US embassy cable - 05SANSALVADOR2853

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 002853 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2025 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ES 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH GOES FOMIN LAINEZ ON 
IBERO-AMERICAN SUMMIT 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador H. Douglas Barclay.  Reasons 1.4 (b,d). 
 
1.  (C) During a 45 minute conversation with Ambassador on 
October 18, Salvadoran Foreign Minister Francisco Lainez 
(strictly protect) recounted his efforts to avert approval of 
an Ibero-American Summit resolution calling for an end of the 
U.S. "blockade" against Cuba.  Lainez, who had just returned 
to El Salvador late October 17, called Ambassador upon 
arrival and requested a one-on-one meeting.  Expressing his 
concern over a declaration he affirmed he and the GOES did 
not agree with, Lainez stated that he had come very close to 
blocking use of the word "blockade" in the resolution, but 
had apparently not received much support and failed in the 
end.  Lainez added that, during his attempt to have the word 
"blockade" changed to "embargo," he was approached by Spanish 
Prime Minister Rodriguez Zapatero, who, in essence,  asked 
Lainez to let the issue go away "in the best interests of the 
summit." Lainez characterized Rodriguez Zapatero as having 
"good intentions," but said Zapatero has made a lot of 
mistakes, especially in his relations with the U.S., and is 
not prepared to govern. 
 
2.  (C) Lainez said that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had 
developed a clear plan in advance of the summit in 
conjunction with the Castro government, and that the 
Venezuelans did not make a move throughout the summit without 
consulting the Cubans. At one point during deliberations, 
Lainez overheard the Venezuelan Foreign Minister say to one 
of his aides "you better run that issue past the Cuban 
delegation." Lainez added that the Cubans were "masterful" at 
manipulating the Spanish press. Lainez opined that Chavez is 
not crazy, but is actually very calculating, and said Chavez 
staged every summit event to draw the limelight, dragging a 
GOV delegation of over 100 people with him, and waiting until 
other heads of state left public areas so that he could 
receive ovations from staged crowds. 
 
3.  (C)  Separately, Lainez said that Guatemalan 
Vice-President Eduardo Stein had argued in Lainez's presence 
that stories circulating about Chavez giving money to the 
left throughout Latin America is simply not true.  Lainez 
also characterized the Dominicans as playing both sides in 
the dispute between Chavez and the U.S., but added that the 
Dominicans "know that Chavez is a dictator." 
 
4.  (C) Lastly, Lainez told Ambassador that President Saca 
feels President Bush should make a stopover in El Salvador 
either on his way to or back from the Summit of the Americas. 
 Lainez said that the GOES needs a positive boost from 
President Bush at this time. 
 
5.  (C)  Comment:  Lainez and the GOES are clearly 
embarrassed by the outcome of the "blockade" and Posada 
Carriles resolutions at the Ibero-American summit, since the 
summit declaration and resolutions passed by consensus, and 
the GOES, which affirms repeatedly its close relations with 
the U.S. went along with our detractors. 
Barclay