Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CARACAS2187
2007-11-15 19:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:  

CHAVEZ KEEPS SPAT WITH SPAIN GOING

Tags:  PGOV PREL VE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7628
PP RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHCV #2187 3191914
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 151914Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0105
INFO RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002187 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR DFISK AND DTOMLINSON
USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ KEEPS SPAT WITH SPAIN GOING

REF: SANTIAGO 01825

Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor,
for Reason 1.4(b and d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002187

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR DFISK AND DTOMLINSON
USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ KEEPS SPAT WITH SPAIN GOING

REF: SANTIAGO 01825

Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor,
for Reason 1.4(b and d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: President Hugo Chavez, as well as his
political supporters and detractors, are attempting to make
political hay out of King Juan Carlos' royal rebuke of Chavez
on November 10 at the Iberoamerican summit. The King's "why
don't you shut up" sound bite is receiving extensive airplay
and has become a greeting between Chavez' detractors.
Meanwhile the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) is
keeping the pressure on Spain, demanding an apology, issuing
veiled threats against Spanish business with official media
and praising Chavez for standing up to the original "empire".
The rebuke may tickle the opposition, and hurt Chavez' image
abroad, but Chavez is using it to take attention away from
the December 2 constitutional referendum and continuing
student protests. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) "Por que no te calles" (Why don't you shut up?)
has become a national catchphrase in Venezuela with the sound
bite playing dozens of times an hour on morning and afternoon
drivetime radio programs, re-mixed with an electronic beat as
a ringtone and as a humorous greeting between friends. While
even pro-Chavez Venezuelans may chuckle at the Spanish King's
rebuke of their long-winded President at the Iberoamerican
summit, this is unlikely to become an effective rallying cry
of the "Vote No" block or even the student movement. On the
contrary, in his efforts toward damage control, Chavez is
using this incident to distract attention from opposition,
even within Chavismo, to his constitutional reform package.


3. (SBU) Since his return to Venezuela late on November 10,
Chavez has been playing the role of aggrieved party, while
his government is making a full court press against the
Spanish. Citing the difficulties of good relations with "a
Prime Minister who defends a fascist and crushes the truth as
well as King who insults the dignity of a people," Chavez
announced a comprehensive review of political, diplomatic and
economic links with Spain during a televised interview on
November 14. In recent media interviews, Chavez wondered
aloud if King Juan Carlos was going to charge him like an
angry bull, accused the monarch of supporting the 2002 coup
against him, and said that Venezuelans have 500 years in
South America and will never be silenced. BRV Vice President
Jorge Rodriguez called the king's comments a "vulgar and
cruel" way to address a Venezuelan leader.


4. (C) Comment: Chavez appears to be purposely extending
his donnybrook with the Spanish king. Although an estimated
1 million Venezuelans can claim Spanish heritage, by playing
the victim, Chavez may not only be achieving some degree of
damage control but supplanting some media coverage of ongoing
student protests and opposition to his constitutional
reforms. End Comment.

DUDDY