BOLIVARIAN INSIDER CLAIMS FOREIGN MINISTRY

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001436 SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER) E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV VE SUBJECT: BOLIVARIAN INSIDER CLAIMS FOREIGN MINISTRY HARASSMENT OF EMBASSY CARACAS DUE TO MINISTRY INFIGHTING Classified By: CDA JOHN CAULFIELD, REASON 1.4(D) ¶1. (C) Summary. Embassy Bolivarian contact Rene Arreaza expressed to ChargQ his frustration with the failure of his Foreign Ministry to end harassment of Embassy Caracas' operations and offered to make another attempt to overcome these "bureaucratic" problems. His comments revealed GBRV infighting over how to deal with the United States that does not bode well for future bilateral relations. End Summary. ¶2. (C) ChargQ met October 8 with Venezuelan businessman Rene Arreaza, an informal Embassy conduit to GBRV officials. He informed Arreaza that the Department had called in GBRV ChargQ Angelo Rivero Santos on October 7 to say that the GBRV must close its Houston Consulate as a consequence of moving to a new building without authorization, and to protest Foreign Ministry harassment of Embassy Caracas. Arreaza was not aware of the problem with the Houston Consulate but mentioned that the GBRV Principal Officer had been assigned there for several years and was known to act on his own without coordinating with the Embassy in Washington. He expressed frustration that he had been unable to assist Embassy Caracas overcome its administrative problems with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said that when North American Director Yaneth Arrocha had informed ChargQ on September 19 that Mrs. Duddy would be able to return to Caracas to pack out her effects she had only cleared it with her immediate boss Vice Minister Jorge Valero and not with Minister Maduro. Comment: This is not credible. Valero has been ill and notably detached from our bilateral agrenda, nor is he the type of person likely to have made such a decision without consulting his superiors. End Comment. ¶3. (C) Arreaza acknowledged that most of the Embassy's problems with the Foreign Ministry were in the area of Protocol Director Ramon Gordils, but without going into details he claimed that the real problem was bureaucratic infighting among Vice Minister Valero, Vice Minister for European Affairs Fleming and Tamir Porras, Minister Maduro's Chief of Staff. ChargQ responded that regardless of the cause of the Embassy's poor treatment the effect was the same, and that the Department of State would respond to this harassment. At this point Arreaza asked the ChargQ to provide him with a list of Embassy Caracas' problems that he would share with former GBRV Ambassador to the U.S. Bernardo Alvarez who might be able to use his Foreign Ministry contacts to help in resolving them. He thought that Alvarez would be sympathetic to working out ways for our respective missions to overcome bureaucratic problems. ¶4. (C) Charge' responded that Arreaza was well aware of our problems which besides Mrs. Duddy's return included discriminatory denial of vehicle import privileges, refusal to issue visas to diplomats assigned to Embassy Caracas, or to those visiting for temporary duty. He agreed to provide a general list to Arreaza but pointed out that the real problem was the inability of the GBRV to maintain a normal working diplomatic dialogue to resolve these routine issues. This failure to communicate did not bode well for the future of our bilateral relations especially as we contemplate the inauguration of a new U.S. administration. ¶5. (C) Arreaza said he wanted to return to his position as a guest lecturer at Georgetown University in late October and had just received his Exchange Visitor Visa form from the University. He requested Embassy assistance in arranging an expeditious appointment to apply for the required visa. ChargQ directed him to the Consul General who should be able to assist him with this request. When in the U.S. Arreaza said he would like to meet with former Ambassadors Patrick Duddy and Charles Shapiro with whom he had friendly relations in Caracas. ChargQ offered to pass on this request. ¶6. (C) Comment. Arreaza was clearly uncomfortable that he had previously assured the ChargQ that he could assist on a variety of our administrative problems but had accomplished nothing. His comments concerning divisions within the Foreign Ministry on dealing with the U.S. indicate that President Chavez has not articulated a policy line for dealing with the U.S. prior to the inauguration of a new administration, and may not even be aware of the harassment of Embassy Caracas by his Foreign Ministry. End Comment. CAULFIELD