EVO BLASTS ELECTORAL COURT, ITS PRESIDENT, AND USG

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000046 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2017 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL BL SUBJECT: EVO BLASTS ELECTORAL COURT, ITS PRESIDENT, AND USG Classified By: Acting EcoPol Chief Brian Quigley for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). - - - - Summary - - - - ¶1. (C) President Evo Morales used an unscheduled appearance at the 2008 inauguration of the National Electoral Court (CNE) to launch a diatribe against the CNE, the USG and the highly respected outgoing CNE President, Salvador Romero. Evo characterized himself as a "victim" of the "USG manipulated" court. Prior to Evo's speech, Romero got in a few, albeit subtler and more coherent, rhetorical jabs against the president. Romero warned that the court's independence is under threat, implying Morales and his Movement Toward Socialism's (MAS) party are using various methods to influence the electoral process. Romero also directly chastised the government for failing to fund the CNE's five year plan. Absent from Evo's diatribe was any mention of his new CNE appointee, Jose Luis Exeni, a person that the opposition sees as a committed leftist. Morales' appointment of Exeni indicates that Evo is determined to exert control over the CNE. End Summary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Outgoing CNE Leader Makes His Plea - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (SBU) CNE President Salvador Romero at the January 7 inauguration of the National Electoral Court( CNE),stressed the need for an independent court, outlined the institution's 2007 accomplishments, and noted that the CNE faces threats on numerous fronts. He pointed out that 35,000 new voters had been registered in 2007, and that the CNE had corrected the registration for 80,000 more. Romero attributed the increase to the expansion of polling places, and to the fact that under today's electoral system voter's can register anytime, while in the past voters had merely a week or two to register thus disenfranchising many citizens. Romero criticized the Morales administration directly one time, when referring to the government's refusal to fund the CNE's five year plan, arguing the refusal endangered the court and Bolivia's fledgling democracy. ¶3. (SBU) Romero indirectly showed his disapproval for the Morales administration's treatment of the CNE by discussing the "multiple threats" the court and its employees face on a day-to-day basis. Romero cited the use of parallel organizations )- clones of entities registered within the national electoral system -- as a threat to democracy and the electoral process. (Comment: The ruling MAS is known to have created parallel civic bodies, unions and associations. These clones are set-up to counter organizations that do not follow the MAS-line. End Comment). Romero also noted that the court has been flooded with cases in the last year; a tactic, he argued, designed to bog-down the court. In a statement that foreshadowed the President's speech, Romero then commented on unfounded attacks against the CNE; attacks, he explained, that put the CNE's credibility in doubt but which are never followed-up with proof. - - - - - - - - - - Morales the Victim - - - - - - - - - - ¶4. (SBU) President Morales used his speech to lambaste the CNE, the USG, and outgoing CNE President Romero. Stating that he needed to speak about his "life experience," Evo explained how the court had personally "rejected" him and his political parties as far back as 1995, referring to himself as a "victim of the court." He talked of the court "sabotaging" the Bolivian people's desire for political transformation, and then repeatedly argued that the court has been subordinated by the "Embassy," a clear reference to the United States. The President argued the court purposefully rejected petitions from his prior political parties (ASP and IPSP),citing as evidence unnamed court "insiders" that had told him that court officials would never rule in favor of his political parties as long as he remained the ASP's and IPSP's leader. ¶5. (SBU) Morales then turned his attention to personally attacking Romero. Evo explained that he had heard that Romero, in his "other job" as a law professor, had given classes where he spoke out "against Evo." The president stated it was incredible that a public servant who supposedly represents an "impartial" and "independent" institution could engage in such partisan behavior. Morales continued stating that certain students had told him that they feared failing Romero's class if they did not express anti-Evo and anti-MAS opinions. The highly-respected Romero therefore suffered a lack of ethics, according to Evo. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Invisible But Partial New Appointee - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶6. (C) Noticeably absent from Evo's speech was any mention whatsoever of his recent appointment, Jose Luis Exeni, to the CNE. (Note: The CNE consists of five magistrates, four appointed by Congress, one appointed by the President. End Note). Exeni replaces Salvador Romero who was appointed by former President Carlos Mesa in 2003. Earlier in the day, Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera presided over Exeni's swearing-in; however, none of the sitting CNE justices were present, an apparent break with CNE tradition. ¶7. (U) President Morales' new appointee Exeni has most recently worked as a researcher for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). He has Bachelors in Social Communication (1996) from the Bolivian Catholic University and a Masters in Social Sciences (1998-2000) and Doctorate in Political Science (2003) both from the Faculty of Latin-American Social Sciences (FLACSO) in Mexico. ¶8. (C) Although he served as the CNE's National Director for Citizen Education from 2003-2006, the opposition views Exeni as a committed leftist. According to an opposition senator his CNE tenure was cut short after he was accused of politicizing voter education campaigns. The current Director of Citizen Education, in a conversation with Emboff, called Exeni's performance "immoral" and stated he would be "unscrupulous" in trying to achieve his (read MAS) objectives. Apparently Exeni jumped into the political breach immediately after his swearing-in, asking Romero not to speak at the inauguration and requesting that he himself speak instead. The other two sitting CNE justices apparently rejected Exeni's request. Exeni is also alleged to be the person who informed to the surprise of his new colleagues, that President Morales was planning to speak at the inaugural ceremony. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Ambassador Meets the Press - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶9. (SBU) The Bolivian press was understandably eager to hear our Ambassador's response to Evo's allegations that the USG had manipulated the CNE. The Ambassador firmly rejected the accusation, calling U.S. assistance to the CNE technical, transparent and honest. Responding to a question about the state of democracy in Bolivia, the Ambassador stated that "we support" Bolivian democracy, thus his appearance at the CNE's inauguration, and reflected on the USG's long-time assistance to the court mentioning that the CNE building itself was a USG donation. - - - - Comment - - - - ¶10. (C) Most objective observers view Salvador Romero as a highly intelligent, effective and impartial magistrate who helped the CNE carry out its responsibilities during turbulent times including the 2003 Gas referendum, the 2005 prefecture and presidential elections, and the 2006 Constituent Assembly and Autonomy referendums. Ironically, Romero presided over Evo Morales' ascension to the presidency with dignity and professionalism. The same cannot be said for Morales' appearance at Romero's farewell as CNE president. ¶11. (C) The reactions to the two speeches perhaps reflected the audience; there were many representatives from opposition political parties and the diplomatic corps. The audience clearly favored Romero's speech over President Morales' diatribe. Romero's speech was received with strong applause that lasted close to a minute, although Evo refrained from joining. In contrast, Morales' speech received an anemic reception, but at least Romero had the courtesy to clap for Morales. Ex-President Carlos Mesa, in a private conversation with the Ambassador, was incredulous of Morales' attacks, calling them not only discourteous but also a "pack of lies." ¶12. (C) Romero's plea that the CNE remain an independent body to protect the will of the Bolivian people and the country's fragile democracy clearly did not penetrate "Evo the victim's" ears. Evo's appointment of Jose Luis Exeni indicates that he is looking for a more compliant court in the future. End Comment. GOLDBERG