AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH SUMATE LEADERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001993

SIPDIS


NSC FOR CBARTON
USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD
USAID DCHA/OTI FOR RPORTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2014
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM VE
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH SUMATE LEADERS


Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ABELARDO A. ARIAS FOR REASONS 1.4 (d
)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) SUMATE leaders Maria Corina Machado and Alejandro
Plaz were charged on June 10 and 11 respectively with
conspiracy to "destroy the republican form of government" for
accepting funds from the National Endowment for Democracy,
but have not been detained. Plaz and Machado told the
Ambassador and DCM June 8 that they feared they would be
charged with treason and conspiracy and jailed when they
appeared in court. Plaz asserted that the attempt to shut
down SUMATE by arresting Machado and himself would fail as
the organization is designed to operate in the face of
repression. Machado and Plaz asked the Ambassador's advice on
whether to go to jail, go into hiding, or seek asylum. The
Ambassador discussed the options but declined to give
specific advice on this issue, and talked about the best way
the organization could go about informing the international
community about their case. End Summary.


2. (U) SUMATE leader Maria Corina Machado was charged with
conspiracy to destroy the republican form of government by a
prosecutor June 10. Alejandro Plaz was similarly charged on
June 11. The charges stem from funds the group SUMATE
received from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) for
voter education. Charges of treason were not filed against
either, despite earlier indications. Neither had been taken
into custody as of June 15.

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SUMATE Leaders Expected to be Arrested
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3. (C) The Ambassador, DCM and PolOff (notetaker) met with
Machado and Plaz June 8. Plaz reported that the only evidence
in the prosecutor's file is the contract with NED, and a
public accusation by President Chavez made on television
February 15, 2004. Machado and Plaz told the Ambassador that
they expected to be charged and perhaps arrested.


4. (C) Plaz told the Ambassador that the GOV would fail to
shut SUMATE down. He explained that the organization drills
for scenarios where offices are seized and leaders arrested.
Machado pointed out that the GOV could not arrest 30,000
people. She feared, however, that the case against them would
effect operational efficiency, and intimidate people. Machado
pointed out that the GOV claim that NED funded treasonous
activities in Venezuela implicates the USG as well.

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Ask Ambassador's Advice
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5. (C) Machado told the Ambassador they were considering
whether to accept imprisonment, go into hiding, or ask for
asylum. Machado and Plaz reported that the situation was
placing great strain on their families. Machado asked the
Ambassador and DCM for their counsel. Though declining to
give specific advice, the Ambassador noted that while going
to prison would create an international scandal, the best
Venezuelan prison is a nightmare and one could not in good
conscience recommend that anyone go to prison. The DCM
observed that politically the two would probably be of most
value in prison, followed by exile, and then in hiding.


6. (C) Asked who he would recommend they talk to in the
international community to bring attention to their case, the
Ambassador recommended they speak with Amnesty International,
the US Congress, and Moises Naim. He further suggested that
they try to get in touch with representatives of the GOV's
lobbyists in the US, Patton and Boggs, to try to get them to
advise the GOV against pursuing the case. The DCM suggested
talking to European Union missions.


7. (C) In a subsequent conversation the Canadian Ambassador
told Ambassador Shapiro that he would gladly recommend both
Plaz and Machado and their families for refugee status in
Canada.

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Comment
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8. (C) The case against SUMATE is purely political, as
President Carter observed during the reparo process. It is
designed to intimidate the most technically effective group
in the opposition. SUMATE's talented and dedicated volunteers
were critical to the success of the signature drive. If the
GOV were able to knock SUMATE out of commission by taking out
the leadership, which is unlikely, as Machado and Plaz note,
it would be a major blow to the opposition, and the recall
effort. Machado and Plaz have handled the case intelligently,
denying the courts a pretext to jail them. Machado and Plaz
may still be arrested in the future, perhaps closer to the
referendum, to confuse the opposition. A strong and immediate
international reaction will be necessary to hold the GOV to
democratic norms should this occur.
SHAPIRO


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2004CARACA01993 - CONFIDENTIAL