Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CARACAS460
2006-02-17 21:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
BRV ON DEFENSIVE AFTER SECRETARY'S REMARKS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 000460
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
FOR FRC LAMBERT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2026
TAGS: PGOV PREL VE
SUBJECT: BRV ON DEFENSIVE AFTER SECRETARY'S REMARKS
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES FOR 1.4 (D)
-------
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 000460
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
FOR FRC LAMBERT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2026
TAGS: PGOV PREL VE
SUBJECT: BRV ON DEFENSIVE AFTER SECRETARY'S REMARKS
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES FOR 1.4 (D)
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called U.S.
officials "crazy" in response to Secretary Rice's criticism
of the BRV on February 16. Suggesting that USG policy was
inconsistent, he said the Secretary's remarks came after a
"good conversation" between Assistant Secretary Shannon and
Venezuelan Ambassador Alvarez February 14. Vice foreign
minister Maria Pilar Hernandez lashed out at the Secretary's
statement that international support for a current truckers'
strike was useful. National Assembly President Nicolas
Maduro, a former transportation labor leader himself, had a
particularly defensive reaction to the Secretary's comments.
Chavez' strategy to blame everything on the U.S. bugbear may
be missing the mark here, as he is failing to appease key
constituents such as poor truckers faced with violent crime
and poor road conditions. The Secretary's comments put the
BRV on the defensive; our strategy is to keep it in this
position. End summary.
2. (U) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called U.S.
officials "crazy" on February 15 after Secretary Rice issued
remarks critical of the BRV before the House International
Relations Committee on February 16. Chavez said that U.S.
policymakers "disagreed with each other" because the
secretary's remarks followed a February 14 meeting between
SIPDIS
Assistant Secretary Shannon and Venezuelan Ambassador in
Washington Bernardo Alvarez, which Chavez called a "good
conversation." "I want to drop this issue, but they are the
ones who are attacking us," Chavez exclaimed.
--------------
Transportation Strike
--------------
3. (U) Ambassador Brownfield, WHA/AND director Phillip
French, and WHA/AND deputy director Bruce Friedman met on
February 17 with vice foreign minister for North America
Maria Pilar Hernandez. Following the meeting, Hernandez told
reporters that Secretary Rice's statement that international
support for a current Venezuelan truckers' union strike was
useful suggested that the USG was trying to destabilize
Venezuela. Hernandez noted the BRV would request an
explanation of the Secretary's comments. National Assembly
deputy and MVR organizational director William Lara announced
February 17 that the USG had financed a transportation strike
in Caracas and Barquisimeto. He called drivers to be alert,
saying they could be acting on behalf of the USG without
knowing it.
4. (C) Antonio Suarez, a member of the executive committee
of the Venezuelan Workers' Confederation (CTV),Venezuela's
largest, anti-Chavez labor union, told poloff February 17 he
aware of ongoing protests in the transportation sector over
the lack of security in western Caracas. Francisco
Torrealba, a board member of the transport workers'
federation, told poloff the strike was a spontaneous local
protest calling for more security measures.
--------------
Maduro Doing Our Job For Us
CARACAS 00000460 002 OF 002
--------------
5. (C) National Assembly president Nicolas Maduro, a former
union leader in the transportation sector, remained on the
defensive during his response to the incident. According to
press reports, he alleged that transportation strikes, which
had occurred in different parts of the country over
insecurity and poor road conditions, were inspired or funded
by foreign agents. He attributed the violence plaguing
drivers to "international agencies" contracting assassins to
create conflict in the country. He speculated about CIA
involvement. In an apparent attempt to appease Chavez' labor
flank, he called for a national dialog next week to keep U.S.
government dollars from "turning this into a political
problem." In a meeting with the Ambassador February 17,
Maduro said the USG was adopting former National Security
Advisor Kissinger's tactic of using transport workers to
undermine former Chilean President Salvador Allende.
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (C) When the BRV is uncertain about the direction of
U.S. policy, its accusations appear more and more
far-fetched. Chavez' claim that he wants to drop the issue
with the USG is absurd--he attacks the USG on a daily basis.
Moreover, his strategy to blame everything on the USG may
fall flat this time because the transportation strike may be
an example of Chavez losing support even among his own
popular voting base. At the same time, protests over the
lack of basic government services such as security and
infrastructure have become increasingly common. More
importantly, when Chavez is kept guessing about Washington's
position, his own policies appear uncoordinated. The
Secretary's comments put the BRV on the defensive; our
SIPDIS
strategy is to keep it in this position.
BROWNFIELD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
FOR FRC LAMBERT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2026
TAGS: PGOV PREL VE
SUBJECT: BRV ON DEFENSIVE AFTER SECRETARY'S REMARKS
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES FOR 1.4 (D)
--------------
Summary
--------------
1. (C) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called U.S.
officials "crazy" in response to Secretary Rice's criticism
of the BRV on February 16. Suggesting that USG policy was
inconsistent, he said the Secretary's remarks came after a
"good conversation" between Assistant Secretary Shannon and
Venezuelan Ambassador Alvarez February 14. Vice foreign
minister Maria Pilar Hernandez lashed out at the Secretary's
statement that international support for a current truckers'
strike was useful. National Assembly President Nicolas
Maduro, a former transportation labor leader himself, had a
particularly defensive reaction to the Secretary's comments.
Chavez' strategy to blame everything on the U.S. bugbear may
be missing the mark here, as he is failing to appease key
constituents such as poor truckers faced with violent crime
and poor road conditions. The Secretary's comments put the
BRV on the defensive; our strategy is to keep it in this
position. End summary.
2. (U) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called U.S.
officials "crazy" on February 15 after Secretary Rice issued
remarks critical of the BRV before the House International
Relations Committee on February 16. Chavez said that U.S.
policymakers "disagreed with each other" because the
secretary's remarks followed a February 14 meeting between
SIPDIS
Assistant Secretary Shannon and Venezuelan Ambassador in
Washington Bernardo Alvarez, which Chavez called a "good
conversation." "I want to drop this issue, but they are the
ones who are attacking us," Chavez exclaimed.
--------------
Transportation Strike
--------------
3. (U) Ambassador Brownfield, WHA/AND director Phillip
French, and WHA/AND deputy director Bruce Friedman met on
February 17 with vice foreign minister for North America
Maria Pilar Hernandez. Following the meeting, Hernandez told
reporters that Secretary Rice's statement that international
support for a current Venezuelan truckers' union strike was
useful suggested that the USG was trying to destabilize
Venezuela. Hernandez noted the BRV would request an
explanation of the Secretary's comments. National Assembly
deputy and MVR organizational director William Lara announced
February 17 that the USG had financed a transportation strike
in Caracas and Barquisimeto. He called drivers to be alert,
saying they could be acting on behalf of the USG without
knowing it.
4. (C) Antonio Suarez, a member of the executive committee
of the Venezuelan Workers' Confederation (CTV),Venezuela's
largest, anti-Chavez labor union, told poloff February 17 he
aware of ongoing protests in the transportation sector over
the lack of security in western Caracas. Francisco
Torrealba, a board member of the transport workers'
federation, told poloff the strike was a spontaneous local
protest calling for more security measures.
--------------
Maduro Doing Our Job For Us
CARACAS 00000460 002 OF 002
--------------
5. (C) National Assembly president Nicolas Maduro, a former
union leader in the transportation sector, remained on the
defensive during his response to the incident. According to
press reports, he alleged that transportation strikes, which
had occurred in different parts of the country over
insecurity and poor road conditions, were inspired or funded
by foreign agents. He attributed the violence plaguing
drivers to "international agencies" contracting assassins to
create conflict in the country. He speculated about CIA
involvement. In an apparent attempt to appease Chavez' labor
flank, he called for a national dialog next week to keep U.S.
government dollars from "turning this into a political
problem." In a meeting with the Ambassador February 17,
Maduro said the USG was adopting former National Security
Advisor Kissinger's tactic of using transport workers to
undermine former Chilean President Salvador Allende.
--------------
Comment
--------------
6. (C) When the BRV is uncertain about the direction of
U.S. policy, its accusations appear more and more
far-fetched. Chavez' claim that he wants to drop the issue
with the USG is absurd--he attacks the USG on a daily basis.
Moreover, his strategy to blame everything on the USG may
fall flat this time because the transportation strike may be
an example of Chavez losing support even among his own
popular voting base. At the same time, protests over the
lack of basic government services such as security and
infrastructure have become increasingly common. More
importantly, when Chavez is kept guessing about Washington's
position, his own policies appear uncoordinated. The
Secretary's comments put the BRV on the defensive; our
SIPDIS
strategy is to keep it in this position.
BROWNFIELD