BOLIVIA: CIA ACCUSATIONS SPREADING

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000407 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM PINR ENVR ASEC PTER BL SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: CIA ACCUSATIONS SPREADING REF: A. LA PAZ 386 ¶B. LA PAZ 374 Classified By: A/EcoPol Chief Brian Quigley for reasons 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Accusations of CIA involvement in Bolivian "internal affairs" have proliferated since the announcement of Embassy officer Francisco "Frank" Martinez's expulsion March 9. President Morales' top advisors, Presidency Minister Juan Ramon Quintana and Government Minister Alfredo Rada, each asserted March 12 there were more CIA agents working to divide the country, including specific - but as yet unnamed - Embassy officers. Vice Minister of Lands Luis Alejandro Almaraz Ossio suggested in a press conference March 11 that the CIA staged the seizure of former Vice President Victor Hugo Cardenas' property (Reftel),demonstrating that virtually any outrage committed by the GOB is subject to being shamelessly tied to the U.S. Embassy by the Morales administration. Post advocates a clear response to these accusations, lest the Morales administration believe it can continue to foment such baseless charges. End summary. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GOB: "There Are More (CIA) Agents" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (U) In an interview with a Spanish newspaper published March 13 that was widely reprinted locally, Presidency Minister Juan Ramon Quintana charged that, "Like Francisco Martinez, there are several agents that work intensely in Bolivia to upset democratic stability.8 Similarly, leading local daily La Razon reported March 13 that Government Minister Alfredo Rada said the same U.S. scholarship student that "denounced" Embassy attache Vincent Cooper "also revealed the name of Francisco Martinez and other U.S. Embassy employees, whom he identified as CIA agents." ¶3. (C) According to Javier Flores, a top advisor to former Vice President Victor Hugo Cardenas, in a press conference March 11 discussing the seizure and ransacking of Cardenas' home (reftel A, B),Vice Minister of Lands Luis Alejandro Almaraz Ossio suggested the fact that a news journalist was prepared to film the incident and that Cardenas' wife ran directly to the home where the journalist was located "reminded him of a CIA operation." He went on to imply the CIA was involved at the behest of the USG as a way to boost Cardenas' presidential candidacy. - - - - Comment - - - - ¶4. (C) In spite of Department and Embassy statements to the contrary, the government of Bolivia continues to weave CIA tales. We believe that as domestic political and corruption scandals intensify the Morales administration may elect to PNG more Mission members. We advocate a clear response to these accusations, lest the Morales administration believe it can continue to foment such baseless charges. URS