Cablegate: Garcia Opens His Presidential

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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.

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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
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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
--------------------------------------------- --

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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"
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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

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E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PGOV PE PE PGOV
SUBJECT: GARCIA OPENS HIS PRESIDENTIAL
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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
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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

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