MEXICO ON VENEZUELA'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PACKAGE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MEXICO 005981 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2027 TAGS: PGOV PHUM WHA VE MX SUBJECT: MEXICO ON VENEZUELA'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PACKAGE REF: STATE 154674 Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Charles V. Barclay. Reason : 1.4 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) Deputy Political Counselor met with Landy Esquivel, from SRE's Latin American Office, November 28, to convey U.S. concerns as relate to the anti-democratic changes Chavez seeks to make with its constitutional reform package coming up for a vote on December 2 and urge Mexico to join us in speaking out more publicly on this issue. Esquivel remarked that Mexico refrains from commenting on matters of policy "internal" to other countries opining it was up to the Venezuelan people to decide democratically whether or not they were agreeable to the kinds of changes Chavez was proposing. ¶2. (C) Esquivel remarked however, that Mexico was prepared to engage on provisions that affected directly Mexican interests or Mexican citizens. For example, Mexico understood that the constitution reform package contemplated some changes that could affect Mexican economic interests including potential curbs on foreign investment. Several provisions were contradictory so Mexico was not clear on the kinds of changes the package would produce upon implementation if passed. Mexico had not raised this matter yet with Venezuela but planned to if the changes passed. ¶3. (C) Esquivel offered high praise for the professionalism of Venezuela's new Ambassador to Mexico, Roy Chaderton, a former Venezuelan FM under Chavez. Esquivel remarked that Chaderton met frequently with Mexico's FM and that the Venezuelan Embassy was in general very active. Officially, Mexico says it does believe a Bolivarian Movement exists in Mexico. Personally, however, Esquivel expressed her view that the Venezuelan Government was actively engaged with an incipient movement. She also believed Chavez had probably sought to offer leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador support for his campaign for president last year. At the same time, she said she had no reason not to believe Lopez Obrador's assertion that he received no support from Venezuela. Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / GARZA