SPAIN MAY PLANT IDEA OF NICARAGUAN RECOUNT AT EU

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 001225 SIPDIS WHA/CEN FOR ALBERT KRAAIMOORE EUR/WE FOR STACIE ZERDECKI AND ELAINE SAMSON USEU FOR BOB BLACKSTONE E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV SP NI SUBJECT: SPAIN MAY PLANT IDEA OF NICARAGUAN RECOUNT AT EU REF: A. SECSTATE 122262 ¶B. MADRID 996 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Arnold A. Chacon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) POLOFF discussed November 9 Nicaraguan municipal elections and delivered points (ref A) November 20 to Spanish MFA Sub-Direct General for Mexican, Caribbean, and Central American Affairs Jorge Romeu Gonzalez-Barros. Romeu agreed there had been "serious irregularities" but cautioned that Spain was unsure of the reach of those irregularities. He said it was not clear whether there had been massive fraud, and that it would be difficult to ascertain whether the irregularities had occurred universally or only in select polling stations. Nonetheless, he agreed that the behavior of Nicaragua's Supreme Electoral Council was unacceptable. ¶2. (C) Asked what approach the GOS was likely to take, Romeu said Spain was inclined to let the investigation into irregularities run its course and to consider any possible action plan within a European Union context. In preparation for a December meeting in Brussels, Romeu said that many EU member states were angry and surmised there would be renewed calls to end or severely curtail cooperation with Nicaragua (ref B). Though the EU-Central America pact could be considered a red line, Romeu asserted neither Spain nor the EU would go so far as to "exile" Nicaragua over the irregularities. Romeu called a November 11 EU communique on the subject "prudent." (NOTE: Neither Romeu nor POLOFF could locate the text to which he referred.) ¶3. (C) While noting Spain would adopt the eventual European posture, Romeu opined that Spain's best bet for a bilateral measure would be to cut off some form of bilateral support to Nicaragua. Pending the results of a report to Chiefs of Mission in Managua, Spain could consider reducing its contributions to a multi-donor fund in support of Nicaraguan police -- a more reasonable target than humanitarian aid in the health sector. Romeu took on board the USG urging to call for a transparent recount with observers present and agreed to raise the topic in EU channels. AGUIRRE