MANY ACCUSATIONS, LITTLE PROOF OF BOMB MOTIVES

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001183 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PINR ASEC PTER BL SUBJECT: MANY ACCUSATIONS, LITTLE PROOF OF BOMB MOTIVES REF: A. LA PAZ 1170 ¶B. LA PAZ 1180 ¶C. 08 LA PAZ 374 ¶D. 06 LA PAZ 810 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires John Creamer, reasons 1.4b,d ¶1. (C) Summary: Although the Bolivian National Police have not yet established a motive in the August 12 letter-bomb explosions in La Paz (Refs A and B),President Evo Morales has nevertheless cast a wide net in accusing the political opposition, former military officials, and unnamed Peruvians "trained abroad" of being involved. Morales recalled past perceived U.S. plots against him, but has so far stopped short of accusing the USG of being behind or otherwise directly connected with the explosions. The Embassy joined with the Catholic Church and the UN in making public statements condemning the bombings. End summary. Morales Blames a Host of Enemies -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The day after the explosions, President Morales called a press conference to blame, variously, the neoliberal right-wing political opposition, Peruvian mercenaries and ex-military officers for the attacks, suggesting that a campaign of pre-electoral violence has been begun by his enemies. In the course of his remarks, Morales recalled many threats, attacks and offenses against him since the 1980s, many attributed to the USG or U.S. citizens (including a 2006 bombing by a mentally unstable Amcit -- Ref D -- and the 2007 importation of ammunition by an Amcit that Morales charged would be used to "hunt" him, Ref C). Morales had suffered accusations of being a terrorist, he declared, but "now the country can judge who are the real terrorists." ¶3. (SBU) Rather than blame the United States directly, however, Morales said the political opposition was behind the bombings, with the aim of "paralyzing" the December 2009 election campaign after concluding that they could not form a block powerful enough to defeat him democratically. Morales also said "certain ex-commanders" of the army were working with the political opposition, using Peruvian mercenaries with "sophisticated arms" to carry out the attacks. Morales declined to offer any proof or further details, nor mention any names, saying he did not want to detail the goals of the ongoing investigation. Embassy Statement -------------- ¶4. (SBU) La Paz media reported the U.S. Embassy's statement, noting that we lamented the attacks, offered condolences to the victims and expressed confidence that authorities will bring those responisble to justice. The Catholic Church and the UN also released statements condemning the bombings. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Whatever information President Morales may have about who is behind the letter-bombings, his initial statements suggest that he is using the incidents to attack his political rivals and bolster his image as the target of Bolivia's enemies. Despite his references to supposed earlier plots against him by the United States, Morales has -- so far -- refrained from specifically linking the Embassy or or otherwise implying direct USG involvement in the bombings. CREAMER