JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF VENEZUELA DISTANCES FROM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 000631 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM KPAO VE SUBJECT: JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF VENEZUELA DISTANCES FROM EMBASSY CARACAS 00000631 001.2 OF 002 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Recently, the president of Junior Achievement Venezuela visited the Embassy to convey his organization's decision to cancel a planned annual reception for supporters which was to be held at the Ambassador's residence. The decision was the result of a split vote by their board of directors--which includes representatives of major multinationals--and was couched in terms of this not being the right time for a high-profile event with the Embassy. We suspect their real fear is that if they pop-up on the regime's radar screen as being openly pro-American, they will experience retribution which will result in their inability to work in Venezuelan public schools. The incident is the latest manifestation of civil society's defensive response to an increasing tendency by the BRV to engage in political retribution against perceived opponents--including those who have seemingly innocent contacts with the Embassy. END SUMMARY. -------------- - JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND THE EMBASSY: BACKGROUND -------------- - ¶2. (U) The Venezuelan chapter of the Junior Achievement organization (JAV) has enjoyed a good relationship with Embassy Caracas over the course of the past four years. That relationship has included meetings to discuss programs of interest (the work they do in Venezuelan public and private schools and their university volunteer program),their occasional help with embassy recruitment of candidates for exchange programs (such has the Helms Center for Entrepreneurship),and the Embassy's continuing support for JAV in promoting the importance of the organization to their supporters and potential supporters in the private sector and the diplomatic corps. The latest has been accomplished primarily through the Ambassador's hosting of their annual gathering for supporters (including major US and multinational corporations) at the Chief of Mission Residence. In November 2005, JAV sought the Ambassador's commitment to host the same event in 2006, to which he agreed. -------------- A BOARD OF DIRECTORS WITH COLD FEET -------------- ¶3. (SBU) This year's CMR reception was planned for March 23, and preparations were under way by PAS and JAV. On February 21, JAV President Nicolas Vegas reported to Pasoff the board of directors had decided to cancel the event for the time being, and to hold it a future date at a neutral venue rather than at the CMR. An apologetic Vegas reported that the board was evenly divided between those who wanted to continue with the event as planned, and those who thought it would raise their currently low profile too high in the context of what he characterized as the current anti-American political environment. JAV works on a school-by-school basis, rather than through a higher authority, and prefers to stay out of the spotlight in order to allow their work in the schools (promoting private markets and individual accomplishment) to continue. Vegas did not report any specific fears of retaliation by the BRV for their association with the Embassy, but rather a general wariness of being associated publicly with the Embassy. He was at pains to stress that the cancellation was not the result of fear, but simply the smart thing to do at this time. He also claimed a temporarily low cash flow was a factor in the decision. (NOTE: That seemed to Pasoff an attempt to water-down the real reason for the cancellation, the board's fear of BRV backlash which could see them kicked-out of those public schools in which they have established programs. END NOTE). CARACAS 00000631 002.2 OF 002 ¶4. (U) Vegas has offered instead to host a private dinner with representatives of his board, a visiting Junior Achievement officer from the United States (their Vice President for Asia-Pacific and the Americas),and the Ambassador, to discuss the climate in Venezuela and how the Embassy can continue to support their work in the future. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (SBU) This is the latest example of the shrinking space the Embassy finds for collaboration with Venezuelan civil society, who are increasingly wary of BRV backlash for perceived pro-American sympathies, and a manifestation of their defensive response to an increasing tendency by the BRV to engage in political retribution against perceived opponents--including those who have seemingly innocent contacts with the Embassy. BROWNFIELD