UD LEADERS SEEKS SOLUTION FOR PRESIDENT ZELAYA

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 001310 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HO SUBJECT: UD LEADERS SEEKS SOLUTION FOR PRESIDENT ZELAYA REF: A. TEGUCIGALPA 1298 ¶B. TEGUCIGALPA 1280 ¶C. TEGUCIGALPA 1241 ¶D. TEGUCIGALPA 1202 Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Cesar Ham, the Democratic Unification (UD) party's candidate for president in the November 29 general election, would be willing to consider joining president-elect Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo's cabinet if Lobo helps find a solution that allows President Jose Manuel "Mel" Zelaya to leave the Brazilian Embassy. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Cesar Ham, the Democratic Unification (UD) party's candidate for president in the November 29 general election, told the Ambassador on December 17 that he was generally satisfied with the treatment accorded to his party by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) on election day. Ham noted that UD members had been permitted to witness vote re-counts in contested races. (Note: There were five presidential candidates and Ham came in last with 36,635 votes out of 2,281,241 votes cast in the presidential race as of December ¶17. End Note.) ¶3. (C) Ham said that the issue of restitution of President Zelaya was moot after the December 2 congressional vote affirming the June 28 decree removing Zelaya from office. (Note: Ham voted against reaffirmation of the June 28 decree and delivered an eloquent address on the congressional floor. End Note.) (reftel C). However, he noted, there has to be a resolution allowing President Zelaya's departure from the Brazilian Embassy. Ham said he did not have much information about the aborted attempt by President Zelaya to depart for Mexico (reftel B) and asked the Ambassador what actions the U.S. was taking regarding Zelaya's departure. ¶4. (C) Ham told the Ambassador that president-elect Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo invited the UD to participate in the national dialogue that he launched (reftel A) and offered Ham a position for the UD in the Lobo cabinet. Ham said he told Lobo that it would be difficult for the UD to participate in the national dialogue with President Zelaya still in the Brazilian Embassy. Ham said he told Lobo that having Zelaya spend Christmas in the Brazilian Embassy would send a negative message to Zelaya supporters. Ham said he also told Lobo that he would consider having the UD participate in his cabinet and support his government plan in the legislature if Lobo helped resolve Zelaya's situation. Ham told the Ambassador that the UD will hold a meeting on December 19 at which the issues of political amnesty and participation in Lobo's national dialogue and Lobo's government will be discussed. ¶5. (C) The Ambassador told Ham that the U.S. was not aware in advance of the actions by the governments of Mexico and Brazil to effect Zelaya's departure on December 9. The Ambassador said the U.S. believes that Zelaya's departure would be positive on a humanitarian level for him and his family, but also for the country because it would help diffuse the current tense environment and eliminate any pretext de facto regime leader Roberto Micheletti could put forth to justify staying in power. The Ambassador told Ham that President Zelaya should accept an offer of unconditional political asylum since this would not imply resignation from office. The Ambassador encouraged Ham to speak to President Zelaya. Ham told the Ambassador that he had not spoken to President Zelaya since Ham decided not to pull out of the presidential race (reftel D). He said he did wish to speak to him about the issue of political amnesty, but had not been able to get permission from the de facto regime to enter the Brazilian Embassy. Ham said Zelaya's statements that he is not interested in political amnesty are unhelpful because they are used by those who oppose amnesty to scuttle any attempt at getting it approved. LLORENS