Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LAPAZ1551
2009-11-18 14:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:  

SANTA CRUZ GOVERNOR REMAINS IN OPPOSITION, WILL RUN AGAIN

Tags:  PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM PINR BL 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001551 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/11/18
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM PINR BL
SUBJECT: SANTA CRUZ GOVERNOR REMAINS IN OPPOSITION, WILL RUN AGAIN

CLASSIFIED BY: Mozdzierz,William, Political Officer, DOS, ECOPOL;
REASON: 1.4(B),(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 001551

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/11/18
TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM PINR BL
SUBJECT: SANTA CRUZ GOVERNOR REMAINS IN OPPOSITION, WILL RUN AGAIN

CLASSIFIED BY: Mozdzierz,William, Political Officer, DOS, ECOPOL;
REASON: 1.4(B),(D)


1. (C) Summary: Santa Cruz Prefect (Governor) and leading
opposition figure Ruben Costas told us November 6 that he will run
again for prefect in April under the banner of his
recently-established "Verde" party. Costas described public
security in Santa Cruz as worsening, prompting the national
government to temporarily deploy military police the week of
November 2 to support the police. Costas made clear he will remain
vocal in his opposition to the Morales administration, but faces a
challenge in the April elections from pro-autonomy activist Juan
Carlos Urenda, and it is unclear how Costas will mend growing
divisions among those in Santa Cruz who advocate a more
conciliatory approach towards the Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS)
party and those who advocate confrontation. End Summary.

Santa Cruz Governor Forms Party, Will Run Again


2. (C) Santa Cruz Prefect (Governor) Ruben Costas, in office since
2005, told us he will run again for prefect in April as the
candidate of his recently-established local "Verde" party. Costas
described the progress his administration has made, particularly in
electricity and roads, as sustaining his popularity in the
department (his approval ratings top 60%, he claimed),and he fully
expects to be re-elected. Costas made clear he remains in
opposition to the government, criticizing various GOB policies,
particularly what he perceives as lack of action on
counternarcotics. He denounced Morales administration attacks
accusing him of "separatism" as inaccurate and propaganda, and
confided that he is concerned for his personal safety.


3. (C) Costas said he is not actively supporting any presidential
candidate, but criticized leading opposition candidate Manfred
Reyes Villa as a "poor choice" to run for president. Costas
praised Santa Cruz Senator Oscar Ortiz (and current Senate leader)
as an intelligent and able politician, but said he believes Ortiz
will lose his seat in the December elections. Morales will not win
a majority of votes in Santa Cruz, he said.


4. (C) Costas described the current political changes in Bolivia as
fundamental, with a basic reordering of the political power
structures underway. These changes were inevitable, he said, given
the corruption and inefficiencies of previous governments and
political parties. The traditional political parties had not
sufficiently incorporated the poor and rural people of Bolivia into
the country's political or economic mainstream or provided them
adequate development and services.

Costas Says Security Worsening


5. (C) Costas complained that Santa Cruz is becoming increasingly
insecure, due to the insufficient number of police officers (only
4,000 versus 12,000 in La Paz, he said),as well as the increase in
drug trafficking and the influx of foreign criminal groups (Note:
During the week of November 2, the national government deployed
soldiers and military police in Santa Cruz city to patrol the
streets in support of the police). Costas claimed that music
concerts by big-name international music acts in Santa Cruz, as
well as local gambling casinos, are being used to launder drug
money. Cochabamba and Santa-Cruz-based corporate lawyer Cayo
Salinas told us the same on November 10.

Local Political Analyst Sees Morales Getting One-Third of Vote


6. (C) Local political analyst Manfredo Bravo said that, while
Reyes Villa is gaining strength in Santa Cruz, he still expects
Morales to get 32 to 34% of the Santa Cruz votes in December, and
for MAS to gain at least one Senate seat from the Santa Cruz
department. Bravo suggested that the tactics used by some Santa
Cruz opposition groups in previous years, including street
demonstrations and takeovers of government offices, had helped MAS
by giving the appearance that these groups were anti-democratic.


7. (C) Comment: Costas says he will continue in opposition to the
MAS and Morales, but it appears likely that he will do so with many
fewer allies, as the opposition "Media Luna" of eastern Bolivian
departments has waned (reftels). He told us he will expand his
"Verde" party from having only a Santa Cruz base to being a
national party, but did not outline any larger political agenda, or
national vision. Costa also faces a challenge from pro-autonomy
activist Juan Carlos Urenda in the April elections, and it is
unclear how he will mend growing divisions among those in Santa
Cruz who support a more conciliatory approach towards the MAS and
those who advocate confrontation.
Creamer