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DE RUEHSN #1080/01 1151949
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P 251949Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2102

S E C R E T SAN SALVADOR 001080 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2026 
TAGS: PINR ES
SUBJECT: TOPICS REGARDING PRESIDENT ELIAS ANTONIO SACA (EL SALVADOR) 
 
REF: STATE 047342 
 
Classified By: Amb. H. Douglas Barclay. Reasons 1.4 (b,d). 
 
¶1. (S/NF)  This cable is a response to the questions posed in 
reftel. 
 
¶2.  (C)  How does Saca react to disappointments?  Can he deal 
with them internally, or does he lash out at others?  How 
does Saca rationalize his own failures or those of his 
subordinates?  Does he tolerate mistakes? 
 
Saca demonstrates he has great energy, both in public and 
private, and has given no observable indication that he has 
trouble dealing with stress. Saca was very disappointed that 
his ARENA Party did not do as well as he had expected in the 
March 12 national elections, and, according to some of his 
closest friends and family members, was somewhat shaken that 
his personal popularity was not enough to pull the party 
towards greater electoral results.  Nonetheless, Saca seems 
to have bounced back fairly quickly and is in the process of 
re-energizing his administration. Although there was a fair 
amount of recrimination from Saca towards those advisers he 
considered partly responsible for the electoral results, 
several close advisers report that Saca was not demeaning or 
disrespectful towards those individuals. On the contrary, 
several of Saca's closest friends characterize him as too 
tolerant of incompetence among his inner circle. 
 
¶3.  (C)  How does Saca react to criticism from those closest 
to him as well as from outside observers such as the press? 
 
Few of Saca's closest advisers are willing to criticize him 
directly, perhaps more for lack of courage and conviction 
than because of expected negative repercussions.  Those few 
who do criticize him are his two older uncles and a handful 
of hired consultants outside the government.  Saca respects 
the advise of these individuals and has taken harsh criticism 
from them in the past.  Saca handles even the strongest 
criticism from the press with cool professionalism. 
 
¶4.  (C)  How easily does Saca change his opinion of other 
people, organizations, or important issues?  Does he hold 
grudges? 
 
Saca is not known to hold grudges, but has changed his view 
of some people in his government over time, especially when 
he feels they are not fully committed to him or his ARENA 
Party.  Saca is especially wary of people he feels are too 
sympathetic to the left, especially the FMLN. 
 
¶5.  (C)  How far does Saca take his suspicions of the FMLN 
and does he view other things in a similarly negative or 
paranoid light?  How does he view opponents or competitors? 
Does he demonstrate the ability to show empathy toward them 
or does he view them as entirely malevolent? 
 
Saca is politically savvy and likes to use the FMLN as his 
"whipping boy," especially when dealing with USG 
counterparts.  Moreover, Saca has a visceral dislike for 
communism (FMLN, Castro, Chavez), which he blames for having 
destroyed the country's infrastructure and overall economy 
during the war years. Saca is proud to say that he smokes 
only Padron cigars, made by Miami Cubans, and would never 
smoke a Cohiba.  He also vows never to establish formal 
relations with Cuba so long as Castro is in power.  Saca 
expresses justifiable concern over Chavez's interference in 
El Salvador's internal affairs, and the threat of a 
Chavez-Castro-Ortega-FMLN axis in this sub-region. Saca's 
arguments are well reasoned and not based on paranoia.  Saca 
is a masterful politician, and deals with ease with 
adversaries from all the political parties, including FMLN 
members in the National Assembly. 
 
¶6.  (C)  Does Saca easily get upset or have mood swings?  If 
prone to blowing up, what is most likely to set him off and 
who is most effective at calming him down? 
 
According to Saca's closest friends and family members, Saca 
is the same easygoing person in private that he portrays in 
public.  Embassy dealings with Saca generally corroborate 
that view.  However, during the Summit of the Americas in Mar 
del Plata in early November 2005, Saca reportedly blew up at 
Salvadoran Foreign Minister Francisco Lainez because Saca was 
to be seated next to President Bush at the formal dinner, and 
the Argentines had apparently rearranged the seating so that 
Saca was placed several seats away from President Bush. 
Lainez reportedly told USG interlocutors that Saca was beside 
himself and demanded that Lainez schedule a one-on-one 
meeting with President Bush. 
 
¶7.  (C)  What is his family life like?  Does Saca make time 
to relax or divert himself from his political life? 
 
Saca seems to focus all of his attention on his political 
career and seems to spend little time with his wife or two 
sons.  However, Saca takes family vacations during the 
Christmas and Easter holidays.  During the Christmas 
vacation, Saca frequently enjoys taking his wife and two sons 
to California, and spends the time with his two Amcit 
brothers and their families.  During Easter, Saca and his 
family normally stay at a family beach house in El Salvador. 
During these holidays, Saca largely isolates himself from his 
advisers and focuses on his family.  Other than his wife and 
children, Saca's closest family members are his wife's 
siblings, in-laws, and his two elder uncles, who often serve 
as surrogate father figures. 
 
¶8.  (C)  Does Saca have problems with concentration, appear 
fatigued or have trouble sleeping? 
 
Embassy is not aware of Saca having problems with 
concentration.  In fact, Saca has always been extremely sharp 
during meetings with USG officials.  Embassy is not aware of 
Saca's sleeping patterns. 
 
¶9.  (C)  Recent photos suggest Saca has become significantly 
heavier.  We are interested in information on his diet as 
well as insights into any substances Saca might be taking 
(including medications, illegal narcotics, herbal remedies, 
etc.) 
 
Embassy is not aware of Saca using any of the above 
substances.  Likewise, Saca is not a regular alcohol drinker, 
and will rarely have a straight, aged tequila, his drink of 
preference on those occasions.  Saca does worry about his 
weight, and was on some type of regular diet and exercise 
plan during his presidential election campaign. Clearly, Saca 
is not following a diet or exercise regimen, and does like to 
eat. 
Barclay