CHAVEZ'S BRIEF CHARM OFFENSIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001485 SIPDIS NSC FOR CBARTON USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2014 TAGS: PREL VE SUBJECT: CHAVEZ'S BRIEF CHARM OFFENSIVE Classified By: Eric Geelan, Acting Political Counselor, for Reason 1.4(d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez speaking May 4 and Vice-President Jose Vincente Rangel speaking May 2 each made statements calling for a "constructive" relationship with the U.S. Rangel spoke in response to Brazilian President Luiz Lula de Silva's April 29 call for better U.S.-Venezuelan relations, and Chavez responded to Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega's comments concerning Venezuela at the 35th conference of the Council of the Americas. However, Chavez's and Rangel's remarks this week concerning the U.S. as a "terrorist state" and "U.S. imperialism" signal the end of last week's short-lived charm offensive. End Summary. -------------- Charm Offensive -------------- ¶2. (U) Venezuelan Vice-President Jose Vicente Rangel initiated last week's charm offensive May 2 stating that Venezuela's political differences with Washington could be discussed "the same way that Washington discusses its differences with France, Russia or Japan." Speaking with Spanish news agency Efe in response to Lula's April 29 statements that Venezuela and the U.S. "need one another", Rangel pointed to Venezuela's "excellent" cooperation with the U.S. on terrorism and counter-narcotics. Rangel also described Secretary of State Rice as "an intelligent woman" who he hoped would "pick up the new signals of Latin America." ¶3. (U) A/S Noriega's remarks at the Council of the Americas met with a positive response from Venezuelan President Chavez during a May 4 national broadcast. Referring to A/S Noriega by name, Chavez stated that this was "the first time since I have known him that (Noriega) has been decent to Venezuela." Chavez later stated that he hoped A/S Noriega's statements were true and said that Venezuela "was still open to a constructive relationship with (the U.S.)... We do not want a war with the United States." Chavez's remarks to the press were similarly positive, stating that "(The U.S.) wants a healthy and constructive relationship" and that, "we also want that type of relation." -------------- Charm Over -------------- ¶4. (U) Rangel's remarks accusing the U.S. of harboring "a terrorist of the likes of Posada Carriles" signaled the end of last week's short-lived charm offensive. In statements published May 9, Rangel accused the U.S. of acting like a "terrorist state" when it "invades countries and attacks entire peoples." From the South American-Arab Summit in Brazil, Chavez also went on the attack, stating May 10 that Washington wants to "control the world" and is attempting to "oblige us at canon point to accept its model." -------------- Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) This brief charm offensive shows Lula's influence on Chavez, who was forced to respond to Lula's call to lower the rhetoric. Given Rangel's and Chavez's latest remarks however, it appears that charm has once again been replaced by bravado. McFarland NNNN 2005CARACA01485 - CONFIDENTIAL