VZCZCXYZ0014
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMU #1065 1152156
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 252156Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9971
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 001065 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KDEM NU
SUBJECT: EMISSARY OF LIBERAL MAYORS' GROUP CLAIMS 
INDEPENDENCE FROM ALEMAN 
 
REF: MANAGUA 1036 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Paul Trivelli for reasons 1.4 (b and d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Elvin Sandigo, Executive Director of the 
Association of Patriotic Mayors (ASALPAT), claims that his 
organization is no longer an organ of the Liberal 
Constitutional Party (PLC).  According to Sandigo, the 58 
Liberal mayors that form ASALPAT's membership support Liberal 
unification and are "open" to the Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance 
(ALN).  The mayors plan to request support from "friendly" 
embassies to help resist inroads from the ruling Sandinista 
National Liberation Front (FSLN).  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) ASALPAT Executive Director Elvin Sandigo, who assumed 
his current post after the ouster of former director Novis 
Rosales, met with poloff on April 24 to explain ASALPAT's 
position on Liberal unity and the current political 
situation.  Sandigo claimed that ASALPAT's Executive Board 
decided to fire Rosales in July 2006 for using the 
organization to support personal and party interests.  With 
the support of the membership, Sandigo explained that he has 
distanced the group from its affiliation from the PLC by 
moving its headquarters out of the PLC national offices and 
disassociating himself from PLC leader Arnoldo Aleman.  He 
has also reached out to the Conservative and Resistance 
mayors elected in 2004. 
 
¶3. (C) Sandigo commented that ASALPAT's membership supports 
the goal of Liberal unity, but acknowledged that the mayors 
disagree on whether or not to accept Aleman's leadership in 
this process.  He said, "the most important goal is to 
maintain a unified position," but did not explain how he 
could accomplish this without clarifying Aleman's role. 
ASALPAT has invited both Aleman and ALN leader Eduardo 
Montealegre to discuss opposition rapprochement. 
 
¶4. (C) Liberal unity is critical, Sandigo explained, to 
confront the increasing dominance of the FSLN.  He accused 
the Ortega administration of directing almost all official 
funds for municipal assistance to FSLN mayors.  Sandigo plans 
to approach the U.S. and other embassies to request support 
for municipal projects in health, education, and 
infrastructure. 
 
¶5. (C) Comment: Sandigo's professed distancing of ASALPAT 
from Aleman and the PLC leadership is a positive move, 
although we know several mayors owe their support to Aleman's 
influence and will not easily abandon the caudillo.  We are 
planning a meeting with key members of ASALPAT's Executive 
Board to discuss unity efforts.  The Ambassador will use the 
occasion to reiterate our position that any role for Aleman 
would be counterproductive. 
TRIVELLI