Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05CARACAS1485
2005-05-12 20:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:  

CHAVEZ'S BRIEF CHARM OFFENSIVE

Tags:  PREL VE 
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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
-------

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.

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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."

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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."

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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