SPAIN/VENEZUELA: GOS PLANS PUBLIC CRITICISM OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L MADRID 002557

SIPDIS

EUR FOR A/S FRIED
EUR/WE
WHA
WHA/AND
NSC FOR HADLEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM SP VZ
SUBJECT: SPAIN/VENEZUELA: GOS PLANS PUBLIC CRITICISM OF
SUMATE TRIAL

REF: JULY 6 A/S FRIED-AMBASSADOR AGUIRRE TELCON

Classified By: DCM Bob Manzanares; reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (C) Following ref telcon regarding strong USG interest in
impending Venezuelan government legal action against Sumate
NGO organizer Maria Cristina Corina Machado and five other
activists, Ambassador Aguirre contacted acting Foreign
Minister Bernardino Leon to express the USG's concern
regarding the issue. The Ambassador reviewed the underlying
facts in the case and urged the GOS to issue a strong public
statement expressing displeasure with the treatment of the
Sumate members. The Ambassador noted that this episode
provided an opportunity for Spain and the USG to work
together to demonstrate support for fundamental democratic
freedoms in Venezuela. He urged the Zapatero government to
demonstrate its influence with the Chavez government by
privately and publicly stating their opposition to the action
against Machado and her colleagues.


2. (C) Leon said that he was aware of Machado's situation and
was closely following her case. He said the Spanish
Ambassador had instructions to be present at Machado's
hearing. In response to the USG's interest in the case, Leon
said the GOS would agree to issue a public statement
expressing Spain's opposition to the legal action against
Machado. Leon noted that he had discussed the poor political
situation in Venezuela during his June 21 testimony before
Parliament's Foreign Affairs Commission. The Ambassador
thanked Leon and reinforced the point that this was a good
opportunity for Spain and the USG to work together towards a
common objective. The Ambassador said he looked forward to
seeing the


3. (C) Separately, DCM contacted GOS National Security
Adviser Carles Casajuana to relay similar points to the
Spanish Presidency. Casajuana agreed that the Machado
hearing represented an excellent opportunity to act jointly
in support of Venezuelan democracy. Casajuana said he would
instruct the MFA to ask the Spanish Ambassador in Caracas to
demarche the Venezuelan government to express Spain's
opposition to the legal charges against Machado and the
others.



AGUIRRE