Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CARACAS2140
2007-11-06 20:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
FEDECAMARAS SPEAKS OUT AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHCV #2140 3102022 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 062022Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0052 INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 7573 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ NOV LIMA 0885 RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 2699 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002140
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
HQ SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
TREASURY FOR MMALLOY
NSC FOR JCARDENAS AND JSHRIER
COMMERCE FOR 4431/MAC/WH/MCAMERON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2017
TAGS: PGOV ECON VE
SUBJECT: FEDECAMARAS SPEAKS OUT AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL
REFORM
Classified By: Acting Economic Counselor Shawn Flatt for reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002140
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
HQ SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
TREASURY FOR MMALLOY
NSC FOR JCARDENAS AND JSHRIER
COMMERCE FOR 4431/MAC/WH/MCAMERON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2017
TAGS: PGOV ECON VE
SUBJECT: FEDECAMARAS SPEAKS OUT AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL
REFORM
Classified By: Acting Economic Counselor Shawn Flatt for reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d).
1. (SBU) Fedecamaras, Venezuela's premier umbrella business
association, has added its voice to those opposed to Chavez'
proposed constitutional reforms. During a meeting on
November 2, Jose Manuel Gonzalez, President of Fedecamaras,
handed the Ambassador a paper discussing Fedecamaras'
position. Also on November 2, Gonzalez gave a short speech
at a press conference outlining the association's reasons for
opposing the reform. In the paper and speech, Gonzalez
attacked the proposed reforms as undemocratic and illegal,
arguing, like many others, that they constituted a "new coup
by the state against democracy in Venezuela."
2. (SBU) Gonzalez based his critique in part on economic
grounds, noting that the proposed reforms will only
exacerbate Venezuela's economic problems, including
inflation, scarcity, unemployment, and corruption. In a
separate paper available on its website, Fedecamaras
specifically attacked the proposal to undo the autonomy of
the central bank, calling it "contrary to equilibrium in the
money market and to a sane economy." In his paper and
speech, Gonzalez also attacked the proposed reforms on
political grounds, noting, for example, that they threatened
to reverse decentralization and to concentrate power in an
authoritarian and autocratic state governed by a president
who wanted to perpetuate his hold on power. Making
passionate reference to the protests organized by university
students, Gonzalez called on all Venezuelans "to come out
against the reform, rejecting it, denying it, and impeding
its approval."
3. (C) Comment: It is not likely that Fedecamaras' position
will change the thinking of the Chavista base. It is
nevertheless one more noteworthy voice raised against the
proposed reforms. Fedecamaras' categorical rejection of the
proposals is also illustrative of the increasingly polarized
atmosphere in which the campaign to adopt or reject the
reforms will be carried out over the coming weeks.
DUDDY
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
HQ SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
TREASURY FOR MMALLOY
NSC FOR JCARDENAS AND JSHRIER
COMMERCE FOR 4431/MAC/WH/MCAMERON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2017
TAGS: PGOV ECON VE
SUBJECT: FEDECAMARAS SPEAKS OUT AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL
REFORM
Classified By: Acting Economic Counselor Shawn Flatt for reasons 1.4 (b
) and (d).
1. (SBU) Fedecamaras, Venezuela's premier umbrella business
association, has added its voice to those opposed to Chavez'
proposed constitutional reforms. During a meeting on
November 2, Jose Manuel Gonzalez, President of Fedecamaras,
handed the Ambassador a paper discussing Fedecamaras'
position. Also on November 2, Gonzalez gave a short speech
at a press conference outlining the association's reasons for
opposing the reform. In the paper and speech, Gonzalez
attacked the proposed reforms as undemocratic and illegal,
arguing, like many others, that they constituted a "new coup
by the state against democracy in Venezuela."
2. (SBU) Gonzalez based his critique in part on economic
grounds, noting that the proposed reforms will only
exacerbate Venezuela's economic problems, including
inflation, scarcity, unemployment, and corruption. In a
separate paper available on its website, Fedecamaras
specifically attacked the proposal to undo the autonomy of
the central bank, calling it "contrary to equilibrium in the
money market and to a sane economy." In his paper and
speech, Gonzalez also attacked the proposed reforms on
political grounds, noting, for example, that they threatened
to reverse decentralization and to concentrate power in an
authoritarian and autocratic state governed by a president
who wanted to perpetuate his hold on power. Making
passionate reference to the protests organized by university
students, Gonzalez called on all Venezuelans "to come out
against the reform, rejecting it, denying it, and impeding
its approval."
3. (C) Comment: It is not likely that Fedecamaras' position
will change the thinking of the Chavista base. It is
nevertheless one more noteworthy voice raised against the
proposed reforms. Fedecamaras' categorical rejection of the
proposals is also illustrative of the increasingly polarized
atmosphere in which the campaign to adopt or reject the
reforms will be carried out over the coming weeks.
DUDDY