US embassy cable - 04MADRID1831

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 001831 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/07/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EK, SP 
SUBJECT: SPAIN: DISAPPOINTED BUT STILL ENGAGED AFTER 
EQUATORIAL GUINEA ELECTIONS 
 
 
Classified By: KATHLEEN FITZPATRICK, POLITICAL COUNSELOR. 
REASON 1.4 (B) & (D) 
 
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Summary 
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1. (C) Spanish MFA officials were upset that Equatorial 
Guinean President Obiang allowed the opposition Convergence 
for Social Democracy Party (CPDS) to pick up only a handful 
of seats in the April 25 legislative elections.  Citing 
serious voting irregularities, Spanish officials concluded 
that the results showed that Obiang simply refuses to share 
power and is resistant to Spanish pressure.  However, Spain 
will continue to engage Equatorial Guinea (GREG) on 
governance issues.  The GOS continues to monitor opposition 
leader Severo Moto although they no longer consider him a 
major political player.  End Summary. 
 
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Spain's Pre-election Hopes 
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2. (C) Poloff consulted with Jose Luis Martin-Yague, desk 
officer for sub-Saharan Africa, on May 19 to discuss Spanish 
views on Equatorial Guinea's April 25 legislative elections 
and the status of opposition figure Severo Moto.  This was 
the first opportunity to exchange views with the MFA on these 
issues because our interlocutors were awaiting the 
installation of Alvaro IRANZO Gutierrez as the new director 
general for sub-Saharan African affairs before the GOS 
clarified its position. 
 
3. (C) Martin-Yague said Spanish officials pressed Equatorial 
Guinean President Teodorino Obiang Nguema on the need for 
fair legislative elections and a pluralist election outcome. 
Obiang rejected Spain's offer to ask for EU election 
monitors.  He did agree to have four Spanish election 
observers, including one senator from the governing Spanish 
Socialist Worker's Party (PSOE), Juan Jose La Borda.  In 
April, before the elections, Secretary of State for External 
Affairs Bernadino Leon met with Obiang in Pretoria on the 
margins of the Mbeki inauguration.  Leon discussed the need 
for transparent elections with Obiang and maintained regular 
contact with Obiang's chief assistant, Alejandro Ebuna, on 
the issue. 
 
4. (C) Spain had expected the opposition Convergence for 
Social Democracy Party (CPDS) would win at least twenty-five 
percent of the parliament seats.  According to Martin-Yague, 
the CPDS remains the only credible opposition party despite 
being sideline by Obiang in previous elections.  As a social 
democratic party, the CPDS maintains broad support within the 
PSOE. 
 
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The Election Fall-out 
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5. (C) Martin-Yague told us that Spain election observers 
believe that Obiang's Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea 
(PDGE) party won the majority of the votes.  However, they 
found the election process to be seriously flawed.  The 
Spanish observers cited discrepancies in candidate lists and 
voter registration.  Observers also noted low voter 
participation on the island of Bioka where the CPDS claimed 
to have most of its support. 
 
6. (C) According to Martin-Yague, the CPDS defeat implies 
that months of dialogue with Obiang had failed.  Although 
Secretary Leon was "disgusted" with the results, Spain would 
 
SIPDIS 
remain engaged with the CPDS to help negotiate its 
parliamentary seats with the GREG.  Martin-Yague said a deal 
between the CPDS and the GREG was unlikely, however.  He 
thought Obiang wanted to keep CPDS out of power not so much 
because the CPDS was perceived as too close to Spain, but 
because Obiang believes that sharing power is losing all 
power. 
 
7. (C) Martin-Yague said that Spain has a genuine interest in 
helping Equatorial Guinea develop democracy.  Spain will 
continue to fund a program to train judicial officials, 
professionalize the civil service, and promote education and 
health programs.  Martin-Yague noted that Spain's interest in 
democracy is complemented by Spain's interest in Mange 
Island.  Spain also supports Equatorial Guinea's claim to the 
island and would possibly like to pursue joint exploration of 
its oil reserves in the future. 
 
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Severo Moto 
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8. (C) Opposition leaders Severo Moto remains a political 
refugee in Spain, but his Progress Party (PP) has little 
support in Malabo or among immigrants from Equatorial Guinea 
in Spain.  Although Moto continues to denounce human rights 
abuses by the Obiang regime, his exile in Spain has 
diminished his influence on politics in Equatorial Guinea, 
said Martin-Yague.  Nevertheless, the GOS continues to 
monitor Moto to determine whether he is liability on Spain's 
relationship with the GREG, Martin-Yague said. 
 
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Comment 
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9. (C) Spain is disappointed that its advocacy of free 
elections with Obiang failed to help the CPDS in the April 25 
legislative election.  There is heightened interested in the 
CPDS in Spain because the party shares the political 
philosophy of the governing Spanish socialist party.  The 
CPDS loss sent a signal that Spain has little leverage over 
Obiang.  Nevertheless, Spain will continue to push the GREG 
on governance issues. 
ARGYROS