VZCZCXYZ0019
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLP #0341 0391645
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081645Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2396
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6514
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 3838
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7722
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 4966
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 2207
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 2298
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 3302
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4388
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 4850
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 9438
RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0128
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

UNCLAS LA PAZ 000341 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: MORALES HALTS DEAL IN CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Amidst rumors that President Morales' Movement 
Toward Socialism (MAS) party was approaching a deal with the 
opposition on whether to use a two-thirds or a majority vote 
for constitutional changes, Morales travelled to Sucre 
February 6 and halted his party's negotiations.  According to 
press reports, Morales ordered that the MAS' February 3 
agreement with the National Unity (UN) party be amended to 
include a single referendum to resolve debate over 
controversial articles and to approve the entire 
constitution.  While one MAS delegate said Morales encouraged 
the party to continue working toward a compromise, most view 
Morales' visit as obstructionist.  One UN delegate said 
negotiations had taken another step backward and said it 
would be better to close Assembly than to keep wasting 
Bolivian taxpayers' money. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Comment: CA negotiations tend to adhere to the 
following pattern: 1) MAS delegates attempt to compromise 
with the opposition, 2) a high-level GOB official visits 
Sucre to reinstall party discipline, and 3) negotiations 
break down.  The CA is officially half way through its one 
year mandate and has failed to make progress on any front. 
Some opposition analysts believe the MAS' stalling technique 
furthers its plan to railroad a new constitution through the 
Assembly at the eleventh hour.  If such a plan exists, it 
risks denying Bolivians the thing they want most-- a new 
constitution.  End comment. 
GOLDBERG