Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CARACAS1271
2008-09-11 21:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
CHAVEZ CLAIMS ANOTHER U.S. COUP PLOT
how-toVZCZCXRO5933 PP RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHMT RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC DE RUEHCV #1271 2552133 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 112133Z SEP 08 FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1771 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001271
SIPDIS
USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID/OTI (RPORTER)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ CLAIMS ANOTHER U.S. COUP PLOT
Classified By: Political Counselor Francisco Fernandez
Political Counselor, for Reason 1.4(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001271
SIPDIS
USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID/OTI (RPORTER)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ CLAIMS ANOTHER U.S. COUP PLOT
Classified By: Political Counselor Francisco Fernandez
Political Counselor, for Reason 1.4(d).
1.(SBU) President Hugo Chavez interrupted his September 10
national broadcast inaugurating nine new medical clinics to
claim that the United States and its lackeys in Venezuela,
"pitiyanquis," were conspiring to "assassinate" him.
According to Chavez a "desperate empire" and its Venezuelan
supporters were recruiting active and retired military pilots
to drop bombs on Chavez while in the presidential palace
Miraflores or on location during his "Alo Presidente"
broadcasts. Chavez speculated that the U.S. could paint
Venezuelan flags on American F-16s in Curacao to simulate a
popular uprising against him.
2. (SBU) That night, ardent Chavista talkshow host and
Carabobo state gubernatorial candidate Mario Silva broadcast
a recording of alleged phone conversations between Army MGEN
Wilfredo Barroso Herrera, VADM Millan Millian and Air Force
BGEN Eduardo Baez Torrealba. Voices alleged to be the three
retired flag officers spoke of seizing Miraflores, the TV
stations and the Naval Headquarters. Silva also named former
Chavista Defense Minister Raul Isaias Baduel and Golobvision
owner Alberto Federico Ravell. According to Silva the
opposition was plotting a coup to avoid defeat in the
November local and state elections.
3. (SBU) Minister of Interior and Justice Tarek El-Aissaimi
weighed in on September 11 claiming state intelligence bodies
had detected a new plot indicating "business groups, the 2-D
Movement and military officers" were conspiring to kill
Chavez and overthrow the government. Foreign Minister
Nicolas Maduro told the media September 11 that a plot
against the life of Chavez was originating from the White
House. According to the Maduro the BRV was preparing a
report "for the world" that would expose the face of the
conspirators that included retired and active duty officers,
media owners and old politicians. Maduro said the BRV had
"no doubt" of the Bush administration's involvement. Maduro
alleged that as the "clan" governing the U.S. neared its end
they plan to "discombobulate, destabilize and fill the world
with blood and violence."
4. (C) Comment: Chavez regularly invents a coup or
assassination plot by the United States to shore up his base
and deflect attention away from the mundane but serious
problems crippling the daily lives of regular Venezuelans.
This time the BRV has cast a broad net accusing almost every
sector that ever opposed Chavez of having a finger in the
plot. (Note: The student movement was excluded, probably
because nobody would believe it. End Note.) The additional
pressure from Venezuela's poor drug enforcement record, the
TSA warning notice and the trial of Franklin Duran in Miami
may be inspiring a BRV media campaign. Venezuelan officials
and state media are casting Chavez as the victim of the
"empire" in order to personalize the election into a
referendum over his leadership and "defense of the
revolution." End Comment.
CAULFIELD
SIPDIS
USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID/OTI (RPORTER)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/11/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL VE
SUBJECT: CHAVEZ CLAIMS ANOTHER U.S. COUP PLOT
Classified By: Political Counselor Francisco Fernandez
Political Counselor, for Reason 1.4(d).
1.(SBU) President Hugo Chavez interrupted his September 10
national broadcast inaugurating nine new medical clinics to
claim that the United States and its lackeys in Venezuela,
"pitiyanquis," were conspiring to "assassinate" him.
According to Chavez a "desperate empire" and its Venezuelan
supporters were recruiting active and retired military pilots
to drop bombs on Chavez while in the presidential palace
Miraflores or on location during his "Alo Presidente"
broadcasts. Chavez speculated that the U.S. could paint
Venezuelan flags on American F-16s in Curacao to simulate a
popular uprising against him.
2. (SBU) That night, ardent Chavista talkshow host and
Carabobo state gubernatorial candidate Mario Silva broadcast
a recording of alleged phone conversations between Army MGEN
Wilfredo Barroso Herrera, VADM Millan Millian and Air Force
BGEN Eduardo Baez Torrealba. Voices alleged to be the three
retired flag officers spoke of seizing Miraflores, the TV
stations and the Naval Headquarters. Silva also named former
Chavista Defense Minister Raul Isaias Baduel and Golobvision
owner Alberto Federico Ravell. According to Silva the
opposition was plotting a coup to avoid defeat in the
November local and state elections.
3. (SBU) Minister of Interior and Justice Tarek El-Aissaimi
weighed in on September 11 claiming state intelligence bodies
had detected a new plot indicating "business groups, the 2-D
Movement and military officers" were conspiring to kill
Chavez and overthrow the government. Foreign Minister
Nicolas Maduro told the media September 11 that a plot
against the life of Chavez was originating from the White
House. According to the Maduro the BRV was preparing a
report "for the world" that would expose the face of the
conspirators that included retired and active duty officers,
media owners and old politicians. Maduro said the BRV had
"no doubt" of the Bush administration's involvement. Maduro
alleged that as the "clan" governing the U.S. neared its end
they plan to "discombobulate, destabilize and fill the world
with blood and violence."
4. (C) Comment: Chavez regularly invents a coup or
assassination plot by the United States to shore up his base
and deflect attention away from the mundane but serious
problems crippling the daily lives of regular Venezuelans.
This time the BRV has cast a broad net accusing almost every
sector that ever opposed Chavez of having a finger in the
plot. (Note: The student movement was excluded, probably
because nobody would believe it. End Note.) The additional
pressure from Venezuela's poor drug enforcement record, the
TSA warning notice and the trial of Franklin Duran in Miami
may be inspiring a BRV media campaign. Venezuelan officials
and state media are casting Chavez as the victim of the
"empire" in order to personalize the election into a
referendum over his leadership and "defense of the
revolution." End Comment.
CAULFIELD