Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LAPAZ2906
2006-10-26 18:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
VENEZUELAN MILITARY ACCORD STALLED IN SENATE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 002906
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN MILITARY ACCORD STALLED IN SENATE
REF: LA PAZ 2726
Classified By: DCM Kris Urs for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 002906
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN MILITARY ACCORD STALLED IN SENATE
REF: LA PAZ 2726
Classified By: DCM Kris Urs for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: The Venezuelan - Bolivian military
cooperation agreement, already approved by the Movement
Toward Socialism (MAS) dominated lower house, appears to be
stalled in the Senate Defense Commission. Four hours of
closed door hearings on October 25 with the Commander of the
Armed Forces General Vargas and Minister of Defense Walker
San Miguel failed to convince the commission to recommend the
approval of the accord and to forward the agreement for a
senate vote. National Unity (UN) Senator Jose Villavicencio
Amuruz told Emboff he wants the bill to die in committee and
not be voted on. End summary.
2. (U) The five member (two MAS and three opposition)
Bolivian Senate Defense Commission held a four hour closed
door session on October 25 to discuss the proposed military
cooperation agreement with Venezuela. The commission was
briefed by the Commander of the Armed Forces General Vargas
as well as Minister of Defense Walker San Miguel. After the
session, the commission told the press it was unsatisfied by
the briefing and had asked the military high command for a
more detailed explanation and to clarify the many ambiguous
areas of the agreement. The Commission must recommend either
in favor of or against before the bill can be brought to the
senate floor for a vote. The MAS controlled lower house has
already voted in favor of the agreement.
3. (C) First Vice-President of the Senate and commission
member Jose Villavicencio Amuruz (UN) told Emboff that his
goal is to have the agreement die in committee and that he is
in no hurry to have the commission issue its recommendation.
Even if the bill made it to the opposition dominated senate
floor, Villavicencio expressed confidence that it would be
voted down.
4. (C) Comment: After a series of increasingly
interventionist Venezuelan actions over the last month, this
Venezuelan military agreement may face enough blowback to
defeat it. Following Venezuelan Ambassador Julio Montes'
October pledge to defend Bolivia's revolution with Venezuelan
"blood and lives" (reftel),and subsequent comments in the
same line by President Chavez, many Bolivians are beginning
to view Venezuela's intentions towards Bolivia as less than
benign. End Comment.
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL
SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN MILITARY ACCORD STALLED IN SENATE
REF: LA PAZ 2726
Classified By: DCM Kris Urs for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: The Venezuelan - Bolivian military
cooperation agreement, already approved by the Movement
Toward Socialism (MAS) dominated lower house, appears to be
stalled in the Senate Defense Commission. Four hours of
closed door hearings on October 25 with the Commander of the
Armed Forces General Vargas and Minister of Defense Walker
San Miguel failed to convince the commission to recommend the
approval of the accord and to forward the agreement for a
senate vote. National Unity (UN) Senator Jose Villavicencio
Amuruz told Emboff he wants the bill to die in committee and
not be voted on. End summary.
2. (U) The five member (two MAS and three opposition)
Bolivian Senate Defense Commission held a four hour closed
door session on October 25 to discuss the proposed military
cooperation agreement with Venezuela. The commission was
briefed by the Commander of the Armed Forces General Vargas
as well as Minister of Defense Walker San Miguel. After the
session, the commission told the press it was unsatisfied by
the briefing and had asked the military high command for a
more detailed explanation and to clarify the many ambiguous
areas of the agreement. The Commission must recommend either
in favor of or against before the bill can be brought to the
senate floor for a vote. The MAS controlled lower house has
already voted in favor of the agreement.
3. (C) First Vice-President of the Senate and commission
member Jose Villavicencio Amuruz (UN) told Emboff that his
goal is to have the agreement die in committee and that he is
in no hurry to have the commission issue its recommendation.
Even if the bill made it to the opposition dominated senate
floor, Villavicencio expressed confidence that it would be
voted down.
4. (C) Comment: After a series of increasingly
interventionist Venezuelan actions over the last month, this
Venezuelan military agreement may face enough blowback to
defeat it. Following Venezuelan Ambassador Julio Montes'
October pledge to defend Bolivia's revolution with Venezuelan
"blood and lives" (reftel),and subsequent comments in the
same line by President Chavez, many Bolivians are beginning
to view Venezuela's intentions towards Bolivia as less than
benign. End Comment.
GOLDBERG