Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BOGOTA646
2009-02-26 14:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Bogota
Cable title:  

BOGOTA MAYOR STRUGGLES AS POLO PARTY SEEKS TO SET

Tags:  ELTN PGOV PREL PTER CO 
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FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7390
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8673
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 2232
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RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 7037
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 0563
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 9758
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RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 7765
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RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 0129
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO PRIORITY 2359
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 000646 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2019
TAGS: ELTN PGOV PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: BOGOTA MAYOR STRUGGLES AS POLO PARTY SEEKS TO SET
ITS COURSE

Classified By: Political Counselor John Creamer
Reasons 1.4 (b and d)

SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 000646

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2019
TAGS: ELTN PGOV PREL PTER CO
SUBJECT: BOGOTA MAYOR STRUGGLES AS POLO PARTY SEEKS TO SET
ITS COURSE

Classified By: Political Counselor John Creamer
Reasons 1.4 (b and d)

SUMMARY
--------------

1. (C) Bogota Mayor Samuel Moreno of the leftist Polo Party
has been slammed by the media over a perceived "collapse" in
the city--especially in mobility and security. Amidst
rapidly falling poll ratings, Moreno has also faced tough
criticism from members of his own party. Polo Senator
Gustavo Petro publicly accused Moreno of filling his cabinet
with party hacks, and Polo President Carlos Gaviria told us
he was "appalled" at Moreno's bad start. Gaviria fears
Moreno's poor performance will damage Polo's prospects in the
2010 presidential elections and provide "justification" to
far-left elements in Polo that favor bullets over ballots.
Moreno expects things to turn around, citing police crime
data and planned public works projects. His faction holds
the balance of power between the Polo's hard-left wing and
more moderate elements. End Summary.

SEMANA: "DO SOMETHING, SAMUEL!"
--------------

2. (U) Leading news weekly "Semana" magazine, responding to a
growing "sense that Bogota was collapsing," published a
sensational cover-story on January 25 urging Bogota Mayor
Samuel Moreno to "do something" to turn the city around.
"Semana" reported that a series of problems--including a
"gordian knot" of traffic, deteriorating security, and a lack
of a clearly articulated vision for the city--had led to the
perception that Bogota was in a downward spiral. The article
noted that Moreno's approval ratings have fallen from 60% to
32% since taking office.


3. (U) Moreno, born in Miami, Florida (1960),following the
controversial presidency of his grandfather General Gustavo
Rojas Pinilla, is a former three-term senator from the
leftist Polo Democratico Party. He won the Bogota mayor's
seat--widely considered the second most important elected
office in Colombia after the presidency--in 2007 with a
record vote count over former center-right Mayor Enrique
Penalosa. He took office in January, 2008. Moreno's mother
Maria Rojas was a presidential candidate in the 1970s, and
his brother Ivan Moreno is a Polo Party senator. Moreno

comes from his grandfather's populist, patronage-based
political tradition and is not known for strong ideological
positions. Ivan's tenure as mayor of Bucaramanga was marked
by numerous corruption scandals.

SECURITY AND TRAFFIC
--------------

4. (U) Complaints against Moreno center on worsening traffic
and security, and Moreno's lack of action to fix the
problems. The city has seen a 50% increase in the number of
privately owned vehicles since 2005 (to nearly 1.4 million),
while few major road projects have been completed. A recent
poll showed that 55% percent of Bogota residents do not feel
secure in the city, compared to 39% in January 2008.
Thirty-nine percent report being a victim of crime, compared
to 26% in 2007. Respondents said they are most fearful of
organized crime, common crime, youth gangs, and the
socioeconomic factors (unemployment) that lead to crime.

CRITICISM MOUNTS
--------------

5. (C) Political leader from across the spectrum --especially
within Moreno's own Polo Party--have sharpened their
criticism of the mayor as attacks from the media continue.
Polo Party President Carlos Gaviria told us that he was
"appalled at how bad" Moreno,s term has begun. He said he
told Moreno in November him that, as party president, he
would continue to support him, "but you need to give me
something to work with!" Gaviria said he was hearing
increasing rumors of corruption in Moreno's cabinet. He said

that if solid information emerged on corruption, his support
for Moreno would end. Gaviria said he was especially worried
about Moreno's Secretary of Government, Clara Lopez (and her
husband),who managed the city's contracts.


6. (C) Polo Senator Gustavo Petro, a potential Polo
presidential candidate, publicly criticized the mayor for not
embracing common sense policies on democratic security and
for allowing government corruption. He called on Moreno to
use his power in the Polo to reform the party. Liberal Party
Senator Juan Fernando Cristo, a close Moreno friend, told us
separately that Moreno was too nice a guy to keep his people
on task and out of the public coffers. He said he recently
advised Moreno to "get tough" and make bold moves to break
the negative perception trend.

MORENO'S DEFENSE
--------------

7. (C) Moreno told us over lunch on February 18 that he
recognizes that he has a major perception problem, but
claimed the facts showed a more positive picture. He said
the "Semana" article was published on orders of managing
director Alejandro Santos after Santos was stuck in a traffic
jam following a rainstorm and flash flood. Moreno conceded
the growing traffic problems, but said his government was
launching a record number of construction projects and would
have final designs for a planned Metro system ready by the
end of 2009. He had also tightened restrictions on the use
of private vehicles.


8. (C) The mayor also asserted that the facts do not support
public perceptions of worsening security. Bogota Police
reported a small fall in homicides in Bogota for 2008
(reftel),and other common crimes (robbery, car theft)
dropped nearly 15%. Moreno said the recent FARC bombing of a
Blockbuster video store and the murder of a young journalism
student in Bogota's main night-life district created a media
frenzy. He responded by increasing security in the areas,
banning open alcohol consumption, and instituting curfews for
minors. The media, Moreno complained, reported on the
student's murder for days after the event, but ignored the
fact that at the same time Bogota saw its first three day
stretch without a murder in decades. Moreno said he
maintains solid relations with President Uribe and key GOC
security officials despite highly-publicized run-ins with
Defense Minister and presidential contender Juan Manuel
Santos.

MAYOR AS POWER BROKER ON THE LEFT
--------------

9. (C) Polo Senator Gustavo Petro told us Moreno's "populist"
group holds the balance of power in the Polo between the
hard-core left (Communists and Maoists) and the center-left
(Petro, former-Bogota Mayor LuchoGarzon, and former Foreign
Minister Maria Emma Mejia). The Moreno brothers continue to
talk to both Petro and the hard left, but Petro said the
problem was that Moreno's group consists of opportunists who
are in government only to make money. Petro added that
former President Ernesto Samper--who named four members of
Moreno's original cabinet--is also influential with Moreno,
making him even more unreliable.


10. (C) Carlos Gaviria told us Moreno's performance as mayor
and his role as king maker in the Polo could determine the
fate of the Party and impact its performance in the 2010
presidential elections. The Polo will hold its party
congress February 27-29, and center-left leaders including
Garzon and Petro told us they would leave the Party if hard
core leftists --opposed to forming moderate coalitions with a
chance to win elections--take control. Moreno's group
controls the balance, and Gaviria fears that the Polo could
split if the far left and centrist camps cannot come
together. Former-President Cesar Gaviria told us separately
that his Liberal Party would take a "big tent" approach in

2010, and would welcome the Polo's center-leftists.


11. (C) CarlosGaviria said a failed Moreno Administration
in Bogota--which represents up to 25% of all voters in the
country--could help lead to a "devastating" result for any
Polo presidential candidate. He also fears a poor Polo
showing could give ammunition to far-left elements who argue
for the continued need to use "all forms of struggle"
(violence) instead of the ballot box.

BROWNFIELD

=======================CABLE ENDS============================