WOMEN'S GROUPS REGISTER SUPPORT FOR SECRETARY RICE

UNCLAS CARACAS 000324 SIPDIS NSC FOR TSHANNON AND CBARTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KWMN PHUM VE SUBJECT: WOMEN'S GROUPS REGISTER SUPPORT FOR SECRETARY RICE REF: A. CARACAS 00252 ¶B. WELLS/COLLINS EMAIL 1/28 ¶1. (U) Leaders of women's rights groups came to the Embassy on January 28 to deliver a letter repudiating the comments made by President Hugo Chavez about Secretary-Designate Rice during a rally on January 23 (ref a). The letter is signed by the National Women's Front, a group of 26 organizations largely affiliated with opposition political parties, labor, business, and civil society groups. Poloff accepted the letter on behalf of the Ambassador. Post e-mailed an electronic copy of the letter in Spanish to WHA/AND. ¶2. (U) Begin Embassy translation of text of letter: National Women's Front Caracas, January 27,2005 Mr. Ambassador of the United States of America William R. Brownfield Your Office Your Excellency, receive our greeting, We are writing to inform you that the National Women's Front of Venezuela, representing an important group of women leaders of democratic political parties and civil society groups of our country, decided to send, through you and the other members of the U.S. Embassy, to Ms. Conoleeza Rice, Secretary of State and senior representative of American SIPDIS diplomacy, our excuses regarding the inconsiderate, obscene, and lewd statements made against her last Sunday by President Chavez during a public speech. This is not the first time that the President has exhibited such behavioral traits without restraint in the media, offending the dignity of our people with such shameful behavior, which has even affected his own wife and degraded the presidential office. The democratic women of Venezuela do hereby state that we reject not only such disrespectful language but we especially reject the sexist, macho, and authoritarian concept hidden behind it that we have tried to eradicate with our struggle to reach true gender equality in our country and in the world. With our respectful consideration, we remain, very truly yours, The National Women's Front: The women of AD, COPEI, Red Flag, Project Venezuela, Movement to Socialism, Brave People's Alliance, Movement of Labor, URD, United Democratic Women, Women of Petroleum, Women United and Organized for Venezuela, Watchmen for Democracy, Ecological Guardians, Venezuela Is All Of Us, People of Education, CISFEM, Woman and Community, Argelia Laya Women's House Foundation, Women of the Federation of Construction Workers, Women of the Venezuelan Workers Confederation, Women of the Campesino Federation, Women of the State of Falcon, Women of the State of Tachira, Women of the State of Monogas, Women of the State of Bolivar, and Women of the State of Anzoategui. Witnesses: (48 signatures of representatives of the above groups) BROWNFIELD