Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LAPAZ868
2006-03-29 14:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy La Paz
Cable title:
POLOFF'S FIRST HAND LOOK AT VENEZUELAN
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C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000868
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL PINR
SUBJECT: POLOFF'S FIRST HAND LOOK AT VENEZUELAN
INDOCTRINATION EFFORTS
Classified By: Amb. David N. Greenlee for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LA PAZ 000868
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL PINR
SUBJECT: POLOFF'S FIRST HAND LOOK AT VENEZUELAN
INDOCTRINATION EFFORTS
Classified By: Amb. David N. Greenlee for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On a March 18 group tour to Lake Titicaca Poloff
witnessed first hand rudimentary indoctrination efforts of
the Venezuelan government officials towards Bolivians. By
chance, the only other people on the tour were two female
employees of PDVSA, the Venezuelan government owned oil
company. (Comment: Poloff identified herself only a an
American briefly in Bolivia, not as a USG official. End
comment.) They mentioned that they were in Bolivia for work.
Once on the Island of the Sun, the Venezuelans proceeded to
stop at each vendor they passed and purchased something from
each one, even if it was a small hand woven bracelet that
cost only 2 bolivianos (roughly USD $0.25). They would
proceed to tell the vendor where they were from and a little
bit about themselves and what they were doing in Bolivia.
(Comment: While it would not seem out of the ordinary for a
tourist to make a purchase and chit chat with a vendor, the
Venezuelans literally stopped at each one they passed and
appeared to be spreading information about the Bolivarian
revolution. End comment.)
2. (SBU) On the way back to the mainland, one of the
Venezuelans proceeded to get into a heated discussion with
the tour guide about the importance of the Cuban and
Venezuelan presence in Bolivia. The tour guide argued that
President Evo Morales has not done anything since he took
office and that as an opposition leader he had demanded more
teachers and better salaries. As a President he had denied
both. Making matters worse, the guide continued, Morales was
bringing in Cuban doctors instead of hiring unemployed
Bolivian doctors. One of the Venezuelans proceeded to tell
the tour guide that he did not understand the important job
that the doctors were doing. They were going into violent
and unsafe neighborhoods to help sick people where Bolivian
doctors had so far not gone. The tour guide responded that
many of the unemployed doctors live in those unsafe
neighborhoods and would be willing to do the job if they were
hired. The Venezuelan retorted that the Cuban doctors were
only provided daily meals and were not drawing a salary. The
tour guide fired back that he was sure the unemployed
Bolivian doctors would be willing to work for the same
stipend if it meant putting some food on their tables at
night.
3. (SBU) The tour guide closed his argument by saying that
Bolivians are tired of being dependent on foreign
governments. He said that many Bolivians voted for Morales
not because they liked him but because they were hoping for
some change and so far it was more of the same, only with
Cubans and Venezuelans. The Venezuelan responded that she
"knew for a fact" that there was going to be a drastic
change.
GREENLEE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL BL PINR
SUBJECT: POLOFF'S FIRST HAND LOOK AT VENEZUELAN
INDOCTRINATION EFFORTS
Classified By: Amb. David N. Greenlee for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On a March 18 group tour to Lake Titicaca Poloff
witnessed first hand rudimentary indoctrination efforts of
the Venezuelan government officials towards Bolivians. By
chance, the only other people on the tour were two female
employees of PDVSA, the Venezuelan government owned oil
company. (Comment: Poloff identified herself only a an
American briefly in Bolivia, not as a USG official. End
comment.) They mentioned that they were in Bolivia for work.
Once on the Island of the Sun, the Venezuelans proceeded to
stop at each vendor they passed and purchased something from
each one, even if it was a small hand woven bracelet that
cost only 2 bolivianos (roughly USD $0.25). They would
proceed to tell the vendor where they were from and a little
bit about themselves and what they were doing in Bolivia.
(Comment: While it would not seem out of the ordinary for a
tourist to make a purchase and chit chat with a vendor, the
Venezuelans literally stopped at each one they passed and
appeared to be spreading information about the Bolivarian
revolution. End comment.)
2. (SBU) On the way back to the mainland, one of the
Venezuelans proceeded to get into a heated discussion with
the tour guide about the importance of the Cuban and
Venezuelan presence in Bolivia. The tour guide argued that
President Evo Morales has not done anything since he took
office and that as an opposition leader he had demanded more
teachers and better salaries. As a President he had denied
both. Making matters worse, the guide continued, Morales was
bringing in Cuban doctors instead of hiring unemployed
Bolivian doctors. One of the Venezuelans proceeded to tell
the tour guide that he did not understand the important job
that the doctors were doing. They were going into violent
and unsafe neighborhoods to help sick people where Bolivian
doctors had so far not gone. The tour guide responded that
many of the unemployed doctors live in those unsafe
neighborhoods and would be willing to do the job if they were
hired. The Venezuelan retorted that the Cuban doctors were
only provided daily meals and were not drawing a salary. The
tour guide fired back that he was sure the unemployed
Bolivian doctors would be willing to work for the same
stipend if it meant putting some food on their tables at
night.
3. (SBU) The tour guide closed his argument by saying that
Bolivians are tired of being dependent on foreign
governments. He said that many Bolivians voted for Morales
not because they liked him but because they were hoping for
some change and so far it was more of the same, only with
Cubans and Venezuelans. The Venezuelan responded that she
"knew for a fact" that there was going to be a drastic
change.
GREENLEE