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 QUITO 000075 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIS ETRD PGOV PREL SENV EC
SUBJECT: GALAPAGOS NEW YEAR: NO CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION 
 
REF: A. A. 04QUITO 2614 
     ¶B. B. 04QUITO 565 
     ¶C. C. 04QUITO 1501 
     ¶D. D. 04QUITO 1559 AND 1571 
     ¶E. E. 04QUITO 2502 
 
¶1. Summary.  Violent strikes, instability, disregard for 
conservation, and political expediency have plagued the 
Galapagos over the past year.  Unfortunately, the New Year 
brought no cause for celebration.  It now appears likely that 
the Minister of the Environment, Fabian Valdivieso, will open 
the Galapagos Marine Reserve to longline fishing. 
Valdivieso,s commitment to transparency and independence in 
the Galapagos National Park (GNP) Director selection process 
also appears to be waning (Ref A).  The lack of protection of 
the resources in the Galapagos under the current GNP 
Director's tenure garnered front-page coverage in the local 
press and forced the President to call for an investigation. 
The Ambassador and members of the Mission continue to push 
for stability and conservation with targeted members of the 
GOE. End Summary. 
 
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2004: A Sad Review 
------------------ 
 
¶2.  The past year in the Galapagos has been tragic.  A series 
of violent strikes and a parade of park directors have 
destabilized management of the park and virtually paralyzed 
monitoring and enforcement in the Galapagos Marine Reserve. 
The Gutierrez administration has politically exploited the 
park in order to garner votes from other political parties to 
support the President. 
 
¶3.  The year started off with the fishermen in the Galapagos 
protesting in January over environmental regulations.  The 
fishermen restricted access to the GNP and the Charles Darwin 
Research Station but were not violent (Ref B).  In May, the 
fishermen protested a decision to regulate the sea cucumber 
season (Ref C).  In June, this developed into a full strike 
that became violent.  The fishermen blockaded the island of 
Hispanola, not permitting tourists to enter or depart.  The 
fishermen completely took over the GNP, cutting off all 
access to and from the park.  The strikers attacked two 
police vehicles, briefly took over a gas station, and hurled 
rocks and Molotov cocktails at GNP buildings (Ref D).  In 
September, the employees of the GNP went on strike, 
protesting the replacement of the park director with someone 
closely aligned with the fishing sector (Ref E).  While the 
park employees were not violent, club-wielding fishermen 
stormed the park in order to install their man as park 
director. 
 
¶4.  The revolving door of GNP Directors has, more than 
anything, destabilized park management and caused paralysis 
within the park.  In the eight years prior to President 
Gutierrez assuming office the GNP had only one Director. 
Over the past two years there have been ten directors, four 
from September to December 2004. 
 
¶5.  Further, a majority (226) of the GNP's employees (roughly 
300) work under contracts that expired on December 31, 2004. 
The interim director, who is also a favorite son of the 
fishing interests, has said that there is no money available 
in the Ministry of Finance to renew non-essential contracts. 
Accordingly, he decided that the head of monitoring and 
enforcement for the marine reserve was one of the 
non-essential positions.  Even though Valdivieso later 
reversed this decision publicly, the incumbent's contract was 
never renewed.  The same is occurring with other essential 
positions, such as the Chief of the Marine Reserve on Isabela 
Island.  Currently, only 76 of the contract positions have 
been renewed, leaving the 138,000 square kilometer marine 
reserve essentially unmonitored. 
 
------------------------------ 
2005: No Cause for Celebration 
------------------------------ 
 
¶6.  This year is shaping up to be as bleak as last.  Having 
essentially taken over control of the GNP, the fishermen are 
now proposing opening parts of the marine reserve to longline 
tuna fishing.  The economic basis of the proposal seems to be 
more the potential lucrative gains from the bycatch (shark 
and other high value species) than the more modest earnings 
possible from the tuna fishery. 
 
¶7.  The independent and transparent process for selecting 
permanent GNP Directors is floundering.  The current Minister 
has not shown any intent to implement the process.  He has 
not even submitted the required Presidential Decree for 
review.  The proposed process may be shelved if Valdivieso is 
replaced with his likely successor, Ruben Moreno, the current 
number two at the Ministry. 
 
¶8.  The mismanagement of 2004 has also adversely affected the 
GNP's international standing and ability to compete for 
funding.  Both the Ford and Moore Foundations have suspended 
potential donations to the GNP because of instability in the 
park. 
 
¶9.  On an optimistic note, a new marine research and patrol 
vessel (financed by the International Development Bank) has 
been commissioned.  This vessel can stay at sea for extended 
periods of time, and should give monitoring personnel greater 
enforcement capability, if their contracts are renewed. 
Also, recent press coverage and editorial commentary has 
echoed the concerns of conservation and donor groups over 
instability and lack of vision in the Galapagos.  This 
prompted President Gutierrez to call for an investigation of 
GNP management. 
 
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U.S. Mission Actions 
-------------------- 
 
¶10.  Post continues to press the GOE to prioritize 
conservation of the Galapagos.  The Ambassador has instructed 
USAID to visit the Galapagos to meet with new political 
authorities, evaluate the use of our resources in the 
archipelago, and unify the message of concern with other 
donors.  Political officers will raise the issue of 
conservation and donor investments with key members of 
Congress.  Economic officers will meet with Ministry of 
Finance officials to push for funding for appropriate 
staffing levels in the GNP.  MilGroup will lobby for 
stepped-up patrolling and increased vigilance to eliminate 
violent strikes in the GNP.  Consulate Guayaquil and Embassy 
will press key tourist sector contacts to become more vocal 
in expressing environmental concerns.  And the Ambassador 
will continue to lobby the President and the Ministers of the 
Environment and Tourism for stability, transparency, and 
increased conservation. 
 
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Comment 
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¶11.  Rumors continue to fly that MOE Valdivieso,s days are 
numbered.  His likely successor, Ruben Moreno, is the current 
number two at the ministry ) and well known to us as a 
political operative loyal to Gutierrez with no background or 
interest in environmental matters.  It became evident over 
the past six months that his was the hand behind the turmoil 
in the GNP, trying to buy congressional votes with park 
positions.  If he is named Minister, conservation will 
undoubtedly take even more of a back seat to political 
expediency. 
 
KENNEY