PRESIDENT CALLS FOR RECONCILIATION, CONGRESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 000875 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR PTER PE SUBJECT: PRESIDENT CALLS FOR RECONCILIATION, CONGRESS REPEALS DECREES Classified By: Amb. P Michael McKinley for reasons 1.4b and d. ¶1. (C) Summary: President Garcia struck a conciliatory but defensive tone in a televised speech Wednesday night, acknowledging government error in handling the controversial presidential decrees that sparked weeks of protests in the Amazon. Most media interpreted Garcia's speech as an apology despite his rigorous self-defense. Today, Congress voted 82 to 14 to approve the governments proposal to repeal the decrees, and the indigenous group that organized the protests publicly thanked the government. Elsewhere -- in tangential protests that piggy-backed off the Amazonian protests -- the press is reporting an initial truce in Apurimac, and the start of negotiations in Cusco. Regarding protest deaths, the highly respected Human Rights Ombudsman's Office on June 16 released an updated list of 10 civilians and 23 police confirmed killed during the Amazonian protest violence. End Summary. President Garcia Addresses Nation -------------- ¶2. (SBU) President Garcia struck a conciliatory but defensive tone in a televised speech to the nation on June 17, acknowledging government error in handling the decrees that sparked Amazonian protests. Garcia admitted the GOP had failed to consult with indigenous groups before approving the decrees in June 2008. He added, however, that the GOP did not inform indigenous groups because the legislation was intended to protect, not threaten, their lands. The President then defended the decrees by invoking the environmental protection required by our free trade agreement. He also reiterated that indigenous groups who protested the decrees were misguided by outside agitators. The President requested calm as the Prime Minister and indigenous groups renew dialogue, and said the violence was a "distraction" from Peru's bigger challenges, such as the global economic crisis. Garcia called for reconciliation and unity to face these challenges. ¶3. (C) Most media interpreted Garcia's speech as an apology despite his rigorous self-defense. One opposition contact argued the President's message of reconciliation was not convincing, and cited Garcia's "stubbornness" in defending the decrees. The contact believed Garcia's message may bring calm temporarily, but he was skeptical the President would maintain this conciliatory tone for long. Congress Votes to Repeal Decrees, Aidesep Offers Thanks -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Congress today voted 82 to 14 to approve the bill repealing presidential decrees 1090 and 1064. All parties supported the bill with the exception of National Unity. Many Congress people spent the day praising the bill in what one congressional contact described as an effort to apologize. Shortly after the vote, the new leader of the indigenous organization that organized the protests, Aidesep, publicly thanked both Garcia's government and the people of Peru for repealing the decrees and called for an end to remaining protests. Protest Update: Agreement in Apurimac, Roadblocks in Cusco -------------- ¶5. (C) The press reported today that the Agriculture Minister has negotiated a truce in the week-long protest in Andahuaylas province, of the southern sierra Apurimac Region. According to the agreement, the truce will last until next Tuesday, when Prime Minister Yehude Simon will arrive to seek a more permanent solution. The Agriculture Minister told the press that the most difficult part of negotiations was getting the leaders of the various protest groups to agree amongst themselves. ¶6. (C) Separately, we spoke with Mayor Carlos Cavero, of the remote Apurimac Region district of Huancarama, who yesterday was temporarily taken hostage by protestors and beaten. Cavero said he is safely in hiding and urging the government to send additional police to help restore calm. Press reports that the national police are sending helicopters to support Huancarama police. In Cusco, the road to Puno remains blocked and trains along that route are not operating. The Agriculture Minister was scheduled to travel from Apurimac to Cusco today to seek an agreement with protest leaders. ¶7. (U) The highly respected Human Rights Ombudsman's Office on June 16 released an updated list of 10 civilians and 23 police confirmed killed during the Amazonian protest violence. The Ombudsman's office says it continues to search for one missing police officer and for information on any civilians that may not yet be reported. The Ombudsman also listed 19 civilians who remain in custody and 65 who have been released; 205 civilians who were injured; and hundreds of civilians who the government helped return to their communities. MCKINLEY