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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000303 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2018 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL PINR OFDP KLIG VE BO
SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: "SPYING" CHARGES FEED EVO'S PROPAGANDA 
 
REF: LA PAZ 218 
 
Classified By: EcoPol Chief Mike Hammer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary. Fulbright student Alex van Schaick reported 
to the Bolivian Foreign Ministry February 7 that he had been 
asked by Post's Assistant Regional Security Officer to report 
contacts with Venezuelan and Cuban nationals to the Embassy. 
Van Schaick told an ABC News.com stringer in La Paz the same 
story, characterizing the alleged request as "spying" on 
foreign nationals, an act he felt the "Bolivian people have a 
right to know" about.  Bolivian President Evo Morales used 
the incident to assert a new U.S. "attack" on Bolivia, 
following at least eight other allegations of U.S. conspiracy 
against his government.  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and 
other Bolivian officials have piled on with accusations of 
U.S. infringement on Bolivian sovereignty.  Government 
Minister Alfredo Rada has threatened an investigation and 
formal espionage charges against the ARSO and anyone 
connected to the briefing.  ARSO alleges contact reporting 
was not a part of the Fulbrighter's briefing and the four 
other Fulbrighters in Bolivia have either confirmed it was 
not part of their briefings or declined to speak to the 
press.  Despite continuous efforts of the Embassy to counter 
false perceptions and settle the issue diplomatically, the 
Bolivian government continued to rehash it daily via the 
media. 
 
¶2. (C) The Ambassador finally met February 13 with Foreign 
Minister David Choquehuanca and Government Minister Rada to 
address the incident (septel).  Following the meeting, 
Choquehuanca stated publicly that the Bolivian government 
accepted the Ambassador's explanation of the incident and 
Rada announced that Cooper would not be returning to Bolivia. 
 Despite this apparent closure to this case, post will 
monitor closely whether the government shifts direction 
toward Fulbrighters and Peace Corps volunteers, putting their 
security at risk.  But, government officials have so far 
refrained from blaming anyone outside Embassy walls.  End 
Summary. 
 
Schaick's Story 
--------------- 
 
¶3. (U) A February 8 ABC News.com report cited Fulbright 
student Alex van Schaick allegations the U.S. Embassy asked 
him to report back to the Embassy on Venezuelan and Cuban 
citizens residing in Bolivia.  Van Schaick told ABC News.com 
Bolivian stringer Jean Friedman-Rudovksy that he was shocked 
when ARSO Vincent Cooper asked him to "basically spy" on 
Venezuelans and Cubans while conducting research in Bolivia 
during a routine November 5 security briefing at the Embassy. 
 "He asked me that if I should encounter Venezuelans or 
Cubans while in the field ... that I should report to the 
embassy." 
 
Fulbright Scholar Basks in Media Spotlight 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) Responding to questions of whether he should have 
approached the Embassy with his concerns instead of waiting 
three months and reporting the incident to Foreign Minister 
David Choquehuanca February 7, Van Schaick told ABC News.com 
he initially didn't "respond because I was in shock," and 
that he "didn't want to voice my concern with that statement 
to him (Cooper)."  He added he didn't see the point reporting 
the incident to the Embassy because Peace Corps official 
Doreen Salazar had complained about a similar briefing 
allegedly including instructions to help the embassy "keep 
tabs" on Cubans to Peace Corps volunteers July 29 without 
result (the article cites an e-mail Salazar allegedly sent to 
the Embassy).  "Why would it be any different this time?" 
 
¶5. (C) Van Schaick, who has been studying indigenous land 
issues in the Eastern state of Santa Cruz since October, has 
initiated contact with the press and given several follow-on 
interviews to U.S. and Bolivian press.  He claimed feeling 
compelled to bring the incident to light because "the 
Bolivian people have a right to know."  In contrast to Van 
Schaick's version of events, three of the other four 
Fulbrighters in country denied contact reporting was part of 
their security briefing in a follow-on ABC News.com story, 
with the other Fulbrighter refusing to talk to the press. 
Interestingly, the Foreign Minister told the Ambassador that 
it was at the behest of the ABC News.com stringer that he met 
with Van Schaick. 
 
Evo Declares Cooper Persona-non-desirable; Chavez Piles On 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Bolivian President Evo Morales declared Cooper a 
"non-desirable person" February 11, during a speech to 
military officers.  "This man has not only violated the 
rights of (those he instructed), but has also violated, 
offended, and attacked our nation."  Morales added Cooper was 
"not wanted here."  Morales repeated van Schaick's allegation 
that he was asked to "spy," characterized the incident as 
proof of U.S. "espionage attempts," and used it to underline 
the military's responsibility to protect Bolivia from enemies 
"from within and without."  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez 
actually preempted Morales by a day, declaring February 10 
that "the U.S. had to admit to espionage."  Foreign Minister 
Choquehuanca chimed in over the weekend, saying any 
intelligence use of students or volunteers would constitute a 
"grave threat to Bolivian's sovereignty." 
 
Government Accepts U.S. Explanation; Cooper Will Not Return 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Following the Ambassador's three-plus-hour meeting 
with Foreign Minister Choquehuanca and Government Minister 
Rada February 13, the FM declared to the press that the 
government "accepts the Ambassador's explanations.  We want 
to overcome this problem."  Government Minister Rada then 
announced Cooper would not be returning to Bolivia.  The 
Ambassador echoed the FM's sentiment that we want to overcome 
this incident, expressed appreciation for the government's 
accepting our explanation, and said the U.S. wants to improve 
relations.  Ambassador Goldberg had publicly assured 
Bolivians February 12 that he "absolutely respects the 
sovereignty and dignity of Bolivia."  The Ambassador added 
"at no time did U.S. Embassy personnel ask any Peace Corps 
volunteers or Fulbright scholars to engage in intelligence 
activities," even if incorrect or inappropriate information 
was given in a routine security briefing. 
 
The Truth, and Other Things Left Unsaid 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) Embassy La Paz issued a statement the same day the ABC 
News.com story broke explaining the Embassy did not ask Peace 
Corps or Fulbrighters to engage in intelligence activities. 
Post Information Officer Eric Watnik attempted to further 
clarify the incident February 11, stating that ARSO Cooper 
mistakenly started to give Peace Corps volunteers the 
security briefing intended for Embassy employees in July. 
This briefing requires Embassy employees to report suspicious 
activities, but does not apply to Peace Corps volunteers.  In 
the July case, Watnik added, the security officer was 
immediately corrected by Peace Corps Deputy Director Doreen 
Salazar during the briefing and steps were taken to correct 
the briefing.  Watnik said there was no way to confirm the 
content of van Schaick's one-on-one November interview with 
ARSO Cooper.  "We are disappointed that the Fulbright scholar 
involved did not voice his concerns to other Embassy officers 
or to a member of the Fulbright Commission." 
 
¶9. (C)  Although ABC News.com reports Salazar confirmed 
contact reporting was mentioned during the July briefing, it 
also quotes her as saying the Embassy agreed with her 
complaint and agreed to take action to correct the briefing. 
Recent media reports have noted Salazar is not commenting 
further.  Salazar first spoke to the press without post's 
authorization.  Salazar admits she sent an e-mail concerning 
the July briefing to the Embassy, but contends she did not 
forward the e-mail to Van Schaick and does not know how he 
became aware of it.  It is unknown how Van Schaick became 
aware of the Peace Corps incident and subsequent e-mail. 
 
Rada's Posse Convokes and Charges 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (C) Minister of Government Alfredo Rada said February 10 
he did not believe the U.S. explanation of the incident. 
"It's not as simple as saying this was a mistake."  Rada 
demanded explanations and said he would ask Ambassador 
Goldberg to explain the situation.  On February 12 Rada's 
ministry denounced Cooper's acts as crimes in violation of 
Bolivian penal code article 115 (revelations of state 
secrets) and 111 (espionage) and announced charges would be 
 
SIPDIS 
forthcoming.  Although Vice Minister of Interior and Police 
Ruben Gamarra conceded Cooper is "the only person that we 
have identified," he said an investigation would attempt to 
identify "members of the same Embassy" who authored, 
accompliced, or covered up the alleged crimes.  On February 
13 Rada identified Cooper as an subordinate to Embassy 
Military Group Commander James Campbell, who he misidentified 
as the Embassy's "chief of security."  Rada described a 
"chain" of offensives against Bolivian sovereignty. 
(Comment: Rada was apparently trying to link the current 
"scandal" with a previous charge of U.S. interference 
involving Campbell. This is not the first time Rada has 
identified Campbell as security chief.  End Comment). 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶11. (C) There have been at least eight previous charges of 
U.S. espionage or conspiracy against the Bolivian government 
in the last year (a fact local daily La Prensa reported, 
noting there has been no evidence to back past allegations). 
These latest charges follow the now familiar format of 
publicly accusing the Embassy of subversion, demanding an 
explanation from the Ambassador, and forming an investigation 
to get to the truth.  The reality is that the Bolivian 
government is interested in exploiting these situations and 
uses them to distract Bolivians from the problems facing them 
and portray the United States as the culprit.  (Note: During 
the last round of charges over U.S. spying in late January, 
the Vice President point blank told the Ambassador neither he 
nor Morales believed those accusations, but would not state 
that publicly - reftel. End Note.)  Not easily taken off 
script, government officials have demanded explanations from 
the Embassy and threatened to convoke the Ambassador on a 
daily basis since the charges surfaced, despite the fact that 
the Embassy released a statement the same day the allegations 
emerged and that the Ambassador immediately called the FM to 
discuss the issue, a call that was not returned.  Also per 
the script, the latest round of statements were done via the 
press.  Only when the Ambassador requested the meeting with 
the Foreign Minister, was he "convoked." 
 
¶12. (C) Comment Continued. The Bolivian government has so far 
refrained from spreading their paranoia beyond its 
accusations against the Embassy, though Choquehuanca's 
statements came dangerously close.  We will endeavor to 
minimize the damage done by this incident, but the task 
becomes ever more difficult when the Fulbrighter and others, 
including the media, are willingly fueling the Morales 
administration's accusations of espionage.  What makes this 
round different is these charges are partially based on a 
real event (that should not have occurred), not made up from 
whole cloth, and that they are being made by an American 
citizen.  Also, a respectable U.S. media outlet -- ABC 
News.com -- has used a story pushed by a stringer that has a 
political agenda as much as a new story behind it.  End 
Comment. 
GOLDBERG