TFH01: DE FACTOS INFLEXIBLE ON ZELAYA RETURN

S E C R E T TEGUCIGALPA 000910 E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HO SUBJECT: TFH01: DE FACTOS INFLEXIBLE ON ZELAYA RETURN REF: TEGUCIGALPA 900 Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (S) Summary. Two participants in a September 7 meeting the Ambassador held with de facto regime supporters (reftel) met on September 7 and 8 with de facto regime head Roberto Micheletti and urged that he submit to President Arias a list of proposals to ensure the compliance of President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya with the San Jose Accord. They told the Ambassador on September 10 that Micheletti remained adamantly against Zelaya returning to Honduras unless it was to face criminal charges. They also stated that Micheletti said he would continue to deliver that message directly to U.S. officials. End Summary. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador held a follow-up breakfast on September 10 with Antonio Tavel and Norman Garcia, two leading members of the Honduran business community society who were part of the group of de facto regime supporters who met with the Ambassador on September 7 (reftel). Tavel and Garcia met with de facto regime head Roberto Micheletti on September 7 (before their meeting with the Ambassador) and again on September 8. Tavel and Garcia said they told Micheletti that he was not adopting the right strategy if his goal was to prevent the return of President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya to Honduras. Tavel and Garcia told the Ambassador that they urged Micheletti to submit to President Arias a list of proposals to ensure Zelaya's compliance with the San Jose Accord. ¶3. (S) According to Tavel and Garcia, Micheletti told them that he was open to meeting with U.S. government officials but said he would tell them that Zelaya cannot return to Honduras, and would not engage in negotiations with them. ¶4. (C) Tavel said that de facto regime Foreign Minister Carlos Lopez Contreras believes the regime has plenty of time left to negotiate and does not understand the urgency to move the process forward. He added that Jose Alfredo Saavedra, who took over Micheletti's position as President of the Congress after the coup, is more open to finding a solution than Micheletti. After spending more than four hours in meetings with Micheletti and his inner circle, Tavel said he is convinced that the members of the de facto regime were extremely isolated and did not have a sophisticated understanding of international relations and diplomacy. Both Tavel and Garcia expressed concern that Micheletti and his inner circle seemed to be enjoying the trappings of power. They noted that Micheletti was not acting as a caretaker government, but was initiating policies and strategies that appeared to be focused on the medium and longer term. Both expressed the view that the coterie of sycophants surrounding Micheletti were constantly telling him that he was the savior of the country and that he was the indispensable man. Both feared that if the San Jose process collapsed, and if the election process derailed due to a combination of an international boycott and internal violence, the prospects that his corps of supporters and the military might urge Micheletti to stay in power to ensure order and stability was something that could not be discounted. ¶5. (C) Garcia said it is critical to address the fear that exists among Hondurans regarding President Zelaya's return to the country. Tavel remarked that President Zelaya has made public statements that have only reinforced such fears. Garcia expressed skepticism that Zelaya genuinely wants to return to Honduras just to finish out his term and turn over power to the president elected on November 29. Tavel expressed concern that a restored President Zelaya will either cancel the election or try to disrupt them. He said it would be helpful if Zelaya would publicly state that he will support the general elections. Tavel suggested that the U.S. encourage Zelaya to make such a statement. ¶6. (C) Comment: Antonio Tavel is on the executive board of the Honduran National Business Council (COHEP) and previously served as President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Tegucigalpa and President of the Honduran-American Chamber of Commerce. Norman Garcia served as Minister of Tourism (1998-2000),Minister of Industry and Commerce (2002-2005), and was appointed Ambassador to the United States in 2005. He served as executive president of the Foundation for Investment and Development of Exports (FIDE) 1990-1998 and 2000-2002. LLORENS