GARCIA OPENS HIS PRESIDENTIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LIMA 04541 SIPDIS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV PE PE PGOV SUBJECT: GARCIA OPENS HIS PRESIDENTIAL - CAMPAIGN VOWING NOT TO BE A - ... id: 503 date: 3/26/1992 12:14 refid: 92LIMA4541 origin: Embassy Lima classification: CONFIDENTIAL destination: 92LIMA4541 header: This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 LIMA 04541 01 OF 02 261219Z ACTION ARA-01 INFO LOG-00 ACDA-15 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01 DODE-00 HA-09 H-01 INM-01 INRE-00 INR-01 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 PA-01 PM-01 PRS-01 P-01 SNP-01 SP-01 SS-01 TRSE-00 T-01 USIE-00 /042W -------------- 1F7334 261220Z /38 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6839 INFO AMEMBASSY BOGOTA AMEMBASSY CARACAS AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY QUITO USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM -------------- header ends -------------- C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LIMA 04541 SIPDIS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV PE PE PGOV SUBJECT: GARCIA OPENS HIS PRESIDENTIAL - CAMPAIGN VOWING NOT TO BE A - CANDIDATE, DECLARES WAR ON FUJIMORI ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. AT A MARCH 21 PRESS CONFERENCE, EX-PRESIDENT ALAN GARCIA CALLED FOR A NATIONAL FRONT AGAINST FUJIMORI; HE ALSO RULED CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 LIMA 04541 01 OF 02 261219Z OUT HIS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT IN 1995. GARCIA BLASTED ATTEMPTS BY THE FUJIMORI ADMINISTRATION TO REOPEN CORRUPTION CHARGES AGAINST HIM. FEW IN LIMA BELIEVE THAT GARCIA WILL NOT RUN FOR PRESIDENT; IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW MANY ARE WILLING TO FOLLOW HIS LEAD INTO A NATIONAL ANTI-FUJIMORI FRONT. END SUMMARY. REOPENING THE GARCIA CORRUPTION CASE -------------- ¶2. (U) THE CATALYST FOR GARCIA'S PRESS CONFERENCE WAS THE GOP'S PUBLISHING OF A SUPREME DECREE AUTHORIZING THE SOLICITOR GENERAL TO REOPEN THE "ILLICIT ENRICHMENT" CHARGES AGAINST GARCIA. GARCIA'S LAWYERS IMMEDIATELY HAD A LOW-LEVEL JUDGE ISSUE AN INJUNCTION AGAINST REOPENING THE CASE ON THE GROUNDS OF DOUBLE JEOPARDY. GARCIA TOLD THE PRESS CONFERENCE THAT THE SUPREME DECREE WAS A "JUDICIAL MONSTROSITY" AND THAT IT WAS THE ANSWER BY THE FUJIMORI ADMINISTRATION TO GARCIA'S CRITICISM OF GOP POLICIES. GARCIA DECLARED IT WAS THE TIME TO BREAK THE INFORMAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND APRA AGAINST CRITICIZING THE ADMINISTRATION. HE BLAMED FUJIMORI AND SOME OF HIS "MILITARY ADVISORS" FOR USING EVEN THE TAX OFFICE TO PERSECUTE HIM. GARCIA CALLS FOR A NATIONAL ANTI-FUJIMORI FRONT -------------- -- CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 LIMA 04541 01 OF 02 261219Z ¶4. (U) GARCIA DECLARED THAT FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS THE PERUVIAN PEOPLE HAD SUFFERED A PLAGUE OF "VICIOUS CAPITALISM" THAT HAD NOT BORN CONCRETE RESULTS. HE CHARACTERIZED FUJIMORI'S TRIP TO JAPAN AS A COMPLETE FAILURE SINCE THE PRESIDENT RETURNED WITH "ONLY USDOLS 20 MILLION IN DONATIONS." GARCIA CHARGED THAT BUSINESSMEN WHO THAT TRAVEL WITH FUJIMORI DO SO ONLY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MONEY TO BE MADE OFF OF ASSISTANCE CONTRACTS. GARCIA ADDED THAT THE GULF BETWEEN FUJIMORI AND THE CONGRESS IS WIDENING AND THAT EVEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE CANNOT GET AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE THE PRESIDENT. ¶5. (U) REFERRING TO FAILURE OF MOTHERS FROM THE "GLASS OF MILK" PROGRAM TO SEE A GOP REPRESENTATIVE, GARCIA ASKED, "WHAT DANGER DO THESE POOR PERUVIAN MOTHERS REPRESENT WHEN THEY ONLY ASK FOR BREAD FOR THEIR CHILDREN?" HE ALLEGED THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS CUT OFF IN THE PALACE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF A STRONG ORGANIZED PARTY. THE OPPOSITION WAS COMPOSED OF A RIGHT WHOSE LEADER (MARIO VARGAS LLOSA) HAD LEFT THE COUNTRY, APRA WHICH HAD JUST LEFT OFFICE, AND A FRACTURED LEFT. GARCIA STATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO OPPOSE FUJIMORI WAS BY FORMING A UNITED FRONT FROM THESE ELEMENTS TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AND PACIFICATION. "I WILL NOT RUN FOR PRESIDENT" -------------- CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 LIMA 04541 01 OF 02 261219Z ¶6. (U) GARCIA CLAIMED THAT AN IMPEDIMENT TO A SUCCESSFUL OPPOSITION TO FUJIMORI WAS THE CONFLICTING AMBITIONS OF POSSIBLE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. THE WAY TO SOLVE THIS "CANDIDITITIS" WAS FOR POLITICAL LEADERS TO RENOUNCE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. TO SET THE EXAMPLE HE SAID, "I RENOUNCE BEING A CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC IN 1995 TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE NATIONAL FRONT." COMMENT CONFIDENTIAL NNNN CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 LIMA 04541 02 OF 02 261220Z ACTION ARA-01 INFO LOG-00 ACDA-15 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 C-01 DODE-00 HA-09 H-01 INM-01 INRE-00 INR-01 L-03 ADS-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 PA-01 PM-01 PRS-01 P-01 SNP-01 SP-01 SS-01 TRSE-00 T-01 USIE-00 /042W -------------- 1F734B 261220Z /38 P 261214Z MAR 92 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6840 INFO AMEMBASSY BOGOTA AMEMBASSY CARACAS AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY QUITO USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 LIMA 04541 SIPDIS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PGOV PE PE PGOV SUBJECT: GARCIA OPENS HIS PRESIDENTIAL -------------- ¶7. (C) FEW IN LIMA TAKE SERIOUSLY GARCIA'S VOW THAT HE WILL NOT BE A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. LAST MONTH HE PROCLAIMED THAT HE WAS NOT A CANDIDATE FOR SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE APRA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 LIMA 04541 02 OF 02 261220Z PARTY. WITHIN TWO WEEKS HE GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTED THE JOB AFTER THE APRA CONVENTION INSISTED BY ACCLAMATION THAT HE AGREE TO ACCEPT THE HONOR. THE LIKELIHOOD OF HIS ORGANIZING A NATIONAL FRONT AGAINST FUJIMORI IS SLIM. THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ULTRA-LEFT PUM PARTY, A PARTY THAT SHARES THE SUBSTANCE OF MANY OF GARCIA'S CRITICISMS AGAINST FUJIMORI, TOLD POLOFFS THAT "HIS PARTY WOULD NEVER COOPERATE WITH APRA." HE EXPLAINED THAT HE COULD DEAL WITH THE RIGHT BECAUSE HE KNEW THEIR IDEOLOGICAL POSITION, BUT COULD NOT COOPERATE WITH APRA BECAUSE THEY WERE SIMPLE OPPORTUNISTS. THE OTHER PARTIES MAY BE PLAYING THE SAME SONG, BUT THEY ARE HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO ACCEPT ALAN GARCIA LEADING THE BAND. QUAINTON CONFIDENTIAL NNNN =======================CABLE ENDS============================