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C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 008722 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF CO
SUBJECT: CONSERVATIVES MODERNIZE AND REBUILD LEADING UP TO 
2010 
 
REF: A. BOGOTA 8430 
 
     ¶B. BOGOTA 8478 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (C) The Conservative Party did well in the recent October 
local elections, reversing two decades of decline and 
significantly increasing the overall number of votes cast for 
the party and its candidates.  The party maintains close ties 
with the Casa de Narino, but its leaders are focused on 
efforts to position it to take the lead in the post-Uribe 
political climate.  The party plans to run its own candidate 
in the 2010 presidential elections--believing this is key to 
maintaining its own identity--but recognizes that the Uribe 
coalition must choose one candidate if it is to keep its hold 
on the presidency.  End Summary. 
 
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STRENGTHENING THEIR RANKS 
------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) The Conservative Party, historically the second 
largest party in Colombia, reversed two decades of declining 
fortunes and made significant gains in the 2007 October local 
elections.  Still, the party remains in a rebuilding phase 
along with Colombia's other traditionally dominant party--the 
Liberals.  (Note: The Conservatives and Liberals formally 
shared power from 1958-74 under the National Front, and 
continued a de facto arrangement until 1986.)  The 
Conservatives' total vote count in 2007 rose 68 percent over 
the 2003 election results, while the number of Conservative 
candidates elected increased by 27 percent.  Weekly magazine 
Semana reported that the Conservatives fared the best of all 
the Uribe coalition parties in the October elections, winning 
five governorships (Tolima, Risaralda, Norte de Santander, 
Huila, and Guaviare) as well as mayoral races in five 
departmental capitals (Neiva, Popayan, Monteria, Riohacha, 
and Mocoa). 
 
-------------------------------- 
REBUILDING THE PARTY FROM WITHIN 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The Conservative Party is struggling to carve out its 
own political identity after six years of support for 
President Uribe, a former Liberal who won as an independent. 
Conservative Party leader and Senator Efrain  Cepeda said the 
party would continue to modernize for broader 
appeal--especially leading into the 2010 presidential 
elections.  The Conservatives would build on their solid 
reputation on fiscal matters and would "open up" more on 
social issues.  As part of this effort, the party would show 
more flexibility and stress its support for Uribe's poverty 
reduction, health, and education programs.  Cepeda lamented 
that three Conservatives had been jailed in the 
para-political scandal, including former Congress President 
and Senator Luis Gomez-Gallo.  He told us the Conservatives 
remained clear of the most serious allegations, as opposed to 
the smaller coalition parties which have the largest number 
of implicated politicians. 
 
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CONSERVATIVES CONTINUE SUPPORT FOR URIBE 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Cepeda said relations with the Casa de Narino are 
harmonious, and stressed that his party has been Uribe's most 
reliable partner in Congress.  Conservative support for Uribe 
was key to rebuilding the party's popular image after the 
failed presidency of Conservative Andres Pastrana.  Still, he 
noted some political differences, and confirmed that a 
successful Conservative effort this term to ease 
congressional procedures for censuring cabinet ministers had 
infuriated Uribe, and led to speculation that Interior and 
Justice Minister Carlos Holguin (considered the party's elder 
statesman) might resign over the flap.  Senator Salazar, 
party spokesman in the Senate, told us, "the entire coalition 
supports Casa de Narino and Uribe, but sometimes the 
executive and legislative branches are striving for different 
things."  Cepeda hinted at Casa de Narino bias towards the U 
 
Party in funding during October elections to the disadvantage 
of the Conservatives and Cambio Radical. 
 
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IN SEARCH OF A CANDIDATE 
------------------------ 
 
¶5. (C) Cepeda explained that the Conservatives plan to run 
their own candidate in the 2010 presidential elections to 
reinforce their party's identity.  The party would prefer to 
work through the coalition to arrive at a consensus choice 
for a single candidate to carry the Uribe banner, and feels 
it has several candidates capable of continuing Uribe's 
legacy.  Cepeda identified Holguin, Agricultural Minister 
Andres Arias, outgoing Atlantico Governor Carlos Rodado 
Noriega, and Colombian Ambassador to Rome Sabas Pretelt de la 
Vega as potential presidential contenders.  He said Uribe 
continues to consider amending the Constitution to run for a 
third term, but speculated that such an effort would fail 
since the Conservatives and other coalition parties with 
presidential contenders--like German Vargas Lleras of Cambio 
Radical--would not support the effort (ref B). 
 
Nichols