EVO,S SPOKESMAN RESIGNS, REVEALING INNER CIRCLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000719

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2018
TAGS: ASEC BL PINR PREL PGOV
SUBJECT: EVO,S SPOKESMAN RESIGNS, REVEALING INNER CIRCLE
CRACKS


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


1. (C) Summary: In an abrupt move, Movimiento al Socialismo
(MAS) party insider Alex Contreras officially resigned as the
government's spokesman on April 1. Contreras is a long-time
friend and confidant of Bolivian President Evo Morales, and
his departure reveals serious fissures and in-fighting in
Evo,s inner circle of advisors. Most observers agree that
Contreras, resignation signals that the hard-liners, led by
the Minister of the Presidency Juan Ramon Quintana, are
gaining the upper hand over the indigenous and ideological
wings of the MAS party. The opposition was quick to applaud
Contreras, exit, likening it to rats fleeing a sinking ship,
although some expressed doubt as to whether Evo would
actually accept the resignation. End summary.


2. (C) A visibly shaken Contreras read out his letter of
resignation at a press conference on April 1, his voice
cracking and his hands trembling throughout. He cited a
range of factors related to what he referred to as his
irrevocable decision to resign, stressing that after more
than two years in government a fundamental change of
direction is needed: unity is needed instead division,
dialogue with all sectors instead of violence, freedom of
expression instead of censorship, transparency instead of
corruption, and management instead of disinformation.
Contreras lashed out at & former neo-liberals8 and
internal enemies who are now an obstacle in the process of
change and who will go their own ways once they fulfill their
obscure objectives. The latter comment was a not-so-subtle
reference to Quintana, who reportedly has been feuding behind
the scenes with Contreras for months now.


3. (C) According to some sources, the straw that broke the
camel's back was a directive two weeks ago from the
Superintendent of Telecommunications (SITTEL) to thousands of
Bolivian radio and TV stations instructing them to refrain
from broadcasting information that "even if authentic, could
harm or alarm the population on account of the way or time it
is broadcast." Apparently the idea was Quintana,s, who
tried unsuccessfully to make Contreras send the directive out
from his office. Contreras, a former journalist, publicly
criticized the directive once it was released, going so far
as to say that the government would defend freedom of press
to the end. Contreras, actions in these incidents allegedly
led to a direct rebuke from Evo. When Contreras apparently
requested that Evo dismiss Quintana for straying from the
party's intended course, Evo declined, and Contreras may have
decided to resign himself as a result at that point.


4. (C) President Morales publicly derided Contreras and his
resignation, commenting that the accusations in the letter
were false, but joking that &Alex Contreras has a lot of
fun. When he's tired of having so much fun he will return to
the Palace. However, other MAS leaders were not so
dismissive of the turn of events, admitting that the
government has a serious crisis on its hands.


5. (C) Comment: Contreras, departure confirms that the
behind-the-scenes infighting in Evo,s administration is
intensifying. There are generally believed to be three
competing camps: the hard-liners headed by Quintana, the
ideologues headed by Vice President Garcia Linera, and the
indigenous Evo-loyalists led by Foreign Minister Choquehuanca
(one of only two indigenous members of Evo,s cabinet). None
of these groups want much to do with the United States, but
Garcia Linera and Choquehuanca at least recognize that they
can pursue their agenda without having to break with us.
There are growing signs of dissatisfaction among Evo,s base
of MAS supporters, and Contreras appealed directly to them to
"closely guard the process of change, and to recover an
active, protagonist role from the neoliberal and
encrusted enemies who are now obstructing the process
of change. There are even reports that some of Evo,s
closest remaining advisors are seeing the writing on the
wall. In a meeting with EmbOffs, a contact reported that
Foreign Minister Choquehuanca had recently commented that
unless Evo changed course, he did not see him lasting out the
year. With inflation on the rise, an emboldened opposition
about to hold a vote on autonomy, and mounting protests among
workers in the hydrocarbons and transportation sectors, Evo
must soon decide whether to compromise to save his
administration or continue trying to impose his will and face
an increasingly uncertain future. End Comment.
GOLDBERG