NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEMANDS U.S. WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 000655

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV VE IZ
SUBJECT: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEMANDS U.S. WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ

REF: CARACAS 000424

Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT DOWNES,
REASON 1.4 (D)


1. (C) Summary. The National Assembly passed a March 20
resolution calling for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. and
coalition troops from Iraq. This latest resolution comes on
the heels of a February 22 resolution condemning U.S. "war
preparations" against Iran (reftel). Having conceded to
Chavez in January the power to legislate by decree over the
next 18 months, the National Assembly appears to be rolling
out anti-American foreign policy declarations with increasing
frequency as one means of staying relevant. Moreover, as
Chavez' proposal to forge a single pro-government United
Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) continues to expose
internal divisions among Chavez' supporters, such resolutions
provide convenient vehicles for exhibiting greater political
cohesion. End Summary.


2. (U) The National Assembly (NA) unanimously passed a March
20 resolution calling for the immediate withdrawal of the
"invaders and assassins" from Iraq. The resolution was
sponsored by NA Deputy Adel El Zabayar, a Ukrainian-trained
economist and former communist and a founding member of
Chavez' Fifth Republic Movement (MVR) party in the Amazonian
state of Bolivar. El Zabayar is also the Executive Vice
President of the National Federation of Venezuelan Arab
Entities. During discussion of the resolution, the MVR
Deputy proposed a minute of silence for the "650,000 murder
victims" of (U.S.) imperial interventions in Afghanistan,
Haiti, and Iraq (sic). He accused the USG of hiding the
"real" statistics of American casualties and of engaging in
an "extermination" bombing campaign in the initial phase of
Operation Iraqi Freedom (sic).


3. (U) The National Assembly subsequently sent the text of
the National Assembly resolution to all the diplomatic
missions in Caracas and posted it on its website. An
informal translation of the text follows:

Begin Text

Considering:

--- that four years have passed since the imperial and
terrorist occupation of Iraqi territory;
--- that in commemoration of this date, the peoples of the
world have reacted with diverse forms of protest to express
repudiation and indignation to reject this occupation;
--- that the American empire with hegemonic goals maintains a
policy of terror and threatens to world peace, converting the
White House into a house of worldwide terror;
--- unfortunately the reigning silence at the United Nations
is a source of concern that demonstrates the accurate
perspective of our President Hugo Chavez Frias in proposing
reform of the United Nations;
--- that the Bolviarian Republic of Venezuela and its
glorious revolution makes its position of repudiation and
rejection clear with respect to this and other occupations
and violations of international law.

Resolves to:

--- join the nations of the world on this day that express
solidarity with the heroic people of Iraq;
--- demand the immediate withdrawal of the invaders and
assassins from Iraqi territory;
--- exhort the secretary-general of the United Nations to
provide more support to the victims of this invasion,
especially the refugees that now alarmingly totaling four
million;
--- propose the celebration of a global meeting to study and
support the recuperation of peace in Iraq, and in other
countries victimized by imperialist, terrorist
interventions...

End Text

BROWNFIELD