Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 13359 / 251,287

### Articles

Brazil Sri Lanka United Kingdom Sweden 00. Editorial United States Latin America Egypt Jordan Yemen

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03 2011/04 2011/05
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16 2011/03/17 2011/03/18 2011/03/19 2011/03/20 2011/03/21 2011/03/22 2011/03/23 2011/03/24 2011/03/25 2011/03/26 2011/03/27 2011/03/28 2011/03/29 2011/03/30 2011/03/31
2011/04/01 2011/04/02 2011/04/03 2011/04/04 2011/04/05 2011/04/06 2011/04/07 2011/04/08 2011/04/09 2011/04/10 2011/04/11 2011/04/12 2011/04/13 2011/04/14 2011/04/15 2011/04/16 2011/04/17 2011/04/18 2011/04/19 2011/04/20 2011/04/21 2011/04/22 2011/04/23 2011/04/24 2011/04/25 2011/04/26 2011/04/27 2011/04/28 2011/04/29 2011/04/30
2011/05/01 2011/05/02 2011/05/03 2011/05/04 2011/05/05 2011/05/06 2011/05/07 2011/05/08 2011/05/09 2011/05/10 2011/05/11 2011/05/12 2011/05/13 2011/05/14 2011/05/15 2011/05/16 2011/05/17 2011/05/18 2011/05/19 2011/05/20 2011/05/21 2011/05/22 2011/05/23 2011/05/24 2011/05/25 2011/05/26 2011/05/27 2011/05/28 2011/05/29 2011/05/30

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1985/03 1985/05 1985/06
1986/05
1987/06
1988/01 1988/03 1988/07
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
1991/05
1992/01 1992/03 1992/06 1992/09 1992/12
1993/01 1993/10
1994/12
1995/04
1996/07 1996/11
1997/06 1997/10 1997/12
2000/05 2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/06 2001/07 2001/09 2001/10 2001/11
2002/01 2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/07 2002/08 2002/09 2002/11 2002/12
2003/01 2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Apia Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Auckland Consulate Amsterdam Consulate Adana American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belmopan Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chennai Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dili Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown Consulate Fukuoka
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guayaquil Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Ho Chi Minh City Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamilton Consulate Hamburg Consulate Halifax
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kingston Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul Consulate Kolkata Consulate Karachi
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lahore Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE Mission USNATO Mission UNESCO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manila Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Mumbai Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia Embassy Niamey Embassy New Delhi Embassy Ndjamena Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples Consulate Naha
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Of Spain Embassy Port Louis Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito Consulate Quebec
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Suva Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate St Petersburg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sapporo Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Toronto Consulate Tijuana Consulate Thessaloniki
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Office Almaty US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Embassy Valletta Consulate Vladivostok Consulate Vancouver
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ASEC AEMR AMGT AR APECO AU AORC AJ AF AFIN AS AM AFFAIRS ADM ALOW ACOA AID AND APER ADANA APEC ADPM ADCO AADP AA ATRN ARF AG AMED AY AORG ASEAN ABUD AROC AE ABLD AL AO AINF APCS AGAO AODE ACABQ AX AMEX AZ ASUP ARM AQ ATFN AMBASSADOR ACBAQ AFSI AFSN AC ASIG ASEX AER AVERY AGRICULTURE ASCH AFU AMG ATPDEA ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AORL AN AIT ANET AGMT ACS AGR AMCHAMS AECL AUC AFGHANISTAN ACAO
BR BB BG BEXP BY BA BRUSSELS BU BD BK BL BM BTIO BP BO BE BILAT BH BC BIDEN BX BF BBSR BT BMGT BWC BN BTIU
CPAS CA CASC CS CBW CIDA CO CODEL CI CROS CU CH CWC CMGT CVIS CDG CD CV CG CF CHIEF CJAN CBSA CE CY CM CONS CW CN CDC CT CONDOLEEZZA CICTE CYPRUS COUNTRY CBE COUNTER COPUOS CTR COM CIVS CARSON CR CFED CKGR CHR CVR CLINTON COUNTERTERRORISM CITEL CLEARANCE COE CARICOM CB CSW CIC CITT CAFTA CACM CDB CJUS CTM CAN CONSULAR CLMT CBC CIA CNARC CIS CEUDA CAC CL CACS CAPC
DR DJ DHS DAO DCM DEFENSE DOD DA DOMESTIC DO DK DE DPRK DEPT DEA DISENGAGEMENT DOE DTRA DS DEAX
ECON ETTC EFIS ETRD EC EMIN EAGR EAID EU EFIN EUN ECIN EG EWWT EINV ENRG ELAB EPET EN EAIR EUMEM ECPS ELTN EIND EZ EI ER ET EINT EXIM ENIV ECONOMIC ES ECONOMY ERNG ELECTIONS ENERG EK EPA EFTA ENGR ETRC ENVI EXTERNAL ELN EAIDS ECA ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EINVEFIN EFINECONCS EUREM ECOSOC ETC ENVR EAP EINN EXBS ENGY ECONOMICS EIAR EINDETRD ECONEFIN EURN EDU ETRDEINVTINTCS ECIP EFIM EREL EINVETC ECONCS ETRA ESA EAIG EUR EUC ERD ETRN EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ESENV ENNP ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN
FI FR FAS FOREIGN FTAA FREEDOM FBI FINANCE FM FJ FTA FARC FAC FAO FINR FDA FOR FOI FO FMLN FISO
GM GG GERARD GT GA GR GTIP GLOBAL GV GH GL GOV GOI GF GANGS GTMO GCC GAERC GE GZ GAZA GY GUILLERMO GASPAR
HR HO HA HYMPSK HK HUMAN HU HILLARY HI HURI HSTC HEBRON HUMOR
IZ IN IAEA IS IMO ILO IR IC IT ITU IV IMF IBRD INDO IWC IRAQI ISRAELI ITALY ITPGOV ITALIAN IPR ICAO ITRA INMARSAT ID ICRC INTERNAL IIP IRS IO ICJ IQ ILC ICTY IEFIN IA INTERPOL IEA INR INRB IAHRC ISRAEL IZPREL IRAJ IF ITPHUM IL IACI IDA ISLAMISTS IGAD ITF INRA INRO IBET INTELSAT IDP ICTR IRC
JA JO JM JP JUS JAMES JOSEPH JOHNNIE JOHN JIMENEZ
KOMC KNNP KFLO KDEM KSUM KIPR KFLU KPAO KE KCRM KJUS KAWC KZ KSCA KDRG KCOR KGHG KPAL KTIP KMCA KCRS KPKO KOLY KRVC KVPR KG KWBG KMDR KTER KSPR KV KTFN KWMN KFRD KSTH KS KN KISL KGIC KSEP KFIN KTEX KTIA KUNR KCMR KMOC KCIP KTDB KBIO KU KSTC KICC KIRC KSEO KSAF KCRCM KR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KIRF KOCI KMPI KIDE KPAONZ KNUC KHLS KPRP KHDP KCOM KAID KHIV KCSY KTRD KNAR KNUP KWAC KJUST KTBT KBCT KNPP KSCI KO KBTS KTLA KACT KPWR KFSC KVIR KENV KAWK KCFE KHSA KX KMFO KNNPMNUC KNDP KVRP KPRV KMRS KERG KPOA KRCM KCFC KNEI KCHG KPLS KREL KFTFN KTFM KLIG KDEMAF KRAD KBTR KGIT KGCC KICA KHUM KSEC KPIN KESS KDEV KPIR KWWMN KOM KWNM KRFD KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KRGY KREC KIFR KSAC KWMNCS KPAK KOMS KFPC KRIM KDDG KCGC KPAI KID KMIG KNSD KWMM
LY LE LABOR LI LTTE LH LG LO LAB LT LA LU LOG
MARR MX MASS MOPS MNUC MCAP MTCRE ML MR MRCRE MTRE MASC MY MK MAS MO MTCR MAPP MIL MG MD MAR MZ MP MU MA MOPPS MTS MLS MILI MEPN MEPI MEETINGS MERCOSUR MW MT MCC MIK MAPS MV MILITARY MARAD MDC MEPP MASSMNUC MUCN MEDIA MI MQADHAFI MPOS MPS MC
NZ NATO NI NO NG NL NU NPT NS NA NATIONAL NSF NDP NR NSSP NP NIPP NE NGO NAS NZUS NH NSG NAFTA NC NEW NRR NT NASA NAR NK NOVO NATOPREL NSC NV NPA NSFO NW NORAD NPG
OTRA OECD OVIP OREP OPRC ODC OIIP OPDC OAS OSCE OPIC OMS OEXC OPAD OPCW ODIP OIE OFDP OFFICIALS OSCI OHUM OTR OMIG OSAC OBSP OFDA OVP ON OCII OES OCS OIC
PGOV PREL PARM PINR PHUM PM PREF PTER PK PINS PBIO PHSA PE PBTS PL POL PAK POV PPA POLITICS POLICY PCI PAS PALESTINIAN PROP PTE POLITICAL PA PAIGH PO PROG PJUS PMIL PRAM PARMS PGOF PG PDOV PREO PAO PTERE PSI PRGOV PORG PP PS PKFK PSOE PEPR PINT PMAR PRELP PREFA PNG PFOR PUNE PGOVLO PHUMBA PNAT POLINT PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PDEM PECON PY PLN PHUH PEDRO PF PHUS PTBS PU PARTIES PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PHUMPREL POGOV PEL PINL PBT PINF PRL PSEPC POSTS PAHO PHUMPGOV PGOC PNR PROV
QA
RS RP RU RW RFE RCMP RIGHTSPOLMIL ROBERT RICE RM REGION RO ROOD RSP RF RELATIONS RIGHTS RUPREL REMON REACTION REPORT RSO
SZ SENV SOCI SNAR SY SO SP SU SI SMIG SYR SA SCUL SG SW SR SPECIALIST SYRIA SEN SC SF SCRS SL SAARC SNARIZ SARS STEINBERG SWE SN SAN ST SIPDIS SSA SPCVIS SOFA SENVKGHG SANC SHI SEVN SHUM SK SH SNARCS SPCE SNARN SIPRS
TRGY TBIO TSPA TU TPHY TI TX TH TIP TSPL TNGD TZ TC TF TN TW TL TV TS TT TK TERRORISM TP TD TO TRSY TURKEY TINT TFIN TAGS TR TBID THPY
UK UNSC UNGA UN US USTR UZ USEU UV UG UP UNAUS UNMIK UY USUN USPS UNHRC UNESCO UNEP UNCHR UNHCR USAID USOAS USNC UE UNVIE UAE UNO UNDP UNODC UNCHS UNFICYP UNDESCO UNC UNPUOS UNDC UNICEF UNCHC UNCSD UNFCYP UNIDROIT UNCND
VE VM VT VZ VTEG VTIZ VTPREL VENZ VAT VC VI VN
WHTI WIPO WTRO WS WTO WHO WZ WI WMD WBG WWARD WHA WITH WTRQ WEU WMO WA WFP WB
XA XR XW XX XK XL XM XS XF XG XT XH XY XV XB XU XD XC XE XZ XQ XI XTAG
YI YM YMCS YE
ZU ZI ZP ZR ZOELLICK ZF ZL ZO ZJ ZB ZEALAND ZN ZA ZK ZANU

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 09BOGOTA974, URIBE DEPLOYS TRUSTED LIEUTENANTS FOR REELECTION

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09BOGOTA974.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09BOGOTA974 | 2009-03-20 22:22 | 2011-04-28 00:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Bogota
Appears in these articles: http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/wikileaks/articulo-265440-santos-sin-carisma-vargas-lleras-sin-control-jose-obdulio-gaviri

`

    VZCZCXYZ0000
    PP RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHBO #0974/01 0792222
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    P 202222Z MAR 09
    FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7893
    INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8753
    RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1865
    RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 7184
    RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY 3249
    RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 7910
    RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
    RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
    RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
    RHMFIUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
    RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 000974

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2019
    TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF CO
    SUBJECT: URIBE DEPLOYS TRUSTED LIEUTENANTS FOR REELECTION
    DRIVE

    Classified By: Political Counselor John S. Creamer
    Reasons 1.4 (b and d)

    SUMMARY
    -------

    ¶1. (C) President Uribe has not said he intends to seek a
    third term in office, but his allies--with his support--are
    pushing hard for a constitutional change that would give him
    the option.  Uribe has deployed trusted lieutenants to
    consolidate his control over coalition political parties and
    block potential rivals.  Former Peace Commissioner Restrepo
    will take over the U Party, former Environment Minister
    Lozano worked behind the scenes to undercut reelection
    opponent and Cambio Radical leader German Vargas Lleras, and
    former Agricultural Minister Andres Arias and Uribe acolyte
    leads the polls in the Conservative Party.  Presidential
    Communications director Jorge Eastman said that unlike in
    December, all of the Uribista parties now support reelection.
    He predicted that the constitutional reform process would be
    "neither easy nor pretty," but said the latest polls show
    solid public support for reelection.   End Summary.

    URIBE WANTS REELECTION OPTION AVAILABLE
    ---------------------------------------

    ¶2. (C) President Alvaro Uribe has not yet said if he intends
    to run for a third term, but Presidential Communications
    director Jorge Eastman told us he wants the option available
    and has deployed trusted political lieutenants to make the
    required constitutions reform happen.  Long-time Uribe
    advisor Jose ObdulioGaviria told us he left his position at
    the palace in March to lead the third term push.  He is
    committed to reelection, because he believes there is no
    viable alternative to Uribe.  Gaviria said Defense Minister
    Juan Manuel Santos has no political judgement or charisma;
    Cambio Radical leader German Vargas Lleras cannot even
    control his own party; and former Agriculture Minister Andres
    Arias lacks intellectual heft.  He said the Uribista
    coalition remains a disparate group of individual political
    leaders with no commitment beyond their opportunistic support
    for Uribe.  Without the president, the coalition would fall
    apart.

    URIBE RETAKES CONTROL OF COALITION PARTIES
    ------------------------------------------

    3 (C)  In addition to Gaviria, several other Uribe confidants
    left government in March with the mission of solidifying
    Uribe's control over the individual coalition parties and
    blocking moves by potential rivals.   Luis Carlos Restrepo
    left his job as Peace Commissioner, and is set to be elected
    as president of the U Party in March.  Restrepo told us  he
    discussed his strategy with Uribe and intends to use the
    position to build a new, unified Uribista party (with the
    exception of the Conservatives)  and to push for Uribe's
    reelection.  Restrepo said he would consider running for
    Congress, and would also focus on increasing Uribe's
    majorities in the 2010 congressional elections.  The goal
    would be to win 60 of 102 Senate seats and 100 of 166 House
    seats.

    ¶4. (C)  Restrepo told us he did not coordinate his plans with
    Defense Minister and former U Party founder Santos.  Though
    Santos voiced public support for Restrepo's leadership bid, U
    Party Senator and current Party President Carlos Ferro told
    us Santos is fuming over the move.  Santos had intended to
    use the U Party for his own candidacy, and Restrepo's success
    in taking control of the party showed how easily Santos could
    be "outmaneuvered."  U Party Senator and presidential
    candidate Martha Lucia Ramirez also resigned from the Senate
    and U Party on March 17.  She said she would continue to
    support Uribe, but could not remain in the party due to its
    unfair rules for choosing its candidate.  Her resignation
    removes another reelection opponent from the party.

    ¶5. (C)  Uribe also moved to split the most independent of the
    coalition parties, Cambio Radical.  Environment Minister and
    Cambio member Juan Lozano resigned on March 11, and then
    worked behind the scenes during the March 14-16 Cambio
    Radical Party Congress to advance Uribe's reelection bid.  At

    the Congress, Cambio reversed its previous opposition to a
    2010 Uribe run, dealing a major blow to Vargas Lleras who has
    consistently tried to block a third Uribe term.  Cambio
    Senator Nancy Gutierrez told us Vargas Lleras was forced to
    back down, since most party members support Uribe.  Eastman
    said Vargas Lleras' defeat shows that most Uribista
    legislators--many of whom are only in Congress due to the
    parapolitical scandal--see no future for themselves without
    Uribe, leading them to back a second reelection bid. Unlike
    in December, he added, the Uribista parties now fully support
    the president.

    ¶6. (C) Uribe strengthened his position in the other key
    coalition party--the Conservatives--by supporting former
    Agricultural Minister and Uribe acolyte Andres Arias, also
    known as "Uribito," in his presidential campaign.  Arias
    leads in polling on a Conservative Party primary, but has
    made clear he will end his campaign immediately if Uribe opts
    to run again.  In the past, Conservative Party leaders had
    voiced their intention to run their own candidate in the 2010
    presidential elections. Former President Andres Pastrana has
    also discussed the need for the party to assert its
    independence from Uribe--a shift which the success of Arias'
    candidacy makes highly unlikely.

    POLLS SHOW STRONG SUPPORT FOR REELECTION
    ----------------------------------------

    ¶7. (U)  A recent Gallup poll showed wide support for Uribe's
    reelection, though several difficult steps remain in the
    process to change the constitution to allow a third term.
    Gallup reported that 71% of those polled would either likely
    or definitely turnout for a reelection referendum, and 80% of
    that group said they would vote for reelection.  Pollster
    Jorge Londono told us those numbers would be enough to pass a
    reelection referendum--as well as to meet the required
    turnout of 25 percent of registered voters (approximately 7.2
    million voters)--if the vote were held today.  He noted that
    despite Colombia's economic downturn, voters appear to
    understand that the slowdown reflect a global crisis, not a
    local problem, and do not blame Uribe.  This could change if
    Colombia's economic problems continue to deepen.

    LEGAL STEPS REMAIN TO ALLOW REELECTION
    --------------------------------------

    ¶8. (C)  Eastman told us that despite Uribe's strong support
    in Congress, obtaining passage of the required constitutional
    reform will be "neither easy nor pretty."  The bill to change
    the constitution to allow reelection will be considered in
    April in the Senate in the third and fourth of four required
    votes to pass the measure.  Senate President Hernan Andrade
    told us the Senate will try to modify the bill's existing
    language to make clear that Uribe can run again in 2010.
    Most observers think the language passed in the House in 2008
    would only allow for a 2014 run.  If passed in the final two
    Senate votes with new language allowing a 2010 bid, the
    measure would then move to a House-Senate conference
    committee to be reconciled. Eastman said the multiple votes
    would offer legislators numerous opportunities to seek
    presidential favors.

    ¶9. (C)  Moreover, Eastman noted that House President German
    Varon (Cambio Radical) opposes a third term for Uribe, and is
    a close Vargas Lleras ally.  He will name the House
    representatives to the conference committee, and could use
    his power to kill or delay the reelection bill.  Still, this
    would be difficult given the results of the recent Cambio
    Radical Congress.Varon said Uribistas have been quietly
    pushing investigations against him in the hope of finding
    cause to seek his removal as House president.  Supreme
    Judicial Council Magistrate Angelino Lizcano told us Uribe
    allies could also legally delay conference committee action
    until July when a new House president takes office.  Once
    approved in Congress, the measure would move to the
    Constitutional Court for approval and then to the referendum.

    OPPOSITION STRATEGY: ABSTAIN
    ----------------------------

    10 (C) Former President and Liberal Party Chief Cesar Gaviria

    agreed Uribe wants a third term, but said his original
    "F.D.R. 1940 nomination by popular acclaim" strategy had not
    worked.   Still, he said Uribe could still pull off
    reelection with a hard push.   If Uribe succeeded in amending
    the constitution, he would be the heavy, odds-on favorite to
    win.  As shown by the support of former Liberal Senator
    Rodrigo Rivera and twenty-two current sitting Liberal Party
    legislators for Uribe's Democratic Security Policy, the
    president commands substantial backing even within the
    opposition Liberals.  Liberal Party Senator Juan Cristo and
    Polo Party President Carlos Gaviria told us  the opposition's
    best hope to block a third Uribe term would be an abstention
    campaign which prevented Uribe from meeting the required 25%
    turnout in the referendum.
    NICHOLS

    =======================CABLE ENDS============================

`