PREVAL NAMES BOB MANUEL PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000763

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR, DRL, S/CRS, INR/IAA
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PAS AID FOR LAC/CAR
TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: PREVAL NAMES BOB MANUEL PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE

REF: A) PORT AU PRINCE 00701

PORT AU PR 00000763 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires A. I. Thomas C. Tighe. Reason: E.O.
12958 1.4 (b),(d)

Summary
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1. (SBU) President Preval on May 25 named his close
political adviser Robert Manuel as Prime Minister-designate.
Manuel is part of Preval's inner circle, and a consummate
behind-the-scenes political operative. He was Secretary of
State for Public Security during part of Preval's first term,
and managed Preval's 2006 presidential campaign. However, he
has neither firm policy experience nor a strong public
political persona. Even as Preval's adviser, Manuel has
spent large amounts of time in Guatemala, the home country of
his spouse. His prospects for confirmation by both houses of
parliament are questionable. End summary.


2. (SBU) Just before midnight Sunday May 25, President
Preval named political advisor Robert Manuel as his candidate
for Prime Minister. The move follows the failure of his
previous PM nominee, Ericq Pierre, to obtain parliamentary
confirmation (reftel). Manuel's nomination came as a
surprise, since Manuel was seen as difficult to confirm in
the parliament. Jean Max Bellerive, Minister of Planning
under outgoing PM Alexis, was seen as the frontrunner with
the kind of policy experience needed to manage Haiti's
current economic challenges.


3. (C) However, Embassy sources in parliament say Preval
encountered opposition to Bellerive in the parliament, since
Bellerive was too closely associated with the policies of
outgoing Prime Minister Alexis. Post believes Bellerive is a
Canadian citizen, which, if true, certainly entered into
Preval's calculations of his ability to be confirmed. Dual
nationality is not permitted under Haiti's constitution.


Parliamentary Confirmation Will Not be Easy
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4. (C) Certain party leaders initially expressed cautious
support for Manuel and hoped he would be confirmed. Fusion
spokesman Micha Gaillard told the press May 27 that Manuel
had strong security credentials and that his party would
immediately begin talks with their deputies and Senators on
confirming Manuel. Senate President Kely Bastien the same
day said that there had been intensive consultations between
President Preval, himself, and Chamber of Deputies President
Eric Jean Jacques over the nomination of Manuel. Bastien
would not comment on the likelihood of Manuel passing the
Senate. Bastien told POLOFF privately, however, that Manuel
would encounter difficulty being confirmed.


5. (SBU) Lespwa deputy Patrick Dumond told POLOFF May 27
that the majority of the bloc in the Chamber of Deputies bloc
the Coalition of Progressive Parliamentarians (CPP) opposed
Manuel. (Note: the votes of the CPP helped assure the
defeat of Eric Pierre in the Chamber of Deputies -- see
reftel. End Note) Dumond also reported that when Preval had
consulted with the CPP to discuss a new nominee, the
President indicated he would select either Bellerive or Gue.
MINUSTAH reported to PolCouns that Senator Rudy Heriveaux
strongly opposes Manuel.

Comment
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6. (SBU) Both houses of the parliament will now name
committees to examine Manuel's constitutional eligibility,
including Haitian citizenship going back two generations, and
legal residency and property ownership in Haiti. Robert
Manuel's name surfaced as a PM candidate only after Ericq
Pierre was voted down by the Chamber of Deputies May 12
(reftel). Post held Acting Minister of Planning Bellerive
and Secretary of State for Agriculture Joanes Gue as the more

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realistic PM candidates, especially given the widespread
perception that Manuel was all but unconfirmable.
TIGHE