US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4225

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 004225 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ASEC, TW 
SUBJECT: TAIWAN CLAIMS VENEZUELA AND CUBA SUPPORTING 
LEFTIST GROUPS IN NICARAGUA AND EL SALVADOR 
 
 
Classified By: AIT Director Douglas Paal, Reason 1.4 (b/d) 
 
1. (C) Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) officials 
assert, based on information from Central American leaders, 
that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Cuban President 
Fidel Castro are covertly funding opposition parties in El 
Salvador and Nicaragua in hopes of replacing pro-USG 
administrations with leftist governments.  MOFA Latin America 
Director-General Jaison Ko confidentially told AIT that 
during Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's September visit to 
Central America, Honduran President Ricardo Maduro reported 
to Taiwan officials that Chavez is using Cuba's intelligence 
network to fund Sandinista presidential candidate Daniel 
Ortega in Nicaragua and the Farabundo Marti Front for 
National Liberation (FMLN) opposition party in El Salvador. 
Ko said that in addition to President Maduro's information, 
El Salvador's former President Flores separately told Taiwan 
officials that Chavez and Castro were cooperating in 
Nicaragua and El Salvador. 
 
2. (C) Ko told AIT that Taiwan is very concerned that 
Sandinista and FMLN candidates will be elected president 
because they are more sympathetic to the PRC and would likely 
switch diplomatic relations from Taipei to Beijing.  Ko said 
that Taiwan's primary concern is Nicaragua because the 
presidential election will take place in 2006 while the 
election in El Salvador will not occur until 2008. 
Nicaragua's Ambassador in Taiwan Luis Wong told AIT that the 
pro-PRC Sandinista party has been gaining clout and could 
very well win next year's election.  He added that if they do 
win, it is likely that they will switch ties to the PRC. 
(Note: The previous Sandinista government recognized Beijing 
from 1985-1990. End note). 
 
3. (C) Ko noted that according to President Maduro and former 
President Flores, high oil prices have enhanced the clout in 
the region of Chavez, who has increased the flow of money and 
support to anti-USG groups.  Ko said that Chavez is also 
providing "friendship" oil at 50-60 percent of the market 
price to the Dominican Republic, another of Taiwan's 
diplomatic partners.  Ko said that Dominican Republic 
President Fernandez is close to Chavez, who Ko maintains is 
using the cheap oil to pressure Santo Domingo's ties to 
Taipei.  Ko also noted that Chavez is funding leftist 
political parties in Bolivia. 
 
4. (C) Comment: We do not know how original or valid these 
observations are.  For its part, Taiwan considers Central 
America and the Caribbean to be its most important diplomatic 
region and actively monitors any political movements or 
activities (such as by Venezuela and Cuba) that could 
jeopardize its diplomatic relationships and give the PRC the 
advantage.  While Taiwan does have an agenda in Central 
America and is seeking closer ties with the USG, Taipei is 
well positioned to glean information that is of interest to 
Washington.  AIT will continue to discuss such topics with 
Taipei and report any information that is provided during 
subsequent meetings with Taiwan officials though it is 
impossible for AIT to assess their accuracy.  End comment. 
PAAL