Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06CARACAS631
2006-03-08 20:49:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF VENEZUELA DISTANCES FROM
how-toVZCZCXRO2654 PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ DE RUEHCV #0631/01 0672049 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 082049Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3488 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 6105 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 5248 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ PRIORITY 1739 RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 9945 RUEHMU/AMEMBASSY MANAGUA PRIORITY 1032 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 3610 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0604 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 1811 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 0854 RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN PRIORITY RUEHAO/AMCONSUL CURACAO PRIORITY 0647 RUEHMI/USOFFICE FRC FT LAUDERDALE PRIORITY 2869 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0537
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
-------
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
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