PM'S "REPEAL" AGREEMENT SURPRISES PARTIES

C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 000861 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR SOCI PE SUBJECT: PM'S "REPEAL" AGREEMENT SURPRISES PARTIES REF: LIMA 856 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Ambassador P. Michael McKinley for reasons 1.4(b) and (d ) ¶1. (C) Summary. PM Yehude Simon agreed with Amazon community representatives June 15 to repeal the two recently "suspended" legislative decrees and outlined the framework for future negotiations to resolve the crisis (refs). According to several congressional representatives, the PM's agreement came as a complete surprise, and undermined both the legislature's credibility and the government's authority. Meanwhile, despite the agreement, protests and roadblocks throughout the country continue. End Summary. Next steps for dialogue -------------- ¶2. (C) In a major position shift, PM Simon signed an agreement on June 15 with Amazon community representatives promising to repeal the two recently "suspended" legislative decrees (refs). In the agreement, the PM also outlined next steps for dialogue and negotiation between indigenous Amazonian communities and the GOP, establishing a working group in which the presidents of Amazon regional governments and four government Ministers will participate in negotiations with at least ten Amazon community representatives, including Aidesep. The HR Ombudsman and Catholic Church will also be involved in the dialogue between the GOP and indigenous groups. The PM pledged that the working group would also review the other seven contested decrees (994, 995, 1020, 1060, 1081, 1083, and 1089). In addition, the commission will address environmental concerns, implementation of ILO Convention 169, and issues of "previous consultation" regarding a planned hydroelectric plant in Paquizapango. Congress caught by surprise -------------- ¶3. (C) Several congressional representatives, including Keiko Fujimori, told us the PM's agreement came as a complete surprise to Congress. They said the PM had folded fast without seeking support for previous agreements or pressing for any concessions, including an end to road blocks. This further undermined the credibility of Congress, they said, which had blocked a Nationalist Party effort to repeal the decrees several days earlier and forged a difficult agreement -- between the APRA, Unidad Nacional and the Fujimorista bloc -- to suspend the decrees indefinitely as a way out of the crisis. That agreement had been completely undercut by Simon, they said. The Congressional representatives said the government's authority too had been shattered by this agreement, and one told us that PM Simon would be unlikely to last more than a few more days in his position as a result. (Note: On a National Radio program, Simon stated that he would step aside as soon as the current crisis was overcome. End note.) Protesters: Seeing is believing -------------- ¶4. (C) Meanwhile, protests and roadblocks continue in various parts of the country, despite the agreement. In their meeting with PM Simon, indigenous leaders agreed to lift a roadblock in Junin during four hours each day. Roadblocks in Cusco, Puno, and Apurimac continued undeterred by the agreement, with some protesters saying they would be lifted only when the decrees were definitively repealed. MCKINLEY