VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMN #0758/01 3551419
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211418Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0105
INFO MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS MONTEVIDEO 000758 
 
SIPDIS 
FOR WHA/BSC MARY DASCHBACH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV UY
SUBJECT: Uruguay: President-Elect Mujica's Cabinet Taking Shape 
 
Summary 
 
------------ 
 
 
 
¶1. (U) President elect Jose Mujica has buckled down to the business 
of appointing his cabinet.  Mujica's selection process was 
complicated slightly by internal unrest within factions of the 
ruling Frente Amplio (FA) coalition, but those problems were 
resolved quickly.  Although the announcement of the final cabinet 
is still pending, the most likely configuration sees Mujica heading 
a broad team that accords with each faction's electoral results and 
is dotted with loyalists.  End summary. 
 
 
 
Putting the Pieces in Place 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) Mujica has spent the time following his November 29 runoff 
victory forming the team that will comprise his cabinet.  Cabinet 
positions will be distributed roughly in line with the first round 
election results.  Accordingly, ""Espacio 609,"" a collection of 
factions that includes Mujica's own Movimiento de Participacion 
Popular (MPP) group and which received more votes than any other 
group, will take four ministries, thereby doubling its presence in 
the cabinet. Vice president elect Danilo Astori's ""Frente Liber 
Seregni"" (FLS) will hold three, including (as promised by Mujica) 
the Ministry of the Economy. The Socialist Party will hold two 
while the Communist Party and the Pensamiento-libertad (Free 
Thinking) Party (CAP-L) hold one each. 
 
 
 
Mujica's first crisis? 
 
------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) The often fractious arrangement of the various parties and 
factions that make up the FA meant the appointment of Mujica's 
cabinet was bound to hit a few bumps.  One cabinet pick, Ernesto 
Agazzi, an MPP stalwart loyal to Mujica, publicly refused the 
position of Minister of Culture and Education, claiming that not 
only had he not been consulted in the matter, he knew next to 
nothing about either subject.  Mujica, who is hoping to push 
through significant educational reform, wants a close ally to hold 
the education portfolio.  He worked hard, but without success, to 
persuade Agazzi to accept the post, and it now appears the most 
likely candidate will be the present mayor of Montevideo, Ricardo 
Ehrlich. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) Mujica's biggest headache, however, came from within the 
ranks of vice president elect Danilo Astori's FLS.  The faction, 
which has only been in existence since August 2009, is composed of 
the three parties that supported Astori in his unsuccessful attempt 
to gain the FA presidential nomination:  Astori's own Uruguayan 
Assembly (AU), the Progressive Alliance (AP) and the ""New Space"" 
party (NE).  Friction arose after Fernando Lorenzo, a member of the 
NE and close ally of Astori, was appointed to head the economy 
ministry.  This appointment upset Rafael Michelini, the ambitious 
head of the NE, who was hoping to occupy the NE's allocated cabinet 
space.  He argued that Lorenzo's appointment should not be counted 
as part of the NE's quota of cabinet positions, since Astori had 
selected Lorenzo directly and without consulting Michelini.  It 
appears that Michelini's arguments have fallen on deaf ears, that 
that Lorenzo will receive the position.  There is some speculation 
that the situation may be ameliorated by the creation of a long 
planned Ministry of Science and Technology, with Michelini in the 
top spot.  Alternatively, Michelini indicated that he may be 
placated by an ambassadorship. 
 
 
 
The probable line-up 
 
------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Below is Mujica's likely team as he begins his presidency. 
Some of the deputy ministers remain to be named: 
 
 
 
Ministry of the Presidency 
 
------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) This position, comparable to that of a Chief of Staff, is 
a new post to be created by Mujica that will be filled by his 
closest advisor Eduardo Bonomi.  Bonomi is expected to begin his 
time in cabinet as Minister of the Interior, shifting to the 
Ministry of the Presidency a few months after Mujica's inauguration 
and becoming, in effect, Mujica's alter ego.  Sixty-one year old 
Bonomi joined the Tupamaro guerrilla movement in 1970.  He spent 13 
years in prison, having originally been sentenced to serve until 
¶2012.  After his pardon with the restoration of democracy in 1985, 
Bonomi worked for 15 years in the fishing sector.  He belongs to 
Mujica's MPP faction, is a member of the Frente Amplio Coalition 
Board of Directors, and was Minister of Labor and Social Welfare 
from 2005 to 2009.  Bonomi is a keen and able soccer player, is 
married to Congresswoman Susana Pereira and has three children. 
 
 
 
Minister of Economy and Finance 
 
----------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶8. (U) Forty-nine year-old Fernando Lorenzo will be the new 
Minister of Economy and Finance.  Between 2005 and 2008, Lorenzo 
was the director of the Ministry's Macroeconomic and Financial 
Consultant's office while Astori was minister and remains a close 
confident of the vice president elect.  Lorenzo is well travelled, 
having worked as professor of economics in Paraguay, Cuba and 
Spain.  He speaks French. 
 
 
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs 
 
-------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶9. (U) Mujica selected a career diplomat and Uruguay's current 
Ambassador to China, 46 year old Luis Almagro, for Foreign 
Minister.  Almagro was president of the National Committee of 
Cooperation for the Prevention of Illicit Drug Trafficking and Drug 
Abuse between 1989 - 1991, served as Deputy Director of 
International Economic Affairs for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
between 2003 and 2005, and has published on a range of 
international relations topics.  Almagro served as Director of the 
International Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, 
Livestock and Fisheries during Jose Mujica's tenure as Minister of 
Agriculture (2005- 2008) and is perceived as a trusted ally of 
Mujica.  It is projected that Almagro will play a key role in 
future trade negotiations between MERCOSUR and China.  Almagro is a 
former Blanco Party member, but currently a member of the MPP.  He 
is from Rocha, is married and has seven children. 
 
 
 
Minister of Defense 
 
------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶10. (U) Another Tupamaro and member of Mujica's inner circle, Luis 
Angel Rosadilla, a parliamentary deputy since 2005 and the 
ex-chairman of the Defense Committee of the House of 
Representatives, has been selected as Minister of Defense. 
Nicknamed ""The Mouse,"" Rosadilla was born in 1953 and worked as a 
professional confectioner from the age of 13.  In 1971 he joined 
the Tupamaros and was subsequently imprisoned between 1973 and 
¶1982.  On release from jail, he founded the radical 26 de Marzo 
party and embarked in studies in economics law and macro economics. 
Despite the depth of his hard left roots (from 2000-2005, Rosadilla 
also served as political secretary to Senator Eleuterio Fern????ndez 
Huidobro an ex-Tupamaro leader) Rosadilla is perceived as something 
of a moderate amongst extremists.  Rosadilla hasn't lost his 
 
confectionary skills: between 1994 and 1999 he ran a pastry shop. 
He has six children from various partners. 
 
 
 
¶11. (SBU) Note:  In August of 2006, Uruguayan House Defense 
Committee members filed transit visa applications to travel to 
Haiti via Miami.  The purpose of the delegation was to perform a 
site visit of the Uruguayan peacekeeping troops' operations on the 
island.  The Consular section issued the majority of the visas, but 
informed that Rosadilla's visa would require additional time for 
administrative processing in Washington.  Then-Ambassador Baxter 
extended formal apologies, but within three days, Rosadilla 
withdrew the visa application and publicly denounced the U.S. 
Government in the National Parliament for inappropriate treatment 
of an elected member entitled to executive rights and privileges. 
While the National Parliament did not in the end issue any formal 
declaration on the matter, the GOU nonetheless did present a formal 
note declaring that the decision regarding the visa had been 
received with surprise and concern as Mr. Rosadilla was a 
representative elected by the people of Uruguay.  Since then, Mr. 
Rosadilla has not accepted any invitations from the Embassy, making 
specific reference to the visa situation on each occasion.  Most 
Uruguayans believe his visa application was denied.  End note. 
 
 
 
Minister of the Interior 
 
---------------------------- 
 
 
 
12 (U) Eduardo Bonomi will serve as Minister of Interior until he 
takes office as the (still to be created) Minister of the 
Presidency (see paragraph 7).  It is expected that Jorge Vazquez 
(brother of present President Tabare Vazquez and current 
Prosecretary"" in charge of of the executive emergency response, 
counternarcotics programs and money laundering programs) will take 
the role of Deputy Minister and is planning to succeed Bonomi as 
Minister.  Sixty-five year old Jorge Vazquez is four years younger 
than Tabare Vazquez and is one of his closest advisors.  Despite a 
generally low, independent profile today, in the 1970's Jorge 
Vazquez's involvement in leftist politics took a much more radical 
turn than that of his brother's, and between 1972 and 1984 he was 
imprisoned for his activities with various radical groups. 
Nicknamed ""The Dog,"" Vazquez is the second-ever male to graduate 
from the Uruguayan School of Nurses.  His partner is also a nurse 
and he has four children. 
 
 
 
Minister for Education and Culture 
 
------------------------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶13. (U) As detailed above, Ernesto Agazzi appears to have turned 
down running the Ministry for Education and Culture.  His 
replacement as nominee is likely to be current Mayor of Montevideo 
Dr. Ricardo Ehrlich.  Ehrlich has a professional background in 
Biochemistry and Molecular biology, much of which was undertaken in 
exile following Ehrlich's year and half imprisonment for his 
political activities with the Tupamaros in the late 60's and early 
70's (he was arrested in 1972).   He returned to Montevideo in 1987 
to work as a professor of biology in the University of the Republic 
before becoming director of the University Biology Institute 
between 1994 and 1998.  In 2007 he was awarded an honorary 
doctorate from France's Louis Pasteur Institute.  Ehrlich is a 
member of the MPP but does not have a seat on the party board.  He 
dances an impressive tango, cooks well and has two daughters from 
his first marriage.  He speaks French, and understands English, but 
prefers to work with an interpreter. 
 
 
 
Minister for Public Health 
 
------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶14. (U) Current General Director of Public Health Daniel Olesker is 
set to be the next Minister for Public Health.  Imprisoned for 3 
years for radical political activities in the 1970's, the 57 year 
old Oleskar is a member of the Socialist Party, has been a 
 
university professor, a member of the umbrella union PIT/CNT think 
tank and is the author of several books and publications.  He has 
two children, but lost an elder daughter to a car accident when she 
was 16.  His live-in partner is a professor and education labor 
leader and his father served for many years as the President of the 
umbrella Jewish Community Organization.  He is a supporter of the 
local ""Nacional"" soccer team. 
 
 
 
Minister for Transport and Public Works 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
 
 
¶15. (U) The position of Minister of Transport and Public Works goes 
to Enrique Pintado, a congressman and close adviser of Astori.  A 
member of the Communist Party until 1992, he left to help found the 
more moderate AU faction.  He is a member of the health workers 
union and was president of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in 
¶2006.  A fan of Uruguayan rock music and good eating, but a self 
confessed lousy dancer and lazy cook, the 51 year old Pintado is an 
experienced and widely published journalist and has released a 
volume of poetry.  He is a noted supporter of the Penarol soccer 
team and a carnival enthusiast.  Divorced with one daughter, he 
lives with his current partner. 
 
 
 
Minister for Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
 
 
¶16. (U) Independent Luis Aguerre, a rice and sugar cane farmer who 
has served as President of the Rice Farmers Association (ACA) since 
2006, will be the new Minster for Livestock, Agriculture and 
Fisheries.  The 52 year old Aguerre has a degree in Agricultural 
Engineering and is married with four children. 
 
 
 
Minister for Tourism and Sports 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
17.(U) Hector Lescano will retain the Ministry of Tourism and 
Sports, having been appointed by President Tabare Vazquez in 2005. 
President of the Christian Democratic Party (part of the AP, which 
is itself part of the FLS) the 61 year old Lescano is seen as one 
Vazquez's most trusted allies.  A big fan of Uruguay's 'Liverpool' 
soccer team, in 2006 Lescano published a team history in honour of 
the team's goalkeeper.  He has three sons from a previous marriage 
and currently cohabits with his partner.  Lescano is a qualified 
veterinarian and has travelled in Latin America, China and Russia. 
 
 
 
Minister for Labor and Social Security 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
 
¶18. (U) The labor portfolio goes to Eduardo Brenta, the 50 year old 
founding member of the moderate ""Vertiente Artiguista"" faction who, 
as a formal member of a radical leftist group, was imprisoned by 
the military regime for several months in 1973.   Brenta was 
elected to the Montevideo City Council from 2000-05 and served as 
President of the City Council from 2003-04. He was elected to 
Congress for the period 2000-05, re-elected for the term 2010-15 
and was chairman of the Finance Committee of the House of 
Representatives in 2007.  He is divorced with one daughter. 
 
 
 
Minister for Industry, Energy and Mining 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
 
 
¶19. (U) Roberto Kreimerman, a professor at the University of the 
Republic and holder of a raft of international degrees from 
 
chemical engineering to international trade, is the pick for 
Minister of Industry.  Kreimerman, who already holds the position 
as Deputy Minister of Labor, is a member of the Socialist party and 
has a background in the leather industry.  Kreimerman is 51 and is 
married with three children. He speaks French and basic English. 
 
 
 
Minister for Housing and Environment 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
 
 
¶20. (U) Although early rumours had Mujicas' wife, Lucia Topolansky, 
in line for the Housing, Environment and Water portfolio, the 
cabinet position has gone to Espacio 609's Graciela Muslera, an 
architect who has previously worked with Toplansky as an advisor on 
housing and land use planning.  Muslera has served as the vice 
president of the National Housing Agency (ANV) since 2005. 
 
 
 
Ministry for Social Development (MIDES) 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
 
 
¶21.  (U) The Ministry for Social Development (MIDES) stays in the 
hands of the Communist Party under the care of Ana Olivera, an 
ex-Tupamaro and FA board member, who is currently serving as MIDES' 
Deputy Minister.  Originally trained as a teacher, Olivera directed 
the local administration division of the Montevideo municipality 
between 1995 and 2000 when she took the role as Director General 
for the Department of Decentralization.  During her time as Deputy 
Minister, she helped in the delivery of the Emergency Plan and 
Equity Plan programs.  She is single and has a son. 
SCHANDLBAUER