Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PARAMARIBO687
2005-10-21 16:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Paramaribo
Cable title:
TOWARD A MORE OBJECTIVE VIEW OF THE CHAVEZ
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000687
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV NS PKAO
SUBJECT: TOWARD A MORE OBJECTIVE VIEW OF THE CHAVEZ
GOVERNMENT
REF: PARAMARIBO 527
UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000687
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV NS PKAO
SUBJECT: TOWARD A MORE OBJECTIVE VIEW OF THE CHAVEZ
GOVERNMENT
REF: PARAMARIBO 527
1. On the same day that the leading paper carried a front
page story praising a Cuban-Venezuelan program providing eye
treatment to impoverished Surinamers, another paper carried
an article noting that Chavez' traditional supporters are
beginning to turn against him. The opinion piece written by
one Humberto Marquez appeared in the Dagblatt Suriname (DBS)
the paper with the second largest circulation. The paper
carries daily opinion columns from diverse international
sources.
2. The Marquez article notes that up until last year it was
the opposition, the industrialists and businessmen who took
to the streets to protest government actions. Now,
traditional supporters of the populist President have
surprised him by taking to the streets to express their
dissatisfaction. It cites as examples demonstrations by
Indians against a proposed mining project near the Colombian
border, protests by inhabitants of Maracay over the
government's failure to respond to recent flooding and
support for TV journalist whose program was pulled from
Kanaal 8 after remarks critical of the government.
3. Comment: This is the first article in collective Embassy
memory to provide detailed factual criticism of the Chavez
government. The most Venezuela specific information in the
local press comes in the form of lengthy articles from the
Venezuelan Ambassador on the merits of the Bolivarian
Revolution. Many average Surinamers continue to believe that
the recently signed Petrocaribe agreement will help undo the
one hundred percent increase in gas prices and the
government has done little, thus far, to correct this
misunderstanding of the agreement. Venezuela's image
suffered a blow (Reftel) after the delegation to a youth
congress returned home complaining about their
accommodations and treatment and the overtly political
nature of the congress.
BARNES
NNNN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV NS PKAO
SUBJECT: TOWARD A MORE OBJECTIVE VIEW OF THE CHAVEZ
GOVERNMENT
REF: PARAMARIBO 527
1. On the same day that the leading paper carried a front
page story praising a Cuban-Venezuelan program providing eye
treatment to impoverished Surinamers, another paper carried
an article noting that Chavez' traditional supporters are
beginning to turn against him. The opinion piece written by
one Humberto Marquez appeared in the Dagblatt Suriname (DBS)
the paper with the second largest circulation. The paper
carries daily opinion columns from diverse international
sources.
2. The Marquez article notes that up until last year it was
the opposition, the industrialists and businessmen who took
to the streets to protest government actions. Now,
traditional supporters of the populist President have
surprised him by taking to the streets to express their
dissatisfaction. It cites as examples demonstrations by
Indians against a proposed mining project near the Colombian
border, protests by inhabitants of Maracay over the
government's failure to respond to recent flooding and
support for TV journalist whose program was pulled from
Kanaal 8 after remarks critical of the government.
3. Comment: This is the first article in collective Embassy
memory to provide detailed factual criticism of the Chavez
government. The most Venezuela specific information in the
local press comes in the form of lengthy articles from the
Venezuelan Ambassador on the merits of the Bolivarian
Revolution. Many average Surinamers continue to believe that
the recently signed Petrocaribe agreement will help undo the
one hundred percent increase in gas prices and the
government has done little, thus far, to correct this
misunderstanding of the agreement. Venezuela's image
suffered a blow (Reftel) after the delegation to a youth
congress returned home complaining about their
accommodations and treatment and the overtly political
nature of the congress.
BARNES
NNNN