FIFTH DAY OF NATIONWIDE RCTV SOLIDARITY MARCHES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 001062 SIPDIS SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2017 TAGS: KDEM PGOV SCUL SOCI VE SUBJECT: FIFTH DAY OF NATIONWIDE RCTV SOLIDARITY MARCHES REF: CARACAS 01055 CARACAS 00001062 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT DOWNES FOR REASON 1.4 (D) ¶1. (C) Summary. On the fifth day of widespread and peaceful demonstrations, students and opposition groups took to the streets to register their displeasure with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela's (BRV's) decision to close independent broadcaster Radio Caracas Television (RCTV). The government continues its arrest of marchers, including more than 100 minors. Local human rights defenders and opposition political parties called on government security forces to ensure the safety of protesters. Pro-government officials, however, continued to deny that marches were tied to popular discontent over RCTV and, instead, insisted protesters were being manipulated by opposition forces. End Summary. -------------- Marches and Arrests Continue -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Several small marches - registering up to several thousand participants - were reported throughout the capital city Caracas May 30. The largest demonstration included students from the Catholic University, Central University of Venezuela, Santa Maria University, Jose Maria Vargas University, and Metropolitan University, which gathered in the Chacaito neighborhood and marched to the Public Defender's Office. Embassy contacts report that up to 100 minors were arrested during the last 24 hours and were being moved from a holding station to a hearing room in the Ministry for Popular Power of Interior and Defense. As in previous days, the marches caused congestion and heavy traffic on the cities highways and major avenues. Similarly, various marches took place nationwide, most notably in Tachira, Lara, Zulia, Bolivar, Carabobo, Anzoategui, Aragua, and Monagas states. All marches appear to have been peaceful, and organizers have insisted that all activities be non-violent. -------------- Requests for Police Restraint -------------- ¶3. (C) Local human rights defenders issued statements in the press and asked for police restraint and responsibility in dealing with the protesters. -- Prominent local human rights defender and Director of the NGO COFAVIC, Liliana Ortega, reminded the government and its security forces of its obligation to protect demonstrators. She added that "human rights cannot and should not be repressed as a excuse to establish public order." -- In her morning radio talk show, Monica Fernandez, Director of the judicial watchdog NGO Foro Penal, commented on lack of available information pertaining to the number of arrested and/or injured protesters. Fernandez' NGO visited one police station in Caracas May 29 where several students protesters were being held (reftel). -------------- BRV Accuses Students of Unrest -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Pro-government officials, however, maintained that protesters were deliberately fomenting unrest and discredited their motives for demonstrating. -- Gian Carlo Di Martino, pro-government mayor of Maracaibo, Venezuela's second largest city, convoked a news conference May 30 and accused protesters of using RCTV's closure as an excuse to foment violence and civil unrest. Di Martino called on university students to renounce efforts to "manipulate" the student movement. The local media reports a substantial increase in the presence of Zulia state police and National Guard in the region. -- Separately, Chavez' brother and Minister of Education, Adan Chavez, alleged that the violent demonstrations taking place in Venezuela were planned in the United States. The Minister denounced the "imperialist tendencies that want to manipulate our youth under the pretext of the lack of freedom of expression" in Venezuela. ¶5. (C) Comment: The BRV's unilateral decision to take RCTV CARACAS 00001062 002.2 OF 002 off the airwaves hit a raw nerve with Venezuelan students. University students from across Venezuela continue to take to the streets despite violent confrontations with national security forces, demanding that the BRV respect freedom of expression and their right to protest. More pro-government and opposition marches are scheduled in the coming days (reftel). BROWNFIELD