OFFER OF ASSISTANCE WITH POLITICAL RECONCILIATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 002904

SIPDIS

CARACAS FOR AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD
STATE FOR WHA DAS CHARLES SHAPIRO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL AR VZ
SUBJECT: OFFER OF ASSISTANCE WITH POLITICAL RECONCILIATION
IN VENEZUELA

REF: BUENOS AIRES 02866

Classified By: Ambassador Lino Gutierrez for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) On October 13th, Ambassador accompanied by POLCOUNS
and POLOFF met with leading Argentine pollster Graciela
Romer. She has long been a helpful contact of the Embassy.
(SEE REFTEL) Romer is active in opinion polling and
political consulting in many parts of Latin America, and has
completed several recent studies for the National Democratic
Institute (NDI) in Venezuela. Graciela Romer told Ambassador
she would like to offer her services to Embassy Caracas
and/or WHA to help facilitate the political reconciliation
between the Venezuelan opposition and the GOV.


2. (C) With the recall referendum decided, Romer argued
that the focus needs to be on political reconciliation and
governability and would like to use her firm to help this
process. In her view, the Carter Center and the OAS have
been discredited in the eyes of the opposition, and so are
unable to perform the role of mediator. She felt that other
groups, such as the United Nations Development Program
(UNDP),and private organizations, such as her firm, would be
better equipped to initiate dialogue between the Venezuelan
opposition and the more moderate elements associated with
President Chavez. Romer mentioned that she has contacts
within both the opposition and the government, and also
relayed her impressions of her recent meeting with President
Chavez.


GUTIERREZ