ARDENT PRO-CHAVEZ DAILY GIVES GUARDED WELCOME AND

UNCLAS CARACAS 003156 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/PDA CONNERS/ADAMS/BANKS/PROCTOR, WHA/PPC GALLEGOS/ZIMMERMAN, WHA/AND CUE/COLLINS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO PGOV OPRC PREL VE SUBJECT: ARDENT PRO-CHAVEZ DAILY GIVES GUARDED WELCOME AND WARNING TO AMBASSADOR BROWNFIELD -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. The regular "Stumbling Block" column published under the pseudonym "Marciano" in the very pro-Chavez daily DIARIO VEA, offered both a guarded welcome and a warning to Ambassador Brownfield. "Martian" noted that Ambassador Brownfield seemed to be bringing a new approach based on mutual respect. He warned the Ambassador not to try to interfere in Venezuela's internal affairs. It is widely believed that "Marciano" is actually Venezuela's Vice- President, Jose Vincente Rangel. END SUMMARY. -------------- HEADLINE AND FULL TEXT -------------- ¶2. DIARIO VEA (pro-government, circ. 25,000) 10/08 Stumbling Block column headline: "Shapiro's Successor" Full text: "The new U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela is William Brownfield. He's a Foreign Service official; that is, a professional. He's coming from Chile, where he was carefully watched: too friendly say some, but restless. He's loquacious and forward. His wife is also the U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador. It is a family of diplomats. Brownfield was in Central America and also, some years ago, in Venezuela as a consul in Maracaibo. In other words, he knows the country. "What is, for now, the main thing about Brownfield? The instructions he brings from his government and the fact that he is Shapiro's successor. Let's see: a) As for the instructions, he gave a signal when he submitted copies of the letters of credence to Foreign Affairs Minister Prez: "We are ready, willing, prepared and eager to explore the possibility of improving the bilateral relations between our two countries and also to collaborate on regional affairs," (our cannibalistic opposition cannot be happy with this statement). Starting off with this statement is not bad and we have to bet on his good faith. Venezuela-United States relations got complicated as a result of Washington's interfering in Venezuela's domestic affairs and because of the way the U.S. Embassy worked together with the Venezuelan opposition in sinister events such as the coup d'tat on April 11 and the oil strike and sabotage in 2002. The government of the United States provoked the conflict, not the government of Venezuela. Therefore, if the new ambassador brings another approach, that of respect for national sovereignty, there won't be any trouble because everything can be dealt with based on that recognition. b) Succeeding Shapiro is a challenge: he was a most imprudent and undiplomatic human being. If Brownfield doesn't want problems he must behave differently than his predecessor - more discretion and less meddling; relations with all the sectors of society and not with one in particular; Chavista and anti-Chavista; government and opposition; not to succumb to the lure of the East of Caracas and to keep in mind that Caracas also has other places where human beings live and a number of people that believe in the Venezuelan government and support President Chvez. "Welcome or Unwelcome: "This columnist, who has many reservations about the Bush administration's foreign policy towards the region - and particularly towards Venezuela - and about the performance of ambassadors from that nation, leaves the door open to judging Brownfield's management, which will not be working within the parameters of other previous ambassador, and with the hope that the U.S. administration will look at the case of Venezuela with a different criteria from the one it has used up until now. Welcome, Mr. Brownfield! And I hope I won't have to say in the future, Unwelcome, Mr. Brownfield!" -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶5. `Marciano' is considered to be the pen name of Venezuela's Vice-President Rangel; the fact that he chose to address this issue probably reflects the Vice President's desire to comment on recent statements by Secretary Powell, A/S Noriega and the Ambassador. The general line in VEA is stridently anti-USG. Marciano's message shows some restrain, but remains firm in the GoV's stated principles End Comment. Brownfield NNNN 2004CARACA03156 - UNCLASSIFIED