This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 005393 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC) AND H 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: DR ETRD HA OREP PGOV PINR PREL KCOR
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN SENATE PRESIDENT SKETCHES AMBITIOUS 
AGENDA 
 
REF: A. REF: (A) SANTO DOMINGO 5088 
 
     ¶B. (B) SANTO DOMINGO 4679 
 
¶1. (SBU)  Summary:  Dominican Senate President Jesus Vasquez 
Martinez, during a meeting September 8, predicted President 
Mejia would get strong majority support in the ruling PRD for 
his reelection bid in May 2004.  Vasquez said he would work 
with Chamber of Deputies President Alfredo Pacheco on a 
common agenda to expedite needed legislation, including a 
financial control law to prevent future bank scandals, and 
would "take the Senate to the people" by inaugurating 
television coverage of Senate proceedings and holding Senate 
meetings in the provinces to hear constituents' concerns. 
Vasquez emphasized his desire for exchanges with the US 
Senate and visits by US legislators.  The Ambassador urged 
Vasquez to expedite important legislation such as the 
immigration bill and stressed USG interest in a clean 
presidential election next year and removal of parliamentary 
immunity from a legislator who faces charges of alien 
smuggling.  End summary. 
 
Election Prospects 
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¶2. (SBU) The Ambassador, accompanied by DCM and poloff, 
called on Dominican Senate President Jesus "Chu" Vasquez 
Martinez (PRD) September 8 and four Senate committee 
chairpersons (also PRD).  The Ambassador emphasized USG 
interest in the Dominican Republic having fair, free, and 
clean presidential elections next May, open to international 
observers.  Vasquez agreed and said that serious charges of 
fraud, such as last occurred in the 1994 elections, would be 
unlikely, but that the Central Electoral Board needed to do a 
better job of building public confidence in the election 
preparations (as reported Ref A).  The Ambassador asked about 
President Mejia's prospects for winning the contested 
nomination of the ruling PRD, in his controversial bid for 
reelection.  Vasquez, who declared himself a Mejia supporter, 
replied that the President was confident of winning a 
majority in the planned party convention.  He said the 
"solid" and "experienced" PRD organizations outside the 
capital and the tendency of provincial voters to follow the 
guidance of their local legislators, coupled with Mejia's 
presidential image, would deliver enough support for him to 
win the May election.  However, he noted the importance of 
achieving party unity behind the candidate and also expressed 
concern about the impact of the nation's economic slump on 
the election. 
 
Senate Agenda 
- - - - - - - 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador expressed appreciation for swift 
Senate action on legislation of interest to the US in recent 
months, including laws to combat money laundering and 
trafficking in persons, and said he hoped the long-stalled 
immigration bill would soon be approved.  The DCM inquired 
about the Senate's agenda priorities.  Vasquez replied that 
they included revisions of the outdated commercial and civil 
codes, the immigration bill, an environment bill, and a 
financial control law that would preclude further bank 
collapses similar to the current BANINTER scandal -- which he 
feared would impose a high political as well as economic cost 
on the country.  He said that he had worked for two years to 
reach a consensus on the immigration bill and that the 
situation of numerous undocumented Haitian immigrants in the 
Dominican Republic was "worrisome."  Without offering 
specifics, he added, "We need the support of the 
international community and the United States" to address 
this issue. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  Vasquez said that the Senate was also interested in 
current free trade negotiations with the US and that he had 
been named to the relevant Senate committee.  However, he 
complained that the Congress "wasn't able to change anything" 
during the talks.  The Ambassador noted the tight timetable 
for the Dominican Republic to qualify for the proposed 
"docking" with the Central American Free Trade Agreement 
(CAFTA) and stressed that few countries had been offered such 
an advantageous arrangement. 
 
Modernization of Senate Procedures 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶5. (SBU) According to Vasquez, the Senate had also designated 
a committee to work out a common agenda with the Chamber of 
Deputies (Ref B), which would then lead to a dialog with the 
executive and judicial branches and civil society.  He also 
said he planned within weeks to inaugurate television 
coverage of Senate proceedings along the lines of C-Span.  In 
the longer term, he hoped to organize legislative excursions 
to each of the provinces, where the senators would hold 
meetings to hear the concerns and wishes of the local public. 
 
Relations with the United States 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶6. (SBU) Vasquez expressed interest in increasing exchanges 
between his institution and the U.S. Senate next year.  He 
hoped that a U.S. senatorial delegation might come to Santo 
Domingo and a delegation of Dominican counterparts might 
visit the Hill.  He also said U.S. speakers on legislative 
topics would be welcome, to share experiences with the 
Dominican Senate.  The Ambassador agreed this would be a good 
idea, and the DCM said we would look for such opportunities 
in connection with visiting Codels.  Vasquez stressed the 
common interests of the Dominican Republic and the United 
States, for example in combatting illegal drugs -- an issue 
on which, he said, "I am your unconditional ally." 
 
Prosecution of Alien Smuggler 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶7. (SBU) The Ambassador asked about prospects that the 
Congress would lift the legislative immunity of accused alien 
smuggler Radhames Ramon Garcia, a member of the Chamber of 
Deputies and former Dominican consul in Haiti (para 6 Ref B), 
and noted the importance the USG attached to enforcement of 
laws against alien smuggling.  Vasquez replied that the issue 
was in the hands of the Attorney General's office 
(Procuradoria General de la Republica), but said he (Vasquez) 
had spoken out on this issue.  The DCM suggested Vasquez 
raise it with Chamber of Deputies President Pacheco, and 
Vasquez agreed.  (Note:  Dominican Chief Justice Jorge Subero 
Isa told the press September 22 that the Supreme Court 
expected to try this case in October, but that the Attorney 
General had not yet formally submitted a request to the 
court.  End Note.) 
 
Comment 
- - - - 
 
¶8. (SBU) This meeting, like the Ambassador's previous call on 
the Chamber of Deputies president (Ref B), set the tone for a 
strong working relationship with this Mission.  Vasquez 
appears to share USG concerns on corruption, migration, 
drugs, and other issues.  He set forth a democratic vision 
and specific plans for realizing it by making the Senate more 
accessible to the people.  However, it is too early to tell 
to what extent the Senate will accomplish its legislative 
priorities; we have already seen press criticism that the new 
congressional leaders are off to a slow start.  Vasquez's 
comments on President Mejia's election prospects should be 
read in the context of an ongoing struggle within the PRD 
over whether Mejia or one of several rivals will get the 
nomination.  We agree that Mejia is likely to become the 
candidate, but are much less certain of his chances for 
reelection in May, especially if the economy continues to 
deteriorate.  End comment. 
 
Bio Note 
- - - - - 
 
¶9. (U) Vasquez, born in 1958, has served as senator from 
Maria Trinidad Sanchez province since 1993, was Senate 
president in the late 1990s, and was elected Senate president 
August 16.  He has been PRD president in his native province 
since 1991 and served as provincial governor 1982-85 and 
consul general in Venezuela in 1985-86.  His father, an early 
PRD activist, opposed the Trujillo dictatorship (1930-61). 
KUBISKE