US embassy cable - 05ASUNCION212

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASUNCION 000212 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE WHA/BSC 
STATE PASS TO USAID LAC/AA 
NSC FOR KIMBERLY BREIER 
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DAN JOHNSON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, PINR, CU, CO, VE, PA 
SUBJECT: CUBAN MEDICAL SUPPORT TO PARAGUAY AND AN OPENING 
WITH PRESIDENT DUARTE 
 
REF: ASUNCION 188 
 
Classified By: CDA Kevin M. Johnson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  The ending of the Cuban Doctor program by 
the GOP, and concurrent GOP fears of increased ominous 
leftist influence and activities, presents an opportunity for 
the USG to draw President Duarte farther away from the allure 
of Cuba and Venezuela.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) Reftel noted GOP Health Ministry announcement that the 
GOP would end the Cuban Doctor program in December when the 
current group completes their tour and the bilateral 
agreement covering the program will lapse.  Post believes 
this decision is directly linked to foreign involvement in 
crime and subversion in Paraguay. 
 
3. (C) There was no/no GOP indication of also ending the 
Cuban scholarship program, which sends poor Paraguayans to 
medical school in Cuba.  However, VP Castiglioni told Charge 
Feb 8 that he strongly favors ending this program as well. 
He said many students returned from Cuba with polluted minds 
about politics and also about issues such as abortion.  This 
undermines Paraguayan values and foments conflict, especially 
in rural areas, including his home department of San Pedro. 
Supreme Court President Fretes told Charge separately that 
some Colorado party activists were urging Duarte to reduce 
GOP ties to both Cuba and Venezuela. 
 
4. (C) Charge asked VFM Martinez Feb. 10 if there were plans 
to also end the Cuban scholarship program.  He said he knew 
of no official proposal to do this, but said the MFA was 
sympathetic to ending this program.  There had not been any 
reaction from the Cuban government to the announcement about 
the doctors program, he said, and the GOP has not/not 
formally informed the Cuban government of this decision (at 
least not through the MFA.)  Charge said the Cuban ambassador 
had not raised the issue with the MFA. (Note: MFA bilateral 
Director Valdez is scheduled to visit Cuba for an annual 
review of bilateral relations next week.  He told Charge he 
had no/no instructions about this issue at all; he said the 
Health Ministry handled the entire medical program and the 
selection process for the next group of scholarship grantees 
is almost complete.  Asked what he would say to the GOC when 
it asked him about this decision in Havana he said: &this 
issue is not in my portfolio, and I will tell them that, 
unless I get new instructions.8  End note.)  Post is still 
seeking Health Ministry views on the scholarship issue. 
 
5. (C) Comment:  The President is much closer to the Health 
Minister than to the FM, and is likely driving this process 
personally.  This leaves others puzzled as to next steps and 
the absence of a coherent policy, but is an opportunity for 
post to re-enforce increased concerns about foreign, 
subversive, and leftist influence in Paraguay; post is 
engaging allies within the GOP and others with influence to 
take advantage of this opening.  Many here, especially the 
VP, who will visit Bogota soon, hope Colombia can be a major 
partner on these issues.  It is unclear how far NDF,s 
apparent anger about FARC activity here will take him in 
reviewing broader policy toward Cuba and Venezuela, but we 
should seek to find out.  A scheduled visit by MCC Threshold 
Plan Director Kevin Saba Feb 16-19 provides a timely reminder 
of our extensive positive relationship with Paraguay.  Dept. 
might consider other means to take advantage of NDF,s 
increased suspicions of Cuba and Venezuela through visits, 
telcons, bilateral meetings at multilateral events, etc. 
Duarte may not have been born again ideologically, but recent 
events here have opened his eyes to the dangers Paraguay 
faces from the FARC and its allies. End Comment. 
JOHNSON