US embassy cable - 04QUITO2614

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 QUITO 002614 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EC, ECON, EFIS, ETRD, PGOV, PREL, SENV, Environment 
SUBJECT: MINISTER OF THE ENVIRONMENT ANNOUNCES INITIATIVE 
TO STABILIZE GALAPAGOS NATIONAL PARK 
 
REF: QUITO 2599 
 
1.  Summary.  The Minister of the Environment (MOE), Fabian 
Valdivieso, announced to the press on September 27 that 
Fausto Cepeda had been replaced as Galapagos National Park 
(GNP) Director by GNP employee Victor Carrion.  The MOE will 
form a commission to oversee any future selections of the GNP 
Director, and will sign work contracts with all GNP employees 
to stabilize the park as an institution.   The MOE's decision 
pleased GNP employees, NGOs and donors.  The leader of the 
fishermen, however, publicly derided the MOE's decision on 
September 28 but did not call for any retaliatory action. 
The Embassy is actively promoting an independent commission 
that is transparent and politically neutral.  End Summary. 
 
The MOE Cans Cepeda, Installs Interim Director 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
2.  The GNP strikers waited over the weekend to resume talks 
with Minister of the Environment on September 27.  Throughout 
the weekend, rumors swirled that Cepeda would be ousted for 
his role in the violence at the park (Reftel) and an interim 
director named.  On Monday, the MOE confirmed the rumors that 
Cepeda was out and Victor Carrion (a current mid-level 
functionary at the GNP) was in for at least two months, 
during which time a commission would be established to pick 
all future park directors.  The MOE also agreed to provide 
work contracts to all the GNP employees to bolster 
institutional stability. 
 
3.  The announcement was well received by the striking 
employees, NGOs, and donors, all of which pushed for these 
measures to ensure institutional stability in the GNP. 
However, the decision angered the fishing sector, to which 
Cepeda was a favorite son.  Rogelio Guaycha, President of 
four fishing cooperatives and alternate congressional deputy, 
wasted no time scorning the decision.  The following morning 
he was on local radio deriding international groups for 
meddling in Ecuador's affairs and calling this decision an 
encroachment on Ecuador's sovereignty.  He has not yet called 
on the fishermen to march on the GNP and commandeer the park, 
as some suspected he would. 
 
4.  The striking employees did not gloat over their victory 
and agreed not to go to work the following day, September 28, 
to avoid provoking the fishermen.  Twenty armed policemen 
were stationed at the gates of the GNP to maintain control of 
the park. 
 
The MOE Convokes Donor Meeting 
------------------------------ 
 
5.  The MOE invited donors to a meeting at the Ministry of 
the Environment on September 28.  He laid out his vision of 
the process to form the commission.  The MOE noted 
specifically that the process should be led by the Ministry 
of the Environment, and requested donors maintain a low 
profile.  To that end, the MOE agreed to collaborate on a 
communication strategy to inform the public and maintain the 
necessary transparency to prevent political interference. 
 
6.  The MOE hoped to have a permanent GNP Director in place 
by January 1, 2005.  He asked for assistance from the donor 
groups to achieve this goal.  USAID, the Inter-American 
Development Bank (IDB), and the United Nations Development 
Programme (UNDP) offered technical assistance.  They agreed 
that one international and local consultant should be hired 
to provide the needed technical know-how.  The donors agreed 
to suggest qualified consultants from their respective pools 
of technical assistants.  The MOE requested another meeting 
on October 1. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7.  The removal of Cepeda is clearly intended to defuse the 
strike and continuing political uproar caused by the removal 
of the previous director, Edwin Naula, who was reportedly an 
ally of the main opposition Social Christian Party.  The 
naming of Cepeda was intended to assure the loyalty to the 
government of an independent Congressional deputy 
representing the Galapagos, Vinicio Andrade, who is allied to 
Galapagos fishing interests.  It is unclear how the removal 
of Cepeda will affect President Gutierrez's fortunes in an 
increasingly hostile Congress. 
8.  Victor Carrion is a Galapagos native who has a reputation 
for being steady and apolitical.  While the fishermen were 
upset about Cepeda's ousting, they never quite called for 
Carrion's head on a platter.  Mission Ecuador will encourage 
the parties to respect the truce at least long enough to 
permit the proposed commission to be formed and make its 
recommendation.  We are promoting an independent commission 
that is transparent and politically neutral.  Such a 
commission could prove to be the solution to the 
politicization of the GNP Directorship under the Gutierrez 
administration and return stable management to the Galapagos. 
 
KENNEY