TFH01:THE AMBASSADOR HOSTS COFFEE TO SUPPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEGUCIGALPA 000988 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HO SUBJECT: TFH01:THE AMBASSADOR HOSTS COFFEE TO SUPPORT DIALOGUE Classified By: Ambassador Hugo Llorens for reasons 1.4 (b & d) ¶1. (C) Summary. The Ambassador hosted a coffee at the Residence on September 27 to promote dialogue between the pro and anti-Zelaya camps. The presidential candidates discussed their meeting with President Jose Manuel "Mel" Zelaya and de facto regime leader Roberto Micheletti on September 24. The candidates also stated that the international community was hurting Honduras by not supporting the electoral process. Ambassador Biehl, who attended the coffee, said the San Jose Accord is in essence a Honduran solution and that the OAS proposes sending a delegation of Foreign Ministers to encourage dialogue with the San Jose Accord as the foundation. Victor Meza, lead organizer of the Zelaya Cabinet, said President Zelaya is ready to enter into dialogue. The Ambassador encouraged the candidates to continue to demonstrate the leadership they have shown to date. End Summary. ¶2. (C) The Ambassador invited Ambassador John Biehl of the OAS to join a September 27 gathering at the Residence with key Honduran members of society. The purpose of the meeting, which lasted three hours, was to foster dialogue among the different sectors of society that can help forge a solution to the country's crisis. Presidential candidates Elvin Santos of the Liberal Party, Porfirio "Pepe" Lobo of the National Party, Bernard Martinez of the Social Democratic Innovation and Unity Party (PINU),and Felicito Avila of the Christian Democratic Party, attended the meeting. The other participants were: Ambassador Neil Reeder of Canada; Victor Meza, lead organizer of the Zelaya Cabinet; Carlos Flores, former President of Honduras; Juan Jose Pineda, Auxiliary Bishop of Tegucigalpa; Arturo Corrales, de facto regime Commission negotiator for the San Jose Accord; Antonio Tavel, a leading businessman; Juan Ferrera, coordinator of pro-business civic groups; Adolfo Facusse, a businessman who was denied entry to the U.S. in mid-September when he attempted to enter the U.S. after his visa had been revoked; Leo Valladares, a former Human Rights Ombudsman, and Jorge Miranda, OAS Representative in Honduras. The Deputy Chief of Mission and the Political Counselor also attended the meeting. ¶3. (C) Ambassador Biehl told the participants that the San Jose Accord is a Honduran solution since almost all of its elements were proposed by the Honduran parties. Biehl said the OAS would like to send a delegation composed of Foreign Ministers to Honduras the week of September 28. He explained that their purpose would be to move the dialogue forward with the San Jose Accord as the point of departure. In response to comments that the position of the international community has made finding a solution more difficult, Biehl noted that Honduras is a member of the international community. He stated that the de facto regime and its supporters have called for an investigation into the actions of President Jose Manuel "Mel" Zelaya, but have refused to countenance any investigation into the events of June 28. Biehl said that the Hondurans who support the de facto regime want the international community to legitimate the coup d'etat that was carried out, which was never going to happen. ¶4. (C) Meza stated that President Zelaya is ready to enter into dialogue and that the San Jose Accord provides the best framework. Meza said that the Zelaya camp understands that the San Jose Accord is not "written in stone" and said he believed an agreement acceptable to all parties could be achieved. ¶5. (C) Archbishop Pineda said he believes a Honduran resolution, which is accompanied by the international community, is possible. He stated that he had met with both President Zelaya and de facto regime leader Roberto Micheletti and both are open to negotiation. Other participants said that Hondurans resent a solution imposed by the international community, that the Hondurans institutions of the Congress and the Supreme Court are a higher authority in Honduras than the international community, and that sanctions imposed by the international community are counter-productive. They also criticized the international community for allowing President Zelaya to call for demonstrations from within the Brazilian Embassy, a diplomatic mission. ¶6. (C) The presidential candidates presented Biehl with a TEGUCIGALP 00000988 002 OF 002 more rigid position than they have expressed in past meetings with the Ambassador. They accused the international community of attempting to destroy the electoral process. Both Santos and Lobo said the candidates' ability to play a constructive role is weakened each time that the international community threatens not to recognize the elections scheduled for November 29. Santos said the international community must stop using the election as a negotiating tool. He complained that days after he and Lobo, Martinez, and Avila took the initiative of meeting with both President Zelaya and de facto regime leader Micheletti, Zelaya was calling on his supporters to stage demonstrations. Santos warned that Honduras is on the verge of a civil war. Martinez said that holding elections is important to Honduras, even if it is not important to the international community. ¶7. (C) The Ambassador and former President Flores encouraged the candidates to continue to demonstrate the leadership they have exhibited thus far because an agreement is necessary for the country to move forward. The candidates expressed concern about a decree which was announced by the de facto regime on September 26 which would limit personal liberties, including freedom of association and speech. The Ambassador told the candidates that they should publicly go on the record against the decree, which several subsequently did. ¶8. (C) Comment. The candidates have shown great leadership by traveling to San Jose to meet with President Arias on September 16 and with President Zelaya and Micheletti on September 24. Their more rigid stance seemed to be in reaction to the response that their initiative provoked in their supporters. Embassy understands that they were deluged by messages from their followers criticizing their actions. The vast majority of the supporters of Santos, Lobo, Martinez, and Avila are politically center-right and opposed to President Zelaya and his return to power. End Comment. LLORENS