Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CARACAS789
2008-06-06 13:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Caracas
Cable title:
PSUV ANNOUNCES CANDIDATES IN CONTESTED
how-toVZCZCXRO3147 PP RUEHAO RUEHCD RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHHA RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRS RUEHTM RUEHVC DE RUEHCV #0789 1581350 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 061350Z JUN 08 FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1262 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 000789
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2028
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
SUBJECT: PSUV ANNOUNCES CANDIDATES IN CONTESTED
GUBERNATORIAL AND MAYORAL RACES
REF: CARACAS 00758
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES
FOR REASON 1.4 (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 000789
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2028
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
SUBJECT: PSUV ANNOUNCES CANDIDATES IN CONTESTED
GUBERNATORIAL AND MAYORAL RACES
REF: CARACAS 00758
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES
FOR REASON 1.4 (D)
1. (SBU) President Chavez's United Socialist Party of
Venezuela (PSUV) announced June 5 its nominees for eight
gubernatorial and eight mayoral races that failed to produce
clear winners in its primary elections. Per party
regulations, the PSUV party leadership selects the party's
nominee in contests in which no candidate secured more than
50 percent of the vote or when the top vote-getter did not
defeat the nearest competitor by at least 15 percent in the
June 1 inter-party elections (Reftel). The newly-named
nominees will compete in the November state and local
elections on the PSUV ticket.
--------------
And The Winners Are...
--------------
2. (SBU) Former Communications Minister William Lara was the
most high-profile Chavista loyalist to make the cut. He will
be the PSUV gubernatorial nominee in Guarico state. Current
governor of Guarico, Eduardo Manuitt, referred to Lara as a
"high risk" candidate and questioned the PSUV Directorate's
insistence on Lara's candidacy, according to the local media.
Manuitt's daughter was Lara's closest competitor.
Meanwhile, incumbent Jesus Alberto Aguilaret Gamez will run
for re-election in Apure state and Teodoro Benancio Bolivar
Caballero will run on the PSUV ticket in Cojedes. In Nueva
Esparta state William Ramon Farina is the nominee; Enrique
Jose Maestre will run in Sucre state; and Leonardo Ali
Salcedo Ramirez in Tachira. Hugo Cesar Cabezas Bracamonte is
the party nominee in Trujillo state and Julio Cesar Leon
Heredia will compete for Yaracuy. PSUV National Director and
National Assembly President Cilia Flores also named party
candidates in eight disputed mayoral races.
3. (C) Comment. The PSUV party leadership's quick turnaround
time in making the results public could be an attempt to
minimize the level of backlash these top-down decisions might
produce. The media has already reported small protests
outside PSUV offices in the interior of the country where
members believe the party incorrectly rewarded loyalty to the
"revolution" over votes garnered. The test for the PSUV in
the coming months will be how well it can mobilize its base
in the wake of hotly contested and controversial intra-party
elections. End Comment.
FRENCH
SIPDIS
HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPARTMENT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2028
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM VE
SUBJECT: PSUV ANNOUNCES CANDIDATES IN CONTESTED
GUBERNATORIAL AND MAYORAL RACES
REF: CARACAS 00758
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ROBERT R. DOWNES
FOR REASON 1.4 (D)
1. (SBU) President Chavez's United Socialist Party of
Venezuela (PSUV) announced June 5 its nominees for eight
gubernatorial and eight mayoral races that failed to produce
clear winners in its primary elections. Per party
regulations, the PSUV party leadership selects the party's
nominee in contests in which no candidate secured more than
50 percent of the vote or when the top vote-getter did not
defeat the nearest competitor by at least 15 percent in the
June 1 inter-party elections (Reftel). The newly-named
nominees will compete in the November state and local
elections on the PSUV ticket.
--------------
And The Winners Are...
--------------
2. (SBU) Former Communications Minister William Lara was the
most high-profile Chavista loyalist to make the cut. He will
be the PSUV gubernatorial nominee in Guarico state. Current
governor of Guarico, Eduardo Manuitt, referred to Lara as a
"high risk" candidate and questioned the PSUV Directorate's
insistence on Lara's candidacy, according to the local media.
Manuitt's daughter was Lara's closest competitor.
Meanwhile, incumbent Jesus Alberto Aguilaret Gamez will run
for re-election in Apure state and Teodoro Benancio Bolivar
Caballero will run on the PSUV ticket in Cojedes. In Nueva
Esparta state William Ramon Farina is the nominee; Enrique
Jose Maestre will run in Sucre state; and Leonardo Ali
Salcedo Ramirez in Tachira. Hugo Cesar Cabezas Bracamonte is
the party nominee in Trujillo state and Julio Cesar Leon
Heredia will compete for Yaracuy. PSUV National Director and
National Assembly President Cilia Flores also named party
candidates in eight disputed mayoral races.
3. (C) Comment. The PSUV party leadership's quick turnaround
time in making the results public could be an attempt to
minimize the level of backlash these top-down decisions might
produce. The media has already reported small protests
outside PSUV offices in the interior of the country where
members believe the party incorrectly rewarded loyalty to the
"revolution" over votes garnered. The test for the PSUV in
the coming months will be how well it can mobilize its base
in the wake of hotly contested and controversial intra-party
elections. End Comment.
FRENCH