested further support and meetings in the future. A number of those present are also trying to arrange a delegation to visit the United States, to exchange experiences with Native American communities and to expand the U.S. perception of the reality of Bolivian indigenous politics. While not committing to support, the Embassy feels that further meetings with these leaders and other indigenous leaders outside of the dominant Aymara and Quechua communities will provide useful information and demonstrate that the United States is interested in views of all indigenous peoples. While President Evo Morales waves the banner of indigenousness and claims special status as Bolivia's first indigenous president, it is valuable to look beyond the monolithic block of the altiplano culture and recognize that Bolivia's roughly 35 indigenous groups will have differences of opinion. Unfortunately, the ruling MAS party and its leader Evo Morales seem unwilling to accept this fact. End comment. GOLDBERG