VENEZUELA AND PARAGUAY: ANTI-U.S. BOLIVARIAN EVENT

UNCLAS ASUNCION 000541 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE PASS TO USAID LAC/AA NSC FOR KIM BREIER SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD DAN JOHNSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR VE PA SUBJECT: VENEZUELA AND PARAGUAY: ANTI-U.S. BOLIVARIAN EVENT DRAWS SMALL CROWD, SUPPORT OF MAYORAL ASPIRANT REF: A. ASUNCION 00487 ¶B. STATE 43965 ¶1. (U) On April 19, PolOff and EconOff attended a public panel discussion of the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela, organized by the local Paraguayan-Venezuelan cultural association. The panel comprised two Venezuelans and a member of Paraguay's Chamber of Deputies, Rafael Filizzola of the social-democrat oriented Pais Solidario (Country in Solidarity) party. Filizzola aspires to be Mayor of Asuncion in 2006. All three speakers used the event to criticize the U.S. The event was also attended by Senador Domingo Laino, who is a member of the leftist wing of the Liberal party and a harsh critic of the U.S., and two members of the Paraguayan Communist party. ¶2. (U) The two Venezuelan speakers, Dr. Gabriela Moran and Ligia Prieto de Centurion, delivered lengthy expositions on what they described as the unjust and imperialist exploitation of Latin America by European powers in colonial times and by the U.S. and other wealthy, powerful countries in modern times. Moran also accused the U.S. of financing the April 2002 coup attempt in Venezuela, displaying a document that purportedly showed that the U.S. funneled USD 20 million to anti-Chavez leaders, demonstrators, and media outlets through USAID development programs and the like. ¶3. (U) Filizzola expressed support for the Bolivarian Revolution as an alternative to the policies of wealthy, powerful -- and he added "prepotente" (overbearing or arrogant) -- countries and the IFIs. He pointed to Lula, Kirchner, and Vazquez's electoral victories as "encouraging" signs for the region, and praised Chavez's proposals for a regional news channel and a regional development bank as ways to "break the imperialist bonds." He also criticized the GOP for maintaining diplomatic relations with Taiwan, rather than with mainland China, since, in his opinion, Paraguay "has much more to learn from (the latter's) economic model." ¶4. (SBU) Comment: As attendance was light (roughly 30 people) and there was no press coverage of the discussion, it is unlikely that the event will have any impact. Filizzola is a smart, savvy young politician who likely has a long political career ahead of him, despite his party's limited following outside Asuncion. In prior meetings with EmbOffs, Filizzola was more guarded, and therefore seemed less hostile to U.S. policy. His commentary during the panel discussion was consistent with positions espoused by other members of Pais Solidario, and probably more accurately reflects his true colors. The party's founder and leader is Senator Carlos Filizzola, Rafael's cousin. KEANE