Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CARACAS2254
2007-11-28 23:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:  

REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN UPDATE-NOVEMBER 27-28

Tags:  PGOV KDEM VE 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 002254 

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2017
TAGS: PGOV KDEM VE




SUBJECT: REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN UPDATE-NOVEMBER 27-28

REF: A. CARACAS 2238


B. CARACAS 2188

CARACAS 00002254 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSLOR ROBERT DOWNES FOR 1.4 (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 002254

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SIPDIS

HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TOAID/OTI RPORTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2017
TAGS: PGOV KDEM VE




SUBJECT: REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN UPDATE-NOVEMBER 27-28

REF: A. CARACAS 2238


B. CARACAS 2188

CARACAS 00002254 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSLOR ROBERT DOWNES FOR 1.4 (D)


1. (C) Summary: Political polarization is increasing in the
lastweek of campaigning before the December 2 referendm on
President Chavez's proposed constitutional eform. A large
gap in police coverage allowed pr-reform thugs to storm the
fences of Andres Bell Catholic University (UCAB) while
students engagd in a pitched defensive battle. Chavez and
his"Yes" camp are accusing Sweden, the United States nd CNN
among others, of supporting the oppositionto the referendum.
Accion Democratica's (AD) cal on supporters to vote "No"
pushed the remainin absentionist parties, National
Resistance Commad and Alianza Bravo Pueblo, off the fence to
opely calling for a "No" vote. A National Election
ommission (CNE) study shows 61% of campaign airtim so far
has been devoted to the "Yes" campaign. End summary.

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Ye Supporters Storm Campus
--------------


2. (SBU) Ten students were injured on Novmber 27 when
red-shirted "Yes" supporters on motrbikes charged the main
gate of the Andres BelloCatholic University (UCAB).
University students ad been leafleting earlier in support of
the "No vote with police on the scene. The attackers
arived at approximately 7 p.m. after Caracas Metropoitan
Police monitoring the campus departed. Witesses report at
least two busloads of pro-Chavezreinforcements arrived as
students exchanged rocs and bottles with the attackers, who
fired pyrotchnics into the campus during a three-hour
battl. Vice President Jorge Rodriguez told the local mdia
that the Caracas students "were the same one who killed a
Chavista worker in Valencia." Stuent leader Yon Giocoechea
criticized the Metropoltan Police for failing to prevent the
attacks onUCAB students.

-------------- ---
Chavez Fingers the Empire, VP Acuses the Church
-------------- ---


3. (SBU) During a televised seech to a large "Women for
Yes" Caracas gatherin the evening of November 27, Chavez
warned that the American empire" is the real enemy. The

Venzuelan president claimed the "hairy, boney, stinkig hand
of the empire" was behind the defections o former Defense
Minister Baduel, fellow 1992 cou plotter Joel Chirinos and
his ex-wife MarisabelRodriguez as well as a plan to provok
violence, manipulate the Catholic church and use a media
bombardment to give the impression that the "No" block is
winning. Chavez pedged, "I am incorruptible, I am
unblackmailable I'm unthreatenable and I plan to stay at the
hel of Venezuela beyond 2020." That same night Chavz
appeared on the hard-line pro-government talk how "La
Hojilla" and accused CNN of trying to prmote his
assassination.


4. (SBU) Vice Presient Rodriguez accused the Catholic
Church leadersin the Maracay State dioceses of planning acts
o violence in Aragua and Carabobo in comments to th media.
Rodriguez called on Cardinal Urosa, UCABrector Luis Ugalde
and the bishops of Venezuela o prove if they did or didn't
know about the antigovernment protests that left one dead
and tens njured. Rodriguez also announced that he would as
the National Election Commission to rule if theVenezuelan
Episcopal Conference is a political party and if they had
registered as a "No" block member before making their stand
against the referendum.

--------------
Chavez Gets Game - And Never Sleeps
--------------


5. (SBU) Chavez spoke to a large rally of "Sports
Participants for Yes" the night of November 28 at the Forum
in Valencia. A significant number of Venezuela's leading
athletes and Olympians participated in the pro-reform event,
including American League 2007 Batting Average Champion
Magglio Ordonez, gymnast Regulo Carmona, fencer Silvio
Fernandez and martial artists Joana Sanchez and Adriana
Carmona. Government television stations covered the event
live. He later appeared past midnight on the government "La
Hojilla" political variety show expounding for two hours on
his constitutional reform proposals and plots against him.

CARACAS 00002254 002.2 OF 002



-------------- -
AD To Monitor Polls/CNR Abandons Abstentionism
-------------- -


6. (SBU) Accion Democratica (AD) Secretary General Henry
Ramos Allup pledged that AD would mobilize 66,000 activists
to cover the 33,000 voting machines across the country.
Allup predicted in a series of media interviews that Chavez
and the "Yes" block would "take a thumping." The National
Resistance Command (CNR) and Alianza Bravo Pueblo, the last
of the noteworthy abstentionist groups, called on their
members to vote "No" on December 2. Antonio Ledezma said his
party members will reluctantly vote "No" with their eyes
open, calling the vote "the only way to stop this (reform)."

--------------
Media Bias
--------------


7. (SBU) Government television stations devoted 58 hours in
support of the "Yes" vote compared to a mere 38 minutes of
access to the "No" camp, according to the Finance and
Political Participation Commission of the National Election
Council (CNE). The CNE report found private broadcasters
leaning in favor of the "No" block with 13 hours of
anti-reform programming compared to 8 hours for pro-reform
spots. Regional broadcasters received the highest marks for
balance with 27 hours of "Yes" and 24 hours for "No". After
including radio spots, the study found 69 percent of the
sampled 148 hours went to the "Yes" camp while 31 percent
went to the "No" side.


8. (SBU) Information Minister William Lara accused a media
monitoring project funded by the University of Gothenburg as
a waste of Swedish taxes. He accused the project of being a
front to spread misinformation against the Bolivarian
revolution. The Media Monitoring Group 2007 recently
published a report stating that "in public media proponents
of 'No' have disappeared."


9. (SBU) On the evening of November 27, members of the BRV's
Directorate of Social Responsibility in Radio and Television
claiming to represent civil society visited Globovision and
other private media to urge balanced reporting to promote
calm and avert violence. Globovision had been told
previously by the CNE to pull spots from NGOs that promote
"No" and now is obliged to broadcast government ministry ads
supporting "Yes", which are followed by a Globovision
disclaimer.


10. (C) Comment: Chavez on November 26 claimed there were
&dark forces8 behind the many calls for venezuelans to vote
in Sunday,s referendum. Only six weeks ago former Vice
President Vicente Rangel urged the Ambassador to work with
the &loyal opposition,8 which he defined as those who
participate in the electoral process. The fact Chavez now
sees perfidy behind electoral participation could indicate he
is worried about the apparent shift in voter preferences.

DUDDY