Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CARACAS1665
2006-06-07 16:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
LEADING OPPOSITION CANDIDATES SET DEADLINE FOR
how-toVZCZCXRO1215 PP RUEHAO DE RUEHCV #1665/01 1581655 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 071655Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4931 INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 6603 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 5539 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0493 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 1276 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0182 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ PRIORITY 2080 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 0321 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON PRIORITY 1419 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0540 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 3133 RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA PRIORITY 1271 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 3823 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0458 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 2160 RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR PRIORITY 0909 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO PRIORITY 3579 RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO PRIORITY 0237 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 0986 RUEHAO/AMCONSUL CURACAO PRIORITY 0861 RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 0502 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0270 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0771
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 001665
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER
COPENHAGEN FOR DLAWTON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM VE
SUBJECT: LEADING OPPOSITION CANDIDATES SET DEADLINE FOR
DECIDING CHALLENGER
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES FOR REASON 1.4 (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 001665
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER
COPENHAGEN FOR DLAWTON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM VE
SUBJECT: LEADING OPPOSITION CANDIDATES SET DEADLINE FOR
DECIDING CHALLENGER
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES FOR REASON 1.4 (D)
1. (U) In a joint press conference June 5, leading
opposition presidential candidates Julio Borges, Teodoro
Petkoff, and Manuel Rosales announced their agreement to
choose a single opposition candidate by July 31. They are
also creating a commission comprised of a representative from
each candidate's campaign and each of three electoral NGOs
Sumate, Grupo La Colina and We Want to Choose (Queremos
Elegir) that will organize a primary by August 6, if they
cannot agree on the single nominee. Representatives that
will form this commission met most of June 6 to establish
ground rules for the group. The candidates will establish a
committee to develop a unified governing platform and a
liaison group to integrate the views of the other minor
opposition aspirants as well. All three emphasized they
would only participate in the December 3 presidential
elections if the National Electoral Council conceded to the
opposition's electoral demands, namely removal of the
fingerprint machines, manual count of all voting receipts, an
independently-audited electoral registry (REP),and the
publication of the REP with addresses as called for in
electoral law. While the candidates' immediate focus is the
election, the agreement included developing a long-term
opposition strategy for action beyond December.
2. (SBU) Gerardo Blyde, Secretary General of Borges' party,
Primero Justicia, told POLOFF June 6 that the agreement was
the result of weeks of negotiations. While the committee
will prepare for a primary, Blyde thought there was a strong
chance the candidates would come to an agreement on their
own.
3. (C) Sumate leader Roberto Abdul told POLOFF June 6 that
the organization supports the agreement, although its
President, Alejandro Plaz, publicly criticized the candidates
for not including the minor opposition aspirants in the
committee charged with organizing the potential primary.
Abdul said Sumate is privately trying to convince the
candidates to widen the committee and thinks they will
eventually agree. Still, Abdul said Sumate would continue
with preparations for the primary that it had been
organizing, tentatively scheduled for July 16, until an
agreement on the unified candidate or a separate mechanism is
reached.
--------------
Comment
--------------
4. (C) The decision is a breakthrough for the three
principle opposition candidates, who apparently want to
maintain more control of the candidate selection process by
eliminating the minor candidates and reducing Sumate's
prominence. It would also be a positive development if they
can develop a unifying and coherent electoral platform and
strategy. We suspect, however, that the three candidates
are only paying lip service to the possibility of a primary
on August 6, as old guard Venezuelan politicians prefer to
settle such issues behind closed doors.
CARACAS 00001665 002 OF 002
WHITAKER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER
COPENHAGEN FOR DLAWTON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM VE
SUBJECT: LEADING OPPOSITION CANDIDATES SET DEADLINE FOR
DECIDING CHALLENGER
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES FOR REASON 1.4 (D)
1. (U) In a joint press conference June 5, leading
opposition presidential candidates Julio Borges, Teodoro
Petkoff, and Manuel Rosales announced their agreement to
choose a single opposition candidate by July 31. They are
also creating a commission comprised of a representative from
each candidate's campaign and each of three electoral NGOs
Sumate, Grupo La Colina and We Want to Choose (Queremos
Elegir) that will organize a primary by August 6, if they
cannot agree on the single nominee. Representatives that
will form this commission met most of June 6 to establish
ground rules for the group. The candidates will establish a
committee to develop a unified governing platform and a
liaison group to integrate the views of the other minor
opposition aspirants as well. All three emphasized they
would only participate in the December 3 presidential
elections if the National Electoral Council conceded to the
opposition's electoral demands, namely removal of the
fingerprint machines, manual count of all voting receipts, an
independently-audited electoral registry (REP),and the
publication of the REP with addresses as called for in
electoral law. While the candidates' immediate focus is the
election, the agreement included developing a long-term
opposition strategy for action beyond December.
2. (SBU) Gerardo Blyde, Secretary General of Borges' party,
Primero Justicia, told POLOFF June 6 that the agreement was
the result of weeks of negotiations. While the committee
will prepare for a primary, Blyde thought there was a strong
chance the candidates would come to an agreement on their
own.
3. (C) Sumate leader Roberto Abdul told POLOFF June 6 that
the organization supports the agreement, although its
President, Alejandro Plaz, publicly criticized the candidates
for not including the minor opposition aspirants in the
committee charged with organizing the potential primary.
Abdul said Sumate is privately trying to convince the
candidates to widen the committee and thinks they will
eventually agree. Still, Abdul said Sumate would continue
with preparations for the primary that it had been
organizing, tentatively scheduled for July 16, until an
agreement on the unified candidate or a separate mechanism is
reached.
--------------
Comment
--------------
4. (C) The decision is a breakthrough for the three
principle opposition candidates, who apparently want to
maintain more control of the candidate selection process by
eliminating the minor candidates and reducing Sumate's
prominence. It would also be a positive development if they
can develop a unifying and coherent electoral platform and
strategy. We suspect, however, that the three candidates
are only paying lip service to the possibility of a primary
on August 6, as old guard Venezuelan politicians prefer to
settle such issues behind closed doors.
CARACAS 00001665 002 OF 002
WHITAKER