VZCZCXYZ0012
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLP #2017 2071847
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 261847Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0062
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6015
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 3333
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7184
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 4447
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1722
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 1737
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 3936
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 4353
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 8915
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 002017 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/AND 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2016 
TAGS: ASCH APER AMGT PGOV PREL SOCI BL
SUBJECT: STATE CRITICIZES CHURCH 
 
REF: LA PAZ 1956 
 
Classified By: Ambassador David N. Greenlee for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: A growing confrontation between church and 
state, which began as a debate about religious education, has 
broadened into a larger discussion of religion in general. 
Religion and religious education will be discussed in 
Congress in relation to a pending education bill as well as 
in the upcoming Constituent Assembly.  Minister of Education 
Felix Patzi and President Morales have publicly attacked the 
Catholic Church, with Morales stating that the Church was 
behaving as it did during the Inquisition.  Senate President 
Santos Ramirez articulated a more reasoned GOB position which 
would permit religious freedom and not unduly favor 
Catholicism, but as with many issues, the public rantings of 
the Morales' government overshadow reason.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) A discredited National Education Congress, deserted 
by universities, urban teachers, religious leaders, and 
private schools, approved the MAS proposal for secular 
education on July 14 (reftel).  The church viewed the 
congress' results as a threat to religious education, which 
is currently funded by the state in public schools.  The MAS 
proposal was based on a bill to be debated in Congress, 
which, among other things, would secularize education, create 
indigenous universities, and impose "social control" over 
teachers and universities.  Following the educational 
congress, the church sought to open debate with President Evo 
Morales on religious education; Morales passed the buck to 
the Constituent Assembly. 
 
¶3. (SBU) On July 24, Education Minister Felix Patzi accused 
the Catholic church of siding with the rich "oligarchy" for 
514 years and asked church leaders to stop lying to the 
public about the GOB's intentions regarding religion. 
Morales heated up the rhetoric the following day, stating 
that leaders of the Catholic Church were behaving as they did 
during the Inquisition.  Morales added that religion would be 
debated during the Constituent Assembly, including the 
behavior of priests dating back to the colonial era. (NOTE: 
On a separate issue, Minister of Government Alicia Munoz 
accused the Catholic Church of hiding two Paraguayans 
suspected in the death of Cecilia Cubas, the daughter of 
former Paraguayan President Raul Cubas.  END NOTE). In 
response to the GOB's various attacks, the church requested a 
respectful, tolerant dialogue with the state on religion and 
religious education; citizens of Santa Cruz responded by 
marching in favor of religious education July 25. 
 
¶4. (C) Senate President Santos Ramirez articulated a more 
reasoned GOB position on religion to the DCM July 26. Ramirez 
noted the diversity of Bolivia's population, stating that all 
religious traditions must be respected, not just Catholicism. 
 He said it would be "ridiculous" to think that the GOB 
wanted to eliminate the Catholic Church, but that it would 
not impose a Catholic education on its citizens.  Ramirez 
said the GOB, including President Morales, has made clear its 
respect for the church, but said "some people" want to use 
this issue to attack them.  Ramirez said the GOB does not 
want confrontation with the church, and implied that Minister 
of Education Patzi had crossed that line. 
 
¶5. (C) Comment: While the GOB's bottom-line position on 
religion is reasonable -- respecting diversity and moving 
toward state-church separation -- its public rantings 
overshadow this reason.  Continuing with its theme of 
anti-colonization, the MAS administration has picked a 
dangerous fight with the church in a majority-Catholic 
country.  While the administration's actions seem aimed at 
constraining the power (and the public financing) of the 
church rather than restricting religious freedom, the GOB has 
touched some nerves and will have to engage the Catholic 
Church in order to move forward.  End comment. 
GREENLEE