Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BUENOSAIRES795
2007-04-24 15:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:  

FIRST LADY SENATOR CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER

Tags:  PGOV PREL VZ AR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0014
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0795 1141503
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 241503Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7937
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6118
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 5978
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1202
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ APR MONTEVIDEO 6385
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0363
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000795 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EMBASSY VILNIUS FOR THOMAS P. KELLY
EMBASSY GUATEMALA FOR ALEX FEATHERSTONE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL VZ AR
SUBJECT: FIRST LADY SENATOR CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER
ON VENEZUELA, RCTV, AND HER TRIP TO WASHINGTON

REF: SECSTATE 52361

Classified By: Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000795

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EMBASSY VILNIUS FOR THOMAS P. KELLY
EMBASSY GUATEMALA FOR ALEX FEATHERSTONE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL VZ AR
SUBJECT: FIRST LADY SENATOR CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER
ON VENEZUELA, RCTV, AND HER TRIP TO WASHINGTON

REF: SECSTATE 52361

Classified By: Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On April 20, Ambassador Wayne delivered
reftel points to First Lady and Senator Cristina Fernandez de
Kirchner and noted that during her May 3 visit Washington
interlocutors might raise this issues as well as the status
of draft legislation on counterterrorism finance and
anti-trafficking in persons in the Argentine Congress
(septels). First Lady and Senator Cristina Fernandez de
Kirchner claimed that she would be the "first to criticize"
should the Venezuelan government take actions that would
threaten democracy in Venezuela, but insisted that, in her
opinion, "Venezuela is a democracy with full press freedom."
She characterized the pending BRV takeover of RCTV as a
"government decision not to renew a concession". She stated
that Argentina "is a friend of the Venezuelan people", and
quickly added, "and the Venezuelan government", reiterating
the oft-heard claims that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
"helped Argentina when no one else would." END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On April 20, Ambassador Wayne and poloffs called on
First Lady and Senator Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to
discuss issues that might be raised during her May 3 trip to
Washington, including support for democracy in Venezuela and
for passage of draft legislation criminalizing TIP and
terrorism finance in Argentina (septels). On Venezuela, the
First Lady stated that she would give her honest opinion
about the government take-over of RCTV if asked, but that she
would suggest redirecting questions on RCTV to the Venezuelan
Ambassador in Washington. The First Lady said that she
believes there is full freedom of the press in Venezuela, and
that the BRV takeover of RCTV is simply a government decision
not to renew an expired TV concession.


3. (C) Continuing, the First Lady asserted that Argentina
"is a friend of the Venezuelan people", and then quickly
added, "and the Venezuelan government". She also reiterated
the oft-heard claims that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
had "helped Argentina when no one else would" (reiterated
publicly by cabinet chief Alberto Fernandez in the press this
week). Fernandez de Kirchner stated that the GOA disagrees
with the USG view that the GOV is a threat to democracy
internally and in the region, opining that she sees
differences between the U.S. and Venezuela as a conflict
between Bush and Chavez and not between the people of the two
countries. When asked about her trip to Venezuela to address
the Venezuelan Jewish community, she claimed that she told
them that she would be the "first to criticize" the
Venezuelan government should it take actions that would
threaten democracy in Venezuela. She added that in her view
the GOV is neither a threat to democracy, to the Jewish
community, nor to the United States.


4. (C) COMMENT: Many political analysts in Buenos Aires
have suggested that a Cristina presidency would take a more
distanced approach to Venezuela than President Kirchner.
Despite her stated appreciation for Venezuela's aid to
Argentina, Cristina listened attentively to Ambassador
Wayne's points on the importance of supporting democracy and
freedom of the press in Venezuela. While echoing President
Kirchner's sentiments on Venezuela, she also admitted to
"loving the U.S." while reminiscing about a previous trip to
Northern California. END COMMENT.
WAYNE