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