VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMU #1605 2051608
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 241608Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7054
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS MANAGUA 001605 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CEN, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM KDEM KWMN PREL PHUM NU
SUBJECT: PASTOR ESPINOZA DISCUSSES EVANGELICAL POLITICAL 
STATUS AND CHURCH-STATE RELATIONS 
 
¶1. (SBU)  SUMMARY:  On June 14, Ambassador Trivelli and 
Foreign Affairs Officer met with Mario Espinoza Gonzalez, 
Presidente Nacional of the Consejo Nacional de Pastores 
Evangelicos de Nicaragua, an umbrella organization that 
according to Espinoza, represents more than 400 pastors of 
all evangelical denominations in 122 municipalities 
throughout the country.  The purpose of the meeting was 
to hear Espinoza's views on current political developments in 
the country.  In addition to his allegations that Catholic 
clergy continue to receive preferential treatment in 
Nicaraguan society, Espinoza wants the Nicaraguan 
political establishment to recognize evangelical Protestant 
pastors and their flocks as a political force to be reckoned 
with in future leadership decision-making.  END SUMMARY. 
 
A GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC AND POLITICAL GROUP 
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¶2. (U) Pastor Espinoza averred that at present approximately 
34% of the Nicaraguan population is evangelical Protestant 
and that some towns are nearly 
100% evangelical.  With regard to political leanings, 
Espinoza claimed that the evangelical churches have no single 
political party and that evangelical pastors are members of 
all national political affiliations, including about 2% who 
are FSLN (Sandinista) supporters.  He asserted that the 
evangelical church has not yet defined a presidential 
candidate that it favors for the upcoming 
elections. 
 
WE WANT MORE ACCESS TO THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT 
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¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that currently, Nicaraguans 
have five candidates to chose from, who represent different 
democratic options, in contrast to the bi-polar situation of 
past elections.  Espinoza noted that evangelicals are 
concerned about the current Bolanos government because it has 
remained distant from evangelicals, despite the fact that 
evangelicals were among the first groups to openly support 
President Bolanos.  Further, claimed Espinoza, Bolanos has 
not accorded them the same accessibility to high level 
officials that Roman 
Catholic Church leaders enjoy. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Espinoza also alleged that Catholic missionary 
clergy are given open access at airports to enter the 
country, whereas evangelicals are subject to luggage searches 
and "formalities."  He also referred to subsidies that the 
state allegedly provides to Catholic cultural and other 
facilities, and wants evangelicals to have the same access 
and clout that he claims the Catholic clergy currently 
enjoys.  He acknowledged that evangelical groups in Nicaragua 
receive substantial financial and other support from U.S. 
evangelical churches. 
 
PASTORS' INFLUENCE OVER THEIR FLOCKS 
- - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - 
 
¶5. (SBU) Espinoza claimed that presidential candidate Eduardo 
Montealegre does not have sufficiently close ties with 
evangelical churches.  The Ambassador noted by contrast that 
a number of the Liberal Youth, whom he had met that same day, 
and who support Montealegre, told him that they were 
evangelicals.  Espinoza countered that he would like to see 
more persons who are demonstrably evangelical in high 
government positions. 
 
¶6. (SBU)  In his concluding remarks, Espinoza underscored his 
message that evangelical pastors command the allegiance of 
large numbers of people in their many churches throughout the 
country, and are a political force to be taken seriously.  He 
also took the opportunity to allege divine retribution 
against the Sandinista leadership, in particular Daniel 
Ortega, citing Chapter 5. 26 from the Book of Daniel 
referencing the destruction of the Babylonian King 
Balshazzar's empire due to his arrogance in the sight of God. 
 
BRENNAN