Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CARACAS28
2006-01-05 21:40:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
CHAVEZ MEDDLING CAUSES PERU TO WITHDRAW AMBASSADOR
how-toVZCZCXRO3778 PP RUEHAO DE RUEHCV #0028 0052140 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 052140Z JAN 06 FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2686 INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 5784 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 5050 RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES PRIORITY 0941 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ PRIORITY 1491 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 9692 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 3488 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 1570 RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR PRIORITY 0748 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO PRIORITY 3193 RUEHAO/AMCONSUL CURACAO PRIORITY 0490 RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 0208 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0367
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 000028
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ MEDDLING CAUSES PERU TO WITHDRAW AMBASSADOR
TO VENEZUELA
REF: CARACAS 003544
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES FOR 1.4 (D)
-------
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 000028
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ MEDDLING CAUSES PERU TO WITHDRAW AMBASSADOR
TO VENEZUELA
REF: CARACAS 003544
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES FOR 1.4 (D)
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) On January 3, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
pledged his support for leftist Peruvian presidential
candidate Ollanta Humala, a move that prompted the GOP to
withdra7 )43-"!33!$/2 4/ -%.%:5%,! &/2#/.35,4!4)/.3).
,)-!. ^5-!,!-!$% ! 3urprise appearance at a ceremony
honoring the visit of Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales.
The election of Morales seems to have bolstered Chavez'
belief in the hemisphere-wide momentum of his "Bolivarian
Revolution" and his own ability to influence elections
abroad; despite Chavez' dismissal of Humala's presence as
coincidental, this was a very public and very obvious gesture
toward Humala. Chavez' constant meddling in other countries'
internal affairs is clearly irritating some sectors in those
nations. End Summary.
--------------
Humala Part of the Bolivarian Revolution
--------------
2. (U) The GOP called its Ambassador back for consultations
on January 4 after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez publicly
supported the candidacy of leftist Peruvian presidential
hopeful Ollanta Humala. Humala made a surprise appearance on
January 3 at a ceremony to honor Bolivian President-elect Evo
Morales where Chavez said they shared a common quest for
"nationalism, rescuing natural resources, rescuing
sovereignty, resisting the menace of the Free Trade Area of
the Americas, demanding respect for our peoples." The GOP
denounced Chavez' comments and said they "constitute an
interference in internal affairs in Peru. According to the
GOV, Humala was invited by the Movimienta Quinta Republica
(MVR),Chavez' political party, and that it was just a
coincidence that he arrived on the same day as Morales. In
his public comments during the ceremony, Chavez praised
Humala and characterized him as a modern-day Don Quixote.
--------------
Not His First Time
--------------
4. (C) This is certainly not the first time Chavez has
caused such a diplomatic spat with another Latin American
nation. In November 2005, Mexico recalled its Ambassador to
Venezuela after Chavez called President Vicente Fox a "lapdog
of the empire" (reftel). In addition to these comments,
Embassy sources report that former Venezuelan Ambassador to
Mexico Vladimir Villegas was organizing "Bolivarian Circles"
in the country as well as offering financial and staffing
support to leftist Mexican candidate Andres Manuel Lopez
Obrador (reftel).
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (C) Despite his constant claims of solidarity with other
Latin American countries, Chavez continues to find himself in
these diplomatic spats after he says or does something that
is construed as meddling. Perhaps the sweeping election of
Evo Morales has emboldened Chavez as to his ability to
influence elections abroad. Whether or not he has offered
Humala political support, the political connotation of
including Humala in the festivities for Morales is fairly
obvious. Chavez clearly believes he can best achieve his
dreams of regional integration by supporting like-minded
candidates in other countries, but it will remain to be seen
whether his obvious interference will help or hinder his
progress in the region.
WHITAKER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ MEDDLING CAUSES PERU TO WITHDRAW AMBASSADOR
TO VENEZUELA
REF: CARACAS 003544
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES FOR 1.4 (D)
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) On January 3, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
pledged his support for leftist Peruvian presidential
candidate Ollanta Humala, a move that prompted the GOP to
withdra7 )43-"!33!$/2 4/ -%.%:5%,! &/2#/.35,4!4)/.3).
,)-!. ^5-!,!-!$% ! 3urprise appearance at a ceremony
honoring the visit of Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales.
The election of Morales seems to have bolstered Chavez'
belief in the hemisphere-wide momentum of his "Bolivarian
Revolution" and his own ability to influence elections
abroad; despite Chavez' dismissal of Humala's presence as
coincidental, this was a very public and very obvious gesture
toward Humala. Chavez' constant meddling in other countries'
internal affairs is clearly irritating some sectors in those
nations. End Summary.
--------------
Humala Part of the Bolivarian Revolution
--------------
2. (U) The GOP called its Ambassador back for consultations
on January 4 after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez publicly
supported the candidacy of leftist Peruvian presidential
hopeful Ollanta Humala. Humala made a surprise appearance on
January 3 at a ceremony to honor Bolivian President-elect Evo
Morales where Chavez said they shared a common quest for
"nationalism, rescuing natural resources, rescuing
sovereignty, resisting the menace of the Free Trade Area of
the Americas, demanding respect for our peoples." The GOP
denounced Chavez' comments and said they "constitute an
interference in internal affairs in Peru. According to the
GOV, Humala was invited by the Movimienta Quinta Republica
(MVR),Chavez' political party, and that it was just a
coincidence that he arrived on the same day as Morales. In
his public comments during the ceremony, Chavez praised
Humala and characterized him as a modern-day Don Quixote.
--------------
Not His First Time
--------------
4. (C) This is certainly not the first time Chavez has
caused such a diplomatic spat with another Latin American
nation. In November 2005, Mexico recalled its Ambassador to
Venezuela after Chavez called President Vicente Fox a "lapdog
of the empire" (reftel). In addition to these comments,
Embassy sources report that former Venezuelan Ambassador to
Mexico Vladimir Villegas was organizing "Bolivarian Circles"
in the country as well as offering financial and staffing
support to leftist Mexican candidate Andres Manuel Lopez
Obrador (reftel).
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (C) Despite his constant claims of solidarity with other
Latin American countries, Chavez continues to find himself in
these diplomatic spats after he says or does something that
is construed as meddling. Perhaps the sweeping election of
Evo Morales has emboldened Chavez as to his ability to
influence elections abroad. Whether or not he has offered
Humala political support, the political connotation of
including Humala in the festivities for Morales is fairly
obvious. Chavez clearly believes he can best achieve his
dreams of regional integration by supporting like-minded
candidates in other countries, but it will remain to be seen
whether his obvious interference will help or hinder his
progress in the region.
WHITAKER