VZCZCXYZ0023
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSN #0494/01 1541519
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 031519Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1164
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 000494 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ES PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: FUNES INAUGURAL ADDRESS PROMISES RELIEF FOR POOR, 
HARSHLY CRITICIZES ARENA 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Mauricio Funes, of the left-wing FMLN, was 
sworn in as President of El Salvador on Monday, June 1. 
Addressing a full house of invited heads of state and 
government, foreign ministers, diplomats, local dignitaries, 
and the public, Funes announced plans for an ambitious 
program of "social protection" and hinted at measures to 
address the current financial crisis.  Funes also bitterly 
criticized his ARENA predecessors, claiming that their 
"corruption," "complicity with organized crime," and 
"inadequate decisions" were the cause of El Salvador's many 
social and economic problems.  He repeated a line from his 
campaign that identified Presidents Lula and Obama as models 
for his style of governance.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) Mauricio Funes' and Vice President Salvador Sanchez 
Ceren's inauguration took place before a capacity crowd at 
San Salvador's International Fair Grounds.  Heads of state in 
attendance included, among others, Brazilian President Luiz 
Inacio "Lula" da Silva, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, 
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, Panamanian President Martin 
Torrijos, Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou, and the Cuban 
Vice President.  Secretary Clinton headed the U.S. 
delegation.  After a ceremonial opening, President Funes and 
Vice President Salvador Sanchez Ceren were sworn in by the 
President of the Legislative Assembly. 
 
¶3. (U) As was to be expected, Funes was enthusiastically 
received by the largely pro-FMLN crowd.  Brazilian President 
Lula received the warmest ovation from the Salvadoran crowd, 
which also cheered loudly for the Cuban Vice President and 
Ecuadorian President Correa.  Some of the audience booed 
Colombian President Uribe's entrance, and large numbers 
chanted on various occasions the time worn slogan "el pueblo 
unido, jamas sera vencido" (the people, united, will never be 
defeated).  To be fair, Funes' mention of Secretary Clinton's 
presence at the ceremony also generated significant applause. 
 
 
¶4. (U) Funes' remarks were equal parts promises of improved 
social services for the poor, mixed with vitriolic criticism 
of his ARENA predecessors.  The majority of his remarks were 
centered around programs to generate temporary jobs and to 
improve access to basic social services, as well as 
unspecified measures to mitigate the Salvadoran government's 
ongoing financial crisis.  The gist of Funes' message was 
that he intends to "reinvent" the country with a national 
development project that will enable the Salvadoran 
government to address long-standing social problems as well 
as to "overcome" the current economic crisis.  Afterwards 
Charge asked new Finance Minister Carlos Caceres where he 
would find the money for all the new programs.  Answer: more 
efficient collection of taxes and enforcement of laws against 
tax evasion. 
 
¶5. (U) Funes' inaugural address also contained bitter 
criticism of previous conservative ARENA governments. 
Characterizing the past two decades of ARENA's stewardship of 
El Salvador as "a time of impunity," Funes chastised ARENA as 
an "elite" which governed the country for their own selfish 
purposes through a network of "nepotism" and insider deals. 
Funes accused previous ARENA presidents of having been 
"complicit in corruption" and "complicit in organized crime." 
 He also alleged that previous ARENA governments made 
"inadequate decisions" in the face of the current economic 
crisis, and that "the leading elite," rather than the 
Salvadoran public, are responsible for the country's current 
economic and fiscal difficulties.  Funes went on to conclude 
that previous ARENA governments effectively encouraged 
Salvadorans to "seek opportunities in the U.S." rather than 
attempt to improve conditions at home. 
 
¶6. (U) In his closing remarks, Funes announced that El 
Salvador had officially re-established diplomatic relations 
with Cuba, something Funes' incoming Foreign Minister had 
previewed for us a week before.  Identifying Presidents Obama 
and Lula as "examples" that he hoped to emulate, Funes called 
for "national unity" to "overcome the syndrome of 
victimization" and "preconceptions" which have prevented El 
Salvador from making progress. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: Funes' inaugural address was well-received 
by the partisan crowd in attendance, and generated 
sympathetic media coverage nationwide, even in the heretofore 
pro-ARENA major dailies.  The social agenda he outlined is 
consistent with his campaign proposals and with comments we 
have heard from his transition team.  His overt criticism of 
previous ARENA Presidents, coupled with blunt accusations of 
corruption, were surprisingly harsh for an inaugural address. 
 Funes' comments were also at odds with his closing calls for 
national unity, as well as the tone of his acceptance speech 
on March 15.  Not surprisingly, ARENA pushed back, with a 
public interview by former President Cristiani (1989-94) and 
 
a full page paid advertisement in newspapers June 2 defending 
ARENA's record.  In the coming weeks Funes will need to focus 
on building coalitions and balancing competing interests if 
he is to come to terms with the difficult task of governing 
El Salvador.  End comment. 
BLAU