Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08NAPLES9
2008-01-29 07:47:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Naples
Cable title:  

SICILIAN GOVERNOR RESIGNS

Tags:  PGOV KCRM KCOR IT 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3521
RR RUEHFL RUEHNP
DE RUEHNP #0009 0290747
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 290747Z JAN 08
FM AMCONSUL NAPLES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6182
INFO RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0402
RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN 0081
RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE 0067
RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES 0909
C O N F I D E N T I A L NAPLES 000009 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

ROME ALSO FOR LEGATT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV KCRM KCOR IT
SUBJECT: SICILIAN GOVERNOR RESIGNS

REF: NAPLES 7

CLASSIFIED BY: J. PATRICK TRUHN, CONSUL GENERAL, AMCONGEN
NAPLES, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L NAPLES 000009

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

ROME ALSO FOR LEGATT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1/29/2018
TAGS: PGOV KCRM KCOR IT
SUBJECT: SICILIAN GOVERNOR RESIGNS

REF: NAPLES 7

CLASSIFIED BY: J. PATRICK TRUHN, CONSUL GENERAL, AMCONGEN
NAPLES, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)

1. (U) Following his January 18 conviction for assisting mafia
figures (reftel),Sicilian Regional President Salvatore Cuffaro
finally resigned from office January 26 in the wake of protests.
After the conviction, Cuffaro had originally said he would not
resign, and would appeal the verdict and five-year jail
sentence. However, media photos of him celebrating afterwards
with a huge platter cannoli (a Sicilian pastry) led vocal street
demonstrators (some of whom wore cannoli costumes) to call for
his head.


2. (U) In announcing his resignation, Cuffaro said he sensed "a
growing hostility" toward him from Sicilian Regional Assembly
members, and claimed, "I prefer to follow the path of humility."
Cuffaro's adversaries welcomed his decision to step down, and
even his supporters called it "honorable." The Regional Vice
President, Lino Leanza, will take over the governorship until
the next elections.


3. (U) Press reports indicate that the leader of Cuffaro's
party (Cuffaro is the Deputy Secretary of the Union of Christian
Democrats of the Center - UDC),Pier Fernando Casini, has told
Cuffaro that he will head the party list for Sicily if and when
national Senate elections are called.


4. (C) Comment: That Casini is willing to give Cuffaro a vote
of confidence is in large measure an indication of Cuffaro's
continuing influence as a power broker in Sicily, where the UDC
has a strong base. Cuffaro was elected to the Senate as the
head of the UDC's party list for Sicily in 2006, but he resigned
when he was reelected governor. Many analysts believe that
Cuffaro, through church, political, and perhaps organized crime
connections, can still deliver the vote in Sicily.

TRUHN