Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More

Search

 

Cablegate: Bolivia: Recall Referenda Sitrep #3 1830 Edt

VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLP #1709 2232215
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 102215Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8187
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION PRIORITY 8223
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 5578
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 9522
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 6738
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 3834
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN PRIORITY 0785
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 4118
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO PRIORITY 5669
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 6452
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO PRIORITY 1187
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 1337
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS LA PAZ 001709

SIPDIS

PLEASE PASS TO S/ES; OPS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC KDEM BL
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: RECALL REFERENDA SITREP #3 1830 EDT

August 10, 2008

SITUATION REPORT. This is third and last situation report
today.

1. (U) Voting closed at 1800, and while official counts are
not expected for many days, unofficial polls indicate that
President Morales will continue in his post, with vote
projections at about 60 percent approval nationwide.
According to some exit polls, Morales lost the vote in four
departments (that is, a majority of voters in those
departments voted against him) and was too close to call in
another, highlighting the regional nature of his popularity.
All numbers are unofficial and likely to change.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

2. (U) It is still unclear how the referenda will be applied
to the prefects: the National Electoral Court maintains that
prefects will be recalled if 50 percent plus one of voters
vote against them, while the President stated today that this
compromise formula may not be followed. Thus far, it seems
that the four Media Luna opposition prefects survived (Santa
Cruz, Pando, Beni, Tarija), while opposition prefects Manfred
Reyes Villa (Cochabamba) and Jose Luis Paredes (La Paz)
appear to have been recalled. MAS prefect Albert Luis
Aguilar (Oruro) also appears to have been recalled.

3. (U) Television station Unitel reports that in the
altiplano town of Achacachi (a Red Poncho and MAS
stronghold), MAS officials showed people how to vote yes for
Morales (leading elderly or illiterate voters) and allegedly
some ballots were pre-marked. An official in the
prefecturate of Cochabamba has also alleged that ballots in
some Cochabamba districts were pre-marked in favor of Morales
and against opposition prefect Reyes Villa.

4. (U) Post will report more detailed results tomorrow.

GOLDBERG

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
World Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.