VATICAN DISAPPOINTED WITH NICARAGUA'S SANDINISTAS

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 000023 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/9/2029 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KIRF NI VT SUBJECT: VATICAN DISAPPOINTED WITH NICARAGUA'S SANDINISTAS REF: MANAGUA 37 CLASSIFIED BY: Rafael P. Foley, Acting DCM. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary: The Vatican is disturbed by the Frente Sandinista use of religious symbols for political purposes (reftel) and supports the Nicaraguan bishops' position on the issue. Vatican officials are also concerned about deteriorating political and economic conditions in Nicaragua, and hope that Nicaraguan migrants who are in the United States will be allowed to remain in the U.S. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Monsignor Francisco Frojan, the Vatican's Ministry of Foreign Affairs officer in charge for Central America, confirmed to the Charge and A/DCM during a February 4 call that statues of the Virgin Mary had been desecrated after being inappropriately used for political purposes in Managua during last November's municipal elections. The Vatican fully supports the statements made by the Nicaraguan Conference of Bishops on the issue, and therefore did not think it was necessary for the Nuncio to raise it with the Government. ¶3. (C) The Holy See is also concerned about the deteriorating economic conditions and the weakening of democracy since Daniel Ortega returned to power. Frojan said that opposition candidate Eduardo Montealegre probably did win Managua's mayoral election regardless of the "official" results. Nicaraguans' difficulties, he added, should inform policies towards Nicaraguan immigrants in the U.S. Specifically, the Vatican does not believe they should be deported. ¶4. (C) Frojan did not see a role for Cardinal Obando y Bravo, Archbishop Emeritus of Managua, as a social or political mediator. Nicaraguan bishops do not welcome the Cardinal's predisposition to work with Ortega. Moreover, Frojan implied that Obando does not inspire confidence at the Vatican either. ¶5. (C) The Holy See does appreciate Ortega's anti-abortion stand, and the fact that the Church continues to operate without much interference from the government. It remained possible, however, that Ortega would take a page from the Venezuelan playbook in trying to create cleavages between leftist and conservative clergy. ¶6. (C) Comment: The Vatican seems satisfied with having the Nicaraguan bishops exercise the first line of defense against the politicization of religious symbols. Nevertheless, Rome remains concerned about the continued failure of the country to rise above poverty and solidify its democratic institutions. Provided the Nicaraguan Church can continue to operate freely, the Vatican is unlikely to confront Ortega directly. ¶7. (C) The Sandinistas --like Castro's Cuba-- can be difficult but are a known quantity for the Holy See. More challenging for the Church is responding to Chavez and his influence over Ortega and others. This will hold particularly true if revolutionary rhetoric revives frictions between conservatives and progressives within the Catholic Church in Latin America. End comment. NOYES