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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAGUA 000328 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PINR KDEM NU PREL
SUBJECT: ALN EMBARKS ON REORGANIZATION, RAPPROCHEMENT WITH 
PLC 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Paul A. Trivelli. Reasons 1.4 (B,D). 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance (ALN) planning 
coordinator Kitty Monterrey recently shared her party's 
reorganization plans and provided a copy of ALN president 
Eduardo Montealegre's letter to his Liberal Constitutional 
Party (PLC) counterpart.  In that letter, Montealegre 
proposes a legislative alliance to focus on constitutional 
and judicial reforms.  He also calls for the formation of an 
inter-party commission that would present to the commission's 
respective national boards (CEN) by-laws for a new, united 
Liberal party and a road map delineating the Liberal 
unification process.  Monterrey believes that Nicaragua's 
2008 municipal elections may offer the last window of 
opportunity to keep the country within a democratic framework 
and noted the importance of U.S. training and other support 
to strengthen the party and improve the effectiveness of its 
lawmakers.  End Summary 
 
¶2.  (C) On February 1, PolCouns met with ALN planning 
coordinator Kitty Monterrey, who shared her party's 
reorganization plans and provided a copy of the letter ALN 
president Eduardo Montealegre sent to PLC counterpart, Jorge 
Castillo Quant.  Monterrey remarked that now that the 
electoral period has passed, the ALN will re-organize as a 
political entity and then strengthen its alliance with its 
political partners who ran on the ALN ticket during last 
year's national elections.  She recounted that approximately 
200 ALN leaders throughout the country will convene on 
February 2 to launch the process. 
 
¶3.  (C) Monterrey next shared her party's new organization 
chart, pointing out the new national board (CEN): Eduardo 
Montealegre, president; Eliseo Nunez (Sr.), first 
vice-president; Alfonso Callejas, second vice president; 
Carlos Garcia, first secretary; Chester Noguera, second 
secretary; Adolfo Arguello, treasurer; and, Luis Fonseca, 
 
SIPDIS 
fiscal.  Fourteen associate members and their alternates 
participate on the board and 12 advisory units support its 
operations: municipal relations, training, finance, youth and 
student affairs, organization, planning, professional and 
technical outreach, labor affairs, communications, women's 
affairs, international relations, and political affairs. 
¶4.  (C) Another aspect of the ALN's re-organization is its 
division of Nicaragua into six regions, continued Monterrey. 
These include Managua; Masaya, Carazo, Granada, Rivas; 
Matagalpa, Jinotega, Nuevo Segovia, Madriz; Leon Chinandega, 
Esteli; Boaco, Chontales, Rio San Juan; and, the North and 
South Atlantic Coast Autonomous Zones.  This new regional 
structure will hopefully make better use of the ALN's human 
and material resources and help the party and its allies 
prepare for the November 2008 municipal elections, she said. 
 
¶5.  (C) PolCouns remarked that the municipal elections offer 
a window of opportunity to Nicaragua's opposition parties to 
check the Sandinista National Liberation Front's (FSLN) 
growing political hegemony and leader/President Ortega's 
apparent efforts to consolidate power and remain in office 
for years to come.  Monterrey agreed, adding that the 
municipal elections could be the "last chance" to preserve 
Nicaragua's endangered democracy.  PolCouns inquired about 
the status of ALN's rapprochement with the PLC as part of an 
effort to unify Nicaragua's opposition.  Monterrey shared a 
copy of Montealegre's letter to his PLC counterpart, Jorge 
Castillo Quant. 
 
¶6.  (C) Dated 30 January, Montealegre's letter proposes a 
legislative alliance between the two estranged parties that 
would focus on constitutional and judicial reforms.  The 
constitutional reforms would lead to a clear separation and 
limitation of the powers of state in response to the 
interests of the nation and its citizens as a means to 
guarantee freedom and avoid the problems of the past. 
Proposed judicial reforms include reforms of the Judicial 
Career and Judicial Power Laws; civil society participation 
in the selection of Supreme Court justices; reduction in the 
numbers of government officials in the powers of state; and, 
a detailed delineation of the president's constitutional 
mandate over Nicaragua's Army and National Police.  In his 
letter, Montealegre also calls for the formation of an 
inter-party commission that, within six months, would present 
to the ALN's and PLC's respective CENs a set of by-laws for a 
new, united Liberal party and a road map of the steps 
 
MANAGUA 00000328  002 OF 002 
 
 
required to achieve Liberal unity.  (Note: The letter has not 
yet been made public; however, PLC leaders have referred to 
its content and seem generally favorable towards the 
initiative.) 
 
¶7.  (C) Monterrey next raised her party's urgent need for 
training in party strategy, organization, leadership, 
communications, fund raising, and campaigning.  She related 
that many Nicaraguans residing in the United States wish to 
contribute to the ALN and she is currently exploring the most 
suitable mechanism to attract and channel these donations -- 
including how to wire these funds from accounts in the United 
States to banks in Nicaragua without violating any banking or 
electoral laws.  (Note: Nicaraguan law does not restrict 
foreign donations to political parties outside of campaign 
periods.) 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Continuing on the subject of ALN training needs, 
Monterrey remarked that National Assembly lawmakers could 
benefit greatly from leadership and communications training 
as well as instruction on how to craft a legislative agenda 
and successfully lobby desired legislation.  She cited 
USAID/IRI's recent basic two-day course for Assembly 
lawmakers as a good start.  (Note: The course covered office 
management, balance of powers, legislative techniques, 
communication strategies, the use of internet, and civic 
participation.) 
¶9.  (C) Monterrey mentioned that the ALN had "learned from 
the FSLN" the vital role of civil society in supporting a 
political agenda.  For example, the volunteer "Citizen 
Crusade" that helped the ALN during the campaign period is 
registered as an NGO and will expand its scope.  Monterrey 
added that she and others associated with the ALN are 
establishing the Global Foundation for Democracy and 
Development, which will serve, among other things, as a 
watchdog to monitor the Ortega government's use of the 
national budget.  (Note: Prior to joining the ALN, Monterrey 
worked for Nicaragua's Integrated Financial, Administrative 
and Auditing System -- SIGFA. 
 
Comment 
- - - - 
 
¶10.  (C) The ALN's reorganization efforts and its interest in 
uniting Nicaragua's opposition forces are encouraging 
developments.  Our timely training and moral support for 
these efforts are crucial. 
TRIVELLI