CHAVEZ AND AHMADINEJAD UNITE TO SAVE THE WORLD

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 000091 SIPDIS SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2031 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM VE SUBJECT: CHAVEZ AND AHMADINEJAD UNITE TO SAVE THE WORLD FROM AMERICAN "IMPERIALISM" REF: CARACAS 55 Classified By: Robert Downes, Political Counselor, for Reason 1.4(b). ¶1. (U) President of Iran Mohammed Ahmadinejad kicked off a Latin American tour with a short (hours-long) January 13 stop in Caracas to visit with President Chavez. The trip marks Ahmadinejad's second trip to Caracas in less than six months, having also visited with Chavez in September of last year, when the two Presidents consummated a "strategic alliance" and signed numerous bilateral accords. The Presidents signaled at that time and have continued to aver that the Venezuelan-Iranian relationship is borne out of a coordinated policy of establishing centers of power to combat the United States' "imperialist" tendencies. ¶2. (U) In this vein, Chavez and Ahmadinejad announced on January 13 the creation of a two billion-dollar binational fund to support investment in third countries and "liberate them from imperialism." With his typical bluster, Chavez harped on the "imperialists" and the threat they pose to undeveloped countries. Ahmadinejad, displaying comparative tact, more generally said that the current problems stem from the "incorrect direction of the developed countries." Neither government has yet delineated how exactly this fund will be created or how it will function. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: The subject line of this telegram speaks for itself. In Ahmadinejad, Chavez has found a like-minded, oil-producing ally who flaunts his anti-American credentials, in the face of international criticism. Chavez thinks he has inherited (or soon will) the mantel of the czar of anti-Americanism in Latin America. Exporting the "revolution" is high on Chavez's to-do list. This initiative is a step in that direction, but it is unclear at this point if it will actually come to fruition. We note that the BRV continues to support Iran's right to pursue a nuclear energy program, saying that there is nothing to indicate Iran is seeking anything other than a nuclear energy program for peaceful purposes and that the UNSC sanctions against Iran were hastily and precipitously imposed (reftel). BROWNFIELD