Meeting with Alfredo Cesar, September 10, 1992

Item

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lead_404_028_all_tr.txt

Transcription (Scripto)

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Extent (Dublin Core)

2 Page

File Name (Dublin Core)

lead_404_028_all

Title (Dublin Core)

Meeting with Alfredo Cesar, September 10, 1992

Date (Dublin Core)

1992-09-10

Date Created (Dublin Core)

1992-09-10

Congress (Dublin Core)

102nd (1991-1993)

Policy Area (Curation)

International Affairs

Creator (Dublin Core)

Dole, Robert J., 1923-2021

Record Type (Dublin Core)

attendance lists

memorandums

Rights (Dublin Core)

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

Language (Dublin Core)

eng

Collection Finding Aid (Dublin Core)

https://dolearchivecollections.ku.edu/index.php?p=collections/findingaid&id=26&q=

Physical Location (Dublin Core)

Collection 007, Box 404, Folder 28

Institution (Dublin Core)

Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

Archival Collection (Dublin Core)

Robert J. Dole Republican Leadership Collection, 1985-1996

Full Text (Extract Text)

{page 1}
BOB DOLE
KANSAS
United States Senate
OFFICE OF THE REPUBLICAN LEADER
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-7020
4:45 Mtg w/ Alfredo Cesar
Dole
Durenberger
McCain
- Cesar
Sept 10, 1992

{page 2}
SENATOR: Re: your meeting with Alfredo CESAR, head of the Nicaraguan parliament, Thursday, September 10, 4:45 pm.
Invited are: HELMS {handwritten above: NO}, MCCAIN {handwritten above: NOT SURE}, MACK {handwritten above: YES}, DURENBERGER {handwritten above: YES} AND BROWN {handwritten above: NOT SURE}.
BACKGROUND. A former member of the Contra leadership, Cesar opted to return to Nicaragua before the war was over to carry on an open political struggle against the Sandinistas. As a result, he was well positioned after the ceasefire, and has ended up as head of the parliament.
He is a nominal supporter of the Chamorro Government, but has been increasingly critical of some of its policies, aiming most of his fire at Chamorro's "chief of staff" and son-in-law, Antonio Lacayo -- widely seen as the real power behind Chamorro's "throne" and as being "soft" on the Sandinistas (see below) .
"HOLD" ON AID. Nicaragua is in a mess, economically and politically. The economy remains close to "basket case" status - - and has been further devastated by the recent earthquake/tidal wave. Urgently needed US aid to the tune of $104 million is being held up -- originally at Helms insistence (you will recall Baker's earlier discussions with you on this), but the State Department is now on board, too. The reasons for the "hold:"
(1) Extensive Sandinista participation in the Chamorro Government (including Daniel Ortega's brother as Defense Minister, and a Sandinista in charge of the police).
(2) The failure of the Chamorro Government to provide compensation for confiscated American-owned property.
Negotiations on a compromise in Managua last week ended in stalemate -- Chamorro balked at accepting all of our demands.
CESAR VS. LACAYO. There is now more-or-less open political warfare between Cesar and Lacayo -- both of whom see themselves as Chamorro's successor. Cesar is here to test the depth of the disenchantment with Chamorro, to position himself as an alternative acceptable to Washington, and to criticize Lacayo.
You will recall meeting with Lacayo last year. You and other Senators had written him complaining about the hiring of a very leftist American lawyer named Paul Reichler, who advised and lobbied for the Sandinistas during the war, to lobby for Chamorro. During that visit, Lacayo promised to fire Reichler -- some conservatives charge that he has instead just covered up continuing payments to Reichler.
{signature of Al}
AL