US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA10991

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 010991 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, ECON, PINR, CO 
SUBJECT: DEVELOPMENTS IN CONGRESS AND THE LEAD-UP TO MARCH 
CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS 
 
REF: A. BOGOTA 10588 
 
     B. BOGOTA 6143 
     C. BOGOTA 5619 
 
Classified By: CDA Milton K. Drucker, Reasons: 1.4 B & D. 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  With less than a month remaining in the 
current session, the only major item to pass Congress thus 
far is the 2006 budget.  A law aimed at approving Colombia's 
compliance with the Hague Convention on child abduction is 
pending conference committee approval.  Opposition to Uribe 
torpedoed an attempt to allow reelection for governors and 
mayors.  Members are focused on their own futures in 
elections to be held March 12, and the pace of legislative 
activity is even slower than the norm.  Internal party 
decision-making on formal candidacies is ongoing, with lists 
due by January 28.  Support for Uribe remains high among 
MOCs; nevertheless, they complain privately that Uribe has 
not provided them enough funds for discretionary spending in 
their districts going into the elections.  Rumors continue of 
paramilitary intimidation of -- or support for -- individual 
candidates.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C) The current Congressional session will end December 
15.  The Congress will reconvene for the subsequent regular 
session on March 15 (running until June 20).  In the current 
session, the only major law passed was the 2006 budget (see 
details Ref A).  The full Senate approved (conference 
committee action pending) legislation aimed at improving 
Colombia's compliance with the Hague Convention on child 
abduction.  (Comment:  Post has consulted regularly with key 
members of Congress on the legislation, and at one point 
suggested wording changes that the Congress accepted and 
incorporated.  End Comment.)  Despite President Uribe's 
public support for the eighth overall attempt to modify the 
Constitution to allow for gubernatorial/mayoral reelection, 
opposition parties forced delays at the Senate committee 
level, making full approval impossible prior to December 15. 
(Comment: privately, several pro-Uribe MOCs expressed concern 
to us about gubernatorial/mayoral reelection, saying there 
are no level playing field guarantees at the local level. 
End Comment.)  The Congress talked up protection of 
agricultural interests within the FTA context in several 
sessions, and a censure motion against the Minister of 
Communications (corruption allegations) was handily defeated 
by Uribista majorities. 
 
3.  (SBU) MOCs have, in general, spent less time than normal 
(see Ref C) in Bogota in formal Congressional sessions, as 
the campaign season is now in full swing.  All seats in both 
houses (102 Senators, 166 Representatives) will be decided in 
elections on March 12.  The elected will take office on July 
20.  The major parties are all involved in internal 
decision-making (centralized in all cases) regarding formal 
candidacies.  Each party's Congressional nominees must be 
formalized by January 28. 
 
4.  (C) Press has reported prominent MOC complaints 
(including in face-to-face meetings with President Uribe) of 
intimidation of candidates by illegal armed groups -- in 
particular the paramilitaries.  While we hear rumors of 
paramilitary money entering individual campaigns, evidence 
has not been forthcoming.  Many MOCs also complain that Uribe 
has not provided them enough discretionary funds to campaign 
effectively. 
DRUCKER