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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAGUA 000179 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2016 
TAGS: KDEM NU PGOV PINR PREL KCOR
SUBJECT: ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT GOMEZ: EQUILIBRIUM AND 
LEGISLATION KEY PRIORITIES 
 
REF: MANAGUA 00085 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli. Reasons 1.4 (B,D). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Newly elected National Assembly President 
Eduardo Gomez Lopez (APRE) promises to instill equilibrium on 
the Assembly Junta and focus on the business of lawmaking. 
His legislative priorities coincide with those of President 
Bolanos and USG interests: passage of economic legislation 
required for CAFTA and the Millennium Challenge Corporation; 
destruction of MANPADS and improved national security 
legislation; and, social legislation that benefits the 
Nicaraguan people rather than only furthering the political 
objectives of the Sandinistas.  Gomez seeks an equitable 
distribution of committee chairs among all Assembly caucuses, 
opposes amnesty for Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC) leader 
Arnoldo Aleman, and frets that the continued disunity among 
Nicaraguan's non-FSLN political forces could lead to an 
Ortega victory in November.  Personable, introspective, and 
soft spoken, Gomez may find his new post daunting, as more 
aggressive junta members try to run roughshod over his 
authority in their attempt to advance legislation to their 
political liking.  End Summary. 
 
Gomez Promises to Work Hard, Do Right By All" 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - 
 
¶2. (C) In his January 23 meeting with Ambassador, DCM, and 
polcouns, newly elected National Assembly President Eduardo 
Gomez Lopez (reftel), associated with pro-Bolanos party APRE, 
he outlined his plans and legislative priorities for the new 
Assembly board of directors (Junta).  Defining himself as a 
man who intends to "do right by all and to do no harm to 
anyone," Gomez promised to instill "equilibrium" on the 
Assembly Junta, so it can down to the business of lawmaking. 
Gomez asserted he will "exert pressure" and impose his 
position as Junta president in a fair and judicious manner. 
To start off right, Gomez will meet with the Junta and caucus 
leaders January 24 to define procedures, legislative 
priorities, and discuss the chairing of Assembly committees. 
Gomez related that he had gotten PLC buy-in to cede a few 
committee chair positions to the smaller caucuses; he is 
hopeful that the FSLN will also agree to this. 
 
¶3. (C) Gomez shared that he will advocate for professionalism 
and inclusion on the drafting and deliberation of 
legislation, noting his legislative priorities are in line 
with those of President Bolanos, with whom he recently met. 
Priorities include a package of economic laws -including 
those required for CAFTA and the MCC; the judicial career 
law; national security legislation; and social legislation 
that benefits the Nicaraguan people rather than only 
furthering the political objectives of the Sandinistas.  He 
also seeks an equitable distribution of committee chairs 
among all Assembly caucuses, including the smaller blocs. 
 
¶4. (C) Ambassador provided Gomez a list of legislation of 
particular interest to the U.S., underscoring that CAFTA and 
MCC legislation, resolving the MANPADS destruction, and the 
passage of a sound penal code are among our priorities He 
offered to provide U.S. technical assistance to the Assembly 
to help with the drafting process.  Welcoming the assistance, 
Gomez sought regular meetings with us on these matters. 
 
The FSLN Sows Discord on the Referendum 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶5. (C) To Gomez, the Sandinista reaction to President 
Bolanos' suggestion of holding a referendum on a number of 
constitutional changes, was predictable.  The Sandinistas 
will continue to spur dissent and conflict because that is 
what they are best at, explained Gomez.  Nonetheless, Gomez 
believes that both popular and Assembly support for a 
referendum is noteworthy, and he endorses the initiative. 
 
Overcoming Liberal Disunity 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶6. (C) Gomez voiced concern over the continuing Liberal 
disunity, warning that it plays in the hands of the 
Sandinistas and increases Ortega's chances to win in 
November.  He believes, however, that the PLC is not viable 
until/unless Aleman loosens his total grip on the party. 
Although Gomez first ventured that former VP Jose Rizo will 
likely be the PLC presidential candidate, he retracted this 
view after his assistant Reynaldo Molina asserted that Aleman 
is vengeful and he will never allow Rizo to run because Rizo 
tried to "destroy" Aleman and the PLC in the past.  As for 
Herty Lewites, Gomez predicted that  Herty will rejoin Ortega 
later in the race and run for the FSLN VP slot. 
 
¶7. (C) Gomez was inclined to believe Eduardo Montealegre 
(ALN-PC) is the best Liberal option to defeat Ortega, but he 
expressed doubts about some of Montealegre's supporters.  He 
cited Assembly deputy Yamileth Bonilla, former member of the 
Nicaraguan communist party, ex-Sandinista, and once an Aleman 
devotee (and reported paramour) and Eliseo Nunez, who was 
removed from his position in the Nicaraguan Consulate in New 
York for alleged malfeasance.  Gomez was even more critical 
of APRE-affiliated presidential candidate Jose Antonio 
Alvarado -- who when it suits him, exploits APRE resources to 
his benefit, and when it doesn't, distances himself from APRE 
and associates with the PLC. 
 
¶8. (U) BIO: From the department of Chinandega, Eduardo Gomez 
is an Agronomy Engineer.  He has worked most of his life in 
private industry, particularly in the field of agriculture 
and the cattle industry.  As a politician, Gomez has been 
affiliated with the Liberal Party (PLC and preceding Liberal 
Parties) since the 70's.  He represented the private sector 
for Chinandega during the FSLN government.  In 1990, he 
joined the Union Nacional Opositora (UNO), through which 
Violeta Chamorro was elected President of Nicaragua.  In the 
National Elections of 1996, Mr. Gomez worked for the PLC, 
supporting the candidacy of Arnoldo Aleman for President.  In 
2001, he had the opportunity to support the electoral 
campaign of Enrique Bolanos, in which employed his 
considerable campaigning skills.  He also ran for the 
National Assembly as Deputy representing Chinandega and won. 
 
Comment 
- - - - 
 
¶9. (C) Gomez is the first National Assembly president in 
Nicaraguan history to have been elected unanimously.  He can 
use this to his advantage.  His visible interest in working 
with us on this year's legislative agenda is encouraging, and 
we expect to meet regularly with him.  However, given his 
personable, introspective, and soft spoken demeanor, Gomez 
may find his new post daunting, as more aggressive junta 
members try to run roughshod over his authority in their 
attempt to advance their own legislative priorities -- 
including amnesty for Aleman. 
TRIVELLI