FOREIGN MINISTRY: CHANGES AND VACANCIES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 000284

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

HQSOUTHCOM FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT FOR AID/OTI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV VE
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTRY: CHANGES AND VACANCIES

REF: 06 CARACAS 00779

CARACAS 00000284 001.3 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT RICHARD DOWNES,
REASON 1.4 (D)


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: THE VENEZUELAN MINISTRY OF PEOPLE'S POWER
FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MFA) HAS GONE THROUGH SIGNIFICANT
PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES IN RECENT MONTHS WITH
FOUR OUT OF THE FIVE VICE-MINISTERS EITHER RESIGNING OR BEING
RE-ASSIGNED. PRESIDENT CHAVEZ ANNOUNCED FEBRUARY 19 THAT
FRANCISCO ARIAS CARDENAS, THE VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO THE
UNITED NATIONS (REFTEL),WOULD SERVE AS THE NEW VICE-MINISTER
FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN. ARIAS CARDENAS'S
REPLACEMENT, ALONG WITH THE THREE REMAINING VICE-MINISTER
SLOTS, REMAIN OPEN. END SUMMARY.

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MFA EXODUS
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2. (SBU) IN LATE 2007 VICE-MINISTER FOR EUROPE RODRIGO CHAVES
SAMUDIO WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE VENEZUELAN EMBASSY IN GREECE,
REPORTEDLY AS AMBASSADOR. VICE-MINISTER FOR ASIA VLADIMIR
VILLEGAS AND VICE-MINISTER FOR AFRICA REINALDO BOLIVAR BOTH
RESIGNED. IN EARLY 2008 VICE-MINISTER FOR LATIN AMERICA AND
THE CARIBBEAN RODOLFO SANZ WAS REASSIGNED TO HEAD THE
MINISTRY OF PEOPLE'S POWER FOR BASIC INDUSTRIES AND MINING.
VICE-MINISTER FOR NORTH AMERICA AND VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO
THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS) JORGE VALERO
REPORTEDLY HAD TO TAKE OVER THE REMAINING POSTS UNTIL
REPLACEMENTS WERE NAMED.

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VILLEGAS'S RESIGNATION
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3. (C) MEDIA RUMORS REPORT VICE-MINISTER FOR AFRICA REINALDO
BOLIVAR STEPPED DOWN BECAUSE THE UPSURGE OF BRV ACTIVITY IN
AFRICA WAS WEARING ON HIM. VILLEGAS, ON THE OTHER HAND, GAVE
A CANDID DECEMBER 3 INTERVIEW TO CARACAS DAILY "EL NACIONAL,"
IN WHICH HE CRITICIZED CHAVEZ AND LAMENTED THE LACK OF
DIALOGUE WITHIN CHAVISMO. VILLEGAS RESIGNED DECEMBER 5,
CITING AS THE REASON HIS DESIRE TO RETURN TO JOURNALISM, HIS
ORIGINAL PROFESSION. HE NOW CO-HOSTS A POPULAR POLITICAL
TELEVISION TALK SHOW WITH AN OPPOSITION-ORIENTED JOURNALIST.


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THE RUMOR MILL: LIKELY CANDIDATES ARE CHAVEZ LOYALISTS
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4. (C) CHAVEZ'S APPOINTMENT OF ARIAS CARDENAS AS
VICE-MINISTER OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN DOES NOT
COME AS A SURPRISE. ARIAS CARDENAS BOLSTERED HIS CHAVISTA
CREDENTIALS BY LEADING THE "YES" CAMPAIGN IN ZULIA STATE.
THE "NO" WON BY A WIDE MARGIN THERE BUT, GIVEN HIS PERSONAL
HISTORY, ARIAS CARDENAS'S ACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE REFORMS
WAS IMPORTANT. HE HAS ALSO BEEN A VISIBLE SUPPORTER OF
CHAVEZ'S DRIVE TO CREATE A SINGLE PRO-GOVERMENT PARTY. HE
WAS ALSO RUMORED TO BE VYING TO BE THE PSUV CANDIDATE IN THE
ZULIA GOVERNOR'S RACE.


5. (SBU) SINCE ARIAS CARDENAS'S APPOINTMENT THE BRV HAS GIVEN
NO INDICATION WHEN IT WILL NAME REPLACEMENTS. IN THE
INTERIM, THE LOCAL PRESS IS SPECULATING ON SUCCESSORS.
CARACAS DAILY "EL UNIVERSAL," REPORTS VICE-MINISTER AND OAS
AMBASSADOR, JORGE VALERO AND VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO THE
UNITED STATES BERNARDO ALVAREZ ARE LIKELY CONTENDERS FOR THE
UNITED NATIONS SLOT. GERMAN MUNDARAIN, THE FORMER DIRECTOR
OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN'S OFFICE IS RUMORED TO BE IN
LINE TO REPLACE VALERO. MUNDARAIN WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THE
LEAD-UP TO THE DECEMBER 2 CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM, WHICH
INCLUDED GOING ABROAD TO EXPLAIN AND DEFEND THE PROPOSED
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS. AN MFA OFFICIAL DENIED A RUMOR THAT
FOREIGN MINISTER MADURO MAY BE REPLACED BY FORMER MINISTER OF
EDUCATION ARISTOBULO ISTURIZ.

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MFA RESTRUCTURING TO SERVE CHAVEZ'S INTERESTS
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6. (C) OTHER POSSIBLE CHANGES IN THE FOREIGN MINISTRY HAVE
ALSO ALARMED SOME MID TO LOW LEVEL MFA WORKERS. IN 2007 THE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY INTRODUCED A REFORM THAT WOULD CHANGE THE
CURRENT FOREIGN SERVICE LAW TO CREATE A DIPLOMATIC CORPS
DEDICATED TO FULFILLING THE GOALS AND MISSION OF CHAVEZ'S
BOLIVARIAN AGENDA. THE REFORM HAS NOT YET BEEN ENACTED, BUT

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OTHER MEASURES WERE TAKEN TO 'RE-STRUCTURE' THE MFA. IN
JANUARY 2008, THE BRV ANNOUNCED TEMPORARY MFA WORKERS'
CONTRACTS WOULD NOT BE RENEWED AND ASKED FOR THE DIRECTORS OF
THE MFA TO VOLUNTARILY SUBMIT THEIR RESIGNATIONS, IN AN
ATTEMPT TO WEED OUT MFA WORKERS NOT CONSIDERED SUFFICIENTLY
"BOLIVARIAN."

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COMMENT
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7. (C) UNDER CHAVEZ AND FOREIGN MINISTER MADURO, THE MFA HAS
BEEN WEAKENED, POLITICIZED AND MARGINALIZED. DIPLOMATS FROM
COUNTRIES THAT ENJOY OSTENSIBLY "CLOSE" RELATIONS WITH THE
BRV COMPLAIN OF ESCALATING MFA INCOMPETENCE AND INEFFICIENCY.
THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS SUGGESTS THE SITUATION WILL NOT
IMPROVE IN THE NEAR TERM. END COMMENT.
DUDDY