Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 19776 / 251,287

### Articles

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

### Browse latest releases

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

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 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 1986/08 1986/12
1987/06
1988/01 1988/03 1988/04 1988/07 1988/08 1988/12
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
1991/05 1991/07 1991/11
1992/01 1992/03 1992/06 1992/09 1992/11 1992/12
1993/01 1993/02 1993/10
1994/11 1994/12
1995/01 1995/04 1995/06 1995/11
1996/07 1996/09 1996/11
1997/02 1997/03 1997/05 1997/06 1997/08 1997/10 1997/12
1998/05 1998/12
1999/01 1999/09
2000/05 2000/06 2000/09 2000/11 2000/12
2001/02 2001/03 2001/04 2001/05 2001/06 2001/07 2001/09 2001/10 2001/11 2001/12
2002/01 2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/06 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 Belfast Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chiang Mai 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 Consulate Dhahran
Embassy Freetown Consulate Fukuoka
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guayaquil Consulate Guangzhou Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Hong Kong 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 Libreville Embassy La Paz Consulate Lahore Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE Mission USNATO Mission UNESCO Mission Geneva Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maseru Embassy Maputo Embassy Manila Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Mumbai Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan Consulate Melbourne Consulate Matamoros
Embassy Nicosia Embassy Niamey Embassy New Delhi Embassy Ndjamena Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Nuevo Laredo Consulate Naples Consulate Naha Consulate Nagoya
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 UN Rome Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vientiane 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 ABLD AFFAIRS AMB APER AA AE ADM ATRN ACOA AID AY AG ALOW AND ABUD AMED ASPA AL APEC ADPM ADANA AFSI ARABL ADCO ANARCHISTS AZ ANET AMEDCASCKFLO AADP AO AGRICULTURE ACABQ ASEAN APRC ARF AFSN AFSA AORG AINR AINF AODE AROC APCS ARCH AGAO ASUP ADB AX AMEX ARM AQ ATFN AMBASSADOR ARAS ACBAQ AC AOPR AREP ASIG ASEX AER AVERY ASCH AFU AMG ATPDEA ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG AORL AN AIT AGMT ACS AGR AMCHAMS AECL AUC AFGHANISTAN ACAO
BR BB BG BEXP BY BA BRUSSELS BU BD BK BL BE BO BTIO BH BM BAIO BRPA BUSH BILAT BF BX BMGT BOL BC BIDEN BP BBG BBSR BT BWC BEXPC BN BTIU
CPAS CA CASC CS CBW CIDA CO CODEL CI CROS CU CH CWC CMGT CVIS CDG CG CF CHIEF CJAN CBSA CE CY CB CW CM CHR CD CT CDC CONS CAMBODIA CN CR COUNTRY CONDOLEEZZA CZ CARICOM COM CICTE CYPRUS CACS CBE COE CIVS CFED COUNTER CAPC COPUOS CTR CV CARSON CITES CKGR CVR CLINTON COUNTERTERRORISM CITEL CLEARANCE CSW CIC CITT CARIB CAFTA CACM CDB CJUS CTM CAN CAJC CONSULAR CLMT CBC CIA CNARC CIS CEUDA CHINA CAC CL
DR DJ DB DHS DAO DCM DO DEFENSE DA DK DOMESTIC DISENGAGEMENT DOD DE DOT DPRK DEPT DEA 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 ECONOMIC ENIV EFTA ES EET ECONOMY ENV EAG ELECTIONS ESTH ETRO ECIP EPEC EXIM ENERG ECCT EREL EK EDEV ERNG ENGY EPA ETRAD ELTNSNAR ENGR ETRC ELAP EUREM EEB EETC ECOSOC ENVI EXTERNAL ELN ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EAIDS EDU EPREL EINVEFIN ECA EFINECONCS EIDN EINVKSCA ETC ENVR EAP EINN EXBS ECONOMICS EIAR EINDETRD ECONEFIN EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EFIM EINVETC ECONCS EDRC ENRD EBRD ETRA ESA EAIG EUR EUC ERD ETRN EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ESENV ENNP ECINECONCS ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN
FR FI FOREIGN FAO FARC FREEDOM FAS FINANCE FBI FTAA FCS FJ FAA FTA FK FT FAC FDA FINR FM FOR FOI FO FMLN FISO
GM GERARD GT GA GG GR GTIP GE GH GY GB GLOBAL GEORGE GCC GC GV GAZA GL GOV GOI GF GTMO GANGS GAERC GZ GUILLERMO GASPAR
HR HA HYMPSK HO HK HUMAN HN HUD HU HURI HILLARY HI HUM HSTC HEBRON HUMOR
IZ IN IAEA IS IMO ILO IR IC IT ITU IV IMF IBRD IWC IPR IRAQI IDB ISRAELI ITALY ITPGOV ITALIAN IADB ID ICAO ICRC INR ICJ IO IFAD IRAQ INL INMARSAT INRA INTERNAL INTELSAT ILC IRS INDO ITRA IIP IQ IEFIN ICTY ISCON IAHRC IA INTERPOL IEA INRB ISRAEL IZPREL IRAJ IF ITPHUM IL IACI IDA ISLAMISTS IGAD ITF INRO IBET IDP ICTR IRC
JA JO JM JP JOHN JUS JAMES JOSEPH JOHNNIE JML JIMENEZ
KNNP KFLO KDEM KOMC 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 KSAF KU KHIV KNNNP KSTC KNUP KIRF KIRC KHLS KIDE KTDD KMPI KSEO KSCS KICC KCFE KNUC KIVP KGLB KPWR KR KCOM KESS KREL KCSY KWN KRFD KPOL KBCT KREC KICCPUR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KOCI KGIT KMCC KPRP KPRV KAUST KPAOPREL KCRIM KIRP KLAB KHSA KPAONZ KCRCM KICA KHDP KNAR KINR KGHA KPAOY KTRD KTAO KWAC KJUST KACT KSCI KHUM KNPP KMRS KTBT KNNPMNUC KBTS KERG KPIR KTLA KAWK KNDP KAID KO KFSC KX KVRP KENV KPOA KMFO KVIR KRCM KCFC KNEI KCHG KPLS KFTFN KTFM KLIG KDEMAF KRAD KBTR KGCC KSEC KPIN KDEV KWWMN KOM KWNM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KRGY KIFR KSAC KWMNCS KPAK KOMS KFPC KRIM KDDG KCGC KPAI KID KMIG KNSD KWMM
LY LE LABOR LH LAB LI LTTE LO LU LA LVPR LT LG LOG
MARR MX MASS MOPS MNUC MCAP MTCRE MRCRE MTRE MASC MY MK MCC MO MAS MZ MCA MIL MU ML MTCR MEPP MG MI MINUSTAH MP MA MD MAR MAPP MR MOPPS MTS MLS MILI MEPN MEPI MEETINGS MERCOSUR MW MT MIK MN MAPS MV MILITARY MARAD MDC MACEDONIA MASSMNUC MUCN MEDIA MQADHAFI MPOS MPS MC
NZ NATO NI NO NU NG NL NPT NS NSF NA NP NATIONAL NASA NDP NIH NC NIPP NSSP NEGROPONTE NK NAS NE NATOIRAQ NR NGO NAR NZUS NARC NH NSG NAFTA NEW NRR NT NOVO NATOPREL NEA NSC NV NPA NSFO NW NORAD NPG NOAA
OTRA OECD OVIP OREP OPRC ODC OIIP OPDC OAS OSCE OPIC OMS OEXC OPCW OIE OSCI OPAD ODIP OFDP OM OFFICIALS OEXP OPEC OVIPPRELUNGANU ODPC OSHA OSIC 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 POLITICS POLICY PA PNAT PALESTINIAN PCI PAS PO PROV PH PERM PETR PROP PRELBR POLITICAL PJUS PREZ PAO PRELPK PAIGH PROG PMAR PU PG PDOV PTE PGOVSOCI PMIL PY PGOR PBTSRU PRAM PARMS PSI PGOF PTERE PERL PINO PPA PREO PRGOV PORG PP PS PKFK PSOE PEPR PDEM PINT PRELP PREFA PNG PTBS PFOR PUNE PGOVLO PHUMBA POLINT PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PLN PHUH PEDRO PF PHUS PETER PARTIES PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PHUMPREL POGOV PEL PINL PBT PINF PRL PSEPC POSTS PAHO PHUMPGOV PGOC PNR
QA
RS RP RU RW RFE RCMP RIGHTSPOLMIL RO ROBERT RM ROOD RICE REGION RELAM RSP RF RELATIONS RIGHTS RUPREL REMON RPEL REACTION REPORT RSO
SZ SENV SOCI SNAR SY SO SP SU SI SMIG SYR SA SCUL SW SR SYRIA SNARM SPECIALIST SG SENS SF SEN SENVEAGREAIDTBIOECONSOCIXR SN SC SNA SK SL SANC SMIL SCRM SENVSXE SAARC STEINBERG SCRS SARS SWE SNARIZ SENVQGR SAN ST SIPDIS SSA SPCVIS SOFA SENVKGHG SHI SEVN SHUM SH SNARCS SPCE SNARN SIPRS
TRGY TBIO TSPA TU TPHY TI TX TH TIP TSPL TNGD TS TW TRSY TZ TN TINT TC TR TIO TF TK TRAD TT TWI TD TERRORISM TP TL TV TO TURKEY TSPAM TREL TRT TFIN TAGS THPY TBID
UNSC UK UNGA UN US UZ USEU UG UP UNAUS UNMIK USTR UY UNSCR UNRCR UNESCO UNICEF USPS UNHCR UNHRC UNFICYP UNCSD UNEP USAID UV UNDP UNTAC USDA USUN UNMIC UNCHR UR UNCTAD USGS USNC USOAS UA UE UNVIE UAE UNO UNODC UNCHS UNDESCO UNC UNPUOS UNDC UNCHC UNFCYP UNIDROIT UNCND
VE VM VT VZ VEPREL VN VTEG VTIZ VTPREL VISIT VENZ VAT VC VI
WHTI WIPO WTRO WTO WHO WFP WS WA WZ WI WMD WBG WWARD WHA WITH WTRQ WEU WMO WB
XA XW XX XK XL XM XS XF XR XY XG XT XC XH XD XE XV XB XU XZ XQ XI XTAG
YI YM YE YL YMCS
ZU ZI ZOELLICK ZP ZR ZO ZK ZF ZL ZB ZN ZH ZT ZJ ZEALAND ZA 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 05BRASILIA387, BRAZILIAN CONGRESS CHOOSES DARK HORSE AS NEW

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. #05BRASILIA387.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
05BRASILIA387 | 2005-02-16 09:07 | 2011-07-11 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Brasilia

`

    This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BRASILIA 000387

    SIPDIS

    SENSITIVE

    E.O. 12958:  N/A
    TAGS: PGOV BR
    SUBJECT:  BRAZILIAN CONGRESS CHOOSES DARK HORSE AS NEW
    HOUSE SPEAKER

    ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  In a surprising and potentially serious
    setback for the Lula administration, the Brazilian Chamber
    of Deputies (lower house) on February 14 chose dark horse
    Federal Deputy Severino Cavalcanti (Progressive Party -'PP')
    to be its next Speaker.  Cavalcanti took over immediately
    and will preside over the Chamber for the next two years --
    the second half of President Lula's term.  The choice came
    after a hotly-contested campaign in which Lula's Workers'
    Party (PT) failed to settle on a single candidate.
    Cavalcanti's PP party is the right-most member of President
    Lula's governing coalition, so the Speakership has not
    slipped completely out of the administration's grasp, but
    his victory over two PT candidates could complicate the
    administration's legislative agenda and is clearly a
    punishment for the PT's inability to resolve its internal
    schisms.  Cavalcanti is a back-bencher who has not
    established a record during his ten years in Congress.  In
    his home state of Pernambuco he is seen as an old-style
    politico without core beliefs.  Thus, Cavalcanti is
    unlikely to be as influential as outgoing Chamber Speaker
    Joao Paulo Cunha (PT).  Separately, the Brazilian Senate
    easily chose Renan Calheiros from the PMDB party's pro-Lula
    wing as the new Senate President.  The 2005 Congressional
    session is now underway.  END SUMMARY.

    SEVERINO CAVALCANTI IS THE NEW SPEAKER
    --------------------------------------
    ¶2. (SBU) Late on February 14, after two rounds of voting,
    the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies selected an
    undistinguished back-bencher to be its next Speaker.
    Severino Cavalcanti of Pernambuco, aged 74, is a high
    school graduate who has spent his entire career with what
    is now the right-wing Progressive Party (PP) --which at the
    time he joined was the party of Brazil's military regime.
    Cavalcanti is now in his third four-year term in Congress
    and has an undistinguished record, never chairing a
    committee or sponsoring significant legislation.  He is not
    highly regarded even in his home state of Pernambuco, where
    pundits and politicians we spoke with painted a portrait of
    a career politico with no real beliefs or projects and who
    is seen as not completely trustworthy.  He is seen as a
    passionless politician from the mold of traditional
    northeastern "colonels" whose survival is rooted in
    backroom deal-making.  Cavalcanti's home base is the semi-
    rural "Mata Norte" region of Pernambuco's interior, and he
    also wins votes from the state's conservative evangelicals.

    PT SCHISM LEAVES ROOM FOR A DARK HORSE
    --------------------------------------
    ¶3. (SBU) The failure of the PT to elect its own Speaker is
    easily explained:  it never settled on one candidate.
    Under a long-standing unwritten rule (the "Rule of
    Proportionality"), Brazilian legislatures at all levels
    allow the party with the largest caucus to nominate the
    Speaker, who is generally approved in a floor vote without
    serious objection even from the opposition parties.  In a
    domino effect, this same rule then foresees selection of
    the Chamber's other leadership posts --and the committee
    chairs-- according to caucus size, so that opposition
    parties are guaranteed of getting a few choice posts if
    they play by the rule.  The Workers' Party, with 90 Federal
    Deputies in the 513-seat Chamber, is the largest caucus and
    easily elected Joao Paulo Cunha to serve as Speaker in
    2003-2005.

    ¶4. (SBU) But Speakers can serve only one two-year term, so
    in a bitter internal struggle last month, the PT selected
    Federal Deputy Luis Eduardo Greenhalgh to succeed Cunha as
    Speaker.  Despite the Rule of Proportionality, Greenhalgh
    faced resistance to his candidacy: he is from Sao Paulo at
    a time when many fear the government has become too Sao
    Paulo-centric; he is seen as aloof and arrogant; and he is
    a human rights lawyer who represented the Landless Movement,
    alienating landowners and conservatives.  As soon as the PT
    named Greenhalgh its official candidate, another PT Deputy,
    Virgilio Guimaraes, announced himself as the party's
    "alternate candidate".  In contrast to Greenhalgh,
    Guimaraes is gregarious, from Minas Gerais, and is an old-
    style union boss popular with the Chamber's rank-and-file.
    Despite concerted arm-twisting by President Lula and nearly
    every other Workers' Party heavyweight in the past few
    weeks, Guimaraes refused to give up his candidacy.  Three
    other Deputies, including Severino Cavalcanti, then saw the
    confusion in the PT and threw their names into the ring as
    well.

    ¶5. (SBU)  The PT's failure to settle on one candidate
    annulled the "Rule of Proportionality".  With two PT
    candidates in the running, other parties could not be
    induced to vote for Greenhalgh.  In the first round of the
    floor vote, Greenhalgh received 217 votes, 50 short of
    victory.  Cavalcanti qualified for the second round with
    124 votes, while challenger Guimaraes was knocked out with
    117 votes.  In the second round which lasted late into the
    night, Cavalcanti handily beat Greenhalgh 300-195, and the
    PT's nightmare was realized.  This is the first time that
    the largest party has not held the Speakership.  Worse, the
    domino effect of the selection system left the PT
    completely shut out of the Chamber's seven leadership posts.
    After Cavalcanti, the Chamber's First Vice President will
    be Inocencio Oliveira (PMDB-Pernambuco).  Thus, the PT will
    have to find ways to exercise influence at the committee
    chair level, where it will be well represented.

    THE AUTOPSY -- THE PT POINTS FINGERS
    ------------------------------------
    ¶6. (SBU) The PT has only itself to blame.  Guimaraes'
    insistence on challenging the official PT candidate broke
    the discipline of the Rule of Proportionality and allowed
    even parties within the PT's coalition to vote at will.
    Guimaraes is likely to be punished for inflicting this mess
    on his party and President Lula, and there is clearly
    sentiment for a severe sanction among PT members with whom
    we spoke.  Some also note that the PT's defeat is based in
    a long-running debate that clogged Congress for much of
    2004 --an attempt to allow reelection of the Chamber
    Speaker and Senate President-- that short-circuited the
    PT's internal debate over who would be its nominee for
    Speaker.

    NEW SENATE PRESIDENT IS RENAN CALHEIROS
    ---------------------------------------
    ¶7. (SBU) In the Senate, the voting was much smoother.  The
    PMDB is the Senate's largest party, and Renan Calheiros of
    the PMDB's pro-Lula wing was unopposed in his bid for the
    Senate Presidency.  Calheiros, from Alagoas state, is
    generally well-regarded but lacks the well-honed political
    skills of his predecessor, Senator Jose Sarney.

    CABINET SHUFFLE HANGING FIRE
    ----------------------------
    ¶8. (SBU)  President Lula planned to shuffle his cabinet
    ministers last month in a way that would reward loyal
    coalition parties with a greater cabinet presence.  He held
    off to see how the parties supported the PT's candidate for
    Speaker.  With the confusion surrounding Cavalcanti's
    selection, the calculus of the cabinet shuffle has changed,
    meaning Lula is likely to wait a bit longer before making
    any moves.

    COMMENT - WHAT THIS MEANS FOR LULA'S AGENDA
    -------------------------------------------
    ¶9. (SBU)  The Speaker controls the Chamber's agenda,
    decides which bills come to a vote, resolves procedural
    disputes, and --after the Vice President-- is the second in
    line to replace the President.  Joao Paulo, PT Mayor of
    Recife, the capital of Cavalcanti's home state of
    Pernambuco, did not mince words.  Hours after the Chamber
    vote, he slumped in his chair and told us that Cavalcanti's
    selection was "the worst defeat yet for this government".
    Joao Paulo said he has never trusted Cavalcanti going back
    to when they served together in the state assembly.  He
    observed that "now every bill that Lula sends to Congress
    will require negotiations and compromises".  Luciana Santos,
    Mayor of the nearby city of Olinda, commented that
    Cavalcanti "has no ideology and no projects" --a
    "physiologist" in the Brazilian lexicon.  She noted that
    Cavalcanti is derisively called the "leader of the
    Congressional union" because his biggest issue is to raise
    pay for congressmen.

    ¶10. (SBU) Cavalcanti may rise to the occasion and prove
    himself a skilled leader and statesman.  Deputy Roberto
    Jefferson, President of the coalition's PTB party noted,
    "Severino isn't in the opposition.  He belongs to the
    coalition.  There's no crisis at all.  He'll work with
    coalition party leaders and administration officials."  In
    his acceptance speech, Cavalcanti himself said, "There is
    no way that I'm looking to create obstacles" for Lula.  Yet
    not many in Lula's coalition are optimistic today.  The
    administration has struggled mightily over the past two
    years to pass its extensive legislative agenda, suffering
    some black eyes and often making unwelcome compromises on
    the substance of bills.  The early assessment is that
    Cavalcanti's election as Speaker of the Chamber will only
    complicate Lula's efforts over the next two years.

    ¶11. (U) AMCONSUL Recife assisted in this report.

    DANILOVICH

`