AMBASSADOR'S VISIT TO LARA STATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002228

SIPDIS


NSC FOR CBARTON
STATE PASS USAID FOR DCHA/OTI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/18/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL VE
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S VISIT TO LARA STATE

Classified By: Stephen McFarland, Deputy Chief of Mission for 1.4 (d)

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) The Ambassador visited Barquisimeto in Lara state
14-15 July to inaugurate the first American Corner and
Virtual Presence Post in Venezuela, visit social programs,
and meet with local business executives, media outlets,
religious leaders, and a Venezuelan baseball hero.
Politicians from President Hugo Chavez's Fifth Republic
Movement (MVR) party declined to meet with the Ambassador.
The visit, however, achieved its public diplomacy objectives
to establish a direct virtual connection with the U.S.
Embassy, exploring possibilities of further cooperation with
local businesses, and supporting church- and
business-supported social programs. End summary.

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AMERICAN CORNER AND VIRTUAL PRESENCE POST
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2. (U) The Ambassador opened the first American Corner
and the first Virtual Presence Post in Venezuela at the Bar
Association library in Barquisimeto, Lara State on 15 July.
The American Corner provides the public a physical area with
computer terminals, information and materials that are
accessible at U.S. Embassies. The Virtual Presence Post
offers remote internet access to a U.S. Embassy, including a
live web chat with Embassy personnel. The Ambassador signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with Dr. Henry Alviarez,
president of the Bar Association. In their public remarks,
the Ambassador and the Bar Association's treasurer hailed the
American Corner as an important step toward improved
people-to-people relations. The treasurer sent the first
message to Embassy Caracas via the Virtual Presence Post live
web chat. He received a rapid response from a Consular
officer in Caracas. The event, attended by approximately 60
people, received extensive coverage from both local and
national media.

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THE CHURCH
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3. (C) Archbishop Tulio Manuel Chirivella Valera, who
served through much of the 1990's as president of the
Venezuelan Episcopal (Bishops') Conference (CEV),asked to
meet with the Ambassador one-on-one in his office for a
candid conversation on President Hugo Chavez. Chirivella
described Chavez as a serious, long-term problem for
Venezuela. During his 1998 presidential campaign, Chavez
sought and received three meetings with then-CEV president
Chirivella. Chirivella said he told Chavez then that the
Church would support his campaign to help the poor but would
oppose non-democratic tendencies. Since his election,
Chirivella noted, Chavez has not sought another meeting with
him, although they crossed paths again in April 2002, when
Chirivella facilitated his departure from Caracas during the
brief coup. Asked about the USG position on Chavez, the
Ambassador said our approach would be to support remaining
democratic institutions in Venezuela, maintain some sort of
dialogue with the GOV, and penetrate the poor communities
with an alternative message. The Ambassador added he hoped
to be able to provide USG support for Church social programs
in such communities. Chirivella welcomed financial or
rhetorical support by the Embassy and promised to spread the
word widely among his fellow prelates. He emphasized that
the best way to counter Chavez was to deliver a positive
message to poor communities, which constitute 90% of Chavez's
political base of support.

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CHILDREN'S CENTER, HOMES, SCHOOL
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4. (C) The Ambassador visited four social programs to
publicize USAID and Church contributions and to support
business and Church social services in the local community.

The Ambassador first shared a message of hope for the kids at
the Caritas Children's Cancer Center, recounting the
dedication and accomplishments of Lance Armstrong. The
Caritas Center, which supports low-income children and youth
while they are being treated for their illnesses, is the only
center of its kind in Lara. The visit received extensive
press coverage. The Ambassador next visited the
Church-supported Fe y Alegria school and Divina Pastora home
for poor, orphaned, and abandoned boys. Both institutions
are located in Barrio Bolivar, which receives aid from the
Barrio Adentro program. At the Fe y Alegria school, the
Ambassador greeted over a hundred students, under the
watchful eyes of more than 10 National Guard, who claimed
protection was necessary in the dangerous neighborhood.
Turning to the private sector's social programs, the
Ambassador visited the Pequeno Cottolengo "Don Orione," a
special education facility funded by Procter & Gamble.
Procter & Gamble presented their corporate social
responsibility agenda, which includes educational,
environmental, and other charitable projects.

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BUSINESS
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5. (C) The Ambassador addressed business leaders on 14
July, explaining he had come to Lara to learn more about the
area's possibilities for investment and cooperation and to
offer U.S. support as an ally to business. He met with
roughly 25 business leaders at PROINLARA, an
investment-promotion civil association. At a VENAMCHAM
luncheon the Ambassador remarked that VENAMCHAM is the United
State's primary partner in the Venezuelan private sector.
Emphasizing the importance of corporate social
responsibility, the Ambassador offered support to help
publicize the business community's efforts in providing
social services. The Ambassador touched on similar themes at
Procter & Gamble's plant in Barquisimeto. The plant, which
has the largest warehouse in the country, employs nearly 600
P&G employees and contractors.

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UNIVERSITY
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6. (U) The Ambassador called on Maria del Pilar Alonso,
academic vice-rector at Yacambu University, a private
university specializing in science, technology, and
humanities, with approximately 8,000 graduate and
undergraduate students enrolled. At Yacambu, the Ambassador
pitched the Fulbright Program, including the Faculty
Development scholarships available. He also offered support
for English language instruction at the university. Alonso
expressed some regret that the American Corner was not
located in the University library, and enthusiasm for more
engagement with the USG.

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BASEBALL
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7. (C) The Ambassador met with Luis Aparicio on 14 July,
the only Venezuelan Hall-of-Famer, and Los Cardenalitos, the
little league team sponsored by the Cardenales of Lara
professional baseball team, who will face Mexico this summer
to compete for the Little League World Series. Amidst
extensive press coverage the Ambassador recounted childhood
memories of receiving a lefty mitt with Aparicio's signature.
The Ambassador also met Umberto Oropeza, the general manager
of the Cardenales. Oropeza shared plans to build a facility
of nine baseball academies and mentioned the upcoming
off-season baseball games the Venezuelan team would be
playing in Florida. The Ambassador offered to provide
publicity for the games.

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MEDIA
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8. (C) El Impulso, an opposition newspaper, interviewed

the Ambassador on 14 July. The Ambassador fielded questions
about U.S.-Venezuelan bilateral relations, Iraq, the U.S.
democratic model, Sumate, the U.S. position on left-leaning
leaders in Latin America, alleged plans for U.S invasion, oil
prices, and baseball. He stated that the U.S. and Venezuela
should acknowledge their differences and focus on issues of
common interest, such as the war on drugs, energy, and
terrorism. The Ambassador defended the U.S.'s absolute right
to protect its democratic system against drugs and weapons of
mass destruction while dismissing theories about U.S.
invasion plans. He noted that while there are various forms
of democracies, the system must allow the people to express
their opinion. Asked how Venezuelans can be expected to
express their opinion when the system is not fair and
transparent, the Ambassador noted the important role of
international organizations. During an interview at the
opposition-leaning newspaper El Informador, the Ambassador
recapped his purposes for visiting Barquisimeto. He stressed
the role of companies as the growth engines of the state and
emphasized the importance of maintaining investor confidence.


9. (C) At Promar Television, an opposition-leaning
station that broadcasts throughout the states of Lara,
Barinas, Portuguesa, and Yaracuy, the Ambassador spoke
briefly with the station president about Governor Luis Reyes
Reyes's mixed record of governance. The station also
recorded an interview with the Ambassador to be aired on 18
July, which focused on the American Corner and Virtual
Presence Post and the services that it will offer.

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COMMENT
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10. (C) The Ambassador reached out to Fifth Republic
Movement (MVR) politicians Governor Luis Reyes Reyes and
Barquisimeto Mayor Henri Falcon, but both declined to meet
the Ambassador, saying they would be out of town. AD Deputy
Pedro Pablo Alcantara, however, showed up at all but four
meetings, invited or not. The press was robust but not
aggressive Questions at the Stadium and American Corner
inauguration were restricted to sports and the American
Corner, respectively.
Brownfield


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2005CARACA02228 - CONFIDENTIAL