FIRST VENEZUELAN NATIONAL FORUM ON HUMAN RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 001474

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2014
TAGS: PGOV PHUM VE
SUBJECT: FIRST VENEZUELAN NATIONAL FORUM ON HUMAN RIGHTS


CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ABELARDO A. ARIAS FOR REASONS 1.4 (D
)

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SUMMARY
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1. (U) AT A HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM ORGANIZED BY THE MINISTRY OF
INTERIOR AND JUSTICE (MIJ) GOV SPEAKERS DISMISSED ALLEGATIONS
OF VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE DISTURBANCES FROM
FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 5. SENIOR MIJ OFFICIALS CONTENDED THAT
HUMAN RIGHTS ARE MULTIFACETED, AND THE GOV IS ADVANCING
SOCIO-ECONOMIC RIGHTS; SECURITY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT HUMAN
RIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE; THE DEMONSTRATORS VIOLATED THE PUBLIC'S
RIGHT TO TRANSPORTATION, AND WORK. PRESIDENT CHAVEZ TOLD THE
AUDIENCE THAT THE GOV'S SOCIAL MISSIONS (EDUCATION, HEALTH
CARE) "HAVE OPENED A NEW HORIZON FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, RECOGNIZED
NOW BY THE WORLD." END SUMMARY.


2. (U) THE MIJ DIRECTORATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZED THE
"FIRST NATIONAL FORUM ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE BOLIVARIAN
CONSTITUTION OF VENEZUELA OF 1999" ON APRIL 27 AND 28.
POLOFF ATTENDED SOME OF THE PROCEEDINGS. SPEAKERS INCLUDED
THE ENTIRE LEADERSHIP OF THE MIJ, ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES
OF OTHER GOV ORGANISMS WITH HUMAN RIGHTS PORTFOLIOS,
INCLUDING THE ARMED FORCES AND THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. A
NUMBER OF SPEAKERS FROM GOV SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND
MISSIONS SPOKE ABOUT ECONOMIC HUMAN RIGHTS. PLANNING FOR THE
FORUM BEGAN IN JANUARY, ACCORDING TO MIJ DG OF HUMAN RIGHTS
MAYERLING ROJAS VILLASMIL, BEFORE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN
RIGHTS BY STATE SECURITY FORCES IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH.

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INTERIOR MINISTER LUCAS RINCON
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3. (C) MINISTER OF INTERIOR AND JUSTICE LUCAS RINCON OPENED
THE FORUM WITH AN AGGRESSIVELY DEFENSIVE SPEECH, CALLING THE
BOLIVARIAN CONSTITUTION "ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED IN THE
WORLD WITH REGARD TO HUMAN RIGHTS." HE ACCUSED THE
OPPOSITION OF USING HUMAN RIGHTS TO DAMAGE THE REPUTATION OF
THE GOV INTERNATIONALLY. WHILE ADMITTING THAT THE AMBITIOUS
GOALS OF THE CONSTITUTION HAVE NOT YET BEEN FULFILLED, HE
ASSURED THE AUDIENCE THAT "THE BOLIVARIAN REVOLUTION IS
WORKING ARDUOUSLY TO ALLOW THE PEOPLE TO ENJOY THE ELEMENTAL
RIGHTS SUCH AS LIFE, HEALTH, EDUCATION AND FREEDOM OF
EXPRESSION, WHICH HAVE BEEN CASTRATED FOR ALL THESE YEARS..."
RINCON ATTACKED THE "HYPOCRISY" OF OPPOSITION COMPLAINTS,
AND PRAISED GOV STEPS TO PROVIDE SOCIO-POLITICAL RIGHTS TO
THE PEOPLE.

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DIRECTOR GENERAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS
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4. (U) IN HER SPEECH, MAYERLING ROJAS VILLASMIL, DIRECTOR
GENERAL OF THE MIJ FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TRIED TO RECAPTURE THE
MORAL HIGH GROUND BY DENOUNCING THE OPPOSITION AS HYPOCRITES
FOR COMPLAINING ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES, AFTER YEARS OF
HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES UNDER THE AD AND COPEI GOVERNMENTS. SHE
ADMITTED THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS, AND CALLED FOR
INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR TRAINING PROGRAMS. SHE CLAIMED
THAT NOW WAS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THAT THE GOV WAS
PUBLICLY TALKING ABOUT IMPROVING HUMAN RIGHTS. SHE SAID HER
OFFICE HAD BEEN PLANNING THE EVENT FOR FOUR MONTHS,
INDICATING THE EVENTS OF FEBRUARY AND MARCH WERE
INCONVENIENTLY RAISING BRUTALITY ISSUES IN A FORUM DESIGNED
TO SHOW OFF SOCIAL PROGRESS.

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VICE MINISTER CARLOS BETTIOL
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5. (U) VICE MINISTER FOR INTERNAL RELATIONS AND CITIZEN
SECURITY, CARLOS BETTIOL PRAISED THE GOV FOR ITS
MULTI-FACETED VIEW OF HUMAN RIGHTS, AND THE ADVANCED NATURE
OF THE BOLIVARIAN CONSTITUTION. HE ATTACKED THE OPPOSITION
AND INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS FOR QUESTIONING THE GOV'S
DEDICATION TO HUMAN RIGHTS, AND CHARGED THAT THE MEDIA AND
OPPOSITION ALSO VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS. WHILE ADMITTING THAT
THE STATE HAD GREATER RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROTECTION OF
HUMAN RIGHTS, HE EMPHASIZED THE PROTECTION OF COLLECTIVE, AND
NOT INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS.


6. (U) BETTIOL TOLD THE AUDIENCE THAT WITHOUT SECURITY NO

CARACAS 00001474 002 OF 002

LIES ACCUSATIONS
AGAINST VENEZUELAN SECURITY FORCES, DEFENDED THEIR ACTIONS,
AND ACCUSED THE MEDIA OF EXAGGERATING ISOLATED INCIDENTS. HE
SAID CLAIMS OF TORTURES AND DISAPPEARANCES ARE ALL LIES.
BETTIOL ALSO ASSERTED THAT THE DEMONSTRATORS FAILED IN THEIR
OBLIGATIONS AS CITIZENS BY VIOLATING OTHER PEOPLE'S RIGHTS TO
TRANSPORTATION AND WORK BY BLOCKING STREETS IN THE
DISTURBANCES FROM FEB. 27 TO MARCH 5.

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PRESIDENT CHAVEZ CLOSES
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7. (U) PRESIDENT CHAVEZ CLOSED THE EVENT ON APRIL 28, AGAIN
PRAISING THE ADVANCED NATURE OF THE CONSTITUTION. HE POINTED
OUT THAT DESPITE "EVERYTHING THAT HAS OCCURRED HERE: COUP
D'ETAT, THREATS TO SECURITY, TO SOVEREIGNTY AND DEFENSE, THIS
GOVERNMENT... HAS NOT SUSPENDED EVEN ONE CONSTITUTIONAL
GUARANTEE." HE CLAIMED THAT THE SOCIAL MISSIONS THE GOV HAS
INITIATED "HAVE OPENED A NEW HORIZON FOR HUMAN RIGHTS,
RECOGNIZED NOW BY THE WORLD."

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COMMENT
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8. (C) IN THIS CONFERENCE, THE GOV ESTABLISHED ITS VISION
AND DEFINITION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE
SPEAKERS INDICATE THAT THE ORIGINAL INTENTION WAS TO
HIGHLIGHT ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GOV'S EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE
MISSIONS. OFFICIALS REPEATEDLY REFERRED TO THE BOLIVARIAN
CONSTITUTION AS THE BASIS BY WHICH THE GOV WILL MEASURE
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, THOUGH THEY DID NOT NEGLECT TO NOTE
THEY WOULD ADHERE TO INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED STANDARDS.
SIGNIFICANTLY, THEY RAISED COLLECTIVE RIGHTS ABOVE INDIVIDUAL
RIGHTS, BLAMED THE VICTIMS OF ALLEGED HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
BY STATE SECURITY AGENTS FOR VIOLATING THE RIGHTS OF THE
GENERAL PUBLIC, AND ELEVATED SECURITY ABOVE OTHER RIGHTS.
THIS WAS A TIP OF THE HAT TOWARD HUMAN RIGHTS -- A GESTURE --
AND CONTRASTS STARKLY WITH THE GOV'S PERFORMANCE. THE
ABSENCE OF ANY SIGNS OF REMORSE OR RECONSIDERATION, DESPITE
INTERNATIONAL CONCERN REGARDING THE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS THAT
OCCURRED FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 5, SENDS THE MESSAGE TO THE
OPPOSITION THAT THE GOV IS PREPARED TO DEFEND ITSELF BY ANY
MEANS NECESSARY.
SHAPIRO

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2004CARACA01474 - CONFIDENTIAL