Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LAPAZ474
2009-03-27 16:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
MORALES ALLEGES USG INTERFERENCE, AGAIN
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000474
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM PINR ENVR ASEC BL PTER
SUBJECT: MORALES ALLEGES USG INTERFERENCE, AGAIN
REF: LA PAZ 470
Classified By: A/EcoPol Chief Michael Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b, d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000474
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM PINR ENVR ASEC BL PTER
SUBJECT: MORALES ALLEGES USG INTERFERENCE, AGAIN
REF: LA PAZ 470
Classified By: A/EcoPol Chief Michael Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b, d)
1. (C) One day after Foreign Minister Choquehuanca assured us
the GOB would not take actions to embarrass the U.S.
administration and would resolve bilateral issues through
diplomatic channels, President Evo Morales on March 26
publicly and without proof accused the USG of "mobilizing"
CIA and DEA agents to be in "permanent pursuit" of Morales
administration officials "as it is an election year." He
went on to say that the USG would continue to "invent
problems to accuse us." Charge spoke with Foreign Vice
Minister Hugo Fernandez March 27 about Morales' charges, and
Fernandez replied that "it will take time to lower the
rhetoric on both sides."
2. (C) In his remarks, Morales further charged that CIA and
DEA agents were responsible for an army lieutenant's 2008
attack on a television station and used it "to say there is
terrorism inside the (Presidential) Palace." (Note: Morales
is evidently referring to Lieutenant George Nava's June 21,
2008 bombing of a Unitel television station in Tarija. Nava
had been assigned to the Presidential Palace, and opposition
leaders accused the government of giving him weapons,
explosives, and cash. Senate President Oscar Ortiz presented
evidence that Nava used a car rented by the Venezuelan
Embassy to carry out the attack. End note.)
3. (C) On March 25, Charge met with Choquehuanca to confirm
assurances provided by UN Charge Pablo Solon that the GOB
would resolve bilateral issues through diplomatic channels
and would not take actions designed to embarrass the USG
(Reftel). Choquehuanca confirmed Solon's assurances, and
then asked for a meeting between Presidents Obama and Morales
at or shortly after the April 17 Summit of the Americas.
4. (U) In another outburst, President Morales on March 26
accused Peruvian President Alan Garcia of using Peru's claim
against Chile regarding maritime boundaries for "personal and
partisan political gain," saying "perhaps he (Garcia) has
become so fat that it has affected (his thinking). I'll say
it straight, he does not need to play with the patriotic
sentiments of the Peruvian people. We do not know what
problems he has, but he is using this issue in a politically
partisan way." Morales lashed out after Garcia's statement
that "since some time" Bolivia had given up its claim to
access to the sea. FM Choquehuanca said Garcia's statements
"are not serious, they are irresponsible and disrespectful
declarations. We have learned to respect the decisions of
our brother governments, and we expect reciprocal treatment."
5. (C) Comment: Morales inflammatory and baseless comments
once again underscore how difficult it is for the Bolivian
president to abandon hostile rhetoric as far as the U.S. is
concerned. Whether Morales truly believes these charges or
believes he needs to use them to rally popular support in an
election year is a moot point -- it will be very difficult to
reduce frictions between the two countries unless Morales
moderates his tone. End comment.
URS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PHUM PINR ENVR ASEC BL PTER
SUBJECT: MORALES ALLEGES USG INTERFERENCE, AGAIN
REF: LA PAZ 470
Classified By: A/EcoPol Chief Michael Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b, d)
1. (C) One day after Foreign Minister Choquehuanca assured us
the GOB would not take actions to embarrass the U.S.
administration and would resolve bilateral issues through
diplomatic channels, President Evo Morales on March 26
publicly and without proof accused the USG of "mobilizing"
CIA and DEA agents to be in "permanent pursuit" of Morales
administration officials "as it is an election year." He
went on to say that the USG would continue to "invent
problems to accuse us." Charge spoke with Foreign Vice
Minister Hugo Fernandez March 27 about Morales' charges, and
Fernandez replied that "it will take time to lower the
rhetoric on both sides."
2. (C) In his remarks, Morales further charged that CIA and
DEA agents were responsible for an army lieutenant's 2008
attack on a television station and used it "to say there is
terrorism inside the (Presidential) Palace." (Note: Morales
is evidently referring to Lieutenant George Nava's June 21,
2008 bombing of a Unitel television station in Tarija. Nava
had been assigned to the Presidential Palace, and opposition
leaders accused the government of giving him weapons,
explosives, and cash. Senate President Oscar Ortiz presented
evidence that Nava used a car rented by the Venezuelan
Embassy to carry out the attack. End note.)
3. (C) On March 25, Charge met with Choquehuanca to confirm
assurances provided by UN Charge Pablo Solon that the GOB
would resolve bilateral issues through diplomatic channels
and would not take actions designed to embarrass the USG
(Reftel). Choquehuanca confirmed Solon's assurances, and
then asked for a meeting between Presidents Obama and Morales
at or shortly after the April 17 Summit of the Americas.
4. (U) In another outburst, President Morales on March 26
accused Peruvian President Alan Garcia of using Peru's claim
against Chile regarding maritime boundaries for "personal and
partisan political gain," saying "perhaps he (Garcia) has
become so fat that it has affected (his thinking). I'll say
it straight, he does not need to play with the patriotic
sentiments of the Peruvian people. We do not know what
problems he has, but he is using this issue in a politically
partisan way." Morales lashed out after Garcia's statement
that "since some time" Bolivia had given up its claim to
access to the sea. FM Choquehuanca said Garcia's statements
"are not serious, they are irresponsible and disrespectful
declarations. We have learned to respect the decisions of
our brother governments, and we expect reciprocal treatment."
5. (C) Comment: Morales inflammatory and baseless comments
once again underscore how difficult it is for the Bolivian
president to abandon hostile rhetoric as far as the U.S. is
concerned. Whether Morales truly believes these charges or
believes he needs to use them to rally popular support in an
election year is a moot point -- it will be very difficult to
reduce frictions between the two countries unless Morales
moderates his tone. End comment.
URS