Venezuelan Independence Celebrations: a Blooper in

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000425 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV SOCI VE NS SUBJECT: Venezuelan Independence Celebrations: a Blooper in Suriname REF: (A)PARAMARIBO 343 ¶1. (U) The Venezuelan Embassy in Paramaribo marked the 195th anniversary of independence with a string of events. Celebrations kicked off with an art exhibit on June 30, followed by an evening of Venezuelan food and culture and the crowning of the Queen of the Venezuelan Cultural Institute, a wreath laying at the statute of Simon Bolivar- the most honored statue in town as the Venezuelan Embassy organizes three wreath events a year. A July four lecture by the Mayor of Caracas on social policy was cancelled, we are told by some wags as an expression of Venezuelan pique. Last week, a Venezuelan naval vessel was unable to off-load its full cargo of fuel offered in response to flooding in the interior. ¶2. (U) On July 5 Venezuelan Ambassador Simancas hosted a reception attended by approximately 200. The presence of convicted narcotics trafficker and former military strongman Desi Bouterse surrounded by a coterie of his party leadership was notable, as he is persona non grata on the diplomatic circuit. In his remarks, the Venezuelan took an obligatory swipe at the United States, although not by name. He also touted the benefits of PetroCaribe and a, still to be finalized, fishing agreement, announced scholarships for Surinamers to study at the Latin American School of Medicine and an expansion of The Milagros Mission to permit poor Surinamers to receive medical treatment in Venezuela. Vice President Sardjoe representing Suriname made innocuous remarks, with the exception of a slightly ominous observation that Suriname looked forward to working with Venezuela on UN reform. ¶3. (SBU) Comment: The Venezuelan Ambassador's decision to invite Bouterse to the national day reception earned him a stinging rebuke from a local businessman whose father represented Venezuela as an honorary consul before the establishment of the Venezuelan Embassy. In a letter to Simancas, made available to the Embassy, the businessman said he had always enjoyed good relations with Venezuelan Ambassadors, but the presence of the murderous putchist Bouterse was an insult, and he would therefore limit contact with the Venezuelan Embassy. The Dutch Ambassador, having been tipped that Bouterse was invited, decided to forgo the reception. The Ambassador and her French and EU colleagues maintained a substantial distance from Bouterse with their backs to Rupert Christopher, former Surinamese Ambassador to Venezuela, a man widely reputed to have blood on his hands from the military period. While several government officials spoke with Bouterse, a member of Parliament, diplomats, the commander of the Armed Forces, and members of the business community gave him a wide berth. In little Paramaribo, working a reception crowd can require some deft footwork BARNES