THE BRV SOAPBOX: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS THREE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 003037 SIPDIS SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV VE SUBJECT: THE BRV SOAPBOX: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS THREE ANTI-AMERICAN RESOLUTIONS CARACAS 00003037 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT DOWNES, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) Summary. The National Assembly has passed three foreign policy resolutions in the last two weeks to lend political support to the Chavez administration's ever more radical foreign policy. On September 26, the National Assembly passed both a resolution praising President Chavez' September 20 UNGA speech and a separate resolution protesting the "aggression" that Foreign Minster Nicolas Maduro "suffered" September 23 at JFK (Reftel). In addition, on October 3 the National Assembly approved a resolution "rejecting" U.S. plans to enhance security on the border with Mexico. With almost all important legislation on hold until after the December 3 presidential elections, the 100 percent pro-Chavez National Assembly is serving as an echo chamber for Chavez' virulent anti-Americanism. End Summary. -------------- Praise for Chavez at UNGA -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The National Assembly unanimously passed a September 26 resolution expressing full support for President Chavez's President Chavez's infamous September 20 UNGA speech in which he referred to President Bush as "the devil." The resolution appears to be a reflexive defense of Chavez in the wake of widespread international criticism of Chavez' UNGA theatrics. The resolution specifically "rejects" the efforts of unspecified persons to "distort" Chavez's message to the UNGA by categorizing it as "bellicose and isolationist." MVR Deputy Carlos Escarra introduced the resolution, stressing that President Chavez in his UNGA speech supported a "socialist" vision for the world to "combat the hegemony that the United States wants to impose." -------------- Protesting FM's Treatment at JFK -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The National Assembly also passed on September 26 a unanimous three-page resolution "repudiating" the "outrageous arbitrary detention (sic)" of Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro at JFK airport on September 23 (Reftel). In addition, this particular resolution exhorts the international community to consider moving UN Headquarters to a "country more respectful of international law." National Assembly President Cilia Flores sent a signed informational copy of the resolution printed on ceremonial letterhead to the Ambassador. In addition, the NA resolution states that copies will be sent to the UN Secretary General and to the U.S. Congress. -------------- Condemnation of U.S. Border Security Measures -------------- - ¶4. (SBU) On October 3, the National Assembly passed a resolution "rejecting" the U.S. intention to construct a wall on the southern border with Mexico. The resolution calls the border security measure an "affront" to Mexico and all of Latin America and expresses concern that it will foment "xenophobia, racism, discrimination, and violations of human rights and international law" in the United States. National Assembly President Flores and National Assembly Foreign Policy Commission President Saul Ortega publicly compared wall construction along the U.S. border with Mexico to the creation of ghettos in Nazi Germany (sic). In addition, the same resolution urges the U.S. Congress to compensate victims of "the war in the Middle East" and denounces the "self-inflicted attack" ("auto atentado") on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon (sic). -------------- Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) In the wake of the opposition's December 2005 parliamentary election boycott, Chavez's Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) party and its coalition partners assumed complete control over the legislature. The 100 percent pro-Chavez National Assembly has drafted a number of wide-ranging proposals to assert greater control over autonomous Venezuelan institutions and the private sector, but is not expected to pass most, or any, of these measures until after the December 3 presidential election. In the interim, the "do-nothing" National Assembly is ever ready to CARACAS 00003037 002.2 OF 002 parrot President Chavez' virulent anti-American rhetoric. The fact that new National Assembly President Flores is the common-law wife of new Foreign Minister Maduro may also be expediting the National Assembly's cheerleading for Chavez' ever more radical foreign policy positions. BROWNFIELD