Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CARACAS2231
2007-11-26 16:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:  

CHAVEZ' COLD WAR WITH COLOMBIA AND SPAIN

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PTER CO VE 
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VZCZCXRO5587
PP RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHCV #2231 3301631
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 261631Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0160
INFO RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 002231 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER CO VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ' COLD WAR WITH COLOMBIA AND SPAIN

REF: A. BOGOTA 08224

B. CARACAS 2187

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 002231

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER CO VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ' COLD WAR WITH COLOMBIA AND SPAIN

REF: A. BOGOTA 08224

B. CARACAS 2187

Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor,
for Reason 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Summary: President Hugo Chavez publicly announced
November 25 that he was putting relations with Colombia "in
the freezer" following his dismissal as mediator between
Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC) by Colombian President Uribe. Describing Uribe with a
string of epithets, he described the Colombian decision as
being a "spit in the face". Chavez added that relations with
Spain are also "on ice" until King Juan Carlos apologizes for
telling him to shut up at the recent Iberoamerican summit in
Santiago. Chavez' decision could have an impact on numerous
bilateral projects, such as the Colombia-Venezuela natural
gas pipeline. Chavez explicitly threatened business
relations with Colombia, which exports USD four billion of
goods and services to Venezuela (compared to one billion from
Venezuela). Chavez' tirades against Colombia and Spain seem
more likely to hurt the Venezuelan president's international
image than his domestic standing. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Chavez reacted angrily to Colombian President
Uribe's November 21 decision to cancel his mandate as
mediator between the Government of Colombia and the FARC.
During televised speeches in the Colombian border state of
Zulia, Venezuelan President Chavez claimed that Uribe had
been "unmasked as a bald faced liar and a cynic." Chavez
said he felt sorry for the Colombian people because they had
"a lying leader who would not show his face". The Venezuelan
president observed that "Colombia deserved another President,
one better, more dignified." Chavez said the GOC report that
Chavez made unauthorized contact with Colombian Army Chief
Mario Montoya was "loaded with lies." He denied seeking a
conversation with General Montoya and accused Uribe of
"listening to rumors from the gringos, the oligarchs and a
Colombian military that doesn't want peace." Chavez also
blamed the United States for perpetuating the war between
Colombia and the FARC as an excuse to "get into our faces."


3. (C) A Foreign Ministry Colombia Desk Officer told Poloff
November 26 that Chavez' announcements against the Colombian
government caught everyone by surprise. Asked about one
Venezuelan media report that Venezuela may close its Embassy
in Bogota, the desk officer said he doubted it. He was,
however, unsure how, or if at all, this would affect the
estimated four million Colombians living in Venezuela.


4. (SBU) Chavez also said that he was "freezing" Venezuela's
relations with Spain until Spanish King Juan Carlos offered
an apology for telling him to shut up, announcing "We have
our dignity." Chavez had previously announced a comprehensive
review of relations with Spain (Ref B),but his November 25
announcement went even further. The Venezuelan media
reported widely on November 26 that Spanish Secretary of
State for Iberoamerica Trinidad Jimenez would meet with
Venezuelan Ambassador to Spain Alfredo Toro to learn the
exact extent of the freeze.


5. (C) Comment. The one-two punch of Uribe's imposition of a
deadline to his mediation efforts followed by a public
cancellation of the Chavez mediation effort later that same
week ignited a very public Chavez tantrum against Uribe.
Chavez also appears to be still smarting from the Spanish
King's rebuke. While not new, Chavez' latest tirades against
Colombia and Spain may erode his international standing
precisely at the time when he was trying to build it up
through his "humanitarian" efforts to free FARC hostages. It
remains to be seen what Chavez means by "freezing" relations
with Colombia and Spain, but at a minimum,
government-to-government contacts are likely to remain tense
in the near term and could spur selective retaliation against
some Colombian and Spanish firms. We do not anticipate,
however, that Chavez' disputes with Colombia and Spain will
hurt him substantially with his core supporters in the days
leading up to the December 2 constitutional referendum.

DUDDY