ANTI-SEMITIC TRACTS IN INTERIOR MINISTRY OFFICES

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001781 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2014 TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI VE SUBJECT: ANTI-SEMITIC TRACTS IN INTERIOR MINISTRY OFFICES CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION ABELARDO A. ARIAS FOR REA SONS 1.4 (D) ¶1. (U) VISITING AN OFFICE IN THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR AND JUSTICE (MIJ) ON APRIL 29, POLOFF FOUND A LARGE STACK OF PRO-CHAVEZ RELIGIOUS TRACTS IN THE WAITING AREA. THE COLOR-PRINTED LEAFLETS, CONTAINED APOCALYPTIC ANTI-SEMITIC AND ANTI-AMERICAN LANGUAGE AND THREATS. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAPER, DATED FEBRUARY 13, IS AN EXPLANATION THAT THE PASSAGE WAS FOUND ON THE INTERNET. ITS SPONSORS ARE A GROUP OF OBSCURE, APPARENTLY PRO-CHAVEZ, GROUPS. ¶2. (U) THE LEAFLET SAYS "THE SLAUGHTER OF JUSTICE BEGINS IN THE SYNAGOGUE OF CARACAS... THE SYNAGOGUE OF CARACAS THAT MURDERED THE FIRST INNOCENT IN THE STREETS OF THE CITY." WITH REFERENCES TO A COUP, IT ALLUDES TO THE U.S. ALLEGEDLY WANTING "BLOOD, NATIONAL REBELLION, DEATH OF THE MOST INNOCENT, INCLUDING THE BEST OF THE COUNTRY AND ITS PRESIDENT." WASHINGTON, ACCORDING TO THE LEAFLET, IS WHERE THE THRONE OF THE BEAST IS LOCATED. ¶3. (U) IT CALLS THE RABBI OF CARACAS "THE BIGGEST ENEMY OF BOLIVAR," AND MENTIONS THE SONS OF SATAN, WHO EXPRESSED JOY AT THE ZIONIST COUP AGAINST VENEZUELA, "WHEN THAT BLACK NIGHT THE DARK WORLD OF THE "COORDINATOR" OF VENEZUELA WAS A CONSPIRING PRIEST AND TENTACLE OF THE DRAGON." THE DEATH OF THE SONS OF SATAN WILL NOT CEASE UNTIL "THE DEATH OF THE RABBI OF THE COUP ... THE BEAST AND HIS CONSPIRACY AGAINST VENEZUELA IS REVEALED AND BOLIVAR ARISES." THE LEAFLET THEN MAKES REFERENCE TO PLAN COLOMBIA, AND THE "MURDEROUS CIA." ALL WILL PAY WITH DEATH, THE TEXT CONTINUES, "ALSO THOSE OF THE "COORDINADORA"." ¶4. (U) THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF JUSTICE AND RELIGION TOLD POLOFF MAY 4 THAT HIS OFFICE RECEIVES NUMEROUS RELIGIOUS LEAFLETS, AND LEAVES THEM IN RECEPTION FOR PEOPLE TO READ. HE DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTENT OF THIS LEAFLET, THOUGH HE OFFERED TO DISCUSS IT WITH POLOFF IN THE FUTURE. -------------- PREVIOUS INCIDENTS -------------- ¶5. (U) IN JANUARY 2004 THE EMBASSY RECEIVED AN E-MAIL WHICH CONTAINED THE MESSAGE "CAREFUL YOU COULD DIE ON LEAVING YOUR DOOR. IF YOU ARE NORTH AMERICAN OR JEWISH YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN ARE IN DANGER IN VENEZUELA." IT CONTAINED PHOTOS OF DEAD CHILDREN, AND LINKED TO A NOW INACTIVE WEB SITE OF THE "GUAICAPURO NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT". ¶6. (U) IN APRIL 2004 THE OFFICE OF VICE PRESIDENT JUAN VICENTE RANGEL RELEASED A PRESS STATEMENT REFERRING TO THE OWNERS OF A BUSINESS INVOLVED IN A LABOR DISPUTE AS BEING "OF JEWISH NATIONALITY." -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) WE WERE SURPRISED TO FIND THESE LEAFLETS OPENLY IN A GOVERNMENT OFFICE. THE TEXT, ANGRY IN TONE, STEEPED IN BIBLICAL REFERENCES, AND STRONGLY ANTI-SEMITIC, DID NOT FAIL TO JAB AT THE U.S. THOUGH MORE RADICAL, THE LEAFLET'S MESSAGE FITS WITH PRESIDENT CHAVEZ'S USAGE OF BIBLICAL IMAGERY, SUCH AS THE EARLY REFERENCE TO PRIVATE MEDIA AS THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE. SHAPIRO NNNN 2004CARACA01781 - CONFIDENTIAL