LEAD EDITORIAL IN PRO-CHAVEZ DAILY ATTACKS `FRAUD'

UNCLAS CARACAS 003273

SIPDIS


STATE FOR WHA/PDA LEBENS/BANKS/PROCTOR, WHA/PPC GALLEGOS,
WHA/AND CUE/COLLINS, IIP/SC/IPI TLEVENTHAL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO PGOV OPRC PROP VE
SUBJECT: LEAD EDITORIAL IN PRO-CHAVEZ DAILY ATTACKS `FRAUD'
IN U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

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SUMMARY
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1. The lead editorial in the 10/22 edition of very pro-
Chavez daily DIARIO VEA, signed by editor Guillermo Garcia
Ponce, accused the followers of President Bush of having
committed massive voter fraud in Florida in 2000. It says
that the close 2004 race is raising fears that the Bush
campaign will do it again. END SUMMARY.

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HEADLINE AND FULL TEXT
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2. DIARIO VEA (pro-government, circ. 25,000)
10/22 lead editorial headline: "The Robbery of the Century"

Selected Quotes: "George Bush's fall in the opinion
polls.has created a fear among many American that the
rightist-fundamentalists will put into effect new
machinations in order to repeat the election fraud of
November 7, 2000. That was no fraud but rather a scandalous
robbery. Bush's friends paid to have all voters `suspected'
of having a criminal record scrubbed from the voter list in
Florida. At one stroke George Bush's brother, Jeb Bush, the
governor of Florida, eliminated thousands of Democratic
Party voters, 173,000 to be exact. Among these were those
who had already completed their sentences or who had
committed crimes such as illegal parking or marijuana
possession.
"Al Gore, the Democratic candidate, lost his advantage due
to the cheating and falsifications carried out by George W.
Bush.. Significant bribes financed by large corporations
cleared the way for the occupation of the White House by the
interests of the American ultra-right and their policy of
`permanent war.'

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COMMENT
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5. The Chavez administration and the Chavistas have been
stung by the continuous opposition claims of fraud in the
August 15 referendum and the opposition's belief that the
October 31 regional elections will be marred by fraud. This
editorial is making the concealed point that the United
States is in no position to judge voter fraud in Venezuela.
In his most recent "Alo Presidente" TV program, Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez said "the people of the United States
will decide [the presidential elections], at least I hope
that it will be the people of the United States that
decide." End Comment.


Brownfield


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2004CARACA03273 - UNCLASSIFIED