Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LAPAZ555
2009-04-09 19:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
MR. OBAMA, TEAR DOWN THIS EMBARGO: BOLIVIA'S BIG
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000555
SIPDIS
USOAS FOR AMBASSADOR MORALES, WHA FOR A/S SHANNON, WHA/EPSC
FOR M ROONEY, WHITE HOUSE FOR AMBASSADOR DAVIDSON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2019
TAGS: PGOV ECON KDEM PREL PHUM PINR BL CU
SUBJECT: MR. OBAMA, TEAR DOWN THIS EMBARGO: BOLIVIA'S BIG
SUMMIT PLANS
REF: A. LA PAZ 470
B. STATE 34666
Classified By: A/EcoPol Chief Brian Quigley for reasons 1.4 (b,d.)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000555
SIPDIS
USOAS FOR AMBASSADOR MORALES, WHA FOR A/S SHANNON, WHA/EPSC
FOR M ROONEY, WHITE HOUSE FOR AMBASSADOR DAVIDSON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2019
TAGS: PGOV ECON KDEM PREL PHUM PINR BL CU
SUBJECT: MR. OBAMA, TEAR DOWN THIS EMBARGO: BOLIVIA'S BIG
SUMMIT PLANS
REF: A. LA PAZ 470
B. STATE 34666
Classified By: A/EcoPol Chief Brian Quigley for reasons 1.4 (b,d.)
1. (C) SUMMARY. In a press conference at the presidential
palace April 8, Bolivian President Evo Morales announced that
Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) will meet
prior to the Summit of the Americas to discuss a Bolivian
proposal to lift the United States' embargo on Cuba. The
group, which consists of Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras,
Nicaragua and Dominica, will meet in Caracas April 15, only
two days before the Summit of the Americas (SOA) is set to
take place in Trinidad and Tobago. Morales said the U.S.
"doesn't have the moral authority to talk about human
rights," as a country whose cooperation is "only oriented in
conspiring against other governments and bringing violence."
He hopes President Obama will "reflect" on a potential
lifting of the embargo. Morales further hinted that there
would be a "profound debate" on both Cuba and capitalism,
suggesting that despite promises by the Foreign Minister (ref
A),Morales and his leftist comrades will not "play nice" at
the SOA. END SUMMARY.
- - - - - - - - - - -
ALBA "TO THE RESCUE"
- - - - - - - - - - -
2. (U) At an ALBA summit to be held April 15-16 in Caracas,
Morales says he will table a resolution calling on the United
States to lift the embargo on Cuba. ALBA and its "People's
Trade Agreement" were the creations of Venezuelan President
Chavez, who wanted a "Boliviarian" alternative to
capitalist-based U.S. Free Trade Agreements (FTA) in the
region. Membership currently consists of Venezuela, Bolivia,
Cuba, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Dominica, all who are slated
to attend the ALBA planning meeting. Ecuador and Paraguay may
also attend as observers. Morales is confident that there
will be a consensus reached at the Caracas meeting, but if
not, he said he will bring the proposal to the SOA on his own
volition.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
OBVIOUSLY COMMUNISM WORKS, BUT...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. (U) Morales, who repeatedly expresses his admiration for
Cuba and Fidel Castro, criticized the United States for the
46 year embargo against the Caribbean nation. Morales claims
that the embargo has caused grave economic damage to Cuba
over its duration. "If I was Obama in this moment, I would
compensate the damages to Cuba done by previous
administrations," Morales said. He also emphasized that
President Obama has "the whole world's support" in lifting
the embargo; asserting that 185 countries "disapprove" of
what Morales calls "a historic injustice" to the Cuban people.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
HIGH ALTITUDE = MORAL HIGH GROUND?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4. (U) President Morales further advised President Obama that
"in this millennium, there should be respect given to all the
people of the world; it's not possible that some countries
condemn others, particularly when they don't have the moral
authority to speak about human rights." Morales also remains
defensive about criticism regarding human rights violations
in Bolivia, coming from both U.S.-based watch-dog
organizations and the Department's Human Rights Report.
Further criticizing the USG, Morales said that he was going
to demonstrate how U.S. cooperation is "only oriented in
conspiring against other governments and bringing violence."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MORALES' "ALL-STAR SUMMIT TEAM"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5. (C) Vice Foreign Minister Hugo Fernandez told the Charge
that President Morales, Foreign Minister Choquehuanca,
Organization of American States (OAS) Ambassador Pinelo and
Multilateral Affairs Director General Miriam Siles Cuespo
could comprise the Bolivian delegation at the Summit. The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed these names to Poloff
April 9, adding that the Bolivian representative to the
United Nations, Pablo Salon will also attend. The current
delegation is to be 12 representatives.
- - - - -
COMMENT
- - - - -
6. (C) Morales is setting the stage for a potential showdown
between ALBA countries and those that support "speculative
capitalism" of the U.S. Despite promises of Summit
cooperation from the Foreign Ministry on March 25, Bolivia is
prepared to make the embargo issue a key focus of the Summit,
likely putting President Obama and the U.S. delegation on the
spot. Morales promises to preach the dangers of the
"interfering imperialists," all the while ignoring the slough
of economic and political problems in his own country. Post
also suspects there is Venezuelan influence for Morales to
take the lead in the embargo issue. END COMMENT.
URS
SIPDIS
USOAS FOR AMBASSADOR MORALES, WHA FOR A/S SHANNON, WHA/EPSC
FOR M ROONEY, WHITE HOUSE FOR AMBASSADOR DAVIDSON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2019
TAGS: PGOV ECON KDEM PREL PHUM PINR BL CU
SUBJECT: MR. OBAMA, TEAR DOWN THIS EMBARGO: BOLIVIA'S BIG
SUMMIT PLANS
REF: A. LA PAZ 470
B. STATE 34666
Classified By: A/EcoPol Chief Brian Quigley for reasons 1.4 (b,d.)
1. (C) SUMMARY. In a press conference at the presidential
palace April 8, Bolivian President Evo Morales announced that
Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) will meet
prior to the Summit of the Americas to discuss a Bolivian
proposal to lift the United States' embargo on Cuba. The
group, which consists of Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras,
Nicaragua and Dominica, will meet in Caracas April 15, only
two days before the Summit of the Americas (SOA) is set to
take place in Trinidad and Tobago. Morales said the U.S.
"doesn't have the moral authority to talk about human
rights," as a country whose cooperation is "only oriented in
conspiring against other governments and bringing violence."
He hopes President Obama will "reflect" on a potential
lifting of the embargo. Morales further hinted that there
would be a "profound debate" on both Cuba and capitalism,
suggesting that despite promises by the Foreign Minister (ref
A),Morales and his leftist comrades will not "play nice" at
the SOA. END SUMMARY.
- - - - - - - - - - -
ALBA "TO THE RESCUE"
- - - - - - - - - - -
2. (U) At an ALBA summit to be held April 15-16 in Caracas,
Morales says he will table a resolution calling on the United
States to lift the embargo on Cuba. ALBA and its "People's
Trade Agreement" were the creations of Venezuelan President
Chavez, who wanted a "Boliviarian" alternative to
capitalist-based U.S. Free Trade Agreements (FTA) in the
region. Membership currently consists of Venezuela, Bolivia,
Cuba, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Dominica, all who are slated
to attend the ALBA planning meeting. Ecuador and Paraguay may
also attend as observers. Morales is confident that there
will be a consensus reached at the Caracas meeting, but if
not, he said he will bring the proposal to the SOA on his own
volition.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
OBVIOUSLY COMMUNISM WORKS, BUT...
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. (U) Morales, who repeatedly expresses his admiration for
Cuba and Fidel Castro, criticized the United States for the
46 year embargo against the Caribbean nation. Morales claims
that the embargo has caused grave economic damage to Cuba
over its duration. "If I was Obama in this moment, I would
compensate the damages to Cuba done by previous
administrations," Morales said. He also emphasized that
President Obama has "the whole world's support" in lifting
the embargo; asserting that 185 countries "disapprove" of
what Morales calls "a historic injustice" to the Cuban people.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
HIGH ALTITUDE = MORAL HIGH GROUND?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
4. (U) President Morales further advised President Obama that
"in this millennium, there should be respect given to all the
people of the world; it's not possible that some countries
condemn others, particularly when they don't have the moral
authority to speak about human rights." Morales also remains
defensive about criticism regarding human rights violations
in Bolivia, coming from both U.S.-based watch-dog
organizations and the Department's Human Rights Report.
Further criticizing the USG, Morales said that he was going
to demonstrate how U.S. cooperation is "only oriented in
conspiring against other governments and bringing violence."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MORALES' "ALL-STAR SUMMIT TEAM"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5. (C) Vice Foreign Minister Hugo Fernandez told the Charge
that President Morales, Foreign Minister Choquehuanca,
Organization of American States (OAS) Ambassador Pinelo and
Multilateral Affairs Director General Miriam Siles Cuespo
could comprise the Bolivian delegation at the Summit. The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed these names to Poloff
April 9, adding that the Bolivian representative to the
United Nations, Pablo Salon will also attend. The current
delegation is to be 12 representatives.
- - - - -
COMMENT
- - - - -
6. (C) Morales is setting the stage for a potential showdown
between ALBA countries and those that support "speculative
capitalism" of the U.S. Despite promises of Summit
cooperation from the Foreign Ministry on March 25, Bolivia is
prepared to make the embargo issue a key focus of the Summit,
likely putting President Obama and the U.S. delegation on the
spot. Morales promises to preach the dangers of the
"interfering imperialists," all the while ignoring the slough
of economic and political problems in his own country. Post
also suspects there is Venezuelan influence for Morales to
take the lead in the embargo issue. END COMMENT.
URS