GOV NABS BARUTA MUNICIPALITY MAYOR HENRIQUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001658 SIPDIS NSC FOR CBARTON USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD USAID DCHA/OTI FOR RPORTER E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2013 TAGS: PHUM PGOV VE SUBJECT: GOV NABS BARUTA MUNICIPALITY MAYOR HENRIQUE CAPRILES RADONSKY REF: CARACAS 0950 CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ABELARDO A. ARIAS FOR REASONS 1.4 (B ) AND (D) ¶1. (U) BARUTA MUNICIPALITY MAYOR HENRIQUE CAPRILES RADONSKY (PRIMERO JUSTICIA) PRESENTED HIMSELF BEFORE A CARACAS COURT MAY 11 TO FACE CHARGES REGARDING HIS ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN A VIOLENT PROTEST OUTSIDE THE CUBAN EMBASSY ON APRIL 12, 2002 (REF). DURING THE HEARING, PROSECUTOR DANILO ANDERSON REQUESTED THAT CAPRILES BE REMANDED TO CUSTODY BECAUSE THE MAYOR WAS A FLIGHT RISK, WHEREUPON DISIP (POLITICAL POLICE) OFFICERS TOOK CAPRILES INTO CUSTODY. ANDERSON NOW HAS UP TO 45 DAYS TO PRESENT FORMAL CHARGES AGAINST THE MAYOR. CAPRILES WILL REMAIN IN DISIP CUSTODY DURING THAT TIME, ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS. ¶2. (C) CAPRILES WENT INTO HIDING WHEN THE FIRST DETENTION ORDER FOR HIM WAS ISSUED MARCH 16 AND REEMERGED AFTER THE SUPREME COURT (TSJ) STRUCK IT DOWN APRIL 1. CAPRILES TOLD THE AMBASSADOR APRIL 22 THAT HE EXPECTED THE CASE TO RESUME UNDER A NEW JUDGE MAY 11. CAPRILES' ATTORNEY FILED A REQUEST TO BEGIN AN INVESTIGATION OF ANDERSON FOR HAVING DISOBEYED THE TSJ DECISION, ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS. ¶3. (U) SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER CAPRILES' DETENTION MAY 11, PRIMERO JUSTICIA DEPUTIES JULIO BORGES, LILIANA HERNANDEZ, AND GERARDO BLYDE CONDEMNED THE ACTION AND VOWED THAT THE MAYOR WOULD BE EXONERATED AND FREED. "IT'S A POLITICAL DECISION FROM A POLITICAL JUDGE AND PROSECUTOR THAT HAVE USED THE VENEZUELAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM AS A MECHANISM FOR POLITICAL REPRESSION, AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE IN A DEMOCRATIC STATE," BLYDE SAID. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) GOV ACTIONS AGAINST CAPRILES SHOW EVERY SIGN OF BEING POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. A POPULAR POLITICIAN AND A DETERMINED ANTI-CHAVISTA, CAPRILES IS A SIGNIFICANT TARGET FOR CHAVEZ SUPPORTERS AS THEY STRIVE TO MAKE INROADS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE CAPITAL. NOTWITHSTANDING THAT THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE BARUTA MAYOR TRULY WORKED TO CALM THE SITUATION AT THE CUBAN EMBASSY IN APRIL 2002, THE GOV IS INTENT ON PRESSING THE CHARGES. SINCE THE FIRST DETENTION ORDER WAS ISSUED, PRIMERO JUSTICIA HAS BEEN AIRING TV SPOTS SHOWING THE MAYOR INTERVENING TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS, AND THE CUBAN AMBASSADOR LATER THANKING CAPRILES FOR HIS EFFORTS. IN THE MEANTIME, CAPRILES WILL REMAIN IN CUSTODY. WHILE THE COURTS MAY EVENTUALLY FREE CAPRILES, AT THIS POINT IT LOOKS LIKE HE IS A POLITICAL PRISONER. SHAPIRO NNNN 2004CARACA01658 - CONFIDENTIAL