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DE RUEHMU #2287 2821555
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 091555Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1453
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAGUA 002287 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM NU
SUBJECT: LIBERAL UNITY MOVES FORWARD 
 
REF: MANAGUA 2246 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Paul Trivelli, reason 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
- - - - 
Summary 
- - - - 
 
¶1.  (C) Members of several Nicaraguan opposition parties came 
together on October 4 to pledge their support for a new 
"National Unity Alliance."  It is too early to tell if this 
new grouping will be the catalyst for building a strong 
united opposition to the Sandinista regime of President 
Ortega.  The challenge for the Alliance is now to replicate 
itself at the municipal level.  If indeed the Nicaraguan 
opposition can bridge their divisions to create a united, 
pro-democratic and anti-corrupt opposition, we should be 
prepared to help substantially in their efforts to secure a 
more democratic future for Nicaragua.  End summary. 
 
- - - - - - - 
Flags waving 
- - - - - - - 
 
¶2.  (U) On October 4, more than a thousand jubilant 
supporters of the democratic cause gathered in an overflowing 
Managua conference hall, to welcome the formation of a new 
"National Unity Alliance."  To shouts of "unity, unity, 
unity," supporters waved flags and cheered the cross-party 
collection of opposition politicians.  Most members of the 
crowd were evidently supporters of the Liberal Alliance of 
Nicaragua (ALN), but in the sea of flags there were several 
red banners of the Constitutional Liberal Party (PLC), and 
green flags of the Conservative Party (PC). 
 
¶3.  (U) ALN president Eduardo Montealegre was joined on the 
stage by leaders of several of the smaller parties in the ALN 
alliance.  However, prominent members of the PLC on stage -- 
Jose Rizo, Jose Alvarado, and Enrique Quinonez -- were 
careful to make clear that they were signing the unity 
Manifesto in a "personal capacity," not as representatives of 
their party.  The crowd reserved its most thunderous applause 
for Montealegre and Quinonez. 
 
¶4.  (C) Despite the happy show, there exists lingering doubt 
that this "Unity Alliance" will translate into a lasting 
alliance to defeat the Sandinistas.  "This could be the start 
of a snowball effect," Jose Rizo's private secretary 
Alejandro Reyes told us.  "At least, I hope it's not just a 
'photo-op.'"  Conservative Party leader Azalia Aviles told us 
on October 5 that this was a "great start," but that the 
challenge will be to build the Alliance at the municipal 
level -- that kind of work takes significant time and 
resources.  She noted the inclusion of high profile figures 
from the PLC, such as Rizo, Alvarado and Quinonez, should 
help draw more support for the Alliance on the local level 
from Liberals frustrated with ex-President Aleman's "pacto" 
with Ortega.  Aviles also reported that the "Unity Alliance" 
is reaching out to the anti-Ortega Sandinista Renovation 
Movement party (MRS) and the Nicaraguan Resistance Party 
(PRN).  The timing of when either would join is still up in 
the air, and the PLC members participating in the Alliance 
are resisting an official role for the MRS.  Aviles and a 
number of other signers will begin traveling this weekend 
outside Managua to promote the new Alliance. 
 
- - - - 
Comment 
- - - - 
 
¶5.  (C) There appears to be a real desire from the 
non-Sandinista majority in Nicaragua to see the national 
opposition leaders put their squabbles behind them.  The 
October 4 creation of a Unity Alliance could be the first 
step in building a strong opposition free from the dominance 
of the corruption and caudillismo represented by former 
president and convicted felon Arnoldo Aleman.  However, to 
move the Alliance beyond a re-grouping of the parties at the 
national leadership level into a functioning alliance at the 
local level that can compete in next year's municipal 
elections, they are going to need additional resources and 
support. 
TRIVELLI