ARGENTINE AUTHORITIES SEEK TO DOWNPLAY CHAVEZ VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BUENOS AIRES 000260 SIPDIS WHA FOR A/S NORIEGA AND PDAS DERHAM USCINCSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL AR VE SUBJECT: ARGENTINE AUTHORITIES SEEK TO DOWNPLAY CHAVEZ VISIT REF: A. SAO PAULO 00121 ¶B. BUENOS AIRES 3357 Classified By: Ambassador Lino Gutierrez for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in Buenos Aires on February 1 for a whirlwind "working visit" following his appearance at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil last week (Ref A). Employing the same antics he had performed last week in Brazil, Chavez used his visit to Buenos Aires as a platform to reiterate his anti-American, anti-free trade and anti-globalization message in long-winded, impromptu narratives. Media coverage of the visit was mixed and the GOA was clearly less than pleased with Chavez's rhetoric and avoided holding a joint press conference. The Ambassador will reiterate U.S. concerns regarding Venezuela with Kirchner's Chief of Cabinet, Alberto Fernandez, at a lunch on Friday, February 4. Embassy report on the economic substance of the visit is contained in septel. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Upon arriving in Buenos Aires, Chavez was met at the airport by droves of "piqueteros" and activists, led by the group Barrios del Pie, who followed him relentlessly throughout the day. Chavez warmly received his supporters and even declared himself one of them. The crowds followed Chavez from the opening ceremony for the first Petrosur service station, a jointly-established state Venezuelan/Argentine service station, to the port to witness the first food-for-oil cattle shipment. Following a speech at the Petrosur gas station Chavez spent nearly 20 minutes signing autographs, T-shirts and posters. ¶3. (U) Chavez played to the cameras at every opportunity, repeating his commitment to cementing strategic South American political alliances and denouncing the U.S. free-trade initiatives and the IMF. Apart from his usual anti-US, anti-globalization rhetoric, Chavez also highlighted his speeches with references to "his general," referring to Juan Domingo Peron, and claimed to "feel" Evita's presence. Referring to Kirchner, Chavez called him part of "his gang," emphasizing their shared problems, visions and futures. The press noted that during his official press conference, Chavez took 90 minutes to answer four questions. Similarly, Chavez improvised for over 40 minutes at the Casa Rosada after �00A;discarding his prepared speech in an effort to "save time." ¶4. (U) While generally portraying the visit as a meeting of friends, coverage of the Chavez visit has been mixed. The leading Buenos Aires newspaper, La Nacion, published a critical commentary on February 3 analyzing Chavez's calls for regional integration and strategic alliances. The editorial stated that while regional integration is a worthy task in Latin America, it cannot come at any cost. Regional integration should focus on the promotion of fundamental liberties, democracy and human dignity and points out that the anti-democratic tendencies of the increasingly authoritarian Chavez administration are not the ideal role model. It calls into question the legitimacy of the new jointly-run state oil company and suggests that regional integration should be undertaken through the development of the private sector. The article further criticizes Chavez's current land expropriation project and cites it as a clear example of why Argentina must be wary of deepening ties with Venezuela. While Chavez has visited Kirchner in Buenos Aires five times, this most recent visit is the first to generate notably negative reactions in the press. ¶5. (C) Comment: Several local analysts have pointed out the less than opportune timing of Chavez's arrival, with Argentina in the midst of its debt restructuring road show and in need of support from the U.S. Kirchner's quiet responses to Chavez's riling speeches visibly reflected the discomfort the GOA felt with the Venezuelan leader's presence. Under Secretary for Foreign Policy Roberto Garcia Moritan told Embassy officer that even the muted press coverage did not accurately reflect the tone of the visit. MFA officials went to considerable lengths before and after the visit to emphasize the strictly commercial nature of the visit. Garcia Moritan pointed out that the GOA had been careful to avoid connecting itself with Chavez's more flagrant comments and for that reason Kirchner did not accompany Chavez on the majority of his public appearances nor hold a joint press conference at the end of the visit. He said the GOA had told Chavez prior to his arrival not use his visit as a platform for anti-American comments, and that, when he did, they told him the GOA was not happy with what he had done. Despite the GOA's frustration with Chavez's behavior, Garcia Moritan said the GOA prefers to pursue a strategy of constructive engagement rather than isolating Chavez, which the GOA believes would only aggravate the situation. ¶6. (C) Garcia Moritan noted another factor influencing the position of the GOA is the Argentine dependence on Venezuelan fuel oil, which they receive through a trade agreement at preferential prices. (Note: Following the trade agreement signed by Chavez and Kirchner in April of 2004, both governments touted the importance of bilateral trade. In reality, however, economic ties are limited. Even following the purchase of Venezuelan fuel oil in 2004, it remained in 53rd place as a source of Argentine imports; Argentina comprised a mere .05 percent of Venezuela's exports in 2003, Ref B.) ¶7. (C) Ambassador Gutierrez has a lunch scheduled with Kirchner's Chief of Cabinet, Alberto Fernandez, on February 4, at which he will again underscore our concerns about developments in Venezuela. ¶8. (U) The reftels cited in this cable, and other Embassy Buenos Aires reporting, can be found at our classified SIPRNET site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires.< /a> GUTIERREZ