THE MARCH THAT WASN'T, MORE WEEKEND MARCHES PLANNED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CARACAS 001082

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2017
TAGS: PHUM KDEM PGOV SCUL SOCI VE
SUBJECT: THE MARCH THAT WASN'T, MORE WEEKEND MARCHES PLANNED

CARACAS 00001082 001.2 OF 003


Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT DOWNES
FOR REASON 1.4 (D)


1. (C) Summary. For the sixth straight day, Caracas
university students continued protesting the BRV closure of
Radio Caracas Television (RCTV) on June 1. Their planned
demonstration to the National Assembly was temporarily
blocked by security forces and later postponed until June 5.
Students marched to the Catholic Episcopal Conference where a
small delegation of National Assembly deputies received their
petition. As student protests continue, BRV officials accuse
demonstrators of conspiring to foment civil unrest.
Meanwhile, NGOs and the Church urged both sides to keep the
peace. More pro-government and opposition marches are
planned in Caracas over the weekend. End Summary.

--------------
Student Leaders Take Center Stage
--------------


2. (SBU) Aside from a few, generally small, student-driven
RCTV solidarity demonstrations, the streets of Caracas were
relatively quiet May 31. Instead, student leaders from the
various local universities called a press conference and mass
student gathering at Simon Bolivar University. The students
rejected government accusations of manipulation by political
parties and emphasized they acted on their own behalf. The
organizers also announced a collective march June 1,
beginning in the pro-government neighborhood El Paraiso to
the National Assembly (NA).


3. (SBU) Student leaders warned marches would continue until
their five demands were met. Among them, that RCTV return to
the airwaves; more balanced reporting and programming on
TVes, the new state-run television network; that media
outlets respect freedom of expression; that students arrested
during the previous days be released; and that CONATEL renew
the broadcasting license of 100 radio stations currently
under review. The press conference received extensive and
positive local press coverage. Student leaders, particularly
Yon Goicochea of Catholic University (UCAB) and Stalin
Gonzalez of Central University of Venezuela (UCV),were
articulate and well-received by their fellow classmates.

--------------
Permit: Not Issued
--------------


4. (SBU) Student organizers requested May 31 a permit to
march to the NA, but it was subsequently denied. Freddy
Bernal, mayor of Liberator municipality, justified his
decision, saying students failed to provide the required
24-hours advanced notice, duplicate copies of the request,
and a map of the proposed route. According to Bernal, Stalin
Gonzalez called the mayor's office late May 31 at which time
the student organizer was told the march could not take
place. In response, organizers announced students would
march on city sidewalks and thus did not require a permit.

--------------
UCAB students blocked
--------------


5. (SBU) University students from UCAB encountered
difficulties as they attempted to make their way to the
agreed upon meeting point in El Paraiso June 1. UCAB
students planned to march from their campus -about 30 minutes
outside of Caracas- to El Paraiso, but were cordoned off by
security forces. Instead, students were told a delegation of
NA deputies would make their way to UCAB to receive their
petition. Upon hearing word that UCAB students were
prohibited from marching, Stalin Gonzalez and UCV students
already assembled at the meeting point announced they would
march to UCAB to show their support for the students.


6. (SBU) Negotiations ensued and security forces allowed UCAB
students to march to the Catholic Episcopal Conference's
headquarters near the university campus. Participants
expressed solidarity with student leader Nixon Moreno
currently seeking asylum at the offices of the Nunciature.


7. (SBU) Ismael Garcia, NA Deputy and Secretary General of
the small, pro-Chavez political party Podemos, as well as a
handful of other NA members from Podemos and the United
Socialist Party (PSUV) subsequently met with student leaders
at the Episcopal Conference building near UCAB. Garcia said
he had been in contact with students leaders and was willing

CARACAS 00001082 002.2 OF 003


to meet with them to discuss their demands. Student leaders
have agreed to postpone their march to the NA until June 5.
(Note: Podemos has fallen out of favor with Chavez, following
the party leadership's refusal to join Chavez' (PSUV).


8. (SBU) Before the march began, all-news cable network,
Globovision, showed footage of chavista supporters on
motorcycles congregating around El Paraiso waiting for the
university student marchers to arrive. Security forces
separated the two groups in order to avoid any incidents.

--------------
Weekend Marches
--------------


9. (SBU) Opposition and chavista marches are planned
throughout the weekend in Caracas. The National Resistance
Movement (CNR) intended to march to the Ombudsman's office
June 2 but was denied a permit. The demonstration is now
scheduled for June 3. In an interesting move, the CNR evoked
Article 350 of the constitution which "rejects any regime
which restricts democratic guarantees." Heeding President
Chavez' May 29 call to "defend the revolution,"
pro-government demonstrators are expected to march June 2.
In typical BRV fashion, a large crowd is expected with many
participants being bussed into Caracas from across the
country.

--------------
BRV launches verbal attacks...
--------------


10. (SBU) As in previous days, BRV officials continued to
accuse protesters of fomenting violence and civil unrest.

-- The Ombudsman, German Mundarain, warned the public that
"an insurrection" is being planned Venezuela, referring to
the ongoing student and opposition-led protests. He asked
citizens to be wary of text messages and internet chat-rooms
inviting people to partake in demonstrations. (Note:
Students have used a variety of innovative means to transmit
messages about upcoming marches and disturbances, including
text messaging and on-line forums such as Facebook.com).

-- Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro warned that the BRV would
respond in a "forceful" manner if the OAS discussed RCTV's
closure in its June 3-5 General Assembly session in Panama
City. "We won't allow anyone to mess with us," Maduro told
the local press June 1.

-- In the same press conference, Maduro alleged student
protesters were being manipulated by opposition political
parties and the U.S. Embassy in Caracas to carry out
destabilization plans (sic).

--------------
... Others call for peace
--------------


11. (C) Civil society organizations resumed their call for
restraint, while the Church asked for civil liberties to be
protected.

-- Forum for Life, a conglomerate of local human rights
organizations, issued a June 1 press statement, asserting
students' right to protest, calling on demonstrators to
refrain from using violence, and instructing parents of
detained students to seek legal recourse.

-- Zulia state Governor and former presidential candidate
Manuel Rosales told the Ambassador June 1 he did not believe
student protest would subside in the coming days.

-- The Catholic Episcopal Conference issued a May 29 press
statement in light of continuing widespread student protests
and called all sides to keep the peace. The bishops also
expressed concern over freedom of expression, the right to
information, and human rights in Venezuela.

--------------
Comment
--------------


12. Caracas-based university leaders continue to show their
ability to organize and manage student-led demonstrations
peacefully. Negotiations with security forces and
communication among the different student groups helped

CARACAS 00001082 003.2 OF 003


diffuse a potentially dangerous situation the afternoon of
June 1. It is unclear, however, how long students can
maintain this momentum.

BROWNFIELD