GOVERNOR ROSALES AND EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE EAGER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 000206

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2017
TAGS: PREL EAID PHUM PGOV SNAR VE
SUBJECT: GOVERNOR ROSALES AND EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE EAGER
FOR U.S. COOPERATION

REF: A. CARACAS 00182

B. CARACAS 00148

CARACAS 00000206 001.3 OF 002


Classified By: AMBASSADOR WILLIAM R. BROWNFIELD,
REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (SBU) Action Request -- See Paragraph 12.


2. (C) Summary. During the Ambassador's January 23-24 visit
to Maracaibo, Zulia Governor and former presidential
candidate Manuel Rosales expressed strong interest in
enhancing programs of cooperation with his state
administration. Rosales said he is not deterred by potential
pushback from President Chavez' administration, and stressed
that Venezuela needs more visible U.S. engagement now.
Rosales remains interested in a visit to Washington and other
U.S. cities soon and will get back with specific dates and
meeting requests. Archbishop and President of the Venezuelan
Conference of Bishops Ubaldo Santana similarly said the
Catholic Church would like to enhance its ties with the USG,
as well as with American firms and the United States Catholic
Conference of Bishops. Ambassador reiterated the USG's
readiness to be helpful to the Church, especially in the wake
of Chavez' recent verbal attacks on Church officials. End
Summary.

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Rosales: U.S. Needs To Engage More
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3. (C) Zulia Governor and de facto Venezuelan opposition
leader Manuel Rosales hosted the Ambassador for breakfast
January 26 at the Governor's Residence in Maracaibo.
Rosales, flanked by Peter Malberg, Director of the Zulia
Airports, Cabinet Member Marisela Rincon, and Zulia Director
of Sports Oslando Munoz, said his state administration is
very interested in enhancing cooperation with the USG. He
expressed particular interest in fostering closer ties in
education, culture, medicine, sports, and tourism.
Ambassador briefed on possible social engagement, anti-drug,
cultural, and agriculture projects and pledged to follow up
with an outline of concrete ideas. He also highlighted the
possibility of facilitating greater partnership with the
Catholic Church.


4. (C) The Ambassador noted that any U.S. cooperation with
Zulia would be publicized and transparent. Rosales would
need to weigh the potential political price that Zulia and he
may pay in their relations with the Chavez government for
openly cooperating with the USG. Responding immediately,
Rosales said the Zulia government wants to cooperate with the
USG "as much as possible," and added firmly, "We are not
afraid." He stressed that Zulianos are looking for an
alternative to Chavez' anti-American vision and want to
"deepen" their relations with the United States. He urged
the U.S. policy-makers to pay more attention to Venezuela.


5. (C) The Ambassador reviewed efforts to foster a dialogue
with the BRV on a practical agenda of shared interests. The
USG remains interested in assigning diplomatic personnel to
Maracaibo; the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) has not
responded to the USG request for over ten months. Referring
to President Chavez' January 25 threat to declare the
Ambassador persona non grata (Ref A),Rosales lamented,
"There's your response." Rosales and his advisors
nevertheless said they would encourage constituencies such as
business groups to convey to the BRV their strong interest in
re-opening the "consulate."


6. (C) Rosales and Ambassador discussed some notional ideas
for a Rosales visit to the Washington, New York, and perhaps
one other U.S. city sometime in the near future. The
Ambassador urged Rosales to consider the potential political
blowback, as well as ways to maximize the potential value of
such a trip. Rosales said he remains interested in a visit
-- or series of visits -- to the United States. He will
weigh his meeting requests carefully and try to find the
"right balance" in Washington. The Zulia governor promised
to get back with specific dates and ideas.


7. (C) Surrounded by state technocrats rather than close
political advisors, Rosales did not discuss his ongoing
efforts to keep the opposition united or his vision for
opposing Chavez' plans to implement "Socialism of the 21st
Century." At Rosales' request, the Ambassador shared his

CARACAS 00000206 002.3 OF 002


perspectives on oil price trends, as well as the growing
value of U.S.-Venezuela trade in goods and services. Seizing
on the latter, Rosales called Chavez' anti-American rhetoric
"pure hypocrisy" and said that he intends to call the
Venezuelan president on it publicly.

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Archbishop Santana: Ready to Enhance Ties with USG
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8. (C) Ambassador met Maracaibo Archbishop and Venezuelan
Episcopal Conference (CEV) President Ubaldo Santana January
25 in the Archbishop's Maracaibo office. Santana said he had
had a good recent visit to the United States arranged by the
American Bible Society. Asked about ties between the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the CEV in the wake
of Cardinal McCarrick's 2006 retirement as Archbishop of
Washington D.C., Santana said a small committee of bishops
from Florida (Orlando),Chicago, and Alaska are focusing on
Latin America. Catholic Relief Services is also assisting
the NGO Caritas. The Maracaibo Diocese is considering
sending a few priests on three-year rotations to tend to the
needs of the growing Venezuelan population in Florida.


9. (C) Archbishop Santana said the Venezuelan Catholic Church
is interested in boosting cooperation with the United States.
He specifically mentioned ongoing Church efforts to reach
"youths at risk." The Ambassador suggested the CEV and USG
look for ways to foster both direct and indirect (e.g.,
Venamcham) cooperation on projects. He noted that greater
public engagement from the Vatican for social programs would
also give the Church greater visibility and protection from
the BRV. Santana confirmed that Pope Benedict XVI is
planning a trip to the Brazil CELAM Conference (but not
Venezuela) in May 2007. The Ambassador urged the CEV to seek
a brief stopover, even a re-fueling stop, from Pope Benedict
to help counter increasing BRV attacks on the Catholic Church
(Ref B). Santana agreed with the idea, but thought it would
be difficult to bring the Vatican around. His fallback was a
high profile meeting between the Pope and the Venezuelan
Church leadership at the Brazil CELAM.


10. (C) Ambassador reiterated the USG's commitment to
promoting international religious freedom in Venezuela.
Cardinal Urosa and Archbishop Santana may convey any pressing
Church concerns in which the USG could be helpful directly to
the Ambassador. The American Embassy wants to assist without
getting out in front of Church officials. Santana thanked
the Ambassador for the USG's predisposition to cooperate
quietly and effectively.

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Comment
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11. (C) Zulia offers especially promising ground for
U.S.-sponsored anti-drug, agricultural, and cultural
cooperation. Zulia Governor Manuel Rosales stands ready to
ensure that his administration, one of only two opposition
governorships in Venezuela, will be a supportive and
effective partner. That said, we must be careful not to burn
Rosales with too warm an embrace. Similarly, the Catholic
Church, which to date has been somewhat cautious about direct
cooperation with the USG, seems more ready to work with us.
An USG-Zulia Government-Church triangle of mutual support and
cooperation could serve as a bulwark against Chavez'
increasingly radical plan of government. Moreover, the
courage of Rosales and Catholic Church leaders to engage
publicly with the U.S. government should not be
underestimated, but rather rewarded with sufficient
allocation of U.S. resources.


12. (C) Action Request: That the Department instruct Embassy
Vatican to urge the Pope to make a brief Venezuela stop on
his way to or from the Brazil CELAM.

BROWNFIELD