SAO PAOLO FORUM: ANTI-AMERICAN ASSEMBLY AT IT AGAIN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000313

SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/BSC
NSC FOR DFISK AND GTOMASULO
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR UY
SUBJECT: SAO PAOLO FORUM: ANTI-AMERICAN ASSEMBLY AT IT AGAIN

Classified By: Ambassador Frank E. Baxter
for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Summary: 844 participants from 35 countries gathered
on May 22-25 for the Fourteenth Meeting of the Forum of Sao
Paulo (FSP) in Montevideo. The Government of Uruguay (GOU)
tried to distance itself. Paraguayan president elect
Fernando Lugo was in town but did not attend. The final
declaration contains strong anti-American statements and
contends that the U.S. and its allies promote regional
instability. Embassy Montevideo believes it is worthwhile to
track the FSP; it resonates in Uruguay and it is an
established clearinghouse for anti-U.S. groups throughout
Latin America. End Summary.

Background
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2. (U) The FSP consists of leftist parties and organizations
in Latin America and meets annually in alternating Latin
American capitals. Thirteen heads of state in Latin America
come from parties that are members of the FSP. The FSP was
created by the Workers, Party of Brazil in 1990, and 2008 is
the second time that the group has met in Montevideo. The
participants cover a wide range of the political left,
ranging from the terrorist group FARC to the moderate Frente
Amplio (FA) of the GOU. The FSP presents itself as a
community of like-minded organizations working together to
improve Latin America.

Ortega stands alone
--------------


3. (SBU) Despite early press that heralded the attendance of
several heads of state, Daniel Ortega is the only president
who attended the forum. Vazquez and the GOU studiously
avoided the event, but did host a dinner for Ortega, per
protocol. Legislators were the highest level present from the
Uruguayan government, but former GOU Ministers were present.
As in the past, several countries outside of Latin America
sent delegations of observers, including a 6-10 person
delegation from China and delegates from Puerto Rico, Spain,
France, and Vietnam.

Forum Declarations
--------------


4. (SBU) The FSP Final Declaration celebrates the success of
leftist politics in Latin America and states that &We are
not in an era of changes, rather we are experiencing a change
of eras.8 However, according to the declaration, the U.S.
and its allies, conservative political parties in Latin
America, transnational corporations, and international
financial organizations are all undermining development and
promoting instability in the region.


5. (SBU) The main topics in the final declaration consider:
the effects of globalization, Colombia/USG policy on the
Global War On Terrorism, the environment, and the world
financial situation including potential food shortages. In
all instances, the declaration places blame on the U.S. or
another existing international body. A primary objective of
the FSP is to create or grow regional organizations that are
parallel to existing international organizations, but that
promote leftist ideas. The final declaration on Colombia
calls for peace and states that U.S. military aid to Colombia
has heightened violence. The FARC is an official member of
the Forum, but has not participated in the meetings since
being designated as a Foreign Terrorist organization.

Media reaction
--------------

6. (U) The local press followed the forum for its duration,
but placed relatively low emphasis on the outcome; only the
left-leaning press featured a front-page mention. One local
publication sarcastically reported that the forum &blamed
the U.S. for all of the plagues threatening humanity.8 Much
of the press focused on Ortega, who used his time in the
limelight to condemn capitalism and pay homage to the
recently deceased FARC leader Manuel Marulanda. Other press
reports quoted former Venezuelan presidential candidate
Alejandro Pena Esclusa criticizing Venezuelan president Hugo
Chavez and the inclusion of the FARC in the forum. A related
article quoted a recent study that found widespread support
for the FARC in Latin America including 400 legal and illegal
organizations.

Comment
--------------

7. (C) Despite the harsh anti-American language in the
declaration, keynote speaker Belela Herrera, former vice
Foreign Minister of the GOU and political advisor to the FA,
met with PolOff and downplayed the importance of the event.
Leading up to the forum, local journalist Fabian Werner noted
that &the debate promises certain discomforts for the
Uruguayan left.8 This proved to be true as the FSP condemns
unilateral trade agreements while the FA develops the TIFA
with the U.S.


8. (C) Although the event could be considered a failure
because of the low turnout of high-profile figures, it drew
considerable attention from the whole of Latin America. The
FSP is a political body with considerable "soft power", and
the number of Latin American presidents associated continues
to grow. The Forum tends to provide unconditional support to
its members: one local paper points out that along with
Chavez, the FSP is a significant international body that
still supports the FARC. End Comment.
Baxter