VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAC #0508/01 2052034
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 232034Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASUNCION
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7103
INFO RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 3131
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4053
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 3050
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4070
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ JUL LIMA 0440
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 0602

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000508 
 
SECSTATE FOR ECA/PE/V/R/W METIENNE; WHA/PDA CPETERSON, DUMANA; 
WHA/BSC KBEAMER 
AMEMBASSIES FOR PAO AND CAO 
SIPDIS, SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: FAGR SENV PREL OEXC OIIP SCUL PA
 
SUBJECT: STARTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT WITH THE LUGO GOVERNMENT 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY:  To jump start a cordial relationship with the newly 
elected Paraguayan government, the Embassy arranged a one-week, 
abridged version of the International Visitor Leadership Program 
(IVLP) to Washington the week of June 16 for five senior officials 
of the incoming Lugo administration.  Minister-Designate of Industry 
and Commerce and delegation leader, Martin Heisecke, was delighted 
with the program, and said that he learned a great deal about the 
U.S.  Raul Meza, one of Lugo's political advisors, enjoyed the 
meeting with A/S Shannon and found him to be very knowledgeable 
about Paraguay.  Amanda Nunez, recently elected to the Mercosur 
Parliament, reported that the program was very instructive.  She met 
a variety of people and appreciated the opportunity to have a solid 
education on the U.S. system.  Post was unable to meet with Miguel 
Rojas, Lugo's then-security advisor, following the trip, who Lugo 
recently named as his private secretary.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) To jump start a cordial relationship with the newly elected 
Paraguayan government, the Embassy arranged a one-week, abridged 
version of the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) to 
Washington the week of June 16 for five senior officials of the 
incoming Lugo administration.  General feedback indicated that the 
trip was an overall success.  The IVLP completed its mission: it 
provided a first-hand education on the United States to several key 
Lugo advisors, and in doing so, positively altered stereotypes 
several members of the delegation held regarding the United States. 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) Minister-Designate of Industry and Commerce and delegation 
leader, Martin Heisecke, was delighted with the program, and said 
that he learned a great deal about the U.S.  He said that he wished 
the program lasted the full three weeks and that more of his 
colleagues could have participated in the program.  (NOTE: Post 
originally planned for seven participants to visit the U.S for two 
weeks; this would have included full programs in New York and Miami 
in addition to Washington.  However, President-elect Lugo insisted 
that his closest advisors could not be away from him for such a long 
time during this key transition period.  Retired General Luis 
Bareiro, Minister-Designate of Defense, and Walter Rojas, who was 
until recently Lugo's private secretary, backed out at the last 
minute.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶4. (SBU) Ricardo Canese, Lugo's energy advisor, was highly effusive 
and positive about the trip.  He was particularly pleased with the 
variety of organizations that met with the group as well as meetings 
with senior Department of State officials.  He was impressed by the 
depth of interest and knowledge that senior USG representatives 
demonstrated during the meetings, indicating it was eye-opening for 
the group to see that Washington was not simply a "monotheistic, 
neo-liberal capital."  He mentioned that the meeting with A/S 
Shannon was particularly useful and was pleased to see that the USG 
was interested in the region. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Raul Meza, one of Lugo's political advisors, enjoyed the 
meeting with A/S Shannon and found him to be very knowledgeable 
about Paraguay.  Meza also commented favorably on his lunch with 
former Assistant Secretaries Noriega and Reich.  Meza was pleased 
with the delegation's visits to international organizations like the 
World Bank.  Overall, Meza, who had very limited previous exposure 
to the United States, enjoyed the trip and returned to Paraguay with 
very positive notions of the United States. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Amanda Nunez, recently elected to the Mercosur Parliament, 
reported that the program was very instructive.  She met a variety 
of people, and appreciated the opportunity to have a solid education 
on the U.S. system.  Nunez said that before she traveled on the IVLP 
trip, she thought the program was designed to inform visitors of 
U.S. interests.  During her visit, she realized Americans were 
interested in the needs of Paraguayans and were willing to listen 
and even offer ideas.  Nunez praised the organizers, guides, and 
interpreters, and commented that not one minute went to waste during 
the program.  (NOTE:  Post is still trying figure out the exact role 
of Nunez in the Lugo administration.  Nunez describes herself as a 
"traditional" liberal, not a contemporary one who favors government 
intervention.  She also said that most of the "liberals" who 
supported Lugo think like her.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶7. (SBU) Post was unable to meet with Miguel Rojas, Lugo's then 
security advisor, who Lugo named last week as his new private 
secretary.  However, Rojas' fellow travelers told Embassy officials 
that Rojas also enjoyed the trip, particularly the DOD and DEA 
briefings. 
¶8. (U) Post wishes to thank the IVLP office, the Phelps-Stokes Fund, 
WHA/PDA, and WHA/BSC for its patience and hard work to make this 
program come together in such a successful fashion.