DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO URUGUAY: DEMOCRACY IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000965 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE ALSO FOR WHA A/S TSHANNON E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2017 TAGS: PGOV VE PHUM WHA EU UY SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO URUGUAY: DEMOCRACY IN VENEZUELA REF: STATE 154674 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Ambassador Frank E. Baxter for reason 1.4 (d) ¶1. (C) On November 9, 2007, A/DCM delivered reftel demarche to the MFA's Director of Multilateral Affairs, Ambassador Carlos Barros. He listened attentively and said that "officially" the GoU registered U.S. concerns about the anti-democratic changes in the BRV's constitutional reform package and the repressive measures employed by the GoV. ¶2. (C) "Unofficially" and in hushed tones, Barros said the GOU was not going to jeopardize its close relationship with Venezuela and was unlikely to criticize the GoV in private or in international fora. He suggested that the A/DCM pursue the matter further with Director General for Political Affairs Alvaro Gallardo when he returned from the Ibero-American Summit in Santiago, Chile if desired. "But that real answer is what I have told you, since it comes directly from the Foreign Minister", he said. ¶3. (C) Comment: Barros is a senior professional diplomat who has been marginalized in the MFA because of his ties to an opposition political party. While we don't discount his assertion that Foreign Minister Reinaldo Gargano is very close to Venezuela, we also recognize that he does not fully control all of Uruguay's foreign policy. In this instance, however, we doubt that the GoU will robustly join the voices of international concern regarding GoV efforts to undermine democracy, in disregard of its commitments under the Inter-American Democratic Charter. End Comment. Baxter