Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CARACAS1713
2006-06-12 16:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
STUDENT-GOVERNMENT SHOWDOWN CONTINUES
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 001713
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
COPENHAGEN FOR DLAWTON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2031
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SCUL SOCI VE
SUBJECT: STUDENT-GOVERNMENT SHOWDOWN CONTINUES
REF: CARACAS 1627
CARACAS 00001713 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor,
for Reason 1.4(b).
-------
SUMMARY
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 001713
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
COPENHAGEN FOR DLAWTON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2031
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SCUL SOCI VE
SUBJECT: STUDENT-GOVERNMENT SHOWDOWN CONTINUES
REF: CARACAS 1627
CARACAS 00001713 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor,
for Reason 1.4(b).
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) The dispute between university students and the
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) continues to fester.
What started with violent protests at the University of the
Andes (ULA) in Merida on May 24 over student union elections
has devolved into a rhetorical war, waged mostly in the
press. Student leaders Geyson Guzman and Nixon Moreno are
the principal student leaders, with BRV support clearly
behind Guzman. Moreno finds himself on the run, as
authorities issued on June 5 a warrant for his arrest. END
SUMMARY
--------------
WORDS, NOT BULLETS
--------------
2. (U) The Supreme Court's suspension of student elections
at the University of the Andes (ULA) in Merida precipitated
48 hours of violence, during which disputed numbers of
individuals were injured (reftel). The violence has
subsided, but the war of the words rages on. Government
officials continue to claim that "subversive" elements, led
by ULA student union presidential challenger Nixon Moreno,
fired upon National Guard and police forces. Moreno and
other student leaders insist students were unarmed and were
the victims of police aggression.
3. (C) Opposition daily El Universal ran interviews on June
5 with the two principal student adversaries, Nixon Moreno
and Geyson Guzman. Guzman is the current BRV-backed
president of the ULA chapter of the Federation of Student
Centers (FCU),at whose behest the elections were suspended.
Moreno is a popular and charismatic student leader, who is a
candidate to challenge Guzman's presidency. Student leaders
told Emboffs on June 1 that the suspension of the elections
is nothing more than a delaying tactic that will likely
postpone them until after the national presidential elections
in December, allowing Guzman to maintain his position for
nearly a year longer than planned.
-------------- --
NIXON: I AM NOT A CROOK (OR SUBVERSIVE ELEMENT)
-------------- --
4. (C) Moreno subsequently held a press conference in
Caracas, arguing the National Guard violated the university's
autonomy and that the students did not have arms as the BRV
alleges. Moreno has denied all the charges. Moreno has
denied all charges against both the student movement in
general, and against him personally, including allegations of
his attempted rape of a policewoman. Authorities nonetheless
issued an arrest warrant on June 5 for Moreno on charges of
attempted murder and public intimidation, assault, and
lascivious acts.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C) The violence surrounding the question of student
elections in Merida captured national headlines for a few
days. Student leader Guzman has shown himself to be a true
Bolivarian comrade. His tinkering with electoral rules to
stay in power longer bring to mind Chavez's own machinations.
The BRV response to the student uprising is characteristic
of the BRV's demonization of the opposition and
CARACAS 00001713 002.2 OF 002
criminalization of dissent. The playing up of this issue is
a deliberate BRV tactic. In this case, controversy suits the
BRV's interests because it allows them to link the opposition
to the outbreak of violence.
WHITAKER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
COPENHAGEN FOR DLAWTON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2031
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SCUL SOCI VE
SUBJECT: STUDENT-GOVERNMENT SHOWDOWN CONTINUES
REF: CARACAS 1627
CARACAS 00001713 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor,
for Reason 1.4(b).
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. (C) The dispute between university students and the
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) continues to fester.
What started with violent protests at the University of the
Andes (ULA) in Merida on May 24 over student union elections
has devolved into a rhetorical war, waged mostly in the
press. Student leaders Geyson Guzman and Nixon Moreno are
the principal student leaders, with BRV support clearly
behind Guzman. Moreno finds himself on the run, as
authorities issued on June 5 a warrant for his arrest. END
SUMMARY
--------------
WORDS, NOT BULLETS
--------------
2. (U) The Supreme Court's suspension of student elections
at the University of the Andes (ULA) in Merida precipitated
48 hours of violence, during which disputed numbers of
individuals were injured (reftel). The violence has
subsided, but the war of the words rages on. Government
officials continue to claim that "subversive" elements, led
by ULA student union presidential challenger Nixon Moreno,
fired upon National Guard and police forces. Moreno and
other student leaders insist students were unarmed and were
the victims of police aggression.
3. (C) Opposition daily El Universal ran interviews on June
5 with the two principal student adversaries, Nixon Moreno
and Geyson Guzman. Guzman is the current BRV-backed
president of the ULA chapter of the Federation of Student
Centers (FCU),at whose behest the elections were suspended.
Moreno is a popular and charismatic student leader, who is a
candidate to challenge Guzman's presidency. Student leaders
told Emboffs on June 1 that the suspension of the elections
is nothing more than a delaying tactic that will likely
postpone them until after the national presidential elections
in December, allowing Guzman to maintain his position for
nearly a year longer than planned.
-------------- --
NIXON: I AM NOT A CROOK (OR SUBVERSIVE ELEMENT)
-------------- --
4. (C) Moreno subsequently held a press conference in
Caracas, arguing the National Guard violated the university's
autonomy and that the students did not have arms as the BRV
alleges. Moreno has denied all the charges. Moreno has
denied all charges against both the student movement in
general, and against him personally, including allegations of
his attempted rape of a policewoman. Authorities nonetheless
issued an arrest warrant on June 5 for Moreno on charges of
attempted murder and public intimidation, assault, and
lascivious acts.
--------------
COMMENT
--------------
5. (C) The violence surrounding the question of student
elections in Merida captured national headlines for a few
days. Student leader Guzman has shown himself to be a true
Bolivarian comrade. His tinkering with electoral rules to
stay in power longer bring to mind Chavez's own machinations.
The BRV response to the student uprising is characteristic
of the BRV's demonization of the opposition and
CARACAS 00001713 002.2 OF 002
criminalization of dissent. The playing up of this issue is
a deliberate BRV tactic. In this case, controversy suits the
BRV's interests because it allows them to link the opposition
to the outbreak of violence.
WHITAKER