NICARAGUA'S TWO CAUDILLOS MOVE FURTHER TOWARDS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAGUA 000706 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CEN, DRL NSC FOR FISK, ALVARADO STATE PASS USAID FOR CARDENAS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2018 TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM NU SUBJECT: NICARAGUA'S TWO CAUDILLOS MOVE FURTHER TOWARDS TWO-PARTY RULE Classified By: Ambassador Paul Trivelli, Reasons, 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Nicaragua's Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) has initiated proceedings to revoke the legal registration of two minority national democratic parties, the leftist Movement for Sandinista Renovation (MRS) and the center-right Conservative Party (PC). These two parties, representing between 10 and 20 percent of the electorate, would be the only two significant alternatives to the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) and Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC) on the November municipal elections ballot; the loss of registration will prevent their participation. The MRS, in particular, has experienced growing organizational strength and rising poll numbers in the recent months and has the potential to make inroads at the FSLN's expense. The CSE's move lacks sound legal footing and appears orchestrated by President Daniel Ortega and PLC leader Arnoldo Aleman (who control the magistrates on the CSE) to eliminate potential electoral alternatives to their two parties, further narrow democratic space, and set the stage for their power-sharing arrangement, the Pacto, to continue unchecked in the post-election period. END SUMMARY. REVOKING REGISTRATION -------------- ¶2. (C) PLC Deputy and First Deputy President of the National Assembly, Wilfredo Navarro (Aleman's most obsequiously loyal congressional henchman) sent a letter in mid-May to the CSE requesting an investigation into the PC's compliance with the Electoral Law, as well as that of two smaller Atlantic Coast parties -- PAMUC and PIM. Navarro has subsequently denied responsibility for the letter, unconvincingly claiming it was inspired by disgruntled PC Deputies in the National Assembly who have been engaged in a public fight with PC President Azalia Aviles over the decision by the PC to run independently in the local elections. PC Deputies have told us Navarro's assertions are nonsense and represent part of a continued effort by Aleman's cronies to create problems in the alliance between the PLC and the "Vamos con Eduardo" movement of former Presidential candidate and current Managua mayoral candidate Eduardo Montealegre. In a suspicious display of bi-partisanship, the FSLN made a similar appeal to the CSE to investigate the MRS. ¶3. (C) The Electoral Law, modified several years ago as part of the Pacto arrangement by Aleman and Ortega, requires a party to register candidates in 80 percent of the country's 153 municipalities as well as for 80 percent of the seats open for election, including mayor, vice-mayor and 18 council seats in each municipality. The law also establishes stringent conditions for parties to establish legal representation at the municipal, departmental and national levels, including legal proof establishing these representations filed with and certified by the CSE. The CSE, a fourth branch of the government independent of the National Assembly or the Courts, is split between the FSLN and PLC, with all the magistrates beholden personally to Ortega and Aleman respectively for their positions. If a party fails to comply with these requirements, the CSE has the authority to revoke the party's "personeria juridica" (legal personhood/registration),thereby prohibiting the party from participating in elections or even using the party name and insignia. PC AND MRS PUSH BACK, BUT DOUBTFUL OF SUCCESS -------------- ¶4. (C) Former PC Deputy and current national campaign manager Alejandro Bolanos told us that the party has submitted a series of documents to the CSE, including an analysis prepared by a leading Sandinista-affiliated NGO, that demonstrate that the PC has more than complied with the requirements of the electoral law. Bolanos reported they have fielded candidates in 89 percent of all municipalities, if you include those in the Atlantic North where elections have been suspended. If those municipalities are discounted, they enjoy representation in 93 percent. Similarly, they have well over 85 percent representation of the seats up for election, though not all of the candidates are seriously competing. Bolanos lamented that the CSE-ordered, hastily MANAGUA 00000706 002 OF 003 advanced electoral calendar completely disrupted the PC's efforts to build a more comprehensive national slate, and forced the party to scramble for candidates to fill the slots needed and to comply with the requirements. ¶5. (C) Bolanos estimates that the PC can realistically compete in about 30 municipalities with a serious shot at winning at least 10 mayorships as well as many more council seats. However, the campaign is hindered by the lack of funds (many of the PC's financial backers have sided with the PC deputies who opposed running as an independent party) and a lack of certainty and enthusiasm among activists caused by the registration issue. He expects that the CSE will drag out the final decision on registration in order to further dampen activism, before eventually issuing an edict to revoke the party's registration in mid-summer. "They will drag this out to defeat us psychologically." ¶6. (C) MRS Deputy Victor Hugo Tinoco echoed the assessment of Bolanos, noting that while the MRS also had registered in over 90 percent of the municipalities, the advanced electoral calendar created significant problems for organizing the party in every municipality. Tinoco suggested that while the party is still "young," it is much stronger today than two years ago, which is precisely why the FSLN wants to "take them out of the game." Even though their list of candidates had already been certified, the CSE is now going over every document to find an "excuse" to de-register the party. Tinoco called the process "arbitrary" and believes the MRS has to fight back forcefully if it wants to avoid permanent elimination. ELIMINATING ALTERNATIVES -------------- ¶7. (C) Bolanos commented that the damage of the loss of party registration for the PC would be severe and lasting. In key municipalities, such as Granada and the surrounding area, de-certification would hand the FSLN mayorships they would have otherwise been unable to win. Moreover, Bolanos suggested that it will be impossible for the PC (or the MRS) to register a new party in less than four years, ensuring that there will be no democratic alternative party to challenge the PLC and the FSLN in the national elections in ¶2011. Tinoco was less pessimistic about the MRS's ability to obtain a new registration, probably in part because the MRS is a coalition of several groups, some of which could conceivably serve as the basis for a new party. Nonetheless, Tinoco agreed that the re-registration and re-organization effort would drain vital resources and time away from efforts to challenge the FSLN in 2011. ¶8. (C) PC and MRS leaders with whom we spoke expressed the same view -- that the effort to revoke party registrations is designed to eliminate all potential non-Pacto alternatives for the voters in the municipal elections and beyond. Recent polling indicates that 40 percent of likely voters are independents, and at least 20 percent of FSLN voters are unhappy with Ortega's anti-democratic tendencies. Similarly, Aleman's power base rests with his control over the CSE, the Supreme Court and other structures and not with the party base. Both Ortega and Aleman would benefit from elimination of electoral alternatives to their parties - driving the growing number of independent voters back to their respective parties -- or the abstention column. Tinoco believes the end result will be a "two caudillo system" in which Aleman gets his full freedom restored and Ortega ensures the perpetuation of his power and hold on the presidency. NGO Etica y Transparencia leader Roberto Courtney suggested to us that Aleman and the PLC would probably benefit the most from this arrangement, picking up many more votes and possibly altering the balance of power within the Pacto. ¶9. (C) Aviles and former MRS presidential candidate Edmundo Jarquin commented to us that, with the PC and the MRS potentially out of the picture, the Pacto will then devote all its attention to the "destruction" of Managua mayor candidate Eduardo Montealegre. As the last remaining alternative to the Pacto, Montealegre's political fortunes "would be a matter of life or death for Aleman." Aviles and Jarquin expect Montealegre to be forced out of the campaign MANAGUA 00000706 003 OF 003 by August and to be replaced by an Aleman crony, possibly his wife or daughter. Similarly, with Aleman and Ortega controlling the entire vote counting mechanism, via their grip on the CSE, Jarquin and Aviles noted that they will be able to ensure that none of Montealegre's candidates within the PLC-VCE alliance are elected. Reinforcing this view, the Prosecutor General's office announced on June 2 that a decision on a criminal case involving Montealegre's involvement in the CENIS issue would be ready in late July. COMMENT -------------- ¶10. (C) It is still not clear at this point whether the CSE will proceed with the elimination of the PC and MRS. Bolanos is probably correct in his view that simply prolonging the decision has much the same effect -- by dampening enthusiasm and participation among activists, donors and candidates. A long count may also serve to drive away more of the independent voters from politics, increasing Aleman and Ortega's share of the voting population. Regardless, the threat of the elimination of the PC and MRS represents yet another step by the Ortega government, with Aleman's active support, to narrow democratic space, eliminate potential challenges, and strengthen the absolute political control of their rather unique parasitic symbiosis. TRIVELLI