RCTV CLOSURE: PROTESTS ENDURE, TEST BRV

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CARACAS 001055 SIPDIS SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2017 TAGS: PGOV KDEM VE SUBJECT: RCTV CLOSURE: PROTESTS ENDURE, TEST BRV REF: CARACAS 01016 CARACAS 00001055 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT DOWNES FOR 1.4 (D) ¶1. (C) Summary: Pro-RCTV marches have continued since May 27 as university students and other RCTV supporters have held protests around the country, blocking major roads. While typically not large--up to several thousand participants--the demonstrations are widespread, occurring in Caracas and in outlying states. The Metropolitan Police, with help from the National Guard, used water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets and bean bags to disperse marches on March 27-29, resulting in several serious injuries. Almost 200 people have been detained in relation to the protests, including 100 minors and one Amcit. After two days of silence, President Chavez in a televised May 29 speech called out his supporters to "defend the revolution" and threatened to crack down on the opposition cable station Globovision and other media. More opposition and student demonstrations are scheduled throughout the country for the afternoon of May 30. End Summary. -------------- RCTV Protests Continue and Grow -------------- ¶2. (U) Protests for and against the closure of RCTV intensified from May 25 to 29, resulting in a few injuries and several arrests. The BRV beefed up security in and around Caracas May 25, bringing in National Guard units and armored trucks to back up the Metropolitan Police in anticipation of further demonstrations. Emboffs witnessed generally peaceful marches in Caracas, some of which were forcefully dispersed by BRV authorities: --May 25: Students from several universities held isolated protests in Caracas. The Metropolitan Police attempted to disperse crowds. That evening, the pro-Chavez group that vandalized Fedecamaras May 24 (Reftel) struck again, this time targeting opposition-oriented cable news station Globovision. No injuries were reported. In fact, the group openly allowed their activities to be recorded and did not threaten Globovision's cameramen. Police and National Guard arrived after the radicals had completed their work. -- May 26: The opposition National Resistance Movement led the largest solidarity march to date on RCTV, and the largest opposition demonstration since the December 2006 presidential election. Thousands of RCTV supporters gathered at Plaza Morelos near downtown Caracas and marched to RCTV headquarters in the western part of the city. Local entertainers and prominent opposition politicians addressed the crowds. After the march, some participants proceeded to Globovision to repair damages from the night before. At 8 pm that night, RCTV supporters initiated cacerolazos (pot banging protests) that have since continued every night at the same time. -- May 27: Thousands of participants (though not as many as the day before) met in three different areas and marched to the Ministry of Telecommunications (Conatel) in the upscale Las Mercedes neighborhood, where they held a vigil. The demonstration was peaceful and Metropolitan Police and National Guard officials with whom PolCouns talked at the scene did not appear concerned or threatened. As the crowd was beginning to thin out, however, authorities apparently received the order to disband the crowd, which they did using water canons, tear gas, and according to at least one report, rubber bullets. Several people were injured trying to flee the scene, including one of the rally's organizers, Antonio Ledezma, who as of May 29 was still in intensive care. Local press reports say five people were arrested in connection with the demonstrations. Remnants of the crowd convened in Altamira, some distance from Conatel, after the vigil. BRV security forces also forcefully dispersed that group. Unlike in Las Mercedes, there were reports of burning barricades and of unidentified elements allegedly throwing debris at BRV authorities, which may have triggered the heavy-handed response. -- May 28: University students in several cities held peaceful rallies to protest the BRV's use of force the night before and the closure of RCTV, resulting in some injuries and road closures. In Caracas, there were sporadic encounters between Metropolitan Police backed up by the National Guard as students attempted to join forces and the CARACAS 00001055 002.2 OF 003 police tried to keep them dispersed. Police used tear gas and fired rubber bullets/bean bags to prevent University of Simon Bolivar students from leaving campus. Perhaps more than ten thousand students from the other major universities managed to meet at Brion Plaza in Chacaito in Caracas. The event appeared to be peaceful until mid-afternoon when police, claiming that students were throwing things at them, moved in with tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Within 20 minutes the students returned to continue their peaceful demonstration, only to be forcefully dispersed again a couple hours later. Protests outside of Caracas continued. In Carabobo State, pro-government supporters reportedly attacked a group of students protesting RCTV's closure. Several injuries were reported. Students in Maracay, Anzoategui, Zulia, and Bolivar states blocked main traffic arteries. Clashes between protesting students and state police in Tachira resulted in about 25 injuries, according to state authorities. -- May 29: Chacao Mayor Leopoldo Lopez told reporters that 97 protests were officially reported nationwide. Post received reports of pro-RCTV student marches in Aragua, Zulia, Anzoategui, Carabobo, Barinas, Tachira, Trujillo, and Nueva Esparta States. Some student leaders have reportedly called for a nationwide student strike. A pro-RCTV group returned to Chacaito intending to march to the nearby OAS office and were tear gassed and shot at. Some 100 minors and 80 adults have been arrested, including an Amcit, who said he was beaten after informing authorities that he was a U.S. citizen. One human rights contact told us that some of those arrested claimed that they were doing routine errands and were not marching at the time of their arrest. They may be arraigned May 30. Popular Power Minister of Interior and Justice Pedro Carreno met with Miranda State Governor Diosdado Cabello, Caracas Mayor Juan Barreto, Baruta Mayor Henrique Capriles, and Chacao Mayor Lopez that night to coordinate police response to future protests. -------------- Pro-Government March -------------- ¶3. (U) The BRV sponsored a May 27 rally in support of closing RCTV, busing in thousands for a march from Plaza Morelos to Teresa Carreno Performing Arts Theater, where TVes' inauguration was to occur. Although the theater set-up suggested that President Chavez would appear, he was conspicuously absent. The BRV also set off massive fireworks displays at midnight throughout the city to celebrate the new channel's debut. Meanwhile, on May 29 PolCouns saw Bolivarian University students who were protesting the opposition's alleged destabilizing activities and vandalism marching towards Miraflores Presidential Palace in support of Chavez. -------------- BRV Press Coverage Spotty -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Government coverage of the protests since May 27 has been uneven. State-run VTV covered the May 27 demonstrations and police reaction. However, neither it nor the new channel 2 (TVes) reported on the May 28 protests, but played cultural events instead. On May 29, VTV covered a small opposition march and the pro-BRV march to Miraflores. There were unsubstantiated reports that the entire news team of private broadcaster Venevision submitted their resignations over the station's alleged refusal to let them cover the story. Venevision began broadcasting reports on the student/police encounters in Chacaito again around 5pm on May 28, and continues to cover BRV and opposition protests May 29. Some of its reporters and producers have also appeared on Globovision to express their solidarity with RCTV. -------------- Chavez: You want another April 13? -------------- ¶5. (U) After a two-day absence from public view, Chavez initiated an uncharacteristically short nationwide daytime broadcast May 29 in which he addressed student protesters and the opposition. Dismissing the May 28 and 29 student marches as small isolated groups, Chavez accused the opposition of trying to manipulate students into creating massive unrest they could use to trigger a coup, similar to the protest of CARACAS 00001055 003.2 OF 003 April 2002. Referring to the May 27 incident at Conatel, Chavez alleged that the Metropolitan Police were force to react after being attacked with bottles and rocks. Chavez warned that "if the opposition wants an April 13, I will lead it myself," in an allusion to the massive pro-Chavez demonstrations that followed Chavez' return to power after his temporary ouster in 2002. ¶6. (U) He then called on his supporters "in the hills of Caracas and in Petare to be alert" and prepared to "defend the revolution." He warned pro-opposition cable news channel Globovision and radio stations not to continue "playing with people's emotions," fomenting unrest, or "advocating his assassination." Noting that he was prepared to "die for the revolution," Chavez rhetorically asked if opposition leaders were willing to risk their lives. Addressing Globovision, Chavez warned "If you continue in the same direction (as RCTV),you can end up like them." Chavez also pronounced that Venezuela cannot accept calls to "murder the president" or "anarchy in the street." In what could be a sign of an imminent crackdown, Poloff saw paddy wagons positioned near the Central University of Venezuela and we have heard others were moved to Petare. We have also heard that pro-Chavez supporters in Petare may be planning a counter-demonstration to "defend the revolution." The police and National Guard continue to maintain a very visible presence throughout Caracas during the demonstrations. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) Although not large--from dozens to a few thousand participants--the student and opposition protests against the BRV's closure of RCTV have been surprisingly widespread, energetic, and sustained. The clashes between the National Guard/Metropolitan Police and demonstrators mark the first time in at least two years that law enforcement officials in Caracas have resorted to the use of tear gas and plastic bullets to disperse crowds. The police actions also appear to be orchestrated, rather than reacting to provocation. At both the May 27 night time action at Conatel and the May 28 action to break up students at Brion Plaza the police appear to have been ordered to disperse the peaceful demonstrations. Chavez' threat to both call out his supporters to "defend the revolution" and crack down on the few opposition media outlets remaining could foreshadow further confrontations between the BRV and pro-democracy groups, and shows Chavez' bullying, uncompromising approach to the current unrest. BROWNFIELD