NICARAGUA: RELATIONS WITH CUBA CLOSER UNDER ORTEGA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAGUA 001490 SIPDIS STATE FOR S/CT, WHA/CEN, AND INR/IAA STATE PASS USOAS AND USAID SAN SALVADOR FOR DHS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2028 TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL ECON CU NU SUBJECT: NICARAGUA: RELATIONS WITH CUBA CLOSER UNDER ORTEGA REF: A. SECSTATE 126578 ¶B. MANAGUA 1437 ¶C. MANAGUA 0673 Classified By: Ambassador Robert J. Callahan for reasons 1.4b and d. Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's association with the Cuban regime spans several decades. Since Ortega returned to power in January 2007, Nicaragua has re-established very close relations with Cuba, especially through common membership in the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA). Ortega frequently lauds the Cuban socialist model in his public speeches. While trade between the two countries is limited, Cuba sponsors important training and exchange programs in health and education. End summary. Cuba, Nicaragua, and the Revolutionary Brotherhood -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's association with the Cuban regime spans several decades. Upon release from prison, Ortega spent several months in exile in Cuba during the 1970s. When the FSLN rose to power, Ortega looked to Cuban-style socialism for direction. Throughout the 1980s, the two countries enjoyed close economic, political, and military cooperation. After losing the 1990 elections, Ortega traveled to Cuba frequently and continued to maintain close relationships with senior Cuban officials, including Fidel Castro. ¶3. (C) Reflecting ideological and historical affinities with the Cuban regime, Ortega moved immediately after taking office in January 2007 to join Cuba, Venezuela, and Bolivia as the fourth member of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA). Through this forum, President Ortega maintains regular contact with high-level Cuban officials. Most recently, on November 26, 2008, Ortega participated with Ricardo Cabrisas, Vice President of the Cuban Council of Ministers, in an ALBA summit held in Caracas, Venezuela. There, he likened Nicaragua's battles against European and "Yankee" interventionism to Cuba's struggle against the U.S. trade embargo and international isolation since its revolution. In a televised speech on September 20, 2008, Ortega favorably remarked that "Cuba is without question an extraordinary example of a socialist project in the Latin American and Caribbean context." Esteban Lazo Hernandez, Vice President of the Cuban Council of State, participated in a ceremony held in Managua on July 19, 2008, to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution. ¶4. (C) Nicaraguan Ambassador to Cuba Luis Cabrera, Argentine by birth but a close confidant of President Ortega, coordinates the bilateral relationship at a working level. Press reports identify Cabrera as the point of contact for President Ortega with the FARC, according to documents seized by Colombian Armed Forces from the FARC in 2008. Trade and Investment -------------- ¶5. (U) Nicaraguan-Cuban bilateral trade declined steadily from 1991 to 2005 but has increased since 2007. Nicaraguan exports to Cuba in 2007 totaled $700,000, up from $400,000 in ¶2006. Nicaraguan imports from Cuba rose from $1 million in 2006, before Ortega took office, to $6.3 million in 2007. Primary imports included energy-efficient light bulbs, medical equipment, and pharmaceuticals. Two-way trade, however, remains insignificant, representing 0.1% percent of Nicaragua's total trade worldwide. Nicaragua's investment promotion agency, ProNicaragua, reports no significant Cuban investment in Nicaragua. Training and Scholarships -------------- ¶6. (C) As a legacy of FSLN rule during the 1980s, Cuba and Nicaragua regularly collaborate on health and education programs. Since Ortega took office in January 2007, that collaboration has also intensified: --According to Nicaraguan Minister of Health Guillermo Gonzalez, as of July 2008 there were 250 Cuban medical personnel working throughout Nicaragua -- up from 140 just six months before -- with the largest concentration along the Atlantic coast. --Through "Operation Miracle," Nicaraguan Government officials claim that Cuban doctors, with Venezuelan funding, have performed cataract surgery for more than 20,000 Nicaraguans. --Under a long-standing agreement, any member of the Nicaraguan military can receive free medical treatment in Havana, though in practice most are served by local military hospitals and seek specialized care in the United States. --For years, Cuba has offered full scholarships to Nicaraguan students to attend Cuban universities. According to press reports, as many as 1,000 Nicaraguan students are currently studying in Cuba, mostly medicine. --Cuban teachers seconded to Nicaragua also participate in a rural literacy program in Nicaragua called "Yes, I Can." Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) While President Ortega's ideological and historical affinities with the Cuban regime make the two natural allies, it is ALBA that provides the framework for the relationship and Venezuelan funding that facilitates programs at the operational level (Ref B). CALLAHAN